I know, I know! But I couldn't help it! Don't flame... I will ignore you. The only things I own in this, are Lucy and Kyle Evans. - Scitah
Lucy Evans sat with her father, Kyle Evans, at the pool hall. Kyle owed some guy money…
"When you said 'We are going to the pool hall' you didn't mean to have fun, did you?" Lucy asked irritably, arms crossed, pretty slouched in her seat.
"W-Well… Uh, sweetheart, I owe money… So this isn't really fun for me right now." he said, running a hand through his receding brown hair.
"Why am I here then?" she glared, thoroughly displeased.
"I was hoping that if he saw you, he'd give me a break…" Kyle answered honestly.
"This is your Summer with me and this is how we're going to spend it?" She scoffed, and before Kyle could answer, some one plopped down across from them in the booth.
"Ah, Summers." The sharp featured dark haired man said with a smile.
Lucy turned in awe, "Summers?"
The man blinked at her scowl, "Not… Your old man's last name?"
"… No. How much does he owe?" She asked curiously.
The pool hall had a few regulars and the Cobra's in it and they all watched the Evans' and the illegal money vendor.
"Sweet heart? I don't think-" Kyle began.
"Be quiet!" she hissed angrily, "I'm talking to some one!" she then turned back to the man and leaned onto the table, "Well?"
"Not a well disciplined girl, friend." the man chuckled until Lucy tapped her nails on the table.
"I get it from my father." she smiled wryly. "Now answer my God damned question!"
"Lucy!? I -" Kyle protested her language until her fist pounded loudly on the table.
"I said be quiet!" She shouted.
The man across from her sighed, "He owes $400..."
Lucy shook her head and reached into her purse and forked out the amount in bills, "Now he owes me. Kindly fuck off, now."
The man looked through the bills and smirked at the Evans', "Well, now, why don't we-"
"LEAVE!" she growled, giving the man a dangerous look.
"You got it!" and he scrammed fast.
A silence settled between the father and daughter until she stood.
"Lu? Where are you going?" Kyle called.
Lucy turned, "I'm going home! Mother was right! You're as stupid as you are worthless! You have terrible habits that you wouldn't bother getting rid of to see me breathe! Why the hell should I stay?! You have nothing but shame and disappointment to offer me!" she shouted, not caring about every one watching, She took a breath and a few steps back and forth, "I'm going back to New York."
And then she turned to end up bumping into Cobra Leader, Ace Merrill, who blinked down at her, "Leaving so soon?"
She scowled at him, "This is none of your business, Motor Head."
He chuckled sarcastically, "When you're shoutin' where I am, it pretty much become my business. Why are you so hard on your old man?"
She smirked dryly back at him, "Why don't you ask the man himself? Kyle? What have you done with your life?"
Both glanced over at Kyle who looked frightened and very worried. He knew who Ace was. "Uh… Only good thing I did was have you, Lu."
Ace and Lucy looked back at each other, "Aww… How sentimental." he smirked.
"If you like him so much, why don't you let him adopt you?" she growled.
"Why when he's got such a loving daughter like you?" Ace chuckled again.
"Women like me don't love men like him. We pity them. Because they're too chicken shit to be anything other than useless." she spat calmly, glaring up at Ace, who was a good foot taller than herself.
"Oh? So you like those successful types, all ready to be buried?" Ace asked.
"No. The only thing those men are good for is money." she said in a low tone, hands on her hips as Ace crossed his arms.
"Then what sort of men do you get on with?"
"The dead kind." she smirked, "Are you gonna drop dead any time soon?"
He smirked right back, "Not that I'm aware of."
"Then get the hell out of my way, Grease ball…"
"Ooh. I love it when you call me names, Pavement Princess."
"Oh yeah? If you keep me here any longer, expect more of it…" she leaned forwards a little, tauntingly.
"I would enjoy that… It would be the evening tea and biscuits of my day!" he said.
There was a silence between the two until they burst out laughing as if they shared joke only they got.
Kyle glanced nervously from Lucy to Ace and back to Lucy again, "Uh, Lucy?"
Ace and Lucy looked over at Kyle, "What?"
Kyle began to sweat. "Uh… Does this mean you're staying?"
Lucy looked back at Ace with a raised brow, "Until further notice, yes. I think I have some catching up to do 'round here."
Kyle nodded, "Sh-Should I wait f-for you?"
"I'm sure I remember where you live. You can go home. Don't stop for any deals, either." She instructed, looking up at Ace as he continued to stare down at her.
"Uh, al-alright." Kyle said, but didn't move for a few moment, then left as quickly as he could.
Ace grinned down at Lucy, "Been a long while, eh Lu?"
"I'd say so. You haven't changed at all, Ace." She smiled, albeit, sarcastically.
"You haven't either, even if you are in… Less flattering clothes…" he said, picking at her skirt, "I mean, seriously, Lu… A skirt? I'm all for easy access, but this is just no fun."
"Ha. You still wish." she laughed.
"Oh, don't lie. You know you want me."
"Preaching to your mirror again?" she taunted as his arm wound up around her shoulders and he guided her over to the guys, who she greeted warmly.
She used to be one of them, Ace's only challenger, only match, other than a kid wielding a gun!
A good week had passed and Lucy was in black jeans and a blood red button up blouse, sitting on the hood of Ace's car as they parked with the guys by the forested area.
It was then that four boys had begun to walk by, only to halt.
Ace glared at them, which made Lucy quite curious, then she pieced together the bits of story she got and 'Oh'ed.
"Get 'em." Ace issued and the group ran after the four young boys.
He turned and glanced at the curious gaze Lucy was giving him, "What?"
"How old are you, Ace?"
"Shut up." he said, almost ashamed. That is, until the four boys were dragged over.
Lucy tensed as Ace walked up to a weak looking boy, scrawny and shy.
"I warned you we'd get you back for this, didn't I, Lachance?" Ace growled.
"Fuck you, Merrill!" the boy shouted.
Ace smirked, "I was hoping you'd run your stupid little mouth…" He then balled his fist and pulled it back.
He released it and before it hit Gordie's face, Lucy grabbed his wrist, "I understand that he pointed a fucking gun at you, but he's like, twelve. Let it go and be the man, Ace. You could get in some serious trouble for beating on kids."
"Fuck off Lu!" Ace growled, trying to get his wrist from her grasp, but it was iron tight.
"Don't you dare, Ace. Try living in the city… You wanna know what real terror is, Merrill? You live in, on, and around concrete and you'll know. Now you and your boys will let them go and leave them alone. Alright? From what I've heard, they've suffered enough." She said sternly.
"We don't need your help, bitch!" Teddy shouted.
Lucy's icy glare turned to the boy, "You really think that's the appropriate thing to say to me, boy? You could be tomorrows pork from the butchers if you don't shut the fuck up."
Ace smirked, he knew that Duchamp would run his mouth like he always did and anger Lucy, making it so Ace didn't have to do shit.
"Shut up, Teddy." Chris hissed.
"Fuck you, Chris. We don't need this whores help." Teddy spat at her feet.
"Whore?" She asked with a dangerous smirk.
Billy and Charlie winced and as soon as she nodded to them, they let Duchamp go.
"Yeah! You're a no good, stupid, bloody-busy-body, whore!" Duchamp shouted.
Lucy cracked her knuckles and then tilted her head until it cracked, "Tell me, you the one with the whacky pappy?"
Teddy scowled at her, "Don't talk about him like that!" and he lunged.
Timing it right, Lucy grabbed his shirt front and threw him over her and Ace's heads.
"No one calls Lucy Evans a whore…" she growled.
Teddy got up and ran at her again, but she clothes lined him, then straddled him and punched him a couple of times, "You're the whore, you little bitch! A whore to beatings and pain!"
It got so bad that Ace had to pull her off of the nearly unconscious Teddy. "Easy babe. Take a breath and cool out."
She scowled at the bloody and bruised boy, then spat on him, "Fuckin' pig!"
Ace turned her away, "Alright, alright… He's got it… You toughened up in New York… We get it."
She shrugged out of his grasp, "I'm no whore."
"I know." Ace reassured her.
Lucy tilted her head back and shut her eyes, breathing slowly to calm down. When she was all good, she glanced at the other three, staring in awe and terror at her, "Let those three go. If they can carry that shit bag out of here, then he lives to see another day… And be sure he doesn't wear his glasses next time he wants a beating… I don't want glass in my hands."
Her hand darted out and waved the three to be released and for them to scram.
"You got glass in your hand?" Ace asked, grabbing her hand and inspecting it.
"I don't know. I think so. D'you see any?" She asked, watching him.
"Not in this one. How 'bout th'other?" He asked, taking her left hand.
Both were pretty spotted with blood, but no glass that Ace could see. "No. No glass."
Ace held onto her hands a moment longer, glancing up into Lucy's eyes as she did the same, then let her hands go and glanced down the road, the four boys rushing away, three carrying the one. "Stupid little shits…"
Lucy chuckled, "You'll get over it…"
"Oh? And when will you get a hold of that anger issue of yours, Lu?" Ace smirked back at her.
"When you grow some balls…" she answered nonchalantly.
She was rubbing the blood off on a rag one of the guys gave her when Ace walked up, "Gimme your hand."
She looked at him, "Why?"
"I'll prove I got balls." he chuckled.
She laughed and shook her head, "Don't bother. I'd think they were glued on, any ways."
"Why I oughtta!" and he threw her over his shoulder, chanting something she didn't understand, the other guys chanting as well.
The rest of the day was spent laughing and joking around avidly like they used to when they were younger.
By the time night rolled around, Ace dropped the two guys in his car with him and Lucy off so it was just the two of them.
Lucy glanced over at Ace and sighed, pulling on a chain around her neck which held two rings.
Ace glanced over and smirked as he recognized one, then frowned at the other, "What is that?"
"Remember when I left?" she asked softly, slipping the simple promise ring Ace gave her onto her ring finger. It was tight, but still fit.
"Yeah?" Ace nodded, pulling over so they could have a conversation.
"You gave me this and kissed me saying you'd find me up in New York…" she said in a vague manner.
Ace could only shut his eyes in remorse at forgetting that promise he knew he could never keep.
"I waited. Two years I waited for you, Ace." she said, slipping the ring off. "I finally decided that you had probably forgotten and moved on with my life, dating a couple'a other guys until one seemed to stick." and she slipped the more expensive promise ring onto her ring finger with a small, sad little smile.
"I don't want to hear about your new guy, Lu." Ace said, going to start up the car again.
"He's dead. It doesn't really matter any more." Lucy said, making Ace turn the car off and sigh uncharacteristically. "He was wealthy and kind. Not something one finds in some one else all too often, Ace. He was everything I needed to forget about you…"
Ace frowned deeply and looked at her, she had a far off look about her as she slipped the ring off again.
"But I couldn't. I couldn't forget you even the slightest bit. And he knew it. He got hurt because I couldn't forget you and took the ring right off my finger and threw it to the ground before storming out and driving off. He wasn't paying attention and a kid walked out. So Richard swerved and ended up in a pile of what was a really nice bakery…"
A ragged sigh escaped her mouth and Ace nearly died right there. Lucy? Crying? He couldn't bare the thought of her crying, so when she started, his heart damn near broke and ached with pain and guilt. "Lucy…"
"Let me finish, first." she asked, sniffling and leaning her head against the dash, fiddling with the two rings. "I got real sad and I stopped leaving the loft, then soon, I stopped eating and couldn't sleep. I blamed myself for Richard's death. And mother said I should move on with my life.
"I went back to school, but didn't talk to any one. The sleeping was hard to come by and I couldn't stomach much food for the next year… So that's up to four years. Last year, Something happened that really got me out of the dumps… Richard's mother found me and consoled with me… We were both depressed and secluded and together, we moved on enough to actually sleep and eat and live again. I told her about what we were so long ago and she said that I loved Richard, but I couldn't give him my heart when you still had it.
"So she talked to mother and they decided to send me back here for the summer for Closure, because we didn't really get it last time…" she sat up and looked to Ace, "Because you made a promise you didn't keep. Gave me hope when you knew you shouldn't."
Ace wanted so badly to look away. He was so ashamed and he felt terribly guilty… But he stared right into her haunted eyes.
"I came back… And all I really want to know is… Did you ever love me or was I one of your girls?"
Ace sighed again. She was never like those other girls who put out for him when ever he demanded it. She told him no all the damned time, made him work for a simple touch on his shoulder.
"Those girls… They were never you. When you left, I got…" he finally glanced away and gripped the steering wheel real tight. He hated opening up. Made him feel all weak. "I got real lost. I got real lonely and real stupid."
"Why didn't you come to New York like you said?" She asked, tears rolling down her face. She nearly never cried… Hated how it made her feel.
"I was…" he couldn't do it. Couldn't say it.
"What? You were what, Ace? I need to know or I'll never get over you! I want to move on with my life since you pretty much don't want a part of it like you used to!" she nearly shouted.
He turned sharply towards her, "What if I don't want you to get over me?"
Lucy shut her eyes and panted a little at the shear tension between them. "You plague my dreams… Poison my thoughts and rot my heart… Why can't you just let me move on? It hurts when you aren't there, and it hurts when you are. I don't want this pain any more… It's too much and I'm gonna die because of how much pain you put me through…"
"You think you don't plague my dreams, poison my thoughts, and rot my heart, too, Lucy? It hurts me just as much when you're not there, and even worse when you are but I can't touch you.. I know I let you down and I feel real bad that I can't go back in time and kick my own ass to get to New York… But I can't and when you left, I got scared you had already moved on. I didn't want to get to New York to find that you had some one like Richard who was able to offer you a better fucking life than I ever could even dream of giving you!" Ace shook his head and beat on the wheel, "I love you, Lucy… Too damn much…"
She stared wide eyed at him a moment, then looked to his turning-white knuckles.
Reaching over tentatively, she grabbed his right hand, his flesh flinching and reacting quickly to her touch.
"There are two options for both of us, Ace." she licked her lips and turned more towards him, "We get back together, or, we say our final good byes and move on with our lives."
Ace looked up at her like a child, "You would…" he paused, "You would get back with me?"
Lucy smiled, "School's out for me, Ace. It's either move back if we get back together, or head off to college if we say good bye for good."
They watched each other for a while, "Which would you prefer?" Ace asked.
"Ace…" she began to protest the question.
"Just answer me." he shushed her.
She glanced down, "Part of me wants nothing more to do with you… Part of me hates you terribly and blames you…"
Ace frowned, that was not what he was hoping to hear.
"And the other… The other is just ecstatic to even be in the same state as you." she smiled strangely at him. It was a mix of sadness and embarrassment.
"So, you're leaving this up to me?" Ace asked tentatively.
She nodded, "I am a victim of your will, yet again."
Ace sat back in his seat and thought, well aware of Lucy watching him closely.
The time ticked by; He really wanted to feel her affection again, but, he didn't want to get hurt or worse, hurt her again…
Lucy leaned, bored, against the window, twirling the chain absent mindedly in her fingers.
In ten minutes, she was ready to fall asleep, still playing with her chain when it was suddenly lifted from her!
She sat bolt upright and looked to Ace as he unclasped it and pulled off the ring he had once given her, "It's too small, isn't it?"
The question surprised her, but she answered any ways, "Not by much. It's a little too tight."
He reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a rather nice engagement ring and looked at it, "Mom gave it to me when she was dieing. Said t'give it to THE girl, but she was talking about you, I know. I'd been holding onto it forever. Always reminded me of how I lost her, then how I gave you up like a damn pussy! Now that you're back and offer me this deal, I'm feeling a bit scared like I did when you left."
He paused for a smart remark, but due to how serious this was, Lucy didn't say a damned thing.
Ace sighed, "Mom loved you, you know? You were her favorite out of all of my friends! She never shut up about you. About how good you were for me…"
Lucy glanced down at her own hands in her lap, still quiet.
"I was 10! And she knew you and I would be together. Knew it! She knew we…" he turned and looked at Lucy until she looked back at him, eyes staring into eyes, "…Loved each other more than any one would imagine."
Lucy's eyes began to water again and she shut her eyes to calm herself.
"She knew we could never stop loving each other… I should have listening to her better. Listened less to my own fears and more to you…" he sighed, "But, I don't want to get hurt again… And I sure as hell would hate it if you got hurt again… So, I think we should say good bye one last time. It'd be best for both of us."
She was crying again, but nodded as Ace blinked back his own tears while slipping the three rings onto the chain and clasping it around her neck.
"She wanted you to have it, so I'm giving it to you…" Ace said slowly, retracting and staring at the wheel so he didn't lose his resolve.
Lucy swallowed dryly and nodded some more, "Then I guess that's it, huh?"
Ace nodded, "It's better this way…"
He started the car back up in total silence and took her to Kyle's place.
They sat in more silence for a moment, both thinking real hard, until Lucy got out and scrammed for the front door, slamming it behind her then sliding down it till she was on the floor sobbing outright.
Ace clamped his jaw tight and let a few tears roll down his face.
He wanted her so bad… SO BAD! But he HAD to let her go. Had to. He had absolutely no choice… she'd be out of this damned down by noon tomorrow, he knew, so he drove to nice secluded place and got on the hood of his car, watching the sky.
Kyle had eased Lucy into her bed that night. She could barely do much of anything other than lay on the floor and sob her heart out.
He felt terrible, like it was his fault that her heart was shattered.
He could tell because he had that look on his face once before…
He tucked her in, shut off the lights, and shut the door sadly, then went back to his newspaper, trying to find a better job to make Lucy proud.
Lucy wiped at her eyes and rolled over. She could swear she felt his arms around her as if she were practically laying on his chest on the hood of his car staring at the stars.
She could smell him, feel him, and damn near see him in the dark of her room.
Ace had shut his eyes a bit ago when his arm fell to where Lucy would have been if she were with him, but she wasn't and his hand fell onto his stomach…
He could swear that she was there… Laying on him, asleep and breathing lightly, right hand loosely balled over his chest… He could smell that sweet scent from her hair.
"DAMNIT!" Ace shouted, leaping up from his car and pacing a bit.
Lucy's eyes snapped open and she looked worriedly across her room to find Ace not pacing on the grass they parked on…
Instead, it was a closed window where the light continued to vanish… Ace was not in her room. And Lucy was not on his car…
Her chin quivered as she shut her eyes and rolled over, falling back asleep to hauntingly sweet dreams of Her and Ace.
Ace kicked at the grass and the dirt, throwing a fit until he sat back against the front left tire, cradling his head and bawling his eyes out… He soon, too, fell asleep to those haunting dreams…
"Son? Hey, boy?" a rough voice called, jerking Ace back into the real world.
He looked up to find a cop looking down at him worriedly. "Oh, crap!" Ace leapt to his feet.
"Hey now! What's happened? Were you in an accident?" the cop asked.
"I'm about to be if I don't stop Lucy from leaving!" Ace called as he got back into his car and turned it on in a rush, then raced off.
"What on earth?" the cop pondered out loud, heading back to his squad car, shaking his head, "Kids!"
Lucy stood with Kyle at the train station and did her best to control herself.
Kyle remained quiet, somber.
The sound of a car horn blew wildly, causing the Evans and just about every one else in the area to look as Ace's car sped towards the tracks and stopped on the other side.
"Lucy!" Ace shouted and ran forwards, but was stopped by some on as train pulled up, separating him from her.
"Lucy!? Lucy! Damnit, man! Let me go!" Ace shouted at the man holding him back.
"Do you want to die, boy?" the man hollered.
"Without Lucy, I'll die any ways!" Ace argued, not caring any more if he sounded like a Pussy.
In moments, the train pulled away and Ace looked hopefully towards where Lucy stood…
Once.
His heart dropped as all he saw was Kyle watching the train pick up speed.
He felt crushed. Hopeless. Weak… And really stupid.
He watched the train and the man let him go, walking away with a roll of his eyes.
"Damnit…" Ace cursed softly, ready to break down and throw himself onto the tracks.
"Nice train, huh? Expensive tickets, you know."
Ace slowly turned to look at where the voice was coming from.
Lucy stood there, eyes watering, nose turning red, and a small smile on her face.
Ace looked back over at Kyle, who waved sheepishly and grinned, standing with Lucy's two bags.
Turning back to Lucy, he gaped, "Lu?" Ace asked.
"You know that's only part of my name? Stop being lazy, Ace." She stated quite posh-ly.
An amazed smile grew on Ace's face, "My God, Lucy!" he cried out, drawing even more attention towards himself as he pulled her into a tight hug.
She laughed, "Well, gee, cousin." it was a tease at his hug… She really wanted a kiss to blow her mind.
Ace pulled back and laughed hopelessly, "I thought you were gone… I didn't know what I'd do… I felt…" he shook his head.
"Ace… Ace? ACE!" she called, shutting him up, "You gonna kiss me or what, you Pussy?"
Ace laughed roughly, picking her up and spinning her about before setting her down and kissing her like he should have… Like he had always wanted to.