Unofficial Hatred (Ace Merrill - Stand By Me)

Chapter Twenty-Five: I'd Love You To Love Me

Ace was sitting on the edge of his bed when she awoke the next morning, he was in the middle of buttoning up his daddy-o shirt, she crawled over behind him and wrapped her arms round his shoulders, she could feel the tension in his chest and she knew then that he was back to his usual ways.

Her heart sank as he passed her the dress she had worn last night.

"Did you mean it when you said you needed me last night?" She asked, hoping for something more then a small response.

He smirked. "Think we both had too much to drink, A guy will say anything to get laid." He replied, he was lying, he had only had one beer last night.

Disappointment rushed through her body.

"C'mon get dressed, I'll drive ya home." He commanded as she slipped the dress over her head. "I got work."

She hummed a reply as she got off the bed and began to straighten out her dress.

He drove her home in silence, he chewed a toothpick while she plucked her eyebrows with a pair of tweezers, the car came to a stop once they had reached her house and she put the tweezers in her purse, he pulled her in for a kiss.

The kisses they had shared last night had been warm and gentle, she thought maybe they would stay that way but the kiss he had just given her was as cold as ever.

She got out of the car and shut the door about to tell him something but he had already driven off the moment the car door shut.

She watched him drive off, the gentle Ace that had appeared last night had disappeared along with his car, she had lost him.

Christmas had come and gone and the day was New Years Eve.

Rebecca had gotten herself a job at the local grocery store, she sat on the counter, bored as ever, as she smoked a cigarette not caring if her boss was watching or not, she saw Billy Tessio walk in.

"Alright, Chambers?" He asked as he placed a loaf of bread on the counter as she hopped off and went to the cash register.

"Same old." She replied. "That's ten cents." She asked holding out her hand and he took out two nickles from his pocket and placed them in her hands. "You with Ace?"

"Nah I got to get ready for my hot date with Connie tonight, think it might be the night."

"You say that every time." She chuckled and he shot her a frown.

"You'll see." He winked at her as he grabbed the loaf. "You spending tonight with Ace?"

"Probably. Like I do everyday." She sighed watching him as he gave her a wave and walked away.

She leaned her elbow on the counter and put her chin on her fist, she was bored, not just today but from everyday. It seemed all she did in life was work and then see Ace, where they either went to Irby's, played chicken or fished, they never really talked.

As she finished up at work and locked the doors, Ace's Cadillac was parked outside but he was nowhere in sight, she looked around for any sight of him but he wasn't around, she grunted as she walked a little further until she reached the alley-way to the back of Blue Point Diner, she saw the back of him leaning against the wall and the switch-blade in his hand, he was threatening someone.

She walked closer towards him and his victim hoping to see who it was, she let out a small breath of shock as she saw Charlie Hogan standing there with a freshly bloody nose, she ran towards the pair.

"What are you doing, Ace?" She yelled, grabbing at his arm. "Stop it."

"Leave, Rebecca. This is between me and Charlie." He warned her. "I told Charlie what I would do to him if he ever came back and he hasn't listened."