Video games (Ace Merrill ff)

Chapter 22

Rose held her breath as she followed Ace and the gang to meet the one and only Thomas, the leader of Kings. Or as the cobras would call it 'Pissy Kings'

Thomas smirked as Ace stopped in front of him with Rose, Billy, Charlie, Eyeball and Vince behind him

''Well if it isn't John Merrill with his second-hand car'' Thomas greeted smugly, with his friends snickering behind him

''It's Ace. I see you got your car fixed'' Ace replied

Rose rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. Did he really have to mention the time she had a mental breakdown?

''Hell yeah I did'' Thomas patted his car ''She's a firecracker, isn't she?'' he nodded over to Rose's direction

''Oh yeah, all the best girls are'' Ace's smirk dropped, his jealousy began to rise

Thomas noticed as he dropped his cigarette ''I have a deal for you to accept, only if your friends will go away''

Rose glanced at Eyeball, who gave her a 'don't talk' look. Rose nodded and turned back to Ace and Thomas

Ace thought for a moment, before nodding at the boys to leave, Charlie and Vince glared at Thomas as they reluctantly leave ''C'mon Rose'' Eyeball grabbed her arm gently

''Get rid of your friends then'' she told Thomas ''I mean, it's only fair''

Ace rolled his eyes, while Thomas nodded and faced his friends ''You heard her''

The boys left reluctantly, glaring daggers into Ace

''Rose, c'mon'' Eyeball gently pulled her away from the two young men. He swung an arm around her shoulders ''Don't worry, Ace can handle it''

They stood leaning on the car, watching Ace and Thomas from a distance

Eyeball took the cigarette he had behind his ear, lighting it and taking a puff. He handed it to Rose, which she gladly took ''Ace doesn't look too happy'' she said, exhaling the smoke as they watched Ace shake hands with Thomas in the distance

Eyeball took the cigarette back, taking another puff ''He'll get his way. He always does''

Rose nodded, taking another puff from his cigarette

''Hey'' Charlie and Vince walked up to them ''What's going on'' Vince asked

''Don't know and probably never will'' Eyeball shrugged

After some small talk, Ace finally walked back up to the gang ''So what happened?'' Eyeball asked

''That doesn't matter. We need to make sure this car is spot on. Check the wheels and the engine. Can't afford to lose this fuckin race. And can somebody get me a goddamn beer''

Vince and Eyeball began to check the wheels while Charlie was getting a round of beers. Rose checked the engine with Ace

Ace held onto the car, leaning over to look at the engine. He held on tighter until his knuckles turned white. Rose noticed and placed a hand on his ''You'll win, you always win'' she said softly

Ace sighed softly ''I done a bad thing'' he mumbled without looking at her

''What is it?'' she asked, gently putting his hand in hers

Ace shook his head, pulling his hand away ''Move'' he told her

Rose stepped back as Ace pulled down the front boot as hard as he could, causing Rose to jump a little

''Ace what did he want'' she asked

''It doesn't fuckin matter, stop asking so many damn questions'' he said, louder this time

Rose rolled her eyes ''Fine''

Charlie went past the car to Rose and Ace, he handed them beers ''The race is about to start. And just to warn you, Ace, they were talking about trying to push you off the road. Be careful man''

Ace nodded and took the beer, then getting in the front side of the car. Rose followed Charlie to the gang ''Ignore him'' he told her ''He's nervous, that's all''

''Probably'' Rose agreed as they watched Thomas getting into his car, a smirk crept upon his lips as he turned on the engine

The lowlifes began to circle behind the cars, wishing good luck to their gang, people making bets and taking a beer from the crates everyone chipped in from Irby's

Rose bit her lip as a guy she didn't know walked in the middle of the cars, holding up a ribbon

Ace gritted his teeth, cigarette dangling from his mouth. He couldn't lose. Not just for his pride this time. He held onto his steering wheel as tight as he could, knuckles turning white

The guy with the ribbon dropped it, Ace and Thomas sped off, Rose and the rest of the lowlifes watched until they could no longer see the cars. At last, the two most dangerous gangs in Castlerock against each other. All they had to do now was wait

Eyeball wrapped an arm protectively around Rose's shoulders ''You okay?'' he asked

Rose nodded, not looking at him ''Yeah, I'm gonna get a beer''

Rose gently shook him off and went to the big crates of beer, she was surprised there were beers left. She picked one up and opened it with a bottle opener that Charlie had given her earlier

She took a sip, before turning around and began to walk back to the gang

''So, you're Ace's girl?'' A voice behind her asked

Rose sighed before turning around ''What's it to you''

A man, around early twenties, leaned on a car, smoking a cigarette with a beer in his free hand

He smirked at her as he slowly walked over to her ''Ace done a bad thing''

Rose stepped back slowly ''What are you talking about''

He stopped in his tracks ''You'll want someone to skin that tattoo you have off'' he dropped his cigarette before squashing it with his foot ''You were involved in a deal''

Rose rolled her eyes ''Stop lying'' she turned around again, but was roughly turned back as the man grabbed her wrist

''The deal was that if Ace won he'll keep you and he'll get a new car from Thomas'' he hissed in her ear ''And if he loses your ours and he loses his car'' he let go of her

''Don't believe me?'' he chuckled ''Ask your friend Charlie over there. He heard it''

The man let go of her and let Rose speed walk away. He smirked as he watched her leave

-

Rose marched to Charlie ''Is it true?'' she yelled

''What-'' Charlie began

''Is it true that you overheard me being sold like a slave to Thomas if Ace loses this stupid race?'' she yelled again

Charlie's face went white ''Rose I wasn't supposed to-''

''Oh shut the fuck up, Charlie! You were supposed to be my fucking friend'' Rose cried ''How could you?'' she pushed his chest as hard as he could before he could get any closer to her

''Rose c'mon -'' Eyeball started

''Don't you get involved in this'' Rose yelled, not caring that a group of people circled around them ''Unless you knew'' she laughed sarcastically

''I don't need you, any of you! Not Ace, no one'' Rose stormed off, pushing people that were in her way as tears threatened to pour out of her eyes