Chapter 11: "Isn't my life such a lovely fairy tale?"

Fair Night Part I

Straightening out my dress for the tenth time, I looked in the mirror checking my dress one more time for any faults. On not finding anything once again, I sighed in relief. I had been nervous about tonight, since the day Ace asked me out.

How could I not be nervous? We were actually going out public with our relationship or whatever that we had.

Well to be honest it was still our second date, so I had every right to be nervous. I was surprised that Ace had asked me out.

I mean why would someone who looks everyday like an Abercrombie model would ask out someone like me. It had to be my great sense of humor. I mean with the social skills I have it would be impossible.

The music playing on my phone is interrupted as there's a call. I immediately recognize the caller as Shantell because, she had set her contact ringer to Grown by Little Mix. I pick up the call and sit on the bed.

"Hey"

"Are you still going out with that jerk?" she is pissed off since I mentioned the date to her.

"We had this discussion earlier too, Shantell." I sighed.

"Yes, I know. Look, I don't want to ruin your mood. But, I seriously don't think so you should be going out with him."

"He is a nice guy, Shantell. He treats me good. I don't know why you have a problem with that." I was losing my patience slowly.

"I don't have any problem with a guy treating you right, Mae. It's just that Ace isn't a nice person. Please trust me on this." Shantell was sounding too desperate and that never happened.

"Is there something you aren't telling me?" my curiosity got the best of me.

"NO!! No, I mean there isn't anything. There's nothing." she spoke too fast.

"Then why are you sounding shady?" I urged her to tell me whatever she was hiding.

"I am not. Just trust-"

I cut her off, "Look, I cannot believe you on this matter if you don't tell me what the truth is-I'm going on this date and don't worry, okay?"

Without waiting for her reply, I end the call. I looked back in the mirror once again and sighed. First Alastair and now Shantell, both had warned me about Ace.

Was I overlooking something?

~~~

Everything had been going on smoothly so far. I had not been harmed in any way since I left my dorm room. Ace had been kind and nice towards me the whole time. He had picked me up from my room twenty minutes later Shantell's phone call. I had calmed down in that period of time. But, the nagging feeling was still there.

The car ride of thirty minutes was not at all awkward. Ace told me about his day out with his friends as he drove. Music was playing on the radio and we had reached our destination. Parking the car and then walking into the fair, we both had adored the lighting and liveliness of the place. Walking hand in hand, playing some small games and having some amazing candies-we were just roaming around.

Everything was going fine until this very moment-we had come across one of those vending machine games. Crane game prize vending machine to be exact.

Ace was trying to catch the Donald Duck soft toy for the last fifteen minutes, but had been unsuccessful. He was hell bent on getting that one specific toy. The vending machine owner- a huge blonde with race biker look had been giving Ace a smug look since his first try.

And how was Ace reacting to this? Let's just say Drax from Guardians of the Galaxy would look paler in comparison to Ace's red anger face.

"Let it be, Ace. I don't want that damned toy. Let's just go." I tried grabbing his arm and dragging him away from the machine. He didn't even move an inch.

His grip was so tight on the controller, it was surprising it hadn't broken yet."No, Maeve. I'm not leaving until I get you that toy." he spoke looking at me, determination clearly in his voice.

The owner mumbled something under his breath and started laughing.

"Did you say something, asshole?" Ace turned towards him harshly.

"I said-"Romeo" can't play to win." he owner replied quoting Romeo with his hands smirking.

"Mind your own business." Ace spoke.

"I'm minding my own business." the owner gestured at the machine smugly.

"Maybe, we should leave." I tried stopping Ace from playing more by grabbing his hand. But, he pushed me back so hard that I ended up falling down. I was too shell-shocked to react. He didn't even realize what he had done, as he continued playing the damned game.

The owner helped me stand up and as I dusted off the dirt from my skirt, he grabbed Ace by the collar." Apologize to the girl NOW." he growled.

"And what if I don’t? “Ace smirked. My mouth just hanged open in disbelief.

"Then this happens." the owner said as he raised his fist and punch Ace hard. My body had stopped functioning as I witnessed the scene before me.

I was on a date here with Ace and a stranger was defending me against Ace. Isn't my life such a lovely fairy tale?

I snapped out of my daze as people started gathering around us and started cheering them? What was wrong with these people? Here were two males going all Mike Tyson on each other and they were blooding cheering them? I was pushed a bit back because of the increasing number of the crowd.

Suddenly, someone grabbed my left hand and I was ready to slap the shit out of the pervert when I stopped. Standing next to me was Alastair Barton in his glory with a slight red face and out of breath-as if he had just ran all the way here.

"Let's go. You don't wanna get involved in this. The cops are on their way." he offered me a hand.

I looked over at the fight that was going on. Both-Ace and the owner were bleeding and not stopping. I looked over at Alastair's expectant face and decided that it was better to go with the safest option at the moment.

We left the scene as I placed my hand in Alastair's hand.

~~~