The Safe Place Project

A New Chance

Ace and Teo had woken up before everyone else, which was surprising since neither of them really slept last night and had decided to go on a walk and get some coffee. When Teo checked the time when he first woke up it was about 4, he noticed Ace's bedroom light on when he was about to leave on a walk and had decided to ask if he would like to go get coffee. Ace and Teo had decided to get dressed and take showers then head to a coffee shop. At around 5:30 the two headed out. The walked down the street and both had the same thought, 'This morning air is nice'
Neither of them had been out this early since they got to meet their new family. Ace hasn't for about 2 years, and Teo for 2 months, although they both were out this early when they lived in their houses. Teo so he could get food before school, and Ace just to escape home. A few minutes into their walk Ace trips and falls face first onto the sidewalk, Teo bursts out laughing and after his laughing fit is over, helps Ace up. Ace just looks at Teo with this "Shut the F up look' and continues walking like nothin happened. Teo on the other hand is trying not to internally die from holding his laughter back, he knew that if he laughed Ace wouldn't hesitate to slap him. All the sudden Ace says "You are buying breakfast, payment for laughing at me." Teo says fine and they continue walking. Not knowing what they were about to experience  in the near future.

~~~About Half An Hour Later~~~

The two made it to the coffee shop and noticed that there was quite a few people there for how early it was. The two entered and Teo looked around at the decoration, but Ace looked directly at the menu to order the most expensive thing since Teo was paying. When the two had decided what to get and ordered, they sat at a table in the back and started chatting about going to college and how they were going to re decorate their rooms. When all the sudden the two hear a scream and immediately jump up to look for who to see if they can help in any way. They realize there is a man there with a gun pointed at one of the baristas. She was crying and all the other people had listened to the guys demand for them to get on the ground. Except Ace, even though he was having a panic attack from his past he would not watch innocent people get hurt, and he wouldn't let his family get hurt either. Teo was on the phone with 911 while Ace quickly assessed the situation and figured out what to do. The shooter had let the lady go and her co workers were comforting her, the guy was looking through the back for money and valuables. He thought it over for a few seconds and then decided that the best option was to risk his life to save the other people, exactly what he should have done before. He looked back behind him at Teo, Teo and him locked eyes and as if Teo knew what he was going to, he started crying more. Ace immediately was hit with a wave a guilt when he realized that he was the first one Teo fully trusted when he first moved in. And now he might not be there for him. His eyes started tearing up but he pushed through his emotions, and slowly started walking to the back. Before he walked into the back room he turned around and threw his necklace at Teo, it was a rainbow pendant necklace. He had gotten it from his mother as a birthday gift. He looked away and went into the back room. 

     He was walking through the back looking for the shooter, he spotted him looking through some peoples stuff. Ace quickly walked back around him, quietly, and then tackled him to the ground. He succeeded in knocking the guy out but not before the shooter had shot him. He saw Teo in front of him and heard him scream but then everything went black.