Ace of Hearts

11| pens make great fake microphones

"Bryn, can I ask you a question?"

I hear my sister's voice above my head as I count the change in my cash register drawer. Wiping my hands on the front of the bookstore apron I'm wearing, I look up to her and bob my head.

"Okay," Indie starts, "what do you want to tell me about the other night?"

"What other night?"

Oh! I suddenly remember the man, Ace's abs, and me running from one to the other.

With a blush, I reveal what I had been hiding from her before, "he came in and lured me over to the back of the store. He made a comment about me, which he knew I was a minor. I knew something wasn't right," I make sure to say, "He started chasing me, so I ran over to Ace."

That's it. I think. Indie's expression is her classic serious-big-sister look. She wears it well.

"Nothing like that ever happened to me, when I worked here." She's unhappy, "I'm sorry you went through that." I look at her frown.

"It's not your fault."

     This is exactly why I didn't want to worry her with this.

I'm a big girl. I can handle myself.

"No, but Ace was right." My sister speaks up, "I need to install cameras."

He pitched his security idea to her? I look down at my drawer.

"What do you think about Ace?" Indie speaks up again.

Somehow, I'd rather go back to the first question.

"Er, what about him?"

"Come on! Do you like him?"

"As a worker? Friend?" I trail off, causing her to laugh.

"Just as a worker. Was he a good fit on his first day?"

Honestly,

"Yeah." I nod. "But besides that, he and I don't really get along."

    I'm working on it. But the universe keeps pushing the wrong buttons.

"why not?"

Why the follow-up questions?

"I guess it started when he advanced in that writing contest with me," I start to say.

"Wait!" Indie jumps, "he's in the state finalists?"

"Yeah."

    Where has she been? I know for a fact I've talked about this.

    "I tried to tell you, but... pregnancy brain." I guess.

Her hand covers her face in realization. Shaking her head, she tells me:

"I can't believe I wasn't paying attention when you told me that."

I can. I roll my eyes. Being the younger sibling is like that all the time.

"Wow," she thinks about Ace again. "I'm really impressed he got in."

What about me?! I also got in!

"He got into it on accident, believe it or not." I retell the story like it's the first time, "He turned his paper into the wrong bin!"

"What?" Indie can't believe it.

I, in turn, can't believe it, when she points out that she's even more impressed, knowing that.

Oh, come on!