Author's note: Here is chapter ten! I think this is the longest one yet, and I'm starting to get my confidence back with the story, and I have some stuff planned that I hope people like. So enjoy this chapter, thanks to Freax, Izout, Mrs. Ace Merrill and Entangler for reviewing my last chapter and thanks to everyone that's been sticking to this story. I hope you like this chapter and please review!

Disclaimer: I do now own Stand By Me, just my OCs.

"Morning!" Aunt Emily greeted as I came downstairs into the kitchen. It was easy for her to be so cheerful, she didn't have to go to school today.

"Morning." I replied back, a yawn slightly distorting the end of the word, I sat down at the table and slumped over, she set a bowl of lumpy porridge in front of me before sitting down across from me.

"So are you excited for your first day of senior year?" She asked with a bright smile, I shrugged as I smothered the porridge in sugar to try and add some flavour, it was like eating soggy wood chippings without sugar.

"I guess. Can I get some coffee?" I asked and Aunt Emily tutted before going to get me some coffee, she didn't approve of the caffeine levels, but if I didn't have any with the amount of sleep I had scraped together last night, I was liable to fall asleep on my desk.

"Hey kiddo." Richard greeted as he came into the kitchen fixing his tie. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at him once again calling me kiddo.

"Hey." I greeted back through a mouthful of porridge and Emily shot me a disapproving look as she set the coffee down in front of me.

"So what time did Connie say she would pick you up at?" Richard asked for the third time since I told him she offered to pick me up and drive me home any days she was going to school. She passed my house on her way to the high school so it was no trouble to her, and it saved me from another lecture in the car on how I had promised to behave and focus on school when it started, and that I wouldn't hang out with the Cobras when I was meant to be in class and blah blah blah.

"In a half hour." I answered with a glance at my watch.

"Jessica I just want to remind you-" Oh no, he is not squeezing this in when I am trying to stay awake.

"I know Uncle Richard; keep your head in the books and your feet on the ground. Don't cut class or get in trouble." I said, mimicking his authoritative tone he took on when lecturing as I rattled off some of the orders I had been given several times leading up to today.

"And no hanging out with those troublemakers when you're meant to be doing homework. In fact, I think until you get settled in and make some friends that are more responsible, you should stay away from those boys." Richard suggested and I sighed.

"Don't start." I begged sarcastically and he raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

"I don't need this right now. I am starting a new school where I know only one girl that might not even be in any of my classes. Of course I'll make friends, but I'll make friends with who I want. And I thought you said I could hang out with the Cobras? You can't go back on what you said." I pointed out.

"I can do what I please." He retorted.

"So can I." I shot back and Emily made a point of switching to a different topic just as Richard was about to start an argument. She resorted to talking about all the teachers she knew from the high school and who taught what subject but I was hardly listening, I had learned sometimes blocking them out helped rather than opening my mouth which never failed to get me into trouble. My last few weeks of summer had been spent hanging out with Ace most nights and the guys during the day, my uncle was not too happy about how much time I was spending outside. In the end I got grounded for the last week and was only let out when my aunt decided to take me shopping for clothes.

There had been a lock put on my window and Richard kept the key in some secret place, so doing gymnastics on the roof over the porch was no longer an option. I had been constantly guarded and hadn't seen anyone. I had my calls to Connie monitored to ensure there wasn't any secret meeting scheduled where I would really be meeting up with the Cobras. I may as well be in prison.

I eventually forced the porridge down and went upstairs to get ready. I had eventually agreed to wear a red pencil skirt and my aunt had agreed to let me wear a black and white stripped t-shirt underneath, as long as I brought a while cardigan. I had refused heels and opted for white plimsolls instead. I threw on the outfit and was happy to see the cardigan my aunt had forced into the basket was nowhere in sight. I ran down the stairs with my black satchel and was about to cross the threshold to sweet freedom and-

"Jessica!" oh shit. Yeah the 'Jesse' thing didn't last two long either, my aunt thought if she slowly worked the name back in I wouldn't notice. I did, but I was past caring at this point. I turned to see her carrying out the white cardigan that looked like it had just been ironed. And there was me thinking I had escaped that nightmare.

"You almost forgot this." My aunt smiled as she fixed the cardigan over my shoulders and tied it at the front, ignoring the pointed look I gave her that was meant to convey I knew full well I had been going out without it and was happy about it.

"Your make-up is lovely." She commented as she went about fixing flyaway hairs from my hair which was in the growing out phase and had become spikey on several occasions; Billy had jokingly suggested I grease it back like the rest of the guys. It was true, I had actually put make-up on. I had red lipstick to match the skirt and mascara on, but powders and eye shadows were still my enemy. She kissed my cheek and handed me some money for lunch before wishing me good luck on my first day, Richard had come out and patted my head before I spotted Connie making her way down the road. I jogged out and they stood at the door to wave me goodbye. Sure they were annoying sometimes, but it was nice the way they treated me when they weren't telling me off.

"Woo-hoo! Check you out!" Connie exclaimed as I neared the car, I slid in to the car with a laugh and waved as we took off.

"Thanks, hate the cardigan though." I complained as we turned the corner and I took it off my shoulders.

"Throw it in the back and grab the other jacket."

"Okay…" I said as I all but threw the cardigan in and felt around behind me for the jacket, smiling when my hand made contact with leather.

"This is an amazing jacket." I beamed as I marvelled at the leather jacket in my hands; the soft leather had a subtle worn-out look to it. It looked like it would just reach my hips and fit perfectly. I carefully put it on before turning to Connie with a grin.

"I can seriously wear this?"

"Sure." She smiled, "I got it ages ago but never really wore it that often, when you told me on the phone what you were wearing I could tell you hated the cardigan so I threw that in the car. You can leave it here before you go home and take it in the mornings any time you don't wanna wear what your aunt gives you." She offered.

"You are amazing." I said and restrained myself from hugging her as we moved through town.

"I know." She laughed.

"Your outfit looks amazing too." I complimented as I took in the blue shoes, shite dress with blue flowers and denim jacket she wore.

"Thanks, I couldn't have been bothered going shopping so I just threw this on."

"I wish I didn't have to go shopping with Aunt Emily. I took some persuasion to not be forced into a frilly dress with polka dots, I do not need another one."

"You already have one?" She asked with a grin and I shuddered.

"Yeah I lost a bet to Ace and had to wear it to Ace's party after I met him."

"Was that when you…?" She trailed off and I nodded, getting what she meant. Connie had been wise enough not to mention a lot of what I told her about Ace, it wasn't a subject of gossip to her. I had more or less forgotten about it, it was easier to be around Ace when I forgot everything that had happened. He and Alice were still going out and last I heard Magnet hadn't arrived back in Castle Rock, nor had any of the other guys that had went away after him, they were only brought up on minor charges so they had less time but got out around the same time as Magnet.

"When was the last time you saw him?" She asked and I thought back, trailing through days of sitting in my room to find one day I had actually had fun.

"More than a week ago."

"He'll probably see you around to ask where you've been."

"I don't think he cares." I answered and she gave me a sceptical look before smiling mischievously.

"Maybe you'll see him tonight." She suggested smoothly as we pulled into the car park.

"What's tonight?" I asked suspiciously.

"Nothing." She answered in a voice an octave too high to be believable.

"Connie." I warned.

"Jessica." She teased as she pulled into a spot and cut the engine before jumping out of the car.

"Seriously, what's tonight? My aunt and uncle think I'm gonna be home after school."

"You'll see. You can call them and tell them we decided to stay and go to the diner with some girls or something. I'm not ruining the surprise. Now come on." She said and took my elbow before practically jogging over to the front steps. It seemed like a nice enough place, smaller than my last school. There were kids moving in drones into the building.

"You ready?" She asked as I stared at the front door nervously.

"Yeah." I nodded.

"If we don't have our last class together, meet me on these steps. Now let's go!" She said and dragged me in.

"Over here!" I heard Connie call as I emerged from the school several hours later, she was standing on the front steps smoking a cigarette, apparently she had taken a liking to it because Billy smoked a lot so she was constantly around the smell.

"I'm alive!" I announced as I walked over, stretching the arm out that wasn't cradling the books my bag couldn't hold. So far today I had been in geography, English, maths and history. I had some classes with Connie but others I was in by myself. Most people seemed a bit weird in the classes, I could feel stares on me and whispers behind me, but it must have been because I was new.

"I can see that, how was your last class?" she asked, she had waited for me outside most classes and I had sat with her, Mary and Angela at lunch. They both seemed nice to talk to and demanded Connie to explain why I hadn't been introduced to them before.

"Ugh maths, it was alright." I shrugged and she held the cigarette out, glancing around to make sure there were no teachers in sight. I juggled the books before taking the cigarette for a few drags that helped after the day. Settling in wasn't that bad, most of the teachers were alright, they were teachers, so they could only be so nice.

"Make any friends?" She asked and I scrunched up my nose.

"Not really. People are weird when you're the new kid." I explained and she smirked.

"Honey, it's not because you're a new kid. It's because you're a Cobra. The only Cobra girl in history, no less."

"How did I not realise?" I said as I smacked my forehead, people must have seen me out with the guys and words had spread. Ugh, brilliant.

"Probably too nervous. They'll be cool eventually but I would expect a few weird stares this first week. No one will say shit to you though, they assume because you're a Cobra, you aren't to be messed with." Well that was one thing.

"Alright, that's not so bad. So, are you gonna tell me what's going on?" I asked and she threw the last of the cigarette away before taking my elbow and leading me down the steps.

"Nope." She answered and I was halfway through rolling my eyes when she halted to a stop and I had to make a grab for a book that had almost fallen.

"Jeez, what was that for?" I demanded.

"Hey, Ace!" Connie greeted and I peered around her to see Ace leaning against the hood of his car in some blue overalls, a toothpick twirling casually between his teeth. He regarded us both with a nod and I returned it before beginning to walk on.

"Where are you going?" She hissed in a whisper.

"To your car, he's here to pick up Alice, dummy." I hissed back and began to pull her along when Ace's voice stopped me.

"Michelson!" He called, not even caring we were only a few feet away. I noticed some students stop to stare across the lawn and rolled my eyes.

"Yeah?" I asked as I turned to face him. He inclined his head for me to come over. I untangled my arm from Connie's and ignored her grin as I walked over to the car with her following slightly behind.

"Where have you been all week?" He asked, chewing on the toothpick. I tore my eyes away from it to look up into his eyes, one eyebrow cocked as he waited for an answer.

"Around." I answered vaguely and he smirked before leaning off the hood of the car.

"You going tonight?" He asked and I blinked in confusion.

"Going where?" I asked and Connie came up beside me.

"She doesn't know it's on." Connie answered and Ace smiled.

"No one in school mentioned it? Is it still on?" He asked and I glanced between the two of them.

"Is what going on?! I'm about to whack something with a textbook if you guys don't tell me!"

"Get in." Ace commanded and went around to his side of the car.

"Not until I know where I'm going."

"I'll tell you when it comes to it, just get in." he repeated with an exasperated look and I glanced at Connie.

"She can go drop her books off in my car, it'll save her having to tow them home later." Connie suggested and Ace nodded. I followed Connie to her car and dropped the bag in the back seat.

"What's going on? You better tell me." I warned and Connie sighed.

"Alright! It's a tradition that the students have at this school, every year after the first day we all head over to The Sundown Theatre, it's a drive in movie theatre in Portland. There are none here so we all head over there. I was gonna drive you but I guess Ace wants to." She explained with a wink and I shook my head.

"Why would he want to do that? Why isn't he taking Alice?" I asked.

"Beats me. Now get moving, wouldn't wanna be late for your date." She teased before starting the car. I stuck my tongue out and she laughed as she drove off. I made my way across the parking lot again until I reached Ace's car.

"A drive-in movie theatre?" I asked and Ace chuckled.

"Sure didn't take a lot for Connie to tell you."

"I would have annoyed her until she told me." I answered casually and he nodded.

"I've never been." I said a few minutes later.

"Huh?" He asked in confusion.

"To a drive-in movie theatre. Only ever been in a cinema." I elaborated and he raised his eyebrows.

"Really? No guys ever took you to one for a date?" he teased and I shook my head.

"Nope. Is it a popular place for dates or something?" I asked and he grinned.

"Yeah."

"Is Alice going to be there?" I asked.

"I didn't ask her." He answered with a shrug.

"Will she be there anyway?"

"She might be there with her brother." He answered casually and I sat straight as we headed through town.

"He's back?" Ace nodded.

"Yeah. Come on." He said as he cut the engine and got out of the car. I looked around in bewilderment before seeing we were outside the Blue Point Diner.

"Thought we were going to the movies?" I asked as I got out of the car and followed him, he stopped on the steps to give me a disbelieving smile.

"In the daylight? You really have never been to one." I shrugged as I followed him in, most of my friends were around my age and didn't have cars so we just went to the cinema instead, I didn't see the big deal with sitting in a car.

We were met by greetings of the gang as we came in, Ace and I squeezed into the booth beside Charlie and Vince whilst Eyeball and Fuzzy sat at the counter with their swivel chairs facing us. The waitress came over and the guys rattled off their usual orders. She turned to me expectantly and I patted my pockets to see what cash I had to work with before cursing.

"What?" Charlie asked from beside me.

"Left my damn purse in my bag which is in Connie's car. I'll just have water." I said to the waitress who nodded before beginning to walk back around to the kitchen.

"Hey!" Ace called her back and she walked back with a huff, "She'll take a burger and fries with a strawberry milkshake." He said, I stared as he got my usual order perfect. The waitress nodded before continuing to the kitchen.

"What are you doing? I don't have any money." I repeated and he rolled his eyes.

"Relax, I'll get it." He answered and I raised my eyebrows.

"Thanks." I said awkwardly and Charlie folded his arms.

"When am I gonna get free food?" He complained and Vince smirked.

"When you look like that in a tight skirt." He suggested and winked at me, "Ow!" He jumped as my foot hit his leg under the table.

"Just be grateful I didn't wear my heels." I pointed out as he rubbed the part of his leg I hit, Eyeball filled the dinner with the sound of his loud laugh and most people did the usual routine of shaking their heads disapprovingly at the gang's antics.

"Nice jacket." Fuzzy commented from the counter.

"Thanks. It's Connie's but she let me borrow it. I didn't wanna wear the cardigan my aunt picked out."

"Just be grateful you aren't stuck in some fuckin' overalls that make you sweat like a whore in church." Ace warned from across the table as he unbuttoned the top and shrugged it down to his hips and tying the sleeves around his waist, leaving him in a white t-shirt.

"Speaking of which, why are you wearing those?" I asked.

"I got a job in a garage down town." He answered simply as he pulled out a cigarette and lit it.

"When?"

"Last week. You'd have known that if you had cared to make an appearance outside your castle this past week." He shot back and I raised my eyebrows.

"Yeah I got grounded and my phone calls monitored, I'm basically on lockdown for the foreseeable."

"So won't they be pissed that you are going out with us tonight?" Eyeball asked.

"Oh they will. But I'll ring them from the payphone across the street and tell them I'll be home later."

A few nods of approval were the end of the conversation before we moved on to other random things, it was only a matter of time before we got round to talking about Magnet. Turns out he had arrived back last week but no one had seen squat from him or the Scorpions. The guys seemed eager to make a move but Ace said they were gonna wait, there was no point in jumping the gun too early. I eventually excused myself after I finished my dinner to call my aunt and uncle.

"Don't pick up. Don't pick up. Don't pick up." I chanted as the familiar droning from a phone call connecting filled my ear.

"Hello?" My aunt answered in her usual cheery voice. Oh crap.

"Aunt Emily? It's Jesse." I said as I scrunched my eyes up, this is going to be anything but easy.

"Is everything alright? Did something happen at school?" My aunt asked worriedly.

"No, no. I'm fine. I was just calling to say I'll… be home a little later."

"How much later?" She asked.

"I don't know. I'm just hanging out with the guys right now so I'll be home in a few hours, I just wanted to call so you're not worrying." Yeah, like there was any chance she wouldn't worry.

"Jessica really-" She began.

"I said I'll be home later. I just wanna have some fun with my friends after my first day of school, nothing wrong with that. I'll see you later." I finished and put the receiver back before leaning my head on the glass. Boy am I getting grounded again.

"What'd they say?" Ace asked as he emerged from the diner and I was crossing the street from the payphone.

"Oh I'm probably grounded. And I now have locks on my window so no more Romeo and Juliet moves."

"Damn. We'll figure something out." He said as I fell into step beside him and we walked to the car.

"How long a drive is it?" I asked as we got into Ace's car and the rest of the guys all made their way out of the diner to their cars.

"About a half hour, hour at the most. I gotta stop by the house first so I can get changed and then grab some gas but we should get there early, gotta get a good spot because the whole high school goes to this thing." He said as he started the engine.

"Okay, so you're working at a garage now? I was wondering how the hell you got by." Ace smirked as we headed down the street and out in the direction of his house.

"Yeah, had a couple over the years but nothin' good to keep me for long. I had a good job before summer started but I quit it and used the money to spend all summer doing nothin' and just hanging out and drinkin', figured I may as well get one now." He shrugged.

"Very responsible." I commented.

"Yeah well if you ever wanna ditch class and come down, feel free. Most of the day's spent fixing small things on the cars or sittin' around."

"Sounds more interesting than school, if I hadn't been given a thorough warning not to cut class, I'd take you up on that."

"Ah, the little good girl routine, how's that working for ya?"

"You tell me, it's the first day of school and I'm getting myself grounded for heading out of town without permission with one of the most dangerous guys in town. Speaking of which, have you seen Magnet about?" I asked and Ace shook his head.

"Nope, don't even know if he'll look the same or not. Alice has been saying he's staying inside and all. Probably doesn't wanna face me." He guessed confidently.

"Yeah, yeah, sure. That's definitely it." I said sarcastically and he shot me a smile before continuing the drive out to his place.

We arrived at the drive in a while later and Ace had the car parked down near the front. We then went up to join the rest of the guys who were parked a few rows back. We sat on the grass and talked shit until the sun went down before going back to our cars as more people started to arrive and pile in for the movie starting. I had grabbed my purse from Connie's car before making my way back to Ace's car where he was already sitting.

"Watch the food!" Ace ordered as I got back into the car.

"Shit, sorry." I apologised as I narrowly missed getting mustard and ketchup from a hot dog on my skirt.

"Take your pick." He said as he grabbed one of the hotdogs. I grabbed the other and a beer from down at my feet, passing it to Ace before retrieving my own and biting the lid off before spitting it out the window.

"You're gonna wind up with no teeth." Ace remarked before doing the exact same thing, I grinned before balancing the hot dog on my lap along with other junk food Ace had grabbed from the gas station before opening my purse.

"Alright so I owe you for my ticket, the meal at the diner and all this stuff. How much?" I asked but he shook his head.

"Forget it."

"No way! How much?" I insisted.

"A million bucks." He answered sarcastically without taking his eyes form the screen.

"Take a cheque?" I asked with a smile and one side of his mouth lifted. I grabbed a handful of bills before holding them out.

"Here."

"Keep 'em."

"Take it!"

"No!"

"You are insufferable, you know that?" I asked as I angrily closed the purse and folded my arms.

"Yes." He answered simply and I smiled.

"Alright fine. Thank you." I said with a slight grudge and went back to eating the food. A few minutes later I was folding the wrapper up when Ace sighed and opened the car door.

"Where are you going?"

"Get out here, far better way of seeing the movie." He said as he jumped up onto the hood of his car. I followed suit and got out of the car before going around and trying to clamber up beside him but my skirt kept making me slide off before I could get up far enough. Eventually I leaned my elbows on the hood and glared at Ace who had spent the last minute laughing at my attempts.

"Shit, you are not good at that." He stated the obvious before sliding off the hood and coming to stand in front of me.

"What are you doing?" I asked as his hands went to my hips and I flinched back only to hit the hood of the car, he rolled his eyes before grabbing my hips again.

"Helping you up, idiot. Here." He said before easily lifting me up enough for me to slide up onto the hood and stay there. He then went back ground and climbed up beside me.

"You could have just done that in the first place."

"I know." He answered back and the screen illuminated us both and everyone else at the drive in as the commercials before the movie came up. I nodded in approval at the size of the screen and how well we'd be able to see the movie.

"Does it meet your standards?" Ace asked, I laughed and nodded. He reached behind us to grab the rest of the food and set it between us, handing me my beer bottle and retrieving his.

"Thanks for taking me." I said yet again and he nodded. I tore my eyes away from his face while looked pale in the light coming from the screen, the normal blue of his eyes almost silver. Stop it, I told myself, before deciding to relax and enjoy the movie as it started.

Easier said than done.

I didn't know if it was the fact I had been without his presence for a few days, the fact that we were sitting so close together or the fact that this would be considered a date under any other circumstances, but I could not loosen up.

The few inches of space between us managed to feel both too close and too far at the same time. I was close enough to lie my head on his shoulder, my hand twitched where it lay on my stomach f its own accord, some part of me wanted to reach out and take his hand it mine. This was not fair, every time I think I've forgotten about all the weird feelings I get around him, he does something like this and turns everything upside down. Why didn't he take Alice? Why did he insist on not parking near the rest of the Cobras? And why, God why, does he have to look so gorgeous? Alright, so the last one isn't all down to him, but it's not helping the situation.

Food, food can help. Maybe the strange feelings drumming about in the pit of my stomach will go away if I eat something. My hand reached out for the packet of chips that sat between us.

And of course he had been reaching for something at the same time. Probably his beer, but that didn't stop his hand touching mine briefly enough to send a feeling up my arm like a small shock; I pulled my hand back immediately. Of all the moments to want the chips.

"You alright?" He asked and I nodded without taking my eyes off the screen, he went on to grab his beer whilst I kept my hand on my stomach and planned to do so until the tingling sensation died down. I needed to relax.

Almost an hour into the movie I could not tell you a single thing that happened, I had resorted to fidgeting with the zipper on my jacket or singing a song in my head to stop me thinking about anything else. Particularly the guy sitting beside me who laughed every so often and made me want to look to see his smile, he had both hands behind his head which eliminated the need to trace the back of one, but his elbow was now behind my head and I only had to lean back slightly to be effectively lying on it. I was starting to get a pain in my neck from keeping it raised.

At some point or another I started fiddling with the key to Ace's which hung around my neck on the chain I had put it on, I didn't want to leave it in my room for my aunt to find and end up having to explain what it was for. So I kept it on me at all times under my top. It came in handy at this moment so I traced the shape of the key over and over, running my finger over the ridges and chewing on it slightly which seemed to do the trick.

Thankfully a minute later he took his hands out from behind his head and I was able to rest my head back on the windshield, the knot in my neck starting to unravel and I managed to hold in a sigh of relief. My breath caught soon after though as his finger made contact with the ones curled around the key. I froze and my eyes shot to him, he had his gaze fixed on the key and unwound my fingers from it before taking it in his hand and inspecting it.

"You keep this on you all the time?" He asked, I nodded.

"Didn't want my aunt and uncle to find it, it would suck to have to say "hey thanks for the key but I lost it."" I pointed out and he shook his head.

"I could just get you another cut, no big deal. You haven't used this a lot though."

"I did… once." I confessed and his brow furrowed in thought.

"When?"

"The night that you came back with Alice and I was there, I just let myself in after I had that argument with my aunt and uncle." I reminded him and he grimaced.

"Yeah I didn't pick the best night to have her over, she was at Irby's when I got back and-"

"Yeah, I get it." I cut him off but he shook his head.

"No, you don't. I felt like shit and she was there so I just got drunk and took her home, fucking stupid now that I think about it, I caused an argument with my dad because I wouldn't let him drive drunk, then I go and do the same thing. Not that it helped much, still felt like shit after you left."

"Yeah well, I didn't feel that good either, thought I was coming over to say goodbye because my aunt and uncle had told me they were sending me away."

"Would you have went?"

"I don't know, I didn't wanna leave. I like it in Castle Rock, never thought I would say that, but I do."

"What's there to like?" He joked and I chuckled before turning serious again.

"A couple of things about it aren't so bad." I said quietly and my eyes met his. Oh fuck, look away, look away!

"Like what?" He pressed and I shrugged before going back to the movie, not like I was following the plot anymore.

"Nothin'." I brushed it off but he shook his head.

"Oh come on, tell me, what would possess a person to stay in Castle Rock?"

"You tell me, you're still there." I blurted out and immediately regretted it, I looked over expecting to see him pissed off but he just smiled slightly.

"Not for long. I might leave soon, just blow town and head somewhere else." It felt like a punch to the chest as he said it so casually. Here I had been a few weeks back crying because I didn't wanna leave and he was saying it like he was ordering food.

"Sounds nice." I responded curtly before going back to the movie.

"Would you leave?" He asked and I turned back to him.

"What are you talking about?"

"Well would you really miss this place? You could tag along with me; it wouldn't be so bad being stuck with you longer." He shrugged and some part of me wanted to scream yes but I shook my head.

"Gotta finish school and turn eighteen first. You're lucky you are old enough to just leave, I can't." I then went back to fiddling with the key around my neck.

"Well I'll stick around until you can, then we'll leave." He suggested and I thought I would get whiplash with who fast I turned to stare at him in disbelief.

"Why would you wait that long? You can go anytime you want."

"Exactly. So I'll leave after you graduate when you can go with me. What d'you say, kid?"

"I can't!"

"Why?"

"Because I'm not your girlfriend Ace, why don't you ask Alice to go with you?" I all but shouted, only managing to keep my voice at normal level for fear I'd annoy other kids here and end up in an argument.

"I'm not asking her, I'm asking you." He stated simply, "Well?" he pressed a few seconds later as I sat gaping like a fish, trying to find some answer, my mind was waging war with both sides fighting tooth and nail. Do I do the wise thing, or fuck it all and go with what I know I want?

"I-" To be honest, I didn't even know what I was gonna say, it was like some part of me had taken it upon itself to answer for me, I was waiting to hear it just as much as he would. Whether it was lucky or unlucky for us, I was interrupted.

"Hey!" A voice greeted brightly from beside me and I turned to see a face I would love to punch right about now.

Alice.