"Good morning" Ace said, bringing in a tray of tea and coffee. "Wanda, blinds, open", he shouted out.
"Yes Sir", the robot 'Wanda' voice replied from the stereo in the corner.
Effie sat up and rubbed her eyes as the natural light came in, "okay, what the fuck, a robot doing your every ask, wow I need one of those!"
Ace laughed at her upbeatedness, "woah, that is a lot of positivity for first thing in the morning..."
Effie smiled shyly, "sorry. I just had the best night sleep, this bed is like a dream!" she said, holding the fluffy covers up to her chin.
"Well, I made tea and coffee, I don't know what you prefer? Sorry. I don't have anything in for breakfast as I usually go meet Alistair on a Saturday morning."
Effie nodded, pointing at the tea, "okay..."
Ace poured the tea for her and looked at her worriedly, "what's wrong?"
Effie sipped her tea then placed it on the side, "are you embarrassed of people seeing us together?"
Ace tensed. "No... Are you hungry? Wanna come to breakfast too?"
Effie shook her head, "no, I honestly wasn't looking for an invite. I was just curious. You act so differently around me at work, that's all."
Ace leant against the wall, staring at her dainty little body in his humongous bed. "Effie, honestly, come for breakfast. I'll prove it to you that I am not worried about what other people say. It is just different. I've never dated anyone so me bringing the same girl to things is gonna cause a stir. And you know what dad says about dating employees – he is going to need a bit more convincing."
Effie picked up her tea again and leant back on the poofy pillows behind her, "fine, I will come, thank you. But just as friends, right?"
Ace smirked, running his fingers through his hair and down the back of his neck, "Effie, we can't ever just be friends.
*
"Big man! Great to see you looking so fresh. How do you do it?" Alistair asked, shaking his brother's hand as he approached the table.
Ace smirked cheekily and nodded at Suzie next to Alistair in their usual Saturday morning booth. "Have a good night both of you?"
Suzie nodded, squeezing Alistair's arm, "the best. Alistair just needed to sort himself out a bit first. You punched him hard last night..."
Ace looked at the side of Alistair's face as he turned to show him the bruise and laughed, "ooh yeah, better get that checked out. Don't want a broken face on my account, would ruin your good boy image slightly, eh mate?"
Alistair shook his head and eyed his brother angrily, "what, and boost your bad boy image? Do me a favour Ace."
"Coo-ee, hi everyone!"
Ace looked over his coffee cup at Suzie and Alistair irritably, "what the fuck is she doing here?"
Suzie smiled nonchalantly, "Paris wanted to see you. She said you had a little tiff last night and when she came to find you after your fight with muscles over here you had gone."
"You know I've brought company Suzie, don't be smart", Ace replied, turning to look at Paris as she pinched his arm.
"Are you going to let me in, or what?" Paris shrieked, excited to be back with the cool kids.
Ace shook his head as he saw Effie walk out the toilets, flattening the polo she had borrowed from Ace which she had made into a dress. Ace got out the booth to let Paris slide in and smiled at Effie as she approached the table nervously. "Oh, good morning... Effie, is it?" Paris asked, judging her completely, looking her up and down.
Effie flicked her hair behind her shoulders as she sat, turning her nose up at Paris, not wanting to sit next to her. "Paris, you know her name is Effie. Don't act so stupid!" Suzie called her out, waving at the waitress to order more coffee.
Paris slumped in the corner, her plans to entice Ace ruined once again because of the brat sat next to her. Ace's phone started to ring and he excused himself quickly seeing his dad's name flash up on the screen. Paris waited eagerly for him to leave the café and sat up excitedly as she got her phone out. She grabbed Effie's hand off the table and looked at her nails, "they are really pretty, where did you get those done?"
Effie looked at her strangely and took the compliment in her stride, trying not to worry about Paris' reasoning behind giving her a compliment, "erm, my friend does them on the side. She works behind the scenes at ITV and loves doing things like that."
Paris nodded, dropping her hand as she grabbed her phone from the table, "I have been looking at these designs. Flick through and tell me what you think..." Paris remarked.
Suzie and Alistair watched her, smirking. They knew Paris was up to something, not ever being nice to anyone who wasn't in her close friendship circle, especially someone that was hooking up with her ex. Effie flicked through the photos, stopping at a video. Paris quickly pressed play, "ooh, what's this? How odd, I never take videos!"
Suzie and Alistair sat back, waiting to see this unfold. They both knew exactly what the video was and couldn't wait for Ace to return from his call. Paris put her phone on the table and watched with glee as Effie couldn't take her eyes off it. It was a video from the night they all went to Sevens; the night Ace first met Effie. Ace was round the table with everyone whilst Paris was videoing. "Go on then babe, say it again. I can just about see the beauty of a bartender in the background", Paris said, laughing.
Effie looked closer at the screen, noticing herself faintly in the background wringing out her wet t-shirt. In the video Ace turned around drunkenly and looked straight at Paris' phone, "Paris I think you are great, but you know I don't do relationships. But you saw that hot frigid bartender, I am gonna tap that sweet ass and make her have the most unforgettable night that the papers are gonna spread me across the walls as a legend who never settles down!"
"Waaaaaaay!" Alistair screamed in the background, jumping up and hugging his brother close.
Ace suddenly walked back through the doors looking happy and noticed all their faces as Effie turned around to face him looking like she'd seen a ghost. "Effie, what's wrong?" Ace asked as he saw Paris' phone screen automatically replaying the video. He looked at Paris who seemed so pleased with herself and then at Alistair and Suzie who were sat back waiting for the drama to unfold. Effie got up and shoved past Ace as she ran towards the door. Ace looked at Paris disgustingly, like he could have killed her right then and there. "You fucking bitch!" he spat before running after Effie. He pushed past the crowd of people queueing for tables in the lobby, ignoring the remarks of who he was. He opened the door and felt the drop in temperature as he saw Effie standing in the pouring rain waiting for a taxi, her phone still not charged.
"You'll get soaked going out there mate!" an older man said to him, seeing Ace staring out at the rain.
Ace ignored him and walked over to Effie. He grabbed her arm, "Effie! Please I..."
"Get off me!" she snapped, turning round to face him, tears streaming down her face. "You're a liar!" she shouted, the rain soaking her through; her hair sticking to her head down past her shoulders. Ace's polo top clung to her wet body but she didn't care; she felt heart broken, lied to for everyone to see.
"That was before I knew you, please!" he begged.
"When you thought I wasn't good enough for you", she snapped heatedly, hurt spread across her face.
"What are you saying?" he asked, looking at the rain drip down her face, mixing with the tears falling from her perfectly purple eyes.
She shook her head, "forget it Ace."
Effie started walking towards the bus stop, not wanting to wait around with Ace near her, but he was too quick for her and grabbed her hand making her turn around. Her eyes were red from crying, her hair soaked. Ace looked at her sensitively, breaking apart at what she thought of him now, "you said last night nothing could change how you felt about me."
Effie looked daggers at him, "then I guess we were both deluded into thinking this could work." She stared at him, not knowing what else to say, her whole world seeming to have turned upside down in a second.
She turned around and ran to the bus stop as a bus approached. She didn't turn back as she got on and Ace watched the bus drive away, pulling a part of him with it. He stormed back inside, wet through and sat down in shock, glaring at the pot of coffee sat on the table in front of him. "Ace? I think it's for the best..." Paris said quietly, trying to work out where his head was.
He turned to face her. Alistair and Suzie hid their smiles behind their hands, enjoying every minute of the drama. "Paris, I never want to see your stupid bitch face again. You are a fucking selfish cow who has no credentials, nothing going for you."
Paris' expression changed, feeling pissed off, "feel like such a man, do you? Pathetic. Hope you at least used protection last night when you fucked her... I'm guessing you did. Never takes you long."
Ace got up out the booth and spun around to face her, his fists leaning on the table, "why? It's not like your parents did!"
"What is your problem Ace?" she snapped back, grinding her fingers on the table.
Ace pierced his eyes at her, her face making him sick, "you. I don't ever want to hear anything from you again."
He started to walk away, his hands still in fists by his sides. "You better watch your back! My brothers will be after you!" she shouted across the café, making everyone look round at the commotion.
Ace stopped in his tracks and turned to face her, "really? Maybe you should stop spending so much time on yours! Whore!" he replied before he walked out the café door, slamming it shut behind him.
Paris sat back down, looking between Suzie and Alistair, running her fingers round the rim of her coffee cup, "fucking pathetic", she whispered into the air. She grabbed her phone and shook her head as she caught up with whatever social media had to offer.
*
Effie jumped as the thumping on her flat door got louder and louder, "argh, who is it?" she asked, starting to feel annoyed. Her clothes were wet through, not being bothered to change when she'd arrived home. She had come back to a mess of a flat and flicked her shoes off before making herself a hot mocha. There was no answer at the door so she slowly made her way to it, wondering who would be calling on her on a Saturday afternoon. She opened the door and felt her body heat rise at the sight of him; the way his eyes took her all in, his smile shaking her to her core. She tried to push her feelings for him down and stared at him bitterly, "what do you want?"
He didn't know what the best thing to say to her was. He wanted to apologise, he wanted things to be different, he wanted to rewrite their chapter so that she would have never seen what a dick he could be. "I can't stay away from you..." he said, his eyes begging for her forgiveness.
"Leave me alone", she said irately as she slammed the door shut.
She pushed her back against the wall as tears started streaming down her face once again. "I'm not leaving until you talk to me Effie", he said through the front door. She could hear the desperation in his voice but knew he was bad news. Their toxic relationship would never be what she wanted but in the back of her mind she knew he was everything to her. She had never felt this way for anyone before. He was more than she could have asked for – passion, romance, secret conversations, someone's first choice. He wasn't an ordinary love; the desire, the blinding passion they felt for each other rocked her inner core, her entire existence. She flourished on the feelings he gave her, ripping her insides apart with the chaos of a raging storm. He was the unrelenting tornado she couldn't escape from, sweeping her up in his chaotic motions, the wind eating her up, leaving her with no air to breathe and quivering. It was what she needed, a gripping love that she could not turn away from. She could not turn her feelings off for him. She could try. But she would fail each and every time. For when two people are meant to be with each other, no one or anything can end them. They may get lost, go down different paths but true love always overrules everything. Nothing can compete. Others could try to fill the void the real love has left but eventually true love, soulmates, always end up with the right person, at the right time, no matter what competition is put in front of them, no matter what else is going on, regardless of any other factor.
She stuck her tongue out at the front door and huffed as she walked back into the kitchen, grabbing her phone off the side that was plugged in. She saw the countless of messages from the night before; messages from Cade asking her what she was doing, the girls asking about her evening and if Cade had stayed away from her and then lastly two from Ace from the last hour.
'I'm sorry'
'Tell me what I can do to make it up to you. Please forgive me Effie.'
She threw her phone on the sofa and stared frustrated and hurt out the window as she sipped her mocha slowly thinking things through.
On the other side of the door Ace made himself comfortable in the hallway, facing the stairs. He got his phone out, hoping Effie would message him or give him something to work with. He was not going to give up on her that easily. No one else had made him even want to be committed. He couldn't explain it. It was like she had the sun inside her, her company brightened his entire world. It wasn't about being the most beautiful or the funniest socialite at the party, it was about being the one person that could shed light on anything, giving off the warmth of a sunny day where the sun radiates onto your skin. She had a calm energy, a fiery temper, an inner peace, confidence to do what she felt was right. But most importantly, she never wanted anything back from him; all she ever asked for was his affection, to treat her right, to make her his only priority.
He looked up as Effie's neighbour walked up the stairs with a friend; he tried to look busy on his phone so as not to talk to them but could hear them whispering, knowing they were pointing at him. "Oh my god, is that Ace fucking Wesley? What is he doing here?"
Ace looked up and smiled, "good morning ladies, how are we doing?"
The women became giggly, holding their shopping bags tightly in their hands, "oh, we are well thank you Mr Wesley. We were just wondering what brought you here? Effie isn't the most sociable of people you see, we hardly ever see her. Although saying that I haven't seen her other half around much, are they even in?"
Ace heard footsteps behind the door and could feel Effie's presence near. He stood up and walked over to the ladies, offering to take their bags which they graciously accepted, "oh ladies, I am just here trying to get my employee back. Effie means a lot to the company but we had a bit of a falling out."
The ladies nodded along and hugged him unexpectedly before they shut the door, thanking him for his help with their bags. Ace laughed and returned to his spot on the floor, hoping Effie would make an appearance sooner rather than later.
Half an hour later he heard commotion in the flat and stood up as Effie opened the door all dressed up. His eyes lit up at the sight of her, she looked unbelievably gorgeous in tight black leggings, a pink flowery top that showed off her cleavage and black chunky heeled boots. She had done her makeup, her face now not looking so puffy and sad and her hair was curled loosely, letting it flow just below her shoulders. She tucked her hair behind her ear, piercing her eyes towards Ace, "can you move?" she said with attitude, looking him up and down with disgust.
Ace looked at her seriously, putting his hands either side of the door frame, "hmm, why should I?" he answered playfully.
Effie crossed her arms in front of her chest heatedly, "I was just a game to you. Let me pass!"
"Well, where you going?"
"Argh!" she screamed, slamming the door once more. He heard her throw her boots at the wall as she walked back down her short hallway and into her bedroom, slamming the door loudly for Ace to hear.
Not long after he heard some more voices coming into the main doorway below him. He looked casually at the girls as they appeared at the top of the stairs. They knew exactly who he was and were not surprised to see him, having been warned by Effie when she called. "Hi Ace, how are you?" Charlotte said, flicking her blonde hair behind her shoulders.
Sarah walked forward, looking him up and down before knocking on Effie's door, "we have heard a lot about you..."
Ace looked at her nervously, "good things?"
Sarah shrugged, "hmm, depends when we're talking about. If you mean in the last half hour then no, not good things."
Ace stepped back from the girls anxiously, not wanting to know what horrible things Effie might have said. Hayley was the last to walk past, getting out her spare key from her back jeans pocket. She gave Ace an icy stare as she shoved past him and unlocked the door. Ace caught a glimpse of Effie inside, her face lighting up at the sight of her friends arriving. Ace took a step forward but Hayley rapidly turned around to face him, the door firmly in her grasp. She looked him up and down judgementally, "I suggest you get lost. She isn't going to want to see you today. She will see you Monday, give her time to cool off."
Ace opened his mouth but then shut it quickly, knowing anything he would say would get a quick response. He nodded at Hayley as he put his hands in his pockets and as the door shut he kicked the air casually before making his way outside.
*
"So, Effie, you have had time to cool off. Want to talk about things?" Hayley asked, hugging her best friend whilst they laid casually on the sofa.
Effie looked over at Charlotte and Sarah in the kitchen making something delicious and sat up, knowing this conversation was going to come up sooner or later. "I have just been so confused, what with losing Cade and all."
Hayley smiled and brushed Effie's hair away from her eyes, "I'm not talking about Cade and you know it. We're not stupid Effie... What about Ace?"
Effie's face looked disgusted by his name even coming out of Hayley's mouth, "what about him? He's my boss, nothing else."
Hayley looked at Effie softly and lifted her chin to face her with her hand, "you're falling for him", she said matter of factly.
Effie's eyes opened slightly wider for a second, "no I'm not! I despise him with every inch of me. He is rude, arrogant, selfish, power hungry... argh, I just hate him!"
Hayley laughed, shaking her head as she put her hands by her sides, "okay fine, you aren't falling for him then... I think you stopped falling for him a while ago."
Effie nodded, "exactly!"
Hayley squeezed Effie's arm, "you're in love with him."
Effie felt her shoulders tense, a disappointment swept through her body finally realising she had to admit it to herself. "What?" she whispered, barely getting the words out.
Hayley tucked the blanket round Effie slightly tighter, "you cannot tell me that you don't feel something whenever he's around, that something happens every time he smiles at you or when you meet his eye, that he doesn't make you feel special?"
Effie shrugged, playing with a bit of thread coming out of the blanket, "I don't know."
Hayley leant into her ear, out of earshot of the other two girls in the kitchen, "I think you do know, you just don't want to admit it just yet. Give it time. You'll see."
Effie glanced at her and laughed, "you silly bitch."
Hayley smiled, seeing the sparkle come back into her best friend's eyes. She knew she'd hit the nail on the head. Ace was Effie's perfect fit, her mirror image who showed her the person she could be, giving her the opportunity to change her life. He was going to be the most important person she would ever meet, tearing down her walls that she had built up over the years, jolting her, tearing her hard-nosed character apart a little to show her new hurdles and obsessions. Breaking her heart open was all part of the process, opening so a new beam of light could enter, making her world so uncontrollable she would have to reconstruct her entire life.