Chris was awake by the time Alex woke up, sat leant up against the wall flicking through some book he'd found discarded somewhere in the dusty room.
"How you feeling?" he asked once Alex had unraveled herself from the mess of blankets.
"Like shit" she groaned. Her throat scratched with every word, the pounding in her head reminded her of how dangerous whiskey could be. She attempted to sit up but felt a sharp pain in her ribs. She gasped lifting up her shirt to see a patches of blue and purple all over her ribs and stomach. Chris grimaced at the sight, he chose not to say anything as he knew it'd be the last thing she wanted to think about right now.
He didn't have time to anyway. The trap door suddenly swung open and Eyeball's head sprung into the room.
"I knew it" he grinned "Ace sent me to find you and when I couldn't I reckoned he could" he motioned to Chris with an accusing finger.
"Shut your mouth Eyeball you don't know shit as usual. My Dad kicked me out and I couldn't get a ride to Ace's I needed somewhere to sleep." she spat furious at him for questioning her loyalty. Eyeball held his hands up letting it slip.
"Ace wants you, you need to get in the car" Eyeball continued and Alex saw Chris roll his eyes.
"What does he want?" she asked with little interest.
"It's important" he replied quickly.
"What is it?" she asked getting irritated.
"He got jumped⦠last night" Eyeball stammered. Alex froze.
"You're only telling me this now?!" she jumped to her feet and uttered a quick thank you to Chris before she all but leapt down the short ladder to the ground. The drive to Ace's didn't feel quick enough despite Eyeball breaking every speed limit on the way there. Alex flung the car door open before they had even stopped not waiting for Eyeball to follow, she ran to the door and thanked god it was unlocked. She had imagined him bandaged up, barely conscious lying in his bed and felt a rush of relief to see him sat up on the sofa watching tv. She threw herself towards him wrapping her arms around him before he had the chance to say anything.
"You scared the shit out of me bursting through my door like that" he chuckled gently into her ear.
"I thought you were really hurt" she breathed into his neck, he only laughed again.
"I told you babe, nothing can hurt Ace Merril" All of Alex's anger had melted away, she unraveled herself from him and began to look at his injuries. Apart from a few cuts and bruises on his face he seemed okay. "Was some of Frisk's guys, he doesn't wanna get his hands dirty. Got me as I was coming back to the bar but they didn't stay long." he smirked. But quickly his smiled twisted until a slight scowl and his eyes narrowed.
"Why you wearing the same clothes as yesterday?" he asked in a cool tone. Alex's throat closed up and her pause was enough of an answer for him. "Eyeball, where did you pick her up from?" he also stuttered, but when Ace asked again he couldn't hold his tongue.
"From my kid brother's treehouseā¦"
"Go outside Eyeball" Ace ordered, he failed to do so. Alex knew he was scared to leave him alone with her, but when Ace repeated himself louder he knew he couldn't say no. When the door shut he turned his gaze to Alex's eyes, the intensity made her heart erratic and her head dizzy. "Wanna explain?"
"You know nothing happened. You know me. You know I'd never do that" Alex's voice was cool and calm. She knew better than anyone that Ace was a human lie detector but when it came to her he couldn't help but second guess himself.
"What were you doing in his fucking treehouse!" He spat pushing her away and standing up.
"Sleeping!" She spat back "after we fought I was trying to get home but I ran into Chris and he said I too was drunk to be walking on my own so he took me back to mine but when we got there" she paused "Vince said my dad was mad as hell and beat him pretty bad so he told me to run before I got the same." She didn't wanna lie, but it was way better than him knowing the truth. She knew Ace would beat his ass for laying a finger on her.
"So?" He asked his voice more calm now but the hint of anger was still there.
"So? You were mad at me, the boys were all the way back at Irby's and I was half drunk half freezing to death? Would you have rather I stood out there all night on my own?" She watched his face soften slightly but knew his ego meant he'd never really apologise. "He isn't that bad a kid he felt bad for me." She crawled over to sit on his lap cupping his face between her hands. "You know I only want you" she breathed gently leaning down to kiss him.
This time she knew he couldn't be mad. His tongue slipped into her mouth and she gripped gentle handfuls of his hair. They continued for so long Alex was hoping Ace had given up being a gentleman. He rolled her over so she was lying on her back and he began kissing down her neck and chest. Her skin felt electric each time his lips touched but then he stopped. She opened her eyes and looked down. Her blood froze. Ace had pushed up her shirt up to expose the huge purple welts all across her ribs and stomach. She went to speak but couldn't, went to move and he just pinned her down.
"Tell me the truth. Right fucking now."
Alex mouth felt like it was coated in sand. His eyes were inches from hers and she could feel his hot breath across his skin. She tried to think of anything to say but she was caught on his line unable to escape.
"You can stay silent all you want but it's either your deadbeat dad or that faggot chambers and I reckon chambers has got enough brains not to fuck with my girl, but I don't mind beating the shit out of both of them just to make sure" he spoke so coldly that she knew he wasn't messing with her.
She felt tears start to prick at her eyes again and he voice felt hoarse "it was my dad" she barely whispered it but as soon as it left her lips he was out the door. She went to follow him but she saw his car leaving the driveway.
She turned to Eyeball. "You need to take me home Ace is gonna kill him" she gasped. He began to panic.
"Chris?!"
"No! My dad" Eyeball only laughed.
"Fuck that deadbeat, Ace has wanted to beat his ass for years" he leant against the bonnet casually.
"Why?" She asked again still panicked, Eyeballs attitude was wearing her patience thin.
"You think Ace never knew when your dad beat your ass? He just couldn't get away with it then. Now he can bet he's got a whole lot of rage built up"
