Defeated

XIV- Secrets

"You're telling me to stay away, but that only makes me want to stay," Ace said.

"Are you stupid? You don't want to be around me! You don't want to know about me!" Tai snapped.

"Why? What's so bad?" Ace asked and he frowned, cocking his head slightly. "What have you done?"

Tai froze. "I need to go," she said and took a step back. "Just... stay away from me, Ace, for your own good." Tai barged past Ace and hurried out of the canteen.

"Why do all of you girls have secrets?" Ace groaned and sat down opposite Indianna.

"She doesn't not want you," Indianna said and took a bite of her sandwich. "She just doesn't want you knowing whatever she's done."

"After everything that's happened to us, I doubt whatever she's done could surprise me. Nothing would scare me away."

"Then you need to get her to understand that," Indianna said.

"I didn't know having a mate would cause me this much stress already," Ace sighed. He was tapping his fingers on the table impatiently.

"Hey," Indianna said and placed her hand over Ace's. "It will work out. Look at me and Brooke, and Kimberly. It works out."

Ace forced a smile. "Let's hope."

"Are you going to tell the others?" Indianna asked as Harry and Brooke walked over to them. Kal and Kimberly were close behind.

"Tell us what?" Kal wondered and sat down next to Indianna.

"I've found my mate," Ace said.

"Tai?" Harry said and shrugged his shoulders as he sat down. "About time you told us."

"You knew?" Ace gasped.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Brooke demanded and slapped Harry's arm. "Congratulations, Ace!"

"How did you know?" Ace asked.

"I've known you along time, Ace" Harry said dismissively. "I was just wondering when you were going to tell us." He turned to Brooke. "And you, babe, would tell everyone if you found out."

"I'll have you know I'm pretty good at keeping secrets," Brooke snapped.

Harry narrowed his eyes. "Only when they're about you."

"Speaking of secrets," Ace said. "Tai's got one."

"More secrets, great, just what we need," Kal said and rolled his eyes. "What is it?"

"If I knew then it wouldn't be a secret," Ace said.

"So just take a little trip into her mind," Kal shrugged.

"No, don't you dare do that!" Brooke said and Kimberly flicked Kal on the head.

"Ow, abuse," he grumbled.

"I wouldn't," Ace said. "I'll just find out the good old fashioned way. I'll get her to trust me."

"Speaking of trust," Indianna spoke up. She reached into her bag as pulled out the flyer for the Christmas Fair. "We're going. Stacy wants me to go, and we need to keep up this pretence, so we're going."