They reached a mall. Ella furrowed her eyebrows. "You took me to a mall?" She asked, a little unhappy by his choice.

"Yes..." He held her hand and dragged her into the mall.

He ran holding her hand in his tight grip. "Hunter! I'm wearing heels" she laughed as the wind blew her golden locks.

He slowed down and stood before an ice rink. It was in the middle of the mall.

Her eyes widened. "No way!" She shook her head.

"Come on. It's fun!"

"No! I don't know how to skate!" She said pulling her hand out of his grip.

"I'll teach you," he laughed and made her sit on a bench.

He went and came back with skating shoes. He took off Ella's heels and helped her wear skating shoes.

"This is why I told you not to wear a dress," he said goofily. 

Ella stared at him stunned. The way he treated her was so different from the way Ace treated her but she still missed him, she didn't know why but she did. And every time she compared Hunter to Ace, she felt guilty, like she was being unfair to Hunter.

He offered her his hand and she took it. Holding onto the railing she glided onto the ice rink. Hunter glided along with her effortlessly with his hands behind his back.

"This is not a date, this is torture!" She mumbled, her legs shivering.

He shrugged his shoulders. "This is what it's like to be on a date with Hunter Grey. Better get used to it" he said making a smug face.

"What makes you think there will be a second date?" She asked, gripping the railing firmly.

"Just a hunch," he said, grinning widely.

Meanwhile...

"How much more Veronica?" Ace asked annoyedly as he was sitting in the dressing room for the last one and a half hours.

"I need to find a perfect dress!" She answered while she was changing in a booth.

"It's Emily's birthday, not yours," he said, bored out of his mind.

She came out of the booth and showed off her revealing black lingerie. Biting her lower lip, she swayed closer to Ace.

"What do you think?" she twirled before him.

Ace laughed. "I think...you are not wearing this to Em's birthday"

Smiling widely, she straddled him. "Of course not. This is for you"

Cupping his face, she smashed her lips on his, kissing him wildly, passionately. His hands found their way around her waist.

She pulled away and trailed kisses down his neck. "I want you so bad" she purred in his ear.

"Not now" he whispered, looking around.

She pulled away. "What? Why?"

"Because we're in a public place... And you can be really... Well... Loud" he said hesitantly.

She got off his lap and strode back inside the booth. She changed into her normal clothes and came out.

He looked at her baffled. She stuck her nose in the air. "Since you hate my voice so much. I'm not gonna say a word."

He sighed tiredly. "Look, Veronica, I don't want to fight with you"

"Really? Because all we do nowadays is fight!" She snapped back

"I'm just not feeling good these days" he reasoned.

"Is it about another girl? Are you interested in someone else?" She asked

Ace clenched his jaw but controlled himself. She was testing his patience. "What? No!" He stood up and placed his hands on her upper arms, he rubbed them assuringly. "The only girl I think about is you"

"Whatever, Ace" she rolled her eyes. "I get it that I'm a little loud as you put it, but do you have to bring that every time?"

"Yes because it's fucking annoying!" He snapped and Veronica flinched. He sighed and calmed himself. "I'm tired, Veronica. I just wanna go home. Come on, I'll drop you"

She nodded and controlled her tears. She perched her handbag over her shoulder and walked out of the dressing room.

Ace picked up another lingerie and paid for it. He gave it to Veronica sheepishly and smiled. She pursed her lips and took it. "I'm still angry" she mumbled

Ace smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Let me make it up to you tomorrow night" he whispered in her ear huskily.

She pushed him back and walked out of the store. Ace pursed his lips and followed her.

Familiar soft laughter fell on his ears. He looked for the source and his eyes fell on Ella... And Hunter. They were ice skating. She was failing miserably and Hunter had his arms wrapped around her waist for balance.

"I told you not to wear a dress!" Hunter said laughing out loud. Ella yelped and fell on her back taking Hunter with her.

She looked so happy... Hunter stood up and offered her his hand. She took and tugged her dress down, her cheeks and nose tinted pink. A wide smile plastered on her face. Her golden locks messed up. She was cutely rubbing her elbow.

Ace found himself staring at her. It felt like he was looking at her for the first time. They were always so busy hiding their relation, they never got to do any fun activities.

Hunter put pressure on her elbow and kissed it. Ella smiled watching him. A smile he knew all too well. It was the same smile she used to give him whenever he did something nice for her. A smile of gratitude and affection.

Memories flooded his mind and their moments flash before his eyes like scenes from an old movie, grainy and black and white.

Her smile, when he first told her that he loves her. Her smile, whenever he told her how beautiful she looked. Her smile, when he gave her surprises. Her smile, whenever he gave her flowers.

Her smile...

Her smile...

Her smile...

He clenched his fists when he realized that smile wasn't for him but for Hunter. He looked away... They were done... Over... He squeezed his eyes shut, controlled himself.

"Hello! I was waiting for you outside!" Veronica snapped her fingers before his eyes.

His eyes shot open. All he saw was Veronica's face, is that what he left Ella for? The frown between her brows, her scrutinizing gaze, her lips peeled back into a snarl, Is that what he left Ella for? She was blabbering continuously but he couldn't hear it, only one thought running wild in his mind. Is that what he left Ella for?

"Hello?! Earth to Ace?! What the hell is wrong with you?! Here I'm talking to you and you fucking spaced out!" She snapped

He looked to where Hunter and Ella were and saw Ella skating effortlessly with Hunter's hands on her waist. He was assisting her and she let go of the railing because she trusted him... She trusted him... She doesn't trust anyone easily. She trusts him.

Veronica followed his gaze and saw Ella. Happy, skating without a care in the world, with a handsome guy glued to her back.

Heartbrokenly, she looked back at Ace. She nodded finally understanding the cause of his distress, the cause of his absent-mindedness. He missed her. He missed his Ella. She was standing right before him to but his eyes were stuck on Ella. She wished that Ella would fall and break her neck.

Bitterly, she murmured. "Now, I get where your brain is at!"

Ace's attention switched back towards Veronica. Her eyes filled with tears, he felt guilty. Without thinking, he did the only thing he knew would make her feel better. Cupping her face, he crashed his lips on hers, kissing her passionately.

"Oh my God! Oh my God! Hunter, I'm skating... Without your help" Ella laughed as she smoothly glided across the icy surface.

Her smile wavered when she realized that she was heading straight towards the railing. She panicked and lost her balance. She crashed into the railing and Hunter crashed into her.

"Ow!" She groaned holding her lower back.

"You okay?" Hunter asked startled, checking her body for injuries.

She laughed, lightly at first and it made him laugh. A second later, they both were laughing controllably. Sobering up from her laughing fit, Ella looked around and her eyes fell on Ace and Veronica, kissing one another lost in bliss. She felt her heart sink. She looked away immediately and faked a smile.

Hunter knew the reason behind her sudden mood change but didn't bring it up. He stood up and offered her his hand. "Okay, enough skating. I'm famished. Let's go eat"

"Finally, I thought you'd never ask"

They went to a local fast food shop and ordered cheeseburgers and fries with shakes.

"I'm not dipping my fries into my milkshake again" he warned. "And I ordered two fries this time. Last time, you gorged all of them down. I didn't get to eat any!"

She gasped, her mouth hung open. "You're supposed to be a gentleman. You shouldn't comment about a lady's appetite!"

"You're not a lady. You tiny baboon" he retorted.

She picked up a fry and threw it on his face. "You tit!"

He opened his mouth dramatically and placed a hand on his chest. "You have such a potty mouth, tiny baboon"

Their voices faded out in the sea of people. Laughing and playing around without a care in the world.

And

A/N
Hey, everyone!
I just came back from the doctor! 🤧🤕
I hope you enjoy today's chapter.
Comment, Read, and Vote!
I'll see you all on Wednesday!
XOXO, Jane Doe!