SAVING ACE

nine

n i n e

Olivia Rose Spencer

A few days had passed. There wasn't much going on in my life, I had been hanging out with Phoebe since her brother had already been discharged from the hospital. Emma was still in Florida but she said she would make a short trip here to see us. Although I know she loved us and wanted to see us, I was almost certain that she wanted to see Ashton.

I was strolling through the supermarket, I needed to grab tampons since I was having my period soon. I got sidetracked on the cereal aisle because I noticed a promotion on Fruit Loops, my favourite cereal. I reached up to grab a box when I heard a voice from behind me.

"Still into eating that shit full of sugar? Guess you'll never stop being a fatty."

The box of cereals that was on my hand dropped, at the sound of that familiar voice. I turned around to find none other than Toby Anderson.

"Leave me the fuck alone."

"Awww, but you used to love me so much, didn't you? And you thought I loved you too! How can anybody love Fatty Livvie?" he motioned towards me and continued. "Although I now see that you're thinner. Your tits look great, also."

"I won't hesitate to get a hearing at court. I have a restraining order against you if you remember."

"Oh, I don't know if they'll believe a fat stupid bitch another time, will they?"

"Don't speak to me ever again."

I ran out of the supermarket and into my car. Only when I was trying to unlock the doors, I noticed that my hands were shaking badly.

I don't know how I managed to get home in the state that I was. As soon as I entered my apartment I collapsed on the sofa, breathing heavily. Ace was only arriving at 9 pm and I didn't want to disturb Phoebe with my antics, because she was going on a date with Jacob White tonight.

I couldn't believe my past was back. I had worked hard these past two years to get rid of all the sadness that I felt inside of me. I had moved past my self-harming period, my wrists no longer itched for me to cut.

I was stronger than before, I told myself. Just because I didn't feel it, it didn't mean that I wasn't.

An hour had passed and my head was swimming with different thoughts. Should I go to the police? Contact my lawyers? I was feeling so hopeless that I even considered calling my mother.

I was on the settee on my balcony, hoping that the summer air would calm me down. But it wouldn't. I stood up abruptly, moving towards my bedroom, where I grabbed my lighter and my pack of cigarettes.

I needed to calm the fuck down and I knew this would do the trick. I put the familiar stick in my mouth, the flame of the lighter rising up quickly. I took a few drags, resting on the edge of the balcony and observing the world that was still moving. My phone buzzed with texts from the group chat with my girls. It was Phoebe telling something about Jacob, but I ignored it and silenced my phone.

I heard the front door open just as I settled down on the settee. I heard Ace moving around the house before I heard him talking to my cat.

"Where's your lady, Mr Snowie? Is it just us tonight?"

"I'm outside, Ace," I called out.