Baby
Deal with the Devil.
They call me Baby, even after my brother Vern was born they still called me Baby. I guess sometimes nicknames just tend to stick. Well you all ready know about my brothers Vern and Billy, so now I guess its time to tell you my story. At first I never really thought it was that great, I mean in my eyes I only did what I thought best for my little brother, little did I know the effect I would have on the most unexpected person imaginable and the effect he would have on me.
See everyone says that I have a gentle personality, which in truth makes me contrast very much with my more aggressive family. Even momma is hard around the edges, but not me. I believe in speaking softly and carrying a big stick. Now I don't mean laterally, I don't walk around castle rock with a giant stick, instead I use my mind. Lord knows that I am not one for violence my brother Billy has that, and my other brother Vern well he was always digging for those pennies of his. Then there was me, Baby, I am 5 years younger then my brother Billy and 2 years older then Vern, which puts me at that great age of 15, and I guess the first thing you should know about me is that I'm a genius.
Now please don't think I say that to sound arrogant, because I don't, in fact I am truthfully very nice. I simply bring up this fact because it will have a key part In my story. Now I'm sure your wondering how the sister of Billy and Vern Tessio can be a genius? Well I'm 15 and graduating from high school as valedictorian, also I speak six languages, and I can say hello in at least seven more. I started reading when I was four and got a perfect score on my SAT'S. Needless to say I got the brains in my family.
I'm not really sure where to begin, I guess my story should start with the one person, I was terrified of for most of my life, Ace Merrill. I think I'm just scared of him because of his reputation , he's never hurt me physically, although I do wish he would leave my little brother and his friends alone. If anything I should be thankful to him, He saved my life once. I was five and had followed Billy and his friends to the pond by our house. Billy was 10 at the time and Ace was 12, well Billy was supposed to be watching me but he wasn't and I fell in. I don't really remember much, just being in the water then Ace dove in and was pulling me out.
He's never been nice to me though, don't get me wrong he's never been mean either; I have for the most part been invisible to him. Which is just fine by me, I'm no great beauty but I think I am fairly pretty, not the kind of pretty the girls Ace runs after are thought. I've got dark hair, and green eyes and I'm very pittie, and thin, Momma says that I should eat more but trust me I have no problem putting away food. I'm just skinny. Well now back to my story.
It was January, 1960 a brand new year, and a cold one at that, trust me it gets cold in Oregon, so there I was walking down the street on my way to the library like I always did after school, when I saw Vern and his three friends come running around the corner like the devil himself was after them. I soon realized why, my brother Billy and his gang the Cobras were right behind them. My brother Billy was not the leader of this gang, he just ran with them in fact if I had to give him a position I would say he was more of a commanding officer, not really a leader but not as lowly as a foot soldier. Ace, on the other hand was the leader and was starting to bear down on top of my baby brother and his friends when I stepped in.
"Stop it Billy! Leave Vern Alone!" I said stepping between my two brothers.
"Get out of the way Baby," Billy said as I stood between 4 very frightened boys and 4 very angry Cobras.
"NO, look I don't know what your beef is with them is, but it needs to stop" I said Addressing Ace more then my brother.
"This doesn't involve you Baby" Billy said gripping my arm.
"YES, IT, Does, That's our brother Billy and you and your little gang have been after them since the summer ended and I'm sick of it." I said wrenching my arm away.
"Well, well, well, Baby, when did you get so mouthy" Ace asked pushing Billy out of the way and stepping forward.
I looked up at him towering over me, his blue green eyes boring into mine.
"Look just leave them alone" I answered feeling no where near as brave as I had when I was yelling at Billy.
"Are you telling me what to do, Baby?" he asked looking me over.
"Yes" is said straightening up.
HE laughed in my face,
"I'll tell you what Baby, you got guts, standing here telling me what to do. When did you grow up Baby? Hell I still remember when you used to run and hide when I came over, and now here you are telling me what to do." He said lighting a cigarette. "I don't think I like that," he said looking me up and down again, looking at me in a way that made me shiver.
"I don't care what you like Ace," I said glairing at him.
"Alright, You pussies are safe this time" Ace yelled past me "Your not always gonna be around to save them Baby," Ace said then walked away with my Brother and the rest of his gang.
My knees felt week, and my heart was pounding in my chest, when Vern walked over to me.
"Thanks Baby," he said.
"No problem, just try and stay away from them, I got to run I'm late." I said taking off down the street.
I ran the rest of the way to the library, Miss Andrews was waiting for me at the door a worried look on her face.
"Sweet Jesus Baby, what took you so long? she said when she saw me.
"Sorry Miss Andrews, I had to help my brother out of some trouble." I said hanging up my coat.
"OH Vern, he's not going ot learn anything if you keep protecting him." She said.
"Well I hardly thing getting pummeled by Ace Merrill would teach him anything," I argued but it was lost on her, she was of a different generation one where Boy's were supposed to be tough and girls well their job was to turn out Babies as soon as they were married.
I brushed off the rest of her comments and I started to reshelf books for her, I know that soon she would start in on my want to go to college.
"So how many of those silly applications have you filled out Baby?" she asked right on cue.
"Bout six now, and I have gotten acceptance letters to 2 that are close so its looking good" I said with a smile.
"College, In my day a woman's place was in the home, you should just find yourself a nice fella, and start a family, trust me you feel much more fulfilled with that then being some stuffy career woman." She said shaking her finger at me.
And so begins my afternoon, at work. I glanced at the clock and my shoulders fell I worked till 9 tonight and my afternoon was just getting started.
By the time 9 rolled around I was more then ready to leave, and as I walked out the door Miss Andrews tossed one last comment about college that was lost to the snow and wind outside. I started my long walk home, cursing Billy for Taking his car, which forced me to walk. Truth be told Billy's car was a hunk of junk but right now I would give anything to be out of the cold. Lots of cars passed by me but few stopped, and I never took rides it didn't matter what the weather was, it just wasn't safe to take rides from people. A thought I kept repeating over in my head as a familiar blue Cadillac pulled up next to me.
"Get In" Ace's gravely voice said when the car came to a stop.
"No thank you," I said and started walking again.
"Baby, that wasn't a request." He said flicking his cigarette.
The look on his face was serious, and every instinct told me to run. I know that there was no escaping this and walked around to the passenger side and got in. I was trembling, not from the cold but from fear, I should have known that my earlier act of bravery would cost me, I just didn't think he would track me down and make me get in his car at nine at night.
He took off down the street fast, causing me to grip the handle of the door. I thought this was all going to be over soon, my house was just over the next bend in the road, but instead of turning down my drive way Ace just kept right on driving.
"You missed my house," I said my heart in my throat when he turned his eyes on me.
"I know, I need to have a word with you," he said his signature smirk coming to his face.
He pulled off, the main road, and drove a little ways, the trees, lumbering around the sides of the road, reminded me something from a nightmare I once had. IT started to snow harder causing Ace to drop his speed, till he eventually parked, in what looked like a picnic area. He kept the car running, and drew in a deep breath before he began to speak.
"So, Baby, after our little run in today I had a little talk with your Brother." He said smirk still in place, when he turned to look at me.
"Vern, what did you do to him Ace, so help me I'll…"
"You'll what, what are you gonna Do Baby? Anyway wrong brother." He said laughing slightly at my face.
"Billy, what's he got to do with me?" I asked still glairing.
"Anyone ever tell you, your cute when you get mad," he said raising a hand to brush the hair out of my face.
I flinched, afraid that a blow was going to fallow the action, but I saw a hurt look cross his face.
"I'm not gonna hurt you, I've got a little more class then that" he said bitterness in his voice.
"Sorry, but most of the time I see you, your not exactly using your hands to help people." I answered looking at my lap.
"Helped you once." He said tilting my chin. "You fell in the pond, I think about that day you know. Billy freaked when you went under and couldn't move, so I jumped in, its one of the few good things I have ever done in my life." He said letting his fingers skim over my cheeks.
"Oh, Ace why did you bring me out here?" I said unnerved by this other Ace that now sat cupping my face.
"Like I said, I had a talk with Billy, bout how he would feel if me and you got together," he said letting go of my face and slipping back into the Ace I had come to know and detest.
"Excuse me, but it's you and I, and Billy doesn't get a say in whom I date. And what makes you think that I would even consider, for one second to be your girlfriend." I said growing angry.
"Because I'm gonna make a deal with you, you date me, give me a chance, and I'll leave Vern and his little Pussy friends alone." He said with a cruel smirk.
"And if I say no." I asked, watching as his face fell.
"I'll beet the shit out of them, right in front of you." He said quietly.
"That's not fair," I said heart broken, tears coming to my eyes.
"Alright, I'll make it fair, give me Three months, till the end of April to make you fall in love with me, and if you don't then we break up, and I'll still leave the Pussies alone." He said with a tenderness that surprised me.
"End of April?" I questioned letting a tear slip.
"End of April," he confirmed brushing away the tear.
"Deal," I said quietly, and I could feel him smiling in the darkness.
"Good girl," he said caressing my cheek.
"Can you take me home now?" I asked fighting the tears.
"yeah." He said and moved back over to the driver's seat.
He held my hand the entire way home, bringing it to his mouth several times and placing a kiss on the back of it. The feeling made my skin crawl but I let him, I was his girlfriend now, but the forced contact was more then awkward for me.
Before long he pulled into my drive way, and I moved to get out of the car, but his hand on mine stopped me.
"Look, Baby for what it's worth, I'm going to do my damndest to make you happy." He said his eyes gentle.
I nodded and got out of the car, I started walking to the porch when I heard him yell my name. I turned around and saw him standing outside his car.
"I'm going to make you love me, Baby, somehow, I'll find a way." He said before getting back in the car, and driving away.
My heart sunk, at what tomorrow would bring, for I know that tonight I made a deal with the Devil.
I walked into the house, with the weight of the world on my mind; I was Ace Merrill's girlfriend. What were people going to think, what would momma and pop think.
"Hi mom, Hi Pop, I'm home" I said with no enthusiasm.
"Baby, your home late, we saved you a plate" Momma said as i slipped off my boots.
"Thanks Momma," I said as I walked into the kitchen.
Vern had his homework spread out on the table, and a look of relief crossed his face when he saw me.
"Baby, can you help me with this," he asked
"yeah, let me just get something to eat,"
Ace's Point of view
HE felt like scum. He knew he was a jerk ,a hood, but this was an all new low for him, blackmailing her into dating him. But he knew that if he could just show her, that deep down inside he could be everything she ever wanted. That maybe their story could have a happy ending. IF he could make her see this then he swore on everything holy that he would spend the rest of his life making her happy.
Back to Baby.
By the time I had helped Vern it was around eleven and I was beat. I climbed the stairs and started towards my room at the same time, Billy came out of the bathroom.
"Hey Baby, did you have a nice ride home with Ace?" he asked a big grin on his face.
"How did you know he gave me a ride home," I asked as I walked passed him and to my room.
"Ace, asked me what time you were done, who would have thought that Ace Merrill had a jonesen for my baby sister. Man when he brought up the idea of you and him together I told him the only way you would date him was if he found a way to blackmail you." He laughed as he leaned against my door.
"Well guess what, he found something," I yelled at my brother.
"You mean you and Ace, wow I didn't think he could do it." Billy said and for a moment I hoped he would go and get me out of this mess, then I remembered he and Ace were best friends and Billy was chicken shit. There was no way he was going to get Ace to let me go.
He must have seen the look on my face, cause In his next breath he told me how great a guy Ace could be if I just gave him the chance to be.
"Just go away Billy," I said sadly.
The truth was I didn't want to get to know him, I didn't want to give him a chance I just wanted to get away from him. After Billy left I got ready for bed and tried to read, but Tears kept forming In my eyes and no matter how hard I tried they just wouldn't stop. I realized that the safe little world I had created for myself by throwing myself into my school work was not falling apart, and I was now being thrown head first into the dangerous world of Ace, Merrill.