The Heart Of Ace

Chapter 55

"What is wrong with you?" Jason asked again.

I shrugged. What was wrong with me?

Nothing.

Our rover was a huge news.

People took photo of us.

Rover did it, not me. But people wanted to know how he did it.

I walked away in the midst of the presentation. Jason took over a few minutes until Liz could calm down and take it from there..

Project was a huge success. We added acceptable boundaries so the robot would not go and destroy stuff.

Liz was in cloud nine.

Dr. Williams was green with jealousy; other faculty members noticed. If he did not pull his act together he was going to lose his job and license to teach.

Dr. Mehboob Ahmed Khan was proud of us. He took the whole project along with Liz to NASA.

I was not interested. NASA was Liz's dream not mine.

I was not interested in anything.

So, here I was doing another code, for Jason to sell.

Jason was against it, he wanted me to focus on studies given that we were final years and he was no longer stranded for cash.

He narrowed his eyes. "Come on, we are going to hospital."

"I do not like hospitals."

"You puked third time after eating a piece of pancake, Davidson. We are going."

We went. I was okay.

No parasites, no flu, nothing.

They gave me food supplements and antiemetic medicines along with vitamins.

Jason was not satisfied.

"Last time he went this studious was in second year." Liz rubbed her hands on my chest. We were watching some animation movie.

"What happened?"

"His guide did not add his name to the International Science Olympiad."

It was not a big deal for me. I was young, they decided I could not do it. I accepted and went on my merry way. I was a tiny bit behind on my assignments and I forgot all about that in three days.

"Why?" Jason handed me a glass of water.

"We do not really know. I think the guide was favouring a senior. Dave did independent work under useless seniors. The asshole guide had the nerve to suggest that the senior would present the project under his name if Dave wanted recognition for his work. Dave quit."

"That prick!" Jason was red with anger.

"Dave walked away humiliated. He ripped the hard copy of the project to pieces and went all studious like now."

Jason started rubbing my shoulders in compassion.

"Don't feel so bad. Our department snatched Dave right away under their nose. We made him our team leader and that is how we actually became best friends. We won in our section whereas his department failed drastically. Stanford won and the Dean was livid."

"That is my bro." He ruffled my hair. I wanted to smile but I was tired.

"His department was trying to get him in game since then, the guide along with HOD did everything he could to take Dave back. Dave asked them to fuck off in politer words. But he is ours now. Third year winning streak." Liz boasted.

"You should have seen the enquiry procedures. Allegedly the project his seniors made was a flop from the beginning. Since, Dave tore up the hard copy they had no other project to fall back to."

True.

The guide did everything to get me back in the team the last minute but I had made up my mind. I had skipped several classes and worked hard for that thing.

The jerk made me a fool. I did not need his recognition. I wanted to show my middle finger when he suggested to handover the soft copy.

God! That man was a leech.

Then I became Dr. A's prodigy. We worked well together. He was my mentor. He never pressured me to be in any team. He chewed out HOD for turning blind eye when the guide tried to manipulate me.

"So, what happened now?"

Liz did not reply. They were looking at me for answers.

I shrugged. "Nothing."

"Bullshit. You have been like this for a week. You barely eat, you cry sleeping and have nightmares." Liz scolded me.

Jason was searching my soul.

"Jason, stay with us tonight." Liz suggested. "It has been days and Dave is not...himself."

"Oh I am crashing for a week." Jason pointed to his suitcase by the door.

I had really good friends.

But they are worrying for nothing.

As long as I did not believe it I would be fine. I refused to believe it.

What was there to believe anyway?

I ran to the bathroom and gagged up the stomach acids.

I was uncomfortable. There was fire inside my chest.

Nothing was wrong Ace, please, please believe.

Jason waited until Liz went to her room to trap me.

"What the fuck is going on with you?" Jason was calm.

I shivered under the blankets.

"You are avoiding Robert."

I froze. I stood up to leave. Of course Jason would know.

"You are avoiding me." Pain was in his eyes. "Talk to me."

"Nothing to talk about, Jace."

"You will tell me the truth, Ace."

Jason never called me Ace before. This time he did. He was not going to back off. He was angry.

I had never seen Jace this angry.

What would I do if Jace left me?

I was only hiding. I was not avoiding him.

I could not afford to lose Jason or Liz.

Please.

Would Jace leave me if I did not tell?

Was my sanity enough reason to let them go?

No.

No.

No.

"She is pregnant."

There...I had to believe it now. I said it loud.

It was real now.

I said it. It was not a nightmare anymore. It became my reality.

Mom was excited. Aunt Marie was excited.

Apparently so was Robbie.

I had to believe it.

Spinning. Spinning. Spinning.

Janice was pregnant.

"Who is..."

Jason watched me with horror.

I saw Jason running to me with outstretched arms.

Why was...