♡♡♡
ACE
"Did they fight again?"
I nodded with my head hanging down, the low sobs escaped my lips. I felt her hands patting my back and she sighed.
"Is it serious? Does he beat her?"
"No! My daddy isn't like that.... They just always argue. I think it's because of another woman," I whispered the last part under my breath ashamed.
"Oh."
We sat in silence as the sun glowed above us but we were shielded from it by the tree we sat below. It was where we always met. I didn't know where she lived and she didn't know where I lived. We were strangers who found each other at this same spot a long time ago and since then we've been meeting there. Funny thing, the day we first encountered I was also crying about this same issue. We were kids about ten years old but we were the best comfort for each other.
"Cake makes everyone feel better! I'll go get cake for you!" She exclaimed eagerly and stood up.
I held her arm before she could leave. I was confused. "Cake?"
"Yes, it's my birthday today, August 30th." With that, she left.
I quickly wiped my tears with the back of my hands and sniffed. I had to get her something for her birthday, she was getting me a cake. Looking around, I saw no place to get anything for her, and another big problem I had no money. I began walking down the street and saw a familiar shop I spent most of my holidays in with my favorite aunt.
The flower shop.
Yeah, I can get her flowers.
Pushing myself inside, Anna called for me behind the counter asking for what I wanted but I ignored her. My head was filled with the thought of getting the perfect flowers for her. I saw a large bouquet of Lillies. I reach out and grabbed it. It smelt wonderful, not as wonderful as she does though.
"Miss Anna, can I have these?" I asked turning to her and she raised an eyebrow. The bouquet was larger than my head so I peek from the side to look at her.
"What do you want to use that for?" She laughed at the scene before her.
"A gift, a birthday gift for my friend."
"Ohhhh is she your girlfriend?" She asked eagerly and my face turned pink.
My eyes wandered and my throat went dry. "No... No... we're just friends." I finally said.
The look on her face made it obvious that she didn't believe me but she let me leave and said, "Don't be shy! Tell her how you feel!" I shut the door.
The cold hair slapped me and I huffed at her words. How can I have feelings for a person whose name I don't even know?
I got back to the tree and she sat there in her pink polka dot gown with her black curly hair done in a neat ponytail and a slice of Cake on a plate on her thighs. Nervously, I made my way toward her.
Her face lit up by my presence but a look of surprise took over due to the flowers I had. I stretched out my hands, handing the flower over to her. "Here, Happy Birthday," I murmured with sweaty palms.
She got up and grabbed the bouquet with a huge grin on her face and sniffed it. "Oh my God, it's so huge! It's bigger than my head" She laughed, bubbling with excitement. "And smells so nice. It's truly the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Thank you."
She looked up at me with her brown eyes that twinkled and a little smile found its way to my lips.
We sat down and she carefully laid the flowers down beside her then handed me the plate of cake. "Here," She said and I took it from her.
"It's delicious," I moaned after the first bite and she chuckled. I laughed too.
"Your dimples look cute when you laugh. Do it more often," She said and poked my cheeks making me freeze.
Her touch on my skin made me so nervous. I didn't even know I had dimples.
"Here," I said giving her the chocolate-flavored part of the cake and she ate from my fork.
"My aunt made this," She said and I noticed the chocolate icing on her lips which made me laugh.
"What?" She chuckled. "Taste the chocolate part, it's the best."
Without thinking I pressed my lips against hers and I felt her freeze. Then I moved back and her eyes fluttered open.
"It's good too," I whispered and she nodded slowly.
She took her hands to her lips and finally giggled breaking the ice. "My first kiss, under the tree in my neighborhood with a boy I really like."
Startled by her word my eyes widen. She likes me? I tried to fight the smile out of my face but couldn't and ended up grinning like a Cheshire cat.
"My first kiss, under the tree in my neighborhood with a pretty girl I really like," I muttered.
***
"You can cook?" I found myself laughing at Quinn who leaned against the counter and stared at me while I stood by the door with my hair slightly dripping from the warm shower I just took.
I let Quinn have a warm bath first and took mine after like the gentleman I am.
"I never saw you as the cooking type. You seem like one of those people who have their cooking stuff for decorations," I teased and crossed my arm over my chest while poking my tongue in the insides of my checks.
Her curly hair was kept in a messy ponytail. She was in one of my favorite shirts and it look so baggy on her making her the cutest person in the universe.
"You can't just stand there shirtless with your hair dripping and start judging me. And I'll show you what I can do, sit and don't say any other word," She deadpanned and tilted her head before turning.
I wiggled the water from my hair and chuckled taking a sit on one of the stools at the island. The white joggers I was in matched the shirt she was swimming in.
"What are you cooking?"
"I said shut up."
I pressed my lips and nodded while looking around. She began to warm up a pan and chop up vegetables. I noticed that she had begun cooking rice in the rice cooker before I arrived. I was so mesmerized watching her move, the way her hair bounced with every move, the glow of the sun seeping through the curtains on her, the way she had to tiptoe to get things from the cupboard and refused my help.
"It smells good," I beamed and she side-eyed me before taking the rice from the rice cooker.
She had begun to stir-fry the vegetables in the pan and the smell was heavenly. She mixed the rice into the stir fry and let it sit while she began to break two eggs into another pan on fire and sprinkled salt and pepper on it. I watched her amused and decided to start setting the table.
"Wow, so you can be useful?" She said from the kitchen while I was at the dinner and I couldn't stop the smile from forming on my face.
I kept the plates and cups and cutleries on the table and went to fetch two candles from the pantry. I lit them and set flowers on the table. The table was set.
"Let me get that," I said, taking the places off Quinn's hand and placing them on the table.
"Look who decided to be a gentleman." She shook her head and laughed.
I pulled out a seat for her and took mine. She stared at me earnestly, like she was deciphering my brain in hers.
"What?"
"Nothing," She sighed with a smile on her face. "Taste it."
"Okay," I said eagerly and took a spoonful. I paused and turned to her with eagle eyes, "Wow, do you cook as well as you kiss? This is amazing."
Her face turned red and she slapped my arm. "Now you know it is possible to have it all," She giggled and began to eat.
We ate and occasionally exchanged jokes and laughs. She was my safe place. Nothing else matters when she's involved. I forget about the world when I'm with her cause she's my world.
"Really? I'm your first kiss since your first girlfriend?" She laughed unbelievably.
"Yes.... I mean first real kiss."
"Oh no now I'm sick. You've been kissing other girls before me ew," She pretended to puke and dropped her wine glass on the table.
I looked at her confused and with amusement. "You had boyfriends before me though."
"This is about you, not me! Don't change the topic. I mean couldn't you wait for me... the real one to come into your life?"
I began to laugh and almost choked on my wine. "Quinn darling," I laughed grinning from the ear to ear. I took her hand and kissed her on it, "I don't care about any history cause I have you now. I don't think you know how in love I am."
Her face turned pink and she took her hand away while trying to fight the smile off her face. "Were you always this good with words?" She muttered.
"You turned me into a poet," I laughed and she found herself laughing too.
"But wait we never forget this one..... what about your first kiss."
I pause. "My first kiss?"
"Yeah," She nods. "Everyone remembers their first."
I lean back into my chair and fold my hands across my chest. "It was a really long time... I think I was about ten. It was just children doing stuff they didn't know anything about," I laughed remembering when it happened.
"You don't know her name?"
"I don't," I realized.
"Weirdo." She shakes her head.
"Now your turn."
She thinks back for a moment and looked so cute looking up with a serious look, trying to remember.
"Well I don't think I should consider this my first real kiss but it was a cute experience. Under the tree in my neighborhood with a boy I really liked."
Her words made me freeze. I've heard those words before.... From my kiss first.
"He had a cute dimple on his right cheek but it only appeared when he laughs wholeheartedly. I saw it only once. We met under the biggest tree in my neighborhood. He was a bigger weirdo than you," She laughs and shakes her head. "I actually don't know his name.... We just had a beautiful connection and told each other everything, every problem we had and comforted each other. I wish I can meet him now and ask him how his family is.... He was always crying about them. I hope he has grown into an amazing person and has someone he feels safe with like he did with me. But I never met him again especially since I don't know his name. My mind wonders to him once in a while and I wonder how his family is too."
Her smile was replaced with a worried expression immediately after she saw me and she cupped my face.
"What happened?" She asked, moving closer to me.
"He's doing good.... He has found someone who's his safe place.... He has found you, Quinn," I breathed and her eyes slowly widen in realization.
Her mouth hangs and a soft laugh escapes her lips with teary eyes, she pulled me into her embrace.
"Oh my God.... Ace," She moaned softly.
"I found you again Quinn," I said as she wiped the tears that fell again. She stared at me before placing a kiss on both of my eyes.
"I'm so in love with you," She breathed as she rested her forehead on mine and our noses touched. Our breaths aligned and so did our heartbeats.
"I love you more my Quinn," I confessed before capturing her lips in mine and feeling her tears on my cheeks. She giggled between her tears and the kiss before kissing me back. I carried her onto my lap and held her close without breaking the kiss. Her hands tangled in my hair and my grip on her waist tightened. The kiss slowly began to get rough and we both yearned for more. The heat of her against my core didn't help the situation.
Her moans in the kiss were like music to my ears. My hands were all over her back and she broke the kiss with both of us breathing heavily.
"You're driving me crazy," I said while holding her gaze and she giggled.
"Let's take this inside," She said with a challenging tone and my heart did a backflip. I mean I want to but I didn't want to be the first to say it in case she thinks in confesses yesterday just for her body.
"You sure?"
She nodded. "One hundred percent."
Feeling way too excited I captured her lips again and explored her with my tongue. "I can't wait to do that elsewhere," I said mockingly and she gasped while slapping my hand.
I stood up with her in my arms and placed a thousand kisses on her face. Her laughter erupted and she had to hold my face to stop me. Just as she was about to say something someone pressed the doorbell.
Oh hell no! Not now.
"Someone's at the door," She said looking towards the door and trying to get down from my arms but I held her tighter.
"Just ignore that," I pleaded but the person pressed the doorbell again and I groaned loudly.
"Open it," She said getting down from my arms, making my whole world shatter.
"But I'm so ready," I mumbled as I facepalmed. She held my hands and grinned.
"Then let's deal with this person quickly."
She gave me a promise kiss and pushed me towards the door against my will. I opened the door to see Carl behind it. He was dressed in his usual suit and had a file in his hands.
He walked in without an invite and I rolled my eyes.
"Oh good afternoon," He nodded slightly to Quinn and she did the same nervously.
"What's the problem now? Is he awake?" I asked leaning against the door.
He turned to me. "I came to inform you that the company would be in my hands until Mr. Winston wakes up."
My expression fell and I stood up straight. "What?"
"Mr. Winston informed me that if anything happens to him before you become the CEO I should take over until things get better. It's not a surprise he said that, I'm the only one he can trust. There's you and your cousin who are all just playing with the company. Look at you with disheveled hair, shirtless in sweatpants on a work day."
I folded my hands into a fist and tried to calm myself down. "I'm already working in the company. I can take over during this crisis. You don't have to do anything but be a good assistant like you always have been. Carl.... Don't cross your limit." I stared him down as I walked closer to him.
He smirked and said, "Yes I've been a good assistant and I'm obeying Mr. Winston by doing this. I can't let the company crumble in your hands. I just came to inform you first before you hear from someone else. I'll be taking my leave now, some of us have work to get to."
I grabbed his arms as he tried to walk past me. "Is this what you always wanted? The company?"
"If that's what it takes to protect it from the likes of you then I'll gladly fight for it." He roughly took my hands off his and walked out.
A low chuckle escaped my lips.
I guess my enemy has always been right beside me and I never knew.
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