Ace
The Past - Ace - Age 24
The hospital lights had started to dim, slipping into that strange nighttime hush hospitals always seemed to have. Yet, the silence did nothing to quiet the storm building in my chest. I had been pacing the sterile hallway for what felt like hours, the stench of antiseptic burning into my lungs with every breath I took.
Jasper hadn’t said a word since the doctor came out. He’d just nodded, stiffly, and disappeared into Brit’s room. And I’d been left behind with Sierra, who sat quietly beside me, scrolling through her phone with trembling fingers.
"Ace," she whispered, breaking the silence. "It's all over the news. It’s trending."
I frowned, trying to read her expression.
"What is?"
"The accident. Brit’s crash. It’s being labeled as a suicide attempt." Her voice cracked. "But that’s not even the worst part."
I turned to her fully, heart sinking.
"What could be worse than that?"
She swallowed. "Their mom… she’s not even here. She’s doing a press conference. Saying Brit’s just ‘exhausted’ and ‘recovering’—like it’s all some PR stunt."
I could feel the anger boil beneath my skin, threatening to explode. I gritted my teeth and bit back a string of curses. My hands curled into fists, nails digging into my palms. How could she?
I didn’t even realize I’d stood up until I heard footsteps. Jasper stormed out of the room like a bullet. His jaw was clenched, hands shaking, face pale—except for his eyes, which burned with something feral.
"Jasper!" I moved quickly to him. "What happened? Is she okay?"
He didn’t answer right away. He just stared ahead, like he was somewhere else. Then, his voice dropped to something deadly and hollow.
"I’m going to kill Young. And I’m going to kill my mother."
I stepped in front of him, grabbing his arm. "Jas—hey. Breathe. Talk to me. What did she say?"
His eyes met mine. Glassy. Furious. Devastated. "Everything. She told me everything. What that bastard did. What Mom let happen. What she’s still letting happen."
My throat tightened. Brit had finally opened up to someone.
"Let me go, Ace. I swear, if I don’t leave this hospital now, I might do something I can’t take back."
I nodded slowly and turned to Sierra. "Go with him. Please. Don’t let him be alone right now."
She stood, hesitated for a second, and then rushed after him.
And I—well, I found myself walking toward Brit’s room.
I opened the door quietly. The room was dim, the soft beeping of machines and the faint hum of fluorescent lights the only sound. She was asleep. Or maybe pretending to be. I couldn’ttell. Her face was pale, lips slightly parted, her arm bandaged where the IV fed into her skin.
I stepped in slowly, careful not to startle her. Something about her lying there, still and fragile, made my heart twist painfully. I dragged a chair close to the bed and sat down beside her.
I didn’t know if I could speak without breaking apart.
"Brit," I whispered, eyes tracing her face. "You probably can’t hear me, but I’m going to talk anyway. Because if I don’t say these things, I might explode."
I leaned back in the chair, resting my arms on my knees. "You think I didn’t notice you? I noticed everything. The way you hide behind your hair when you’re nervous. How you always eat the frosting first when you get cupcakes. How you pretend you hate romantic movies, but your eyes water every time. How your nose crinkles when something disgusts you... or when you're really, really tired."
I let out a shaky laugh. "I noticed the way your smile doesn’t reach your eyes anymore. The way you shrink when your mom walks into the room. And it killed me, Brit. God, it killed me. And I was a coward. I stayed away. I thought if I was cruel enough to you, you’d hate me. And then I wouldn’t have to deal with the fact that you’re the only person who makes me feel anything real."
I leaned forward again, brushing a strand of hair from her forehead gently. She didn’t stir.
