โ™ก Chapter 35 โ‹† Unrequited love

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"I didn't even know what love felt like until---" she paused as she suddenly realized something. She breathed heavily as she looked at Ace and then towards the door.

"I... Uh..." She wiped her tears. "I have to go" saying that, she ran out of the classroom. She forgot about everything. There's only one thing she knew she wanted to do. She ran out of the empty hallway and came out to the football field.

Her heart leaped out of her chest as she saw him...ย 

Everything was clearer now.

She ran towards him and clutched his shoulder. She turned him towards her swiftly. "Whโ€”" his words got muffled in his mouth as Ella pressed her lips on his. She wrapped her arms around his neck, getting on her tiptoes.

His eyes closed involuntarily as his hands found her waist. She felt a tingling sensation wherever his hands touched. He wrapped his one hand around the back of her head and stroked her blond locks lovingly. With his towering height, she had to reach up on her tiptoes but he yanked her up, pulling her more closer to him. She could feel the heat of his body warming her. She was clinging onto his body, her feet in the air.

Hunter Grey always sweeps her off her feet.

Figuratively and literally.

To catch her breath, she pulled away from him a little. Their noses still touching. She stared into his eyes and so did he.

He frowned. "Have you been crying?" He whispered

She squeezed her eyes shut and bit her lip. "Fuck!" They just kissed and instead of thinking about that, he was more concerned about her tears. It warmed her heart. She placed both of her hands on his cheeks. "Only you, Hunter Grey, only you... And I love you"

He smiled. A genuine soft smile. "I love you more"

She laughed and he did too. Laughing, they kissed one another again.

"Woohoo! He finally got out of the friendzone!" Vincent and all Hunter's other friends formed a circle around Ella and Hunter and jumped up and down happily.

Ace looked from far away...

He lost her.

He lost his best friend.

He lost his first love.

It felt like he lost everything.

He could see how happy she was with Hunter but instead of feeling resentful and scorned. He felt happy for a girl who was once his best friend. He felt happy for a girl with who he grew up. He felt happy for a girl he loved... And still loves. He wiped the corner of his eyes and rubbed the same hand all over his face.

He saw Hunter picking her up and twirling her around as her laughter echoed in the entire field. He wanted to kill him. It won't be difficult for him to get rid of Hunter but then he thought of Ella.

He smiled... "El... My El" he whispered one last time before walking away from the scene.

He got into his car and stared at nothing in particular. He slapped his hands on the steering wheel multiple times in aggression and then he slumped his head on it and let the tears flow. He breathed heavily as he tried to stop the hurt, the heartache.

He leaned back in his seat and drove away as fast as he could. He wanted to get out of there. He needed to get out of there. It was getting difficult for him to breathe.

He reached his house and the giant metal gates opened. He stopped his car right in between the gates and got out. He ran inside and saw his mother. He strode towards her and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her, nuzzling his face into her embrace just like he used to when he was little.

"Ace? Honey? What's wrong?" She asked hugging her son back immediately.

"Nothing, mum. I don't feel good" He mumbled

"Aw, my baby" Hannah rubbed her son's back assuringly.

"Mum..."

"Hm?"

"Have you ever had your heart broken?" He asked in a low voice.

Hannah pulled back. "Why are you asking that?"

"I don't know..."

"Yes..." she smiled caressing his son's hair.

Ace furrowed his eyebrows. "I thought you've never been with anyone but dad. Weren't you guys together since high school?"

"We were... But it wasn't always rainbows and sunshine" she smiled, brushing his hair back with her fingers.

Ace frowned, he felt somewhat angry. "Dad broke your heart! Why? What did he do?"

"No, Ace... Look it was complicated and I don't want to bore you with details---"

He cut his mother off. "I want to know"

"Well... I broke his heart first" she touched the tip of his nose with her finger.

He looked down heartbrokenly. "Because you fell out of love?"

"No, because we had some very bad people in our life. Nobody liked us together, so I broke up and we went our different ways. We grew as people, I achieved my dreams and he became... Well, a politician..." Hannah cringed and laughed.

"Then what happened?" He asked eagerly.

Hannah smiled. "Then grandpa Mason got us married... Forcefully"

Ace's eyes widened. "You were forced to marry each other? Why? Why'd grampa do that?"

She smiled. "Because he wanted an Ace Clarke Harding in his life."

"He wanted me?"

"Yes," she nodded. "Very badly"

"Then you both fell in love again and had me?" He asked hopefully.

"Why are you asking all these questions? What happened, Ace?" Hannah asked frowning.

"I just want to know" he shrugged

"Ace, look at me. Did something happened with Veronica?"

"No... We're fine" he mumbled

"Then what's wrong?" She asked, kissing her son's hands.

He shrugged. "Nothing..."

Sebastian walked in, busy talking on his phone. He was yelling and Ace could see angry he was. He hurriedly got up.

"Where are you going?" Hannah asked

"To my room," He said

"Baby, we were talking..."

"It's okay, we'll talk later..." He smiled as he saw his father settle on the couch.

"What's wrong with you? You look troubled" Sebastian asked loosening his tie.

Ace put his hands in his pockets. "I'm fine, dad"

He stared at his father and then it hit him. Sebastian loved Ella as his own. If he found out what he did to her he'd flip out. Ace was afraid of his father's temper.

"Your principal called," Sebastian said.

"Huh?" All the color drained from Ace's face.

Nobody knew that he went to the principal and took responsibility for sending those texts and then pinning them on Ella.

"He said something about your problematic behavior. Should I be worried, Ace?" Sebastian asked leaning back and putting one leg over the other. His tone was icy with an underlying warning.

"Really?" Hannah asked frowning.

"Uh... I got into a fight with Hunter Grey" he lied. He didn't want Hannah to know.

Sebastian nodded. "Hunter Grey? That's Charles Grey's son, right?"

"Yeah" he shrugged

"Charles Grey from school?" Hannah asked Sebastian and he nodded. "He hated you" she added.

Sebastian chuckled. "Whatever I did to him it was before we met, Anna" he added and turned back towards Ace. "Make sure it never happens again."

"Yes, dad" Ace said standing before him uneasily.

"Go on, wherever you were going" Sebastian dismissed him.

Ace went straight to his room and sat on the edge of his bed. For a short period, while talking to his mother, he forgot about what happened between Ella and him but now that he was alone. All he could think about was her.

He laid on his bed and stared at the ceiling for a long time.

Thinking...

Recalling...

Wondering...

Her laughter echoed as he dragged her to his room, locking the door.

It was their friendaversary... A few weeks after they finally gave themselves to each other.

"Close your eyes"

"What? Why?"

"Just do it"

"Ace, you've already given me eleven gifts. I think they are more than enough"

He playfully shook his head. "No, please, El"

She rolled her eyes. "Fine!"

He turned her so, that her back was facing his front. He pushed all her hair aside and kissed her neck. She giggled. She felt something cold around her neck, she could tell it was a chain.

"Now open your eyes" he had whispered

She opened her eyes and saw her reflection in the mirror. He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and rested his chin over her shoulder.

"What does it say?" He asked playfully

"Ace's Ella" she whispered, a shy smile playing on her lips.

"Each gift for every year that we have been together. Twelve years, El." He turned his face, his nose grazing the side of her neck and his warm breath tickling her. "I want you to know that I'm yours, El."

"It's... It's beautiful, Ace" she mumbled mesmerized. The diamonds shined in the mirror.

"Twelve years down and a lifetime to go"

"I love you"

He smiled. "I love you more"

Was it not love? Weren't they in love at that moment? Was it just an obsession? Did she lie? That moment was pure and romantic. He knew what he felt at that moment was something he could never felt for any other girl. He loved Ella and there's no doubt about that and he still loves her.

He was trying to think of a moment when everything went downhill. Ella has always been a big part of his life but where did it all go wrong?

She stomped in and slam the door shut. He came strolling behind her annoyed.

"Would you just listen?!" He shouted

"When are we telling everyone?!"

"What?!"

"That we are in a relationship, Ace. You are a taken guy! That girl was flirting with you so shamelessly and you let her. You should've told her to back off!"

"We can't" he deadpanned

"What do you mean?"

"We can't tell everyone, El. It's too awkward. Everyone sees us as siblings!"

"Are you fucking kidding me?" She asked horrified.

"Yes... I tried to tell Axel but it was too awkward. He made fun of me just because I said that you looked hot today." He exhaled heavily. "We just can't, not right now at least. And tell me why you haven't told Zoe anything?"

She looked away. "I didn't know how to..."

"Exactly my point!"

She laughed humorlessly. "So what? Am I gonna wait around while all the girls flirt with you? Who knows one of these days one of them is going to steal you away from me" she mumbled heartbrokenly.

"Hey... I love you, remember that... Always. We'll just keep it a secret for a few months and then we'll slowly tell everyone, okay?"

"Yeah... Fine"

He wished he could go back in time and change things. He wished he could go back and tell everyone that he loved Ella.

He wished...

"Ace... I'm sorry" she had cried, walking backward as he approached her with rage burning in his eyes. "It was just for a stupid game" she tried to explain.

"YOU KISSED HUNTER GREY RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!" he shouted

"We were playing a game. Everyone thinks I'm single that's why they gave me that dare. If they knew that we were together, they would never force us to kiss other people" she explained in a shaky voice.

"You could've said no!"

"It was just a game, Ace" she cried

He gripped her arm harshly and dragged her to his couch. He tossed her on it. "Then we'll play a game of our own. Take off your clothes, turn around and lean over the couch. Don't you dare move, Ella. If you did, you're only going to increase your punishment"

"P-punishment?"

"Don't you think you deserve one? After you so shamelessly cheated on me right in front of my face?!"

"Ace, babe... Please. That kiss didn't mean anything"

"You wanna make it up to me, don't you?"

"Yes..." A tiny whisper

"Then do as you're told!"

She slowly undressed, taking her time as he stood there watching her like a hawk. After she was fully naked, he said. "Good, now turn and place your knees on the couch and rest your face over the headrest"

Trembling, she did what she was told. She rested her face over the headrest and gripped it harshly. She didn't dare look back at him as she heard him fumbling with his belt.

"Are you going to spank me again?" She asked meekly

As the leather belt met with her bare skin, an ear-piercing scream left her. She covered her ass with her hands as she cried loudly. Tears streamed down her face at a lightning speed.

"Take off your hands, Ella, and get back in your position. I was only going to do it five times but now you just increased your punishment to ten"

He sighed deeply and regretfully. What was he thinking? Hurting her like that? He took her for granted. She tried, she really tried everything to be with him and all she asked for in return was his love.

He then remembered the first time, he felt pain in his heart. When Hunter Grey shoved his kiss with Ella on his face. He always knew no matter what happens Ella will always love him as he will love her. He didn't believe him at first but then he confronted Ella and he didn't know why, somewhere deep inside of him, he believed Hunter afterward. Ella was always confident in her speech but that day she stammered, stuttered, and had a look of guilt on her face. He was hurt beyond measure that day but chose to ignore it. He chose to ignore the look of guilt on her face. He chose to ignore the way her hands were shaking. He loved her and he couldn't afford to lose her.

"Ella, did you kiss him?" He had asked lowly

"No" she shook her head frantically, her eyes widened

Ace's frown deepened. "Then why did he say that you did?"

"Who do you t-trust more, Ace? Some guy from school or y-your Ella?" She asked, getting closer to him

Ace looked into her eyes and he melted. "Of course, I trust you"

She stepped closer to him and engulfed him in a hug. He hugged her back almost immediately. "I only... love y--you, Ace." She whispered shakily, as guilt crept up and she started crying into his chest.

Ace pulled her away from him. "Hey... I'm sorry, okay. I'm so sorry that I even asked you that absurd question. I trust you, El. And I love you more than you love me..." he wiped her tears and kissed her but he couldn't stop a single tear that slid down his cheek. He knew she wasn't crying because she thought he didn't trust her. She was crying because she felt guilty, maybe? Or maybe, she wants to be with Hunter and she's stuck with him. Ace held onto her tighter, the thought that she'll leave him made him scared. He couldn't imagine his life without her.

"I love you" she whispered again.

"This is all Hunter's fault." Ace gritted through his teeth. "He's gonna regret even looking in your direction!" He believed that his Ella was innocent, Hunter must've messed with her mind.

So many mistakes, so many regrets.

They did love each other but they didn't know how to...

They did love each other but they did it all wrong...

And now...

There was nothing left for Ace but unrequited love.

And

A/N
Hey!
I hope you enjoy today's chapter. :)
Ella chose Hunter. :)
And honestly, I never thought you guys could reach the 500 votes goal but you did! Thank you for the love! โค
XOXO, Jane Doe

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