[EVA'S POV]
My eyes open when I feel the sun's rays burn my eyelids from the window. I almost turn my body to the side to check the time, but a strong protective arm around my waist hinders my actions. I jerk my head upwards to see the owner of the hulky arms: a sleeping, bare chested Ace Lockmore. His hair fell over his face in a hot kind of way, his lips looked ever kissable in his sleep. He looked pretty much in la la land, but his grip on my waist made me feel like he was very awake.
However, I knew he was not. With a stupid swooning smile on my face, I admired his well sculptured face, the tone of his skin against mine, gleaming in the sun. My hand went up to his face to brush off the hair from it. Oh he looked like he bathed in roses! His lips looked so kissable in the morning...maybe I should just lean in and....
*brangggggggggggg!!!!*
Ace's eyes flew wide open as he wakes up due to the ultra loud ringing of the alarm. That traitor of an alarm clock!!! He gives me a confused look as he sees me hovered over his face, almost about to kiss him.
"Cardale?"
"Hm?" I hum, my cheeks flushing.
"What are you doing?" his eyes narrow in suspicion.
"I was uh...." I shut my eyes briefly to think of a lie. "....your hair,"
He quickly pecks my lips before I can continue. Smirking he says, "Yes, my hair was in my face. I totally believe you."
Is he being sarcastic? Did he know I was creepily staring at him in his sleep? Ugh....I must look like a creep.
"Is your alarm always that loud?" he asks with a laugh, sticking out his arm to shut it off.
I sigh, drawing circles on his chest with my fingernail. "Yeah."
"Too bad, I guess it ruined your plans." he says, adding a knowing smile. What plans? So he knew? Ugh.
"I need to brush my teeth." I say, squirming out of his grip. My efforts were pathetic, because he wouldn't let me go. "Ace!" I whisper-scream.
"I'll let you go if you let me join you." he says.
"No, I look disgusting with all the toothpaste foaming up in my mouth and coming down my chin. Now, you wouldn't want to see that, would you?" I retort.
"I bet you'd look cute."
I glare at him incredulously. "Don't be ridiculous."
"Your assumptions are ridiculous." he declares. "I get to decide whether you look disgusting or not. Your opinion doesn't count here. So is it a yes, or you're gonna stay in bed with me forever?"
Sighing, I give in. "Whatever."
"Good." he grins, loosing his grip on me. I get out of the bed and he does the same. I wince sympathetically at his bad leg as he begins to walk. I secretively feel bad that I couldn't just touch him and take the pain away. But of course, I wasn't going to tell him that.
"How are you feeling?" I ask.
"I'm better." he replies. "Even better being with you."
I look down and smile, trying to hide my rosy cheeks. I feel like a sixteen year old high school kid. But I like this feeling.
After five stretchy and torturous minutes of switching to ladylike mode while brushing my teeth, and having Ace steal glances at me and smirk the whole time, we both lean against the sink, looking into space.
He looked like he was very worried about something that was on his mind, while I wiped toothpaste off the corners of my mouth, worried that he was worried. I was trying to find a perfect reason why he was worried.
Slowly he turns his face in my direction and takes my hand.
"I really like being with you, Cardale. But one day, I'll have to leave. I can't stay here. This is not my home." he says, his eyes looking sad.
I nod in response, immediately feeling sad too. "I know. You really have to. That's why I made sure to save you."
"But, love, I don't want to leave without you. I want you to be by my side through it all." he confesses, looking worried and serious. "It's just, I'm really worried because I'm afraid you wouldn't want to leave your life behind to come with me. Will you like to come with me?"
I feel stumped by the question and I exhale, trying to find an answer. Did I really want to spend the rest of my life in Exyclott? I once sacrificed my life to save him, how much more leaving my life here behind to leave with him? Did I even have my life here? I felt drawn to Exyclott, I felt useful trying to help people. I actually liked it there. Moreover, I was happy when I around Ace. Oh and Otis was such a sweetheart.
But well, I don't have my powers anymore. How was I useful then? Well I guess I'm useful since my heart supposedly 'heals people's souls'. Nevertheless, I should talk to Baxter about this. He wouldn't be too happy to know I was going to leave. I was his only friend. Now I had Ace too besides him, but he had no one. Marie had moved on. It will be selfish of me to think only about myself.
"Ace, I'll need to think about it. If you'll allow me." I verbalize.
He gives a tiny smile and nods. "Okay. Just let me know when you've decided. I'll be okay with any decision you make." he says, stroking my cheeks tenderly.
We seem to be having a moment for a while, doing the staring contest and smiling at each other like they do in the Bollywood movies. My legs felt like jelly. How can I say no to him? But anyway, I must not make any hasty and selfish decisions.
"We should go and make breakfast." he says, flashing that charming smile I wanted to see everyday.
"Hm?" I hum dreamily, totally lost in the moment.
"You must be hungry."
"For you." the words escape my lips faster than a blink and I immediately slap my mouth with my palm in embarrassment as Ace chuckles amusingly. What is wrong with me? Where did that come from? I think I have a slight hormonal malfunction.
"I didn't mean that. I meant for food." I quickly deny.
"You can have me after breakfast." he emphasizes, making me frown. Then he playfully flicks my nose. "You're naughtier than I thought, Lady of Sansora." he adds, reaching for the door and leaving me in a frenzy.
Lady of Sansora....I think I'm getting a message....
"Are you coming or not, Cardale?"
✴✴✴
Baxter and Ace were making breakfast together. I knew they were both trying to show off their cooking skills, like they were contesting for Master Chef, but it was great to see them getting along. Except for the part where Baxter was frying bacon in a pan, and Ace subtly used his telekinesis to turn up the heat under it. The bacon instantly went black. He smirked in satisfaction and Baxter glared. It was both hilarious and adorable to watch.
That bacon cost Baxter a lot of money by the way. Apart from that, it was all good. They made me do nothing at all. I felt like a little girl between two older brothers. I watched them with a smile as they served the breakfast together, each scrambling to put their respective meals in front of me first.
I giggle. "Stop acting like two headed fishes. My stomach has enough vacancy to occupy everything on the table. So no need for all this. "
They both exchange glares for the last time before they stop scrambling.
"I'm taking Ace for shopping, Baxter." I say, once they're both seated. "Would you like to come with us?"
He frowns. "Why?"
"Good question." Ace adds.
I sigh. "You two could get along more. You have a lot in common. You both know how to cook, you're both very handsome..."
"We all know who's better in both things." Ace cuts in with a nonchalant shrug.
Baxter glares. "Sure we do."
I roll my eyes. "Okay, Baxter, maybe some feedback to my question would be nice?"
"Go have fun. I'm not coming with you." he replies.
"On second thought, I think you should." Ace interjects before I can speak. "I'd like to know what more we might have in common."
The tension between them is so thick. I can sense it as they both stare at each other, Ace smirking and looking calm and collected, Baxter slightly frowning.
"Fine." Baxter finally agrees.
❇
I think I write better and longer at night lol. I prolonged the story simply because I felt like giving you more of Eva and Ace drama and romance. Thanks for reading. Leave your comments below. 💙💚💛💜
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Finish Line by Dee Money ft. Sarkodie 👌
Legend by Sarkodie 👌