Opposites (Ace Merrill Fanfic)

12

That opportunity to talk to Ace came the next evening after Lizzy finished her shift early at the Blue Point Diner.
Walking towards Irby's, Lizzy felt the cool night air breeze past her legs. She didn't even know if Ace would be here, she was just acting on an assumption. Taking a deep breath, she stepped in.
The air was thick with cigarette smoke and it stunk of beer.
As Lizzy looked around, she saw The Cobras gathered around a snooker table smoking and drinking, it seemed Eyeball and Vince were playing against each other. The room was full and dominated by laughter and chatter.
He's got to be here, Lizzy thought to herself, observing The Cobras, looking for Ace amongst the crowd. But he wasn't there.
Lizzy sighed, debating whether to take Ace's absence as a sign and just leave or to ask one of the boys where he was.
A door opened and then closed from the left-hand side of her. As Lizzy turned to look, she saw Ace emerging from the boy's toilets and just like that he was in front of her.
'Now now, what's a nice girl like you doing here ey?' Ace said with a small smirk, causing Lizzy to offer a light smile.
'Can we talk?' She said with a serious tone.
'Sure' He nodded, gesturing her over to a small table in the corner.
As they pulled out their chairs and sat down, the rest of The Cobras began to notice Lizzy's presence, resulting in several loud 'oooo's'.
'Would you all shut the fuck up and get out of here' Ace snapped at them, following up with 'go on! Get the fuck out', resulting in all of the boys to leave Irby's with a few quiet groans.
After they had all left, and it was just Ace and Lizzy, he nodded at her.
'That my cue to talk?' Lizzy asked with a small laugh.
'Yeah, shoot' Ace answered, momentarily smirking.
Lizzy took a deep breath, 'Firstly, I want to say thank you for yesterday'
Ace stayed silent for a few seconds, 'he beat you?'
Lizzy looked down and swallowed, taken aback by the simple bluntness of the question.
'Sometimes, when he gets really angry. It's mostly to my Mom though. It's just when things don't go the way he wants it to go. I mean it doesn't happen that much, me and my Mom are real careful but when it does, it's...terrible' Lizzy uncomfortably told him, still looking down at the floor.
Then, Lizzy felt Ace stretch his arm across the table and his finger touching the bottom of her chin and pushing her face back up to eye-level
'He's not going to hurt you again' a serious look covering his face.
Lizzy stared into his eyes and felt safe.
'The thing is' she began, just wanting to spill out everything she had been thinking. As Ace moved his hand away from her face she took it and held it with her own on the table, 'I've been really conflicted. About you. I've been conflicted because I have fell for you but I know it can't work, my Dad being one of the reasons. It's just really hard for me you know. Not to sound cheesy but, my head is telling me one thing and my heart is telling me another... okay that did sound really cheesy'
Ace gave a slight smile to the latter part, now he was the one looking down at the floor.
'And your reputation around town, isn't exactly the greatest, which doesn't help with me being conflicted because I know my Dad would flip. It just makes me more confused and it means I've been so inconsistent in the way I am with you I guess. It's like I see a different person to everyone else which just leaves me feeling..'
'Conflicted?' Ace mumbled.
'Yes. And listen, I don't know if you've been so interested in me because you do like me or if it was just all some stupid joke or if you were just bored. But I do, like you.' Lizzy took a deep breath in and out, 'but it can't work...can it?' She regretted asking that the moment she said it. Even when telling him how she felt she still didn't know exactly what she wanted to happen. They could never work. She knew that. She knew it was dangerous to even try, yet part of her yearned to try. It's almost as if she couldn't even help herself but to ask.
Silence endured.
Lizzy waited there, staring at Ace who was staring at the floor still. There's my answer, she thought to herself.
As she stood up from her seat she softly said, 'Okay' while nodding and began to walk away. She felt stupid for even thinking that there was something real between her and Ace. Until, she felt Ace's hand shoot up and grab her wrist as she was walking past him.
'Look, I've been conflicted too' He said, letting go of her arm, Lizzy walked back to her seat and sat down.
'There's things I'm meant to do, like get those faggots back for the body, but then you get in the way, but I like you getting in the way. I've been conflicted between letting you get in the way or not. So I suppose I've been inconsistent too' Ace said quietly, there was nobody else there but it seemed he just wanted to be certain that no one could hear him.
'Maybe we should stop being so inconsistent then' Lizzy suggested, offering a warm smile after. Ace nodded in agreement even though it wasn't explicit what that entailed.
Moments of silence passed as they just sat there.
'I'm gonna take you out on a date' Ace stated, radiating with confidence once again, 'Saturday'
Lizzy wanted to say yes but she waited a second, thinking about her Dad as well as Gordie, Chris, Teddy and Vern, she still wanted to make it up to the boys and be friends.
'Okay' Lizzy smiled, it was like she was almost fearless. I'll only regret it if I don't try, she justified to herself.
Ace smirked, 'C'mon, I'll walk you home' he told her, gesturing his head to the side briefly.
Everything suddenly seemed like it was falling into place.