ACE
The leaves above me rattled a lullaby to my ears, morning doves jumped into the chorus with their own melody. I liked these birds, until they shitted on my head.
Early sunlight fell through the humid morning. The oak tree did a good job of keeping the sun from my eyes; except for when it betrayed me, and allowed the burning rays to attack my unsuspecting eyes.
"Damn Bastard." I swore, holding a hand over my eyes.
Two-pick howled from across the lot, close to his trailer, where Talon and him were tossing around a football.
I rolled my eyes and laid down. Cold gravel bit at my back.
We lounged in the middle of the trailer park. Around us, everything itched with sound; mainly cheap trash screaming cause they ain't got nothing better to do. But there was an occasional laugh from dirty kids. Damn children never shut up.
Paige and Butch were slugging it out a couple of feet away. Their laughs and grunts ran like a bitchy loop in my head. Butch had Paige in a head-lock, I ignored them until she kneed him in the balls and he dropped to the ground.
Dirty move, just like I taught er'.
Butch took it like a champ. He hunched over, releasing a string of beautiful constructed curse-words. Paige giggled, and started fretting over him. Her palm touched his face, and checked the pulse of his neck.
Now I didn't teach er' that.
My fist itched to knock the grin off Butch's face
Diana sat underneath the tree across from me. Her large nose stuck itself deep into a book. That's just how Diana was, but I didn't give a shit. I picked up a small rock from beside me and tossed it at her.
The gravel bit crashed into her fluffy Latina hair, and stayed there, stark brown eyes flickered across the page.
"Ace, catch!"
I barely turned my head when the point of a football hit me square in the jaw, and bounced across the ground. My burning gaze landed on Talon and Two-pick.
"You damn fuckers." I picked up the football and chucked it back. Talon laughed as the football clattered to the ground.
I stretched. The wind blew against my burning skin, clearing out the hot flush. Spring only just started, how'd it get so damn hot already?
I faced Talon and Two-pick. The two idiots clambered one another over the football. Talon was bigger than Two-pick. He was all broad-shoulder steel, with thick dark skin. Two-pick agile build didn't stand a chance.
"How're you gonna get on the team playin like that?" Two-pick taunted.
"Really?" Interrupted, cracking my neck. "You're goin out for the team?"
Talon looked a kid caught messin' with stuff he ain't s'pposed to. His neck flushed, and he looked away.
"Thought I might."
"You won't get on. Rich bastards never let a Scant play with them." I glanced at the sky. I didn't have a phone to tell, but I knew school would start in a couple of hours.
"I could." Talon said hopefully.
I pulled out one of the mint leaves breaking through the crack in the concrete. I stuck it between my teeth and under my tongue. The chill of mint bit my tongue and I relaxed, somewhat.
"You got some money you ain't telling us about? Cause otherwise you're sticking with the dump." I gestured around us.
Diana peered up from her book, and glared at me. "You try out for the team, Talon. A boy like Ace don't know what he's talking about." She pushed up her glasses with a sense of finality.
"And I suppose a Meinu like you does?"
I was thankful Paige was too busy worrying over Butch to listen in. If she'd heard me calling Diana a Bitch in Japanese I'd be dead.
Her eyes narrowed. "Why're you acting like a jerk."
I rolled my eyes, and shrugged. "I don't know, maybe because I am one." My tone dripped with sarcasm.
I swiped my jacket from the concrete and slid it on. Their stares burned my skin. It only pissed me off more. I hated the fucking heat, and anything like it. I needed to get out of here now.
I glanced back to find two Pick-pick hesitating. My eyes narrowed and he handed the ball off to Talon.
"I help you practice again later." His hair billowed as he jogged over. He pulled his own rust colored jacket from the ground, and laid it over his shoulders.
A shit-eating grin filled his face. My hand burned to smack it off.
Diana scowled at me from over her book. Her fingers dug into the pages, warping them. Talon obliviously waved, punting his football.
I rolled my eyes, and stalked towards our trailer, Two-pick pranced ahead of me, kicking his heels out like a colt.
"What's got you so tight?" His hand toyed with his hair. I glared at his back. Hopefully it'd catch fire if I got pissed enough.
Butch recovered from Paige's knee and they now sat on the concrete, laughing and talking. Paige was laughing and caught me out of the corner of her eye. I pretended not to notice.
"Ace!" I stopped at the beat-up rusty truck outside of our trailer. The damn door caught itself on the rusty hinges. I pulled as hard as I could.
"Ace, wait!" She shouted breathlessly.
Crack!
The handle to the truck broke off.
Her smaller body caught up to me, and tugged me by my jacket. I pulled to a reluctant stop and faced her with the same grim look on my face. She flinched, and immediately my inside burned.
"Ace, what's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong."
"Why're you leaving?"
"Because Don's got work for me? God, can't everyone leave me alone?!" The frustration exploded from my chest.
She stepped back. Her arms dropping to her side.
Diana was right. I was being an Asshole.
I sighed, rubbing my temple. "Look, they were getting on my nerves.
She nodded. Her eyes pulled back up to mine. Hurt still lingered.
I pulled her into a tight embrace. The material of our jackets crunched together "I'm sorry Rotasu."
Her arms wrapped around me. She'd grown, way too fucking much. Now she had boys like Butch chasing her around. I'd have to knock skulls around soon; not that I'm complaining.
"Why're you actually upset?" Her voice muffled against my jacket.
The words burned on my tongue. I've been thinking about Mom."My voice caught and choked when I tried to speak. Instead I shook my head. "I'm always upset."
She pulled away to give me a look of disbelief.
I released her, and straightened my jacket. "Have Butch walk you to school, I'll meet'cha there."
"Where are you going?"
"To school."
' I tossed the broken handle through the window-less truck door, and opened it from the inside. Two-pick hopped into shotgun and kicked his feet onto the dashboard.
I smacked his dusty sneakers. "Keep your shitty shoes off my truck."
"This truck is shittier than my shoes!" He complained. A toothpick popped into his mouth, and he slung one arm out the window.
I scoffed, and leaned out the window to back-up. The smell of hot leather cooled my attitude. My fingers drummed against the duct-taped wheel. The engine screamed and pounded at my feet like a rabid dog.
This time, I had a shit eating grin on my face.
I swirled out of the lot, and tore onto the highway. Gasoline bit at my lungs. The fresh air twisted around the car, blowing anything that wasn't secured into the trashy neighborhood.
Two-pick hung out the window, shouting and cheering at any passing Scant. He slowly retreated back into the car as we got into Magnate territory. You could tell by lookin at the houses. Were the walls spotless? seemingly untouched with plants sculpted perfectly into a fucking heart? Yeah, it's a fucking Magnate.
They laundered in the morning. Old shabby men hung over their honey-oak porches, and cussed out their kids when they had the nerve to try and join em'. They always stretched and yawned, shaving off the perfect eight-hours of sleep they'd gotten.
Did they know what it was like? Or were they too fucking privileged to see past the ends of their nose.
"It's disgusting." The toothpick in his mouth mumbled his words.
"Yeah," I turned into the parking lot. "It really is."
The engine protested and shuddered when I slammed the brakes. I rolled the truck carefully, and parked it.The hinges on the door screeched as I opened it.
Two-pick groaned. "Why's it so loud?"
"Cause I like it that way."
He gave me a dumb-founded look.
"I've been busy, haven't had a chance to look under the hood." I reluctantly admitted.
"I can take a look sometime if you want?"
"I don't need any help."
He folded his hands behind his head. The toothpick wiggled in his mouth. "You on't gotta be like that."
I slammed the door shut. The truck squeaked and cried out, It's wheels shook trying to support the slam.
"At this rate you ain't gonna have a truck at all." Two-pick quipped
The same burning sun greeted my skin, only this one was hotter. My skin prickled and I shook it off. Two-pick stood as oblivious as ever, staring at the obsessively perfect school in front of us.
"Let's get this over with."
The sleek school circled around the lot at a towering height. It's expensive glass windows, and clear floors looked down upon us. The Magnate who founded the school built a giant statue of himself with a quote engraved on the pedestal. We passed it. Two-pick took the time to spit on it.
"Every man merely exists to find truth. What is yours?"
The question meant to make us think or some shit. It was the kind of bull crap a middle-aged Mom would be on a quote board and slap on the kitchen table. She'd then gather her kids around to ponder it while eatin some organic shit.
We eased up the stairs and slipped around the back of school. Two-pick shimmied his way up to a second story window and opened the back door.
His stupidly happy face greeted me. "Glad you brought me?"
"Fuck no." I shouldered past him.
The school was unbelievably hot. The heat flushed out my neck and cheeks. Not having an air conditioner on for a week had the stuffy halls boiling.
Two-pick almost pranced down the halls. His mane flew about him, the curls shook when he laughed.
"Which locker did Don say?" He twisted around to face me.
I glared daggers at him. He shook it off and waited for my answer.
"242."
He twisted back around. His mane curled at the back of his neck, still wet from the shower he'd taken this morning. Thank God for that. He'd reeked like dog shit.
The heat seeped not only into my pores, but into my mind. The burning itch on my arms refused satisfy with scratching. Rage simmered under the surface of my skin.
I'd been on edge all morning, waiting for something like this to set me off.
"Ace, hurry up! I've got the locker."
He stood over a plain blue locker, not a single dent or scratch marred the surface. A definite contrast to our lockers.
Two-pick tried to wriggle it open, but the click of a lock prevented him.
I stood beside him, leaning over him to peek.
"It'll be a minute." He slipped the toothpick from his mouth and jammed it into the lock.
"Whatever." My eyes scoured the halls. Double-checking that security hadn't shown.
"What makes you think this'll work. Ain't nobody goes digging through a Magnates locker." I pointed out.
"That new Mayor, Gallagher. He's got drug dogs coming in tomorrow." Don had replied.
The room felt like it was getting hotter. What used to be an annoying tickle twisted into the sharp sting of flames gliding up and down my arms. I itched to punch something. My fists clenched the sopping air around me. Goddamn! When did it get so fucking humid?
I anxiously glanced back down at Two-pick. He was still working on the locker. Dark hair swiped at his eyes when he leaned forward. He'd blow it out and try again.
My arms ached and trembled. I couldn't handle it much longer.
"You close?" My voice came out rougher than I meant.
"Almost." He grunted, swiping at his forehead.
"Hurry it up would ya?" I bounced on the balls of my feet. Sweat started to trickle down my skin. Two-pick sat just fine, his skin clear of any sweat.
I fanned out my jacket, but it didn't help.
"SOMEBODY HELP THEM!" My smoke filled-lungs rasped.
I forced my eyes closed and leaned against the lockers. Shut the fuck up. Shut the fuck up.I repeated in a whisper like a mantra.
If Two-pick heard he made no mention of it.
The flames crawled up my arms. Hell was biting at my skin and tearing off flesh. The dark skin bubbled and crisped, then went numb.
My fist connected with the locker. "You fucking done yet!" I demanded.
"No, step outside if you need ta."
"I don't." I insisted.
My fists never loosened; despite being on fire I held on.
My heartrate quickened.
The walls started to crack around us.
My fists balled up. I fought the burning in my chest. It threatened to swallow up my whole body and mind. My thoughts slowly turned into a sickening red haze. I slammed my head against the lockers.
"Please," I trembled.
The fire ate away at my strength, and reserve. One single string of restraint kept me from breaking loose.
"ACE!"
I snapped. I flew from the locker and shoved Two-pick out-of-the-way. My fists started to pound against the locker.
"Ace please." She cried out.
My knuckles dotted with purple and red hues.
"Baby, please." Her voice slowly gave out.
Warm liquid surrounded my hands. The metal ate away at my already leathery-thick skin. It tore deeper, and deeper. My heart screamed and howled, I wanted to let it out, I had to let it out.
"Ace!" Two-pick grabbed the coat of my jacket and flung me backward. He slung a fist at my jaw.
Snap!
The anger left my body as quickly as it came.
Two-pick eyes burned brightly through his hair. He stared down at me, my wrists hanging limp from his hands. "What the fuck just happened?" He whispered.
He looked at me like I was a broken little puppy. His eyes wide with pity, and mouth creased into a pitiful line. "Is it-"
"It always is. Now shut the fuck up." I jerked myself from his hold.
The locker was pummeled. The door looked like a crumpled sheet of paper hanging out of a trashcan. The lock broke, leaving the door tilted slightly open.
Shit.
I looked back to Two-pick. "Don's gonna kill us."
He nodded in agreement. We stood for a moment, contemplating what I'd just done.
"You should've gone outside."
"I should've." I agreed.