Aftermath
1853 Words
Julie sipped her wine as she spoke with her dad and mum. They are in a restaurant with other parents who came to the aftermath party.
"But where are Maya and Sawyer? I haven't seen them," Gigi said.
"Hmm, they must be somewhere talking or having a private conversation," Julie said looking around.
Her brother is talking with some other people. Julie searched for Ace, she doesn't know but there is a strong urge to talk to him after the match.
Whenever she tried to go and have a conversation Gargi always stood with him. She didn't want to go and talk with Ace when Gargi is present.
She saw Ace standing near the window holding a wine glass. No one is near him. "I will just come," Julie said looking at her parents.
"Okay."
"Okay."
Julie started walking towards Ace, she just hopes that Gargi doesn't return when she sees Julie with Ace. Julie looked around to see that no one are near Ace.
It's like everyone decided to give Ace some space and they are scared to talk with him. Julie doesn't want anyone to disturb them while she has a conversation with Ace.
Ace looked at the traffic down there holding his wine glass even if he stopped drinking long back. He just doesn't want to say no when someone offered him wine.
"Hey..." Julie said stopping beside Ace.
Ace turned his head, looked down at Julie who is looking at him. "Hi," he said.
"Wassup?" Julie asked not knowing what to talk about.
Ace didn't say anything for three seconds as he looked at Julie who is looking up at him with curious eyes. "Nothing, just watching the traffic."
"Watching the traffic? Interesting," Julie said turning her head and looking at the traffic.
"Hmm..."
"Are you sad and upset?" Julie asked bluntly shifting her gaze to Ace.
Ace brows frowned in confusion, "why would I be upset and sad?" Ace asked.
Julie observed that Ace didn't sip his wine while she already sipped twice. "Because the boys came second."
Ace wanted to smile looking at the expression on her face but he didn't do that. "Why do you think that I'm upset and sad because of that," Ace said turning his body and facing her properly.
"Because you are standing here alone and wearing this gloomy expression on your face that says I'm so upset with my boys," Julie said using a fake serious tone and doing the actions.
Ace can't help but chuckle shaking his head after seeing Julie doing the actions. "Are you always this dramatic?" Ace asked.
"Am I?" Julie asked back.
"Hmm yeah..."
"Oh, but I'm not dramatic."
Ace nodded his head looking at her face. For a minute he believed that she is Julia, not Julie. He wants to believe that she is Julia just to feel good. But he knows he is being selfish with that thought.
"So tell me? Are you upset?"
"No, I'm proud of them," Ace said.
Julie nodded her head and waited for Ace to speak more but Ace stayed quiet. "Hmm?" Ace said.
"What? That's it you wanna say?" Julie asked.
Ace blinked his eyes. "What should I say?"
"You should say more. They are your boys and you are their mentor," Julie said.
"Oh." Ace nodded his head.
"Ah?"
"Hmm?"
"What oh? Talk..." Julie said. Ace blinked his eyes, he understood that Julie is not a person of few words. She speaks a lot and she wants another person to say everything in detail.
"No, I'm happy and proud of my boys. They have given their best, I would've been sad and upset if they didn't try. They did what they can, reaching there isn't an easy task. I'm proud of them...." Ace spoke.
"Hmm, nice... Then why are you standing here alone?" Julie asked.
"I'm not standing alone," Ace replied.
"Huh?" Julie sipped her wine.
"You are here... You are standing with me. How am I alone?" Ace said.
He watched as a slow and gentle smile grew on her face. "Hmm... Point," Julie said nodding her head.
"But why were you standing alone before I came?"
"Because no one came to talk."
"Oh, so where is Gargi? I'm sure she would've never left you to stand alone," Julie said with a bit of sarcasm.
Ace's brows frowned in confusion. "What does that supposed to mean?"
"Haha, nothing."
"What? Finish your sentence properly," Ace said. Julie raised her brow but didn't say anything.
"She never leaves your side. So you are never alone when she is here," Julie said.
Ace nodded his head looking at Julie's wine glass. She almost finished her wine. "Hmm, she has some important appointments. She has to leave early," Ace said.
"You didn't go to drop her off at her place?" Julie asked.
"She has her car and I don't think it was necessary for me to go and drop her."
"Oh, aren't you together? I mean usually, the man drops her partner," Julie said.
Ace brows frowned in confusion. "Together?"
"Yeah, what's with the expression?"
"Do you always make your own conclusions?" Ace asked.
"Conclusions?" Julie questioned.
"Yes, conclusions. Who told you that Gargi and I are together?"
"Haha... Everyone can see and say that you two are together."
"Just because we stand together and sit together and come together doesn't mean we are together. There's a huge difference between staying together and being together."
Julie slightly frowned her brows at Ace. She always found Ace boring but as she talks with him alone she finds him mysterious. There are a lot of things that he doesn't let the world know about it.
Julie looked away, "I don't want to be noisy but I'm noisy sometimes," Julie said.
Ace didn't say anything, he looked at the blinking lights afar. He didn't know why he spoke about being together and staying together. He just wanted to let her know that he isn't with anyone when he shouldn't be bothered about it.
Julie needs to stay away from him. Ace should keep her away for their own good. Julie didn't know what to say after that. She stood beside Ace looking at the passing by cars and halted cars at the traffic light.
Everything is so clear from up there and everything looks so tiny. From up there the flashing lights and moving cars looks good but being down there and being stuck in that traffic is a whole different story.
Ace looked at Julie as she sighed heavily crossing her arms. He does wanna step away at the same time he wanna stand there in that silence looking out of the window with Julie standing beside him.
Greyson nodded his head before looking around for Julie. He needs to talk with her, he didn't get the chance to talk with her.
His eyes went everywhere but he didn't find her anywhere. He took a step forward and started walking towards where his parents stood. He stopped walking when he saw her standing beside Ace. Their backs are facing him.
They are standing far away from him. He doesn't know what they are talking about. He started walking towards them.
Greyson's gaze went to Sawyer and Maya who is walking towards Ace with some other man. Greyson slow downed his steps.
"Ace...." Maya called.
Ace turned around along with Julie. Ace's gaze went to the person who stood behind Maya and Sawyer. Julie looked at the person.
"Lexon," Ace said in surprise.
"Lex," Julie said in shock.
"Julie," Lexon said in surprise and shock.
"What are you doing here?!" Julie said stepping towards Lexon.
Ace looked at Julie and Lexon in shock. Lexon hugged Julie tightly while Maya and Sawyer looked at them in confusion.
Greyson watched Julie hug the stranger. He quickly started walking towards them.
"How are you? What a surprise? What are you doing here?" Julie showered her questions making Lexon laugh.
"You are still talkative as before," Lexon said forgetting about the main reason why he came.
"Haha, why are you here?" Julie asked.
"I'm here to meet brother Ace. But why are you doing here? I didn't expect to meet you here," Lexon said.
"Wait you two know each other?" Maya asked.
Lexon looked at Maya before looking back at Julie. Ace looked at them in shock. He doesn't know what's going on and he is waiting for them to talk.
"Yes, we know each other," Lexon said.
"Yes, we know each other," Julie said looking at Lexon and smiling brightly at him.
"But didn't expect to see him though," Julie added.
"You didn't answer my question. What are you doing here?" Lexon asked.
"My brother Greyson is a part of this Team A and B. I'm here with my parents," Julie said.
"How do you know each other?" Sawyer asked.
"We know each other through Blake. I met Lexon when he came to meet Blake I guess," Julie said.
Ace's eyes widen along with Maya and Sawyer's. Ace breath became heavy looking at Julie.
"You know Blake?" Ace questioned Julie.
"Yeah, I know Blakie," Julie said looking at Ace.
"How do you know Blake?" Maya questioned.
"Why wouldn't she know him when he was her lifesaver," Lexon said.
"Lifesaver?" Greyson asked standing beside Julie.
Julie turned, looked at Greyson. "yes, don't you remember? I was met with an accident and someone saved me. That someone was Blake," Julie said.
"But we didn't meet him that day. How do you know that he was the one?" Greyson asked. Ace stood there like a statue listening to the conversation.
"Because I met him in the BootCamp that I attended in New Jersey," Julie explained.
Now everything started making sense to Ace. "But brother Ace didn't you remember Julie when you saw her?" Lexon asked Ace.
Ace looked at Lexon not understanding what he meant. "What do you mean by?" Maya asked.
"Why would he remember me?" Julie questioned.
Lexon looked at everyone in confusion. "Because Blake told you about Julie a lot of times. He even sent you photos of them together," Lexon said looking at Ace.
"Why would Blake send our pictures to him?" Julie asked in confusion.
Maya held on to Sawyer as she started understanding where the story is going. She kept looking at Julie, Sawyer held Maya close to him as he listened to Lexon.
"Blake's best friend is brother Ace. You have seen his pictures before. Blake showed Ace's pictures when you were with him in New Jersey," Lexon said.
"But Blake's best friend is tall and chubby. He is an artist, not a CEO or gamer," Julie spoke feeling lost and confused.
"Wait... Wait... I don't understand what's going on here. Can someone properly explain," Sawyer said.
"We need to go somewhere and talk in private," Maya said looking at Julie and Ace.
"Yes."
Julie looked at Ace and Ace looked at Julie. They both signed heavily, a lot of questions and thoughts are running in their mind.
The only person who would answer their questions and clear their confusion is Lexon.
- Writer
