The Love of Ace

Chapter 8

Madeline Love

I was woken by my body being shaken and me slapping my attacker. I open my big frightened eyes to see Ace reaching for his red cheek

"Are you fucking insane!" I yelled

"I'm insane? Your the one who slapped me!"

"Your the one who shook me like I was a salt shaker? What made you think, hey I have a great idea to wake her up.. shake the shit out of her!" He ran his fingers through his combed back hair

"well we are here" I peered out the window to see us on a side street of campus. The door to the suburban opened and the security guard Arthur offered me his hand in which I declined

I stepped out onto the street dusting off my skirts wrinkles and looked around, home. The street smelt of feet and burning rubber, it was home. The NYU flags were posted around the buildings ahead followed by busy students rushing to classes

People looked over at me which confused me, was my outfit too scandalous? Was my nipple showing? Was something in my hair? Was Gosling behind me!

I turned in disappointment only to find him, though he could go up against Gosling in an attractive contest, still a toss up on who would win "you look disappointed to see me?"

"I was hoping it would be Ryan Gosling behind me because all the stares?" He chuckled at me softly

"You truly are clueless aren't you amore?" He kissed my cheek taking me by surprise "today will be fun, yeah?" I had one goal today, and that was one last day of normalcy, at least with Sloan

"My dorms around the corner, let's go" before I could move he intertwined our hands and before I could attempt to release them he gripped harder "people are watching Bellissima" his voice was demanding as his dark eyes burned into mine flashing a playful smirk

"Just know I hate you even more now than ever" I whispered back seeing a slight look of hurt play across his face. I turned back to the sidewalk focusing on the pavement as I had the directions to my dorms burned into my brain

As we walked down fifth ave I didn't pay attention fully to my surroundings knowing that one of his guards would body someone if they were to touch me. I heard slight shouts but I brushed them off as we cruised past people as the fall breezes blew through us

We made it under the small dark green hood that listed on the side Thirty Five Fifth Avenue with the NYU flag hanging above it "this is it"

He observed the building "it's nice" he admitted "what's the inside situation?" I pushed through the revolving glass door to see the familiar black and marble checkered floor surrounded by 1920's dark oak walls with a high ceiling

The advisors heads snapped up and stared at us speechless for a moment "Lila, good afternoon" Lindsay spoke but not staring at me

"Hey Lindsay, Martha" I waved and scanned my badge to unlock the stairwell

The dreaded dark cement stairs that felt like hours to climb after a long day, when in reality it was merely a minute or two "I'm the eleventh floor" I gestured to the stairs as we began to climb them our footsteps echoing