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At lunch, Ashley and Nancy bombarded me with questions about Ace. I tried to brush it off, but they wouldn't let up. "I don't do boyfriends," I said firmly, giving them a stern glance. "I'm not interested in romance. I've seen how you both get heartbroken, and I don't want that."
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Just then, the cafeteria fell silent, and we turned to see Ace kissing Estella, the school queen bee. I felt a pang in my heart, and my appetite vanished. I quickly gathered my snacks and left, telling my friends I'd meet up with them after school.
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As I sat outside under a tree, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. Why did I care about Ace? He wasn't even my friend. But there was something about him that drew me in.
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Ace appeared beside me, his legs folded, and handed me my juice. "Wanna talk about it?" he asked after a few minutes. I hesitated, not wanting to express my feelings. But he reassured me, "You don't need to talk if it makes you uncomfortable."
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Before I could respond, he lifted me onto his lap, facing him. I felt a rush of emotions, and Estella's whining in the background only added to the tension. Ace's gaze locked onto mine, and I saw a flicker of emotion I couldn't decipher.
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"This doesn't suit your beauty," he whispered, ignoring Estella's taunts. I felt like I was in a competition for his attention.
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As Estella whined again, Ace sighed and told me he'd talk to me after school. He kissed my ear and rubbed my sides soothingly before leaving with Estella. I was left wondering if he wanted me to wait for him after school.
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I sat there for a few minutes, trying to process what just happened. Ace's words and actions left me confused and intrigued. Why did he care about my feelings? And what did he mean by "this doesn't suit your beauty"?
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I gathered my thoughts and headed to my next class, trying to focus on the lesson but my mind kept wandering back to Ace. I couldn't believe I was actually considering waiting for him after school.
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As the final bell rang, I hesitated outside my locker, wondering if I should wait or just go home. That's when I saw Nancy and Ashley approaching me, grinning mischievously.
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"So, what's going on with you and Ace?" Nancy asked, raising an eyebrow.
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I sighed, knowing I couldn't avoid the conversation. "I don't know, guys. He's just...different. And confusing."
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Ashley nodded. "We know, girl. We've seen the way he looks at you. He's got it bad."
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I rolled my eyes. "You're just imagining things."
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But deep down, I wondered if they were right. Was Ace really interested in me? And what did I feel for him?
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As we chatted, I saw Ace walking towards us, Estella nowhere in sight. He nodded at my friends and turned to me.
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"Hey, princess. Can I talk to you for a minute?"
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My heart skipped a beat at the nickname, and I nodded, following him to an empty corner of the hallway.
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"What's up?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
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He leaned against the locker, his eyes locked onto mine. "I wanted to explain what happened earlier. With Estella."
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I raised an eyebrow, curious. "What about it?"
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He took a deep breath. "I know it looked bad, but I swear, it's not what you think."
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I folded my arms, intrigued. "Try me."
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And with that, Ace began to tell me a story that would change everything or not maybe.
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