Two Worlds Collided (Ace Merrill)

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I'm sitting alone at a little booth. Elizabeth and Noah are playing a round of pool, and Noah's friend took off an hour ago.

I'm considering just slipping out when someone smacks the table, making me jump.

"Jesus," I say.

"Sorry."

I look up to see Ace's best friend, Eyeball Chambers. His little brother is friends with mine.

"It's fine," I mutter.

He gives me a small smile. "Is this seat taken?"

I shake my head. Obviously, it isn't taken. I have some form of alcohol in front of me, with a few sips taken out of it. Other than that, the tabletop is empty.

He sits down and examines me for a minute. I try to figure out what he's seeing as I watch him.

"You don't look happy," he notes.

Yeah, no shit.

"I'm fine."

He shakes his head and gets up. I watch him move over to the counter and buy a drink, then walk back over and sit across from me again.

"So, what's wrong?" He asks.

I shrug.

"It's complicated."

He's quiet for a minute, then looks at me.

"Is it because Ace slept with Lisa?"

I shudder, shooting him an icy look. He frowns.

"Oh. Sorry."

"It's okay. It isn't your fault," I say.

It's quiet for a while. Finally, he clears his throat.

"It kind of is," he states.

"What?"

He looks at the table. I lean closer to him, trying to figure out what is going on.

"Don't get mad."

I raise an eyebrow. "I'm not going to promise anything."

He nods, half smiling.

"At least listen to the full story."

That, I'm willing to do. "Alright."

He nods and pauses. After taking a drink, he folds his hands on the table. When he starts talking, he's looking down at them.

"Remember when you first moved here, and you stood up for my brother and his friend?"

I do. Ace and his three buddies were taunting them, and I didn't think it was right. So I defended them.

"Yes."

He sighs.

"Well, when we left, Ace said you were hot. He was talking about you when all of the Cobras were together, and someone had an idea."

The Cobras must be what the friend group goes by. I've never heard the term, but it makes sense.

"And what was that idea?" I ask.

Another pause. More hesitation that makes me even more anxious.

"They came forward with a bet."

I gasp. "A bet?"

He nods.

"Yeah. They said that if he could get you to trust him, and sleep with you, they'd give him fifty dollars."

I drop my gaze, my eyes stinging. I was a bet. Our relationship was a wager he set with one of his unruly teenage buddies.

"Oh."

"Yeah. But then when you didn't sleep with him, they set another one- get your best friend. They figured if he slept with Lisa, you'd get jealous or something."

I sigh. "Why?"

He shrugs, glancing at me for a moment.

"Here's the thing, though. He refused to sleep with her. He told me he couldn't do it, Eleanor. So he just told her to pretend it happened, because he couldn't go through with it."

I frown.

"What?"

He nods, looking at me for real.

"Eleanor, he told me he loves you."