Surviving the Aces (#Wattys2018)

Meet Tony

"I'm Tony." He said when we got in. "So, how come I've never seen you before? I would have never missed such a pretty face." He said with a playful wink.

I blushed at his forwardness, and the fact that we were actually sharing a cab. "I just moved here." I informed him. 

"So, are you gonna attend the high school in town?" He asked.

I simply nodded, my mind becoming enraptured by his beautiful blue eyes.

"Great. I hope we will have some classes together." He commented. "Are you a senior?"

"Yeah." I responded. "Oh, and my name is Dakota." 

"Cool." he said. I noticed we were almost near my house. "Did you give the driver your address?" I asked him.

"Yeah, I live on this street." He told me.

The driver passed the Aces mansion. Tony looked at it and frowned.

"What's wrong?" I asked him nervously.

"I don't like the guys that live there." He said frowning. "They are unnecessarily cocky and spoiled."

He took my silence as confusion.
"You'll meet them tomorrow. You won't even miss them. They like to make a scene, especially for the first day." He explained. "Luckily, there's only three left. Jace, Bryson and Quintin."

"Oh!" He sat forward. "This is me." The driver slowed down and Tony handed him the money. "Don't worry. I payed for your fare as well."

"Oh my gosh. You didn't ha-"

He smiled cutting me off. "Don't worry. It's the least I could for such a pretty girl." I looked at his house. We were in a neighborhood with a few houses. They were small and some looked vacant.

"It's not much." He mumbled.

"Better than where I was." I responded quietly.

"Hey," he said opening his door. "Sit with me at lunch tomorrow?" He asked.

I smiled. "Okay." I watched him jog up to his house.

"Miss...miss?" The driver said breaking my daze.

"Oh, sorry." I said. "I live in the house you passed a few minutes ago." I said gnawing on my lip absently.

He nodded and turned around and proceeded back to my house.

"How was your date?" Jace asked when I got home.

"I see you're in the same spot we left you." I retorted, not answering his question.

"You went to the Cheesesteak factory." He said frowning.

"How do you know?" I asked, sitting down.

"I can smell it. Hand it over." He ordered.

"Not until you tell me why you hate me." I said, keeping the tray away from him. I wasn't planning on giving it to him, but I wanted to know why he didn't like me.

He huffed. "I don't hate you, I just-"

"Hey! Give it back!"

The twins came stomping loudly down the stairs chasing each other. Jace took the distraction to jump up and steal my leftovers. Now it was my turn to scream.

"Give that back!" I shouted. He hugged the food to his chest and ran off childishly.

I grumbled and went after him. "I'll kill you! Nobody steals my food'" I yelled running faster.

He ran down the hall and through a door, slamming it in my face. "Oww!" I roared clutching my nose.

I turned the knob and stopped short. The door lead down the basement which was super dark and cold. "Jace?" I called hesitantly. I took one step down before I heard a noise. Not from downstairs, but from behind me.

"Aaah!!" I screamed as I was shoved inside. The door slammed shut and I heard the lock click.

Horrified, I shoved at the door, banging on it loudly. "Jace! Let me out! Please!" I shouted. When I heard nobody on the other side of the door, I slumped down in defeat. "How did you even do that?" I muttered to nobody in particular.

After what felt like hours, my curiously took over my fear and I got up. I felt along the walls for a light switch. Once I found it, I turned on the lights and gasped.

The basement was a studio. An amazing studio, and it was huge. There were glass cases all around filled with various trophies. Easels with beautiful paintings on them. There was a pool tables and other games. And the best part, three huge speakers with a music system. I followed the cords to see that it was surround sound.

I took out my phone, excited and plugged it in using the aux cord that laid there. I put on one of my favorite song to dance to and let it rip.

Ayo by Chris Brown and Tyga blasted through the speakers. The full sound and surround made me excited. I let the music carry me, pretending that I was performing for a crowd. Something I used to do when I was alone at home.

Dancing let me take out my emotions, whether I was angry, sad or even happy.

I looked up once to see a huge disco ball hanging from he ceiling. I scanned the room for another switch, when I flipped it on and turned off the lights.

Now I felt in the moment. I use the entire dance floor letting my body glide all around.

When the song finished I bowed and pretended there was a crowd clapping for me, except someone was clapping.

I looked up startled to see Jace stepping out of the shadows. He was grinning at me. "That was amazing." He complimented.

I almost smiled until I remembered the reason I was in the basement in the first place.

"I hate you." I said before stomping off to my phone.

He followed me. "You don't mean that." He retorted frowning.

I turned and shoved him. "Oh. But I do."

He then proceeded to trail me up the stairs where he cornered me against the door caging me in."You know what I think?" He whispered.

I shut my eyes, looking to the side to avoid his eyes. I didn't want anything to do with him at the moment, or any moment.

He stared at me intensely. "I think, the reason you're so mean to me is because you like me and you're hoping that I'll invite you into my room." He suggested.

I gave him a disgusted face and resisted the urge to spit in his face. "Not even in your craziest dreams." I retorted pushing him away and running up to my room.

Only in mine. I thought as I shut the door.

SHOUTOUT TO hellsdevil101
CHECK OUT HER STORY "HER HIDDEN SECRET" FEATURING A ROMANCE BETWEEN A BAD BOY AND GOOD GIRL. BUT THE BAD BOY ISNT THE ONLY ONE WITH SECRETS.
"Nothing can stop me. I'll search the entire world to fins her just to stop my heart from tearing itself apart." -Hayden Black