Ace of No Trades

Chapter Five

I was terrified.

I kept replaying the events of that night in my head as I lay in bed, trying in vain to go to sleep. Even though there were only a few hours before I met him again, the anxiety was killing me. The way he had reacted. Flinched. Was he truly that disgusted with the idea of kissing me? 

After a few more hours of useless pondering, I gave up on sleep and decided to get ready for school. Ace would usually pick me up from my place in his car. However, with everything that had happened, I wouldn't be surprised if he decided not to. 

Would things be weird between us now? It was hard to imagine that our more than a decade-old friendship could be soured by this minute thing. Because my stupid feelings had to come in between. There was no way that would happen. He knew how much he meant to me. Everything had to be okay. The alternative was simply too agonizing. 

My suspicions however were realized when I stood on the pavement in front of my house in the morning. It was almost seven forty-five, and Ace hadn't arrived yet. Of course, it was possible that he would simply be late, but even then he should have told me. Now that he hadn't, did that mean he wasn't going to come at all?

My stomach clenched horribly in anxiety. Maybe I had been right. Perhaps he was avoiding me. 

I waited for five more minutes before I sighed and finally decide to walk to school. If I walked really fast, I should be able to reach only ten minutes later than the usual timings. It might be time to exploit my rapport for a little bit of leverage. Didn't seem like he was going to come anyway. 

I had just stepped out onto the main road when I heard a loud honk behind me. It was an unfamiliar sound and I turned around quickly, my heart sinking. Gus Burnwood rolled the windows of a sleek, white sedan and grinned at me. 

"Hey, Spencer!" I saw a few more guys in his car, peering at me with what I assumed was curiosity. "Want a ride?"

I bit my tongue. I had no real reason to mistrust Burnwood. And I wasn't looking forward to the idea of walking all the way to our school nor of taking a public bus. 

"That....would be helpful. Thanks," I replied slowly. He nodded and the passenger door opened as a lanky guy stepped out and joined the other two guys in the back, leaving space for me. Burnwood nodded again and I slid in, feeling extremely awkward and anxious. 

He revved up the engine and for a few seconds, we drove in silence before he spoke, "You don't have to look so terrified man. I'm not as awful as Ace thinks."

"I just...I know. He doesn't think you're awful. He just...likes getting into trouble." The thought of Ace made my lungs collapse within themselves and I quickly trudged on. "I didn't know you take this route."

"Usually, I don't," he said. "But today I just really wanted to get some coffee-" he pointed to the cup holder and I nodded in understanding. I was thankful when we lapsed into an awkward but necessary silence throughout the rest of the ride.