SAVING ACE

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Olivia Rose Spencer

"Hey Ollie," I greeted my little brother as he hugged me tightly. "This is Ace, my roommate, whom I told you about"

"Hi, you saved my sister the other day, right?"

"Yeah, that was me, bud."

"Where's Phoebe?"

"I think you love my friends more than you love me," I said, laughing. "Her brother was in the hospital during last week, so she's been at home, but I'll ask her to come round when I'll have to go to work."

"Do you think Ashton will be able to play basketball with me?"

"I'm not sure if he can, Ollie, but I'll play with you."

"You suck at basketball, Olive."

"That's no way to talk to your sister, Ollie," I grinned widely as I ruffled his hair. I missed him terribly whilst he was with our parents.

"I'll play with you, Oliver," offered Ace.

"Will you?" we both asked, although Oliver's voice had a ting of admiration in his voice.

"Sure, bud, I play varsity at Berkeley."

"You do?" shrieked Oliver.

"Ace, you don't have to..."

"Don't you have work today? I'll stay with him, that way you don't have worry Phoebe. I'm not working today, so I can stay with Oliver, I'll take him to the basketball field."

"Thank you, Ace, for real."

We promptly pile up again in my car and I drive us home. We eat some leftovers of the roasted turkey I had done the other day.

"This reminds me of the roast that Auntie Paula used to make," said Oliver whilst we were eating.

"Yeah? Do you still remember that?"

"Of course I do, I have a great memory, Olive!"

"You were little when she was still around."

"But she was there at our home all the time."

Auntie Paula was the mother I never had. She was there in all the moments in my life, guiding me through the hardest moments. She wasn't there when I started dating Toby, otherwise, she would have advised me against dating him. She took her life on a cold day in December, back in the year of 2011, flinging herself off a cliff.

"I'm sorry, sis, I know this upsets you"

"Don't worry, Oliver. I have to get going, are you sure you don't mind staying with my brother, Ace?"

"Of course not, Olivia"

I got up from my seat, quickly grabbing my bag from the bedroom. I kissed Oliver's cheek, hugging him tightly, and waved goodbye at Ace.

"You have to kiss him goodbye," Oliver butted in. "You've always told me it was the polite thing to do."

"Well, but I'm older here, aren't I? I get to bend the rules"

"No, no, no, you have to follow the rules, Olivia"

I quickly bent down, placing a short kiss in Ace's cheek.

"Bye then!" I screeched, eager to leave the kitchen.

"Ace has to kiss you goodbye too!" interjected Oliver. I now take back all the times I said I loved him.

"That's not necessary, Oliver, I'm in a hurry, I need to go."

The look on Oliver's face told me I had to obey his wishes. This guy knew I'd do anything to please him and he used that in his favour.