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Discovering The New Kid

crystal-mist

Chapter 10

What is the meaning of this?

"Alice, everything will be alright." He whispered as she continued sobbing. He tenderly ran his hand through her beautiful orange hair.

Ace stared at the ceiling of his room as the entire scene replayed in his mind.

He sighed as he sat up. As he looked out of the window into the darkness of the night, a number of questions revolved in his mind.

Why was Alice in the park with Maiyama in the first place?

Why had she agreed to be his girl-friend?

Why had she let Maiyama get that close to her?

And why did she publish the magazine article?

"So many unanswered questions." He muttered to himself as he closed his grey eyes.

And most important of all; was he still in love with Alice? And if yes, will she ever feel the same way?

The next day Alice was absent so he decided to pay her a visit. He knocked on the front door of her house. Her grandfather opened the door and let him in.

"She said that she wasn't feeling well today." He explained to the mint-haired boy.

Ace took in a deep breathe before knocking on the door.

"It's me…" he said.

"Uh come in, the door is open." came the answer in a feeble voice.

He opened the door and closed it behind him. "Hey…"

"Uhm hello."

"Are you feeling alright?" he asked, his eyes fixed on the orange-haired girl in front of him. Alice had was sitting up and had pulled the covers up to her nose, so that her face was hidden and only her chocolate eyes showed from behind them.

She nodded faintly. "I...I just couldn't come to school today…Perhaps Tomorrow?"

"Okay then." He replied taking a seat on a chair beside her bed.

Alice was concentrating on the wall. There was nothing specifically impressive about the wall of her room, but just then it was like the only sanctuary she could find as her heart kept beating madly.

And then, the inevitable question escaped Ace's lips. "Why did you do it?"

Alice pressed her hands firmly onto the blanket that was covering her in an attempt to make them stop trembling. "I was more or less forced to under the then circumstance." She replied.

Ace was getting a bit confused now…What was she talking about? How?

"It is not like I wanted to accept Maiyama's offer to be his girl friend…I mean, why would I when I was in love with someone else?" her eyes widened as these words escaped her mouth. She hadn't meant to tell Ace that she was in love.

"What do you mean?….Alice…tell me." He urged.

"You know why Maiyama hasn't been expelled out of this school even after numerous complaints don't you?" as she saw the baffled look on Ace's face, she sighed and continued. "It is because his father funds this institution; if his father were to stop, then this school would go bankrupt."

"I see…and then?"

"Let's just say he made a very serious threat…"

"What was it? That he would get you expelled?"

"Well, not exactly…But something like that."

Ace was getting frustrated. Why was Alice hiding this from him? It was not like Alice to be this secretive. But still, one question remained.

"So I see that is why you agreed to date Maiyama…But there is something else I need to know as well."

For the first time since the conversation had started she looked into his eyes. She noticed the seriousness in his eyes so she nodded, indicating that he could proceed with the question.

"Why did you do that?"

She blinked her eyes in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"

Ace sighed. "You know the magazine…Why did you do it?"

"The magazine? What do you mean Ace? I really have no idea what you are saying."

He looked at her incredulously, "Alice, don't act dumb…I know you did it, and it is alright…Please...I just need a reason…please."

Alice was amazed by the strange tone in Ace's voice. "But Ace, I really do not know what you are talking about."

He stood up and stalked over to his backpack. He took out a copy of the magazine, flipped through the pages and gently threw it to her.

Alice stared at the article in front of her. As soon as she read the first few words her eyes widened with horror.

"But this…this is…"

"My diary entries." He completed for her.

The horror in her eyes intensified as she looked at Ace. "Don't tell me…You think I did it?"

"You are the only one who had the opportunity…"

"But Ace…" tears appeared in her eyes.

Please don't make excuses. Ace's mind was repeating over and over…He knew that if she did then, there was no stopping his anger.

"I didn't do it." She told him.

Ace's fists were shaking…

"I did not do it Ace. Please believe me…I really did not…How could you even think that I would betray you like that?…Especially after I knew everything in your past…" tears streamed down her face as she said this.

There was something about Alice's face and the tone of her voice that made him want to believe her... Her voice was just so sincere and so heartbroken…He just might have believed her if her hadn't gone to the magazine head-quarters and confirmed that it was her that posted the article.

She is so good at acting…She looks so innocent, so vulnerable.He thought. Ace's expression was only a few levels down from cynical. He didn't utter a single word.

"Ace, please I didn't…Please believe me…I could never-"

"That is enough." He shouted as he got out all his frustration by punching on the bed…He did not hit her though.

"You'd think that after all that's happened you would at least accept the blame...I was willing to forgive you…I was willing to overlook everything…But now Why do you insist on living in denial?" his eyes were filled with scorn.

How could she do this to him? How could she be so heartless as to reveal his personal information to the public and then refute everything? Did he hold no meaning in her life, in her heart?

"I see no point in this." He yelled before leaving and closing the door with a thud.

For about five minutes Alice was speechless.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she tenderly traced the outline of the depression caused by Ace's punch on her bed.

"A storm has just passed between us and now here embarks yet another."

Her fingers were shaking slightly…She took the magazine into her hands.

"Ace, why?"

The next day and the day after that Ace did not talk to Alice and even she did not have enough courage to face him again.

Mira and Myleen were worried; they had no idea why Alice was so aloof all the time. The only one who was able to get the real reason out of her was Klaus.

Klaus had always had an exceptional ability to be able to draw the truth out of Alice in every situation. That was exactly what happened with the Masquerade incident.

He listened to her problem understandingly…

"You love him don't you?" he asked her with a sigh.

She blushed a little. "That depends upon your definition of love."

Klaus smiled at her… "Things are going to be complicated."

"I know." She said as the wind ruffled her beautiful hair. She looked up at the bright blue sky.

"If only this storm cleared up soon….Then I might have the courage to tell him how I really feel." She whispered, half to herself.

A/N; Why is Alice in denial like this? Couldn't she just have accepted her mistake?

And tell me why you think Alice is living in denial before going to read the next chapter okay? I know it is too much of me to ask you after updating both on the same day, but I hope you will comment on this chapter before going to the next.

End of this chapter….Phew. I explained some things here, but still things are incomplete.

Thanks for the support Love ya.