Beautiful Ruins

Chapter#03

When she heard her named being announced, she felt a very small ounce of regret for not keeping herself low. It was tiny but there and she in a way agreed to it as well. Detention was a second home to her but usually alone, it was a place she could nap, the crowd of people she got herself involved were anything but peaceful.

She just couldn't control the urge to play a prank on that native, innocent teacher when she saw him sleeping so defenseless.

Maybe she was a sadist.

She dragged her feet as slowly as possible to walk towards the office. Behind her, Daniel's quiet footsteps seem too loud this early in the morning.

The other three guys were already there when she arrived, their faces without any guilt. One of them whose name was either James or Andy, grinned and waved very excitedly when he saw her.

She politely nodded.

"You all can go back, you know. I can handle it." She carelessly said, hoping they would agree so she would no longer need to associate with them.

She wasn't that lucky.

"No can do. We were the one who put it on social media. A few days off won't hurt." the other one, again she was confused about whether it Andy and or James said. She didn't wonder long on it. He was also sitting comfortably on the seats outside the office with others. From behind her, Daniel also took a seat and leaned back.

She simply nodded, no longer caring about their involvement. She simply wanted to be suspended for a day or two to catch unto some sleep.

The middle age woman who she met the first day, came out of the office after few minutes and asked them to go in. Ace banged the door open and entered first while the four guys followed. Despite her being peace loving, she really loved announcing her presence.

She had never met the principle before. He didn't look old, probably in his early 40's. With suit pants and tucked in collar shirt, he looked dull but Ace forgave his appearance because he was quiet short. She had personal sentiments with short people.

The man ignored her manners and waited till they took a seat and then asked, "Do you know why you are here?"

None of them had to get confirmation from other for the answer. They all shook their head in union and stared back blankly at him so of course what followed was expected. Rows of words which involved their future and their performance and how they will end up as those adults who spend their life working in a fast food outlet.

Ace actually dozed off till someone elbowed her in the gut. Before she could curse out loud she heard her name from the principle's lips.

"-----xpecting that from you of all the people. You have the ability to attend the finest universities in the country and to ruin it all that by playing such rude and indiscipline pranks! I talked to your past principle as well. He said the same thing. You have so much potential, please stop wasting it on such things and concentrate on useful objects."

She heard his words with annoyance and with no concern whatsoever. The little regret she had was gone and so were the personal sentiments. Now she just wanted him to shut up. If she studied more then necessary, her mind would burst.

"Do you guys have anything to say for yourself?" the principle asked.

Hadn't you said everything for us?

"What about the teacher?" she asked before anyone could even open their mouth.

"Excuse me?"

"What about the teacher who was sleeping on duty? If we are not studying, it our personal loss but him not doing his job affects badly on your over all definition of 'adult'. He is probably playing around with so many future minds." there was no way she would let it go anymore. She thought it would be a lecture and either detention or suspension but he called her past school. She can't forgive that. So of course, the culprit had to take responsibility.

"Yeah, if he wasn't sleeping in the first place, we wouldn't have been able to do such things." Andy, or James or whatever his name was also added seeing her row of thoughts.

"Exactly." the other one also played around.

Matt and Daniel didn't hold back either but nodded their heads with deep expressions like two adults who have suddenly understand their children's struggle.

"He should be with us, explaining himself. He also didn't do his duty as a teachers as we didn't do it as students. Where is he?"

The man looked at them, startled. His face turning from confused to ranged, his expressions bright as the sun on his face. Finally after probably thinking it through he said, "I have already asked Mr. Collins to submit an apology on his way of conduct, so don't worry. As for you all, since this is not your first time and I have a feeling it won't be the last- you are suspended for two days starting tomorrow. Now please go attend your classes."

Ace sighed in relief.

She would finally be able to sleep, there was just one more obstacle to go.

Her mother.

They were all too glad to leave. She walked out with them all to the hall ways which were too quiet. The first period was still going on.

"Two days of freedom!" either Andy or James said.

"Your mother is going to kill you, Andy." it seems the one who spoke now was James. Ace nodded to herself to at least remember their names from now.

Her job here was done, so she left without saying a word. They weren't her friends, she didn't see the reason to uselessly talk to them.

The rest of her day ended without a hitch, she remarkably attended all her classes without ditching them, only because she wanted to leave early. Not being in the mood to walk, she waiting for Mike while leaning against his car when she was approached by four girls.

Except for one of them, all were blonde. Their cheer-leading skirts were much smaller then any local high school in the country allowed. She could feel a bitchy aura from the one in front. Having no idea what she did wrong to get in their bad books, she stared at them without a word- finding their way of chewing the gum very annoying.

"New girl." The one in the middle said.

Ace had no issue with being call in such manner so she just nodded in response.

She really doubted if this was going to turn into one of those clique moments. Se had seen grouping in high schools but never have been in the position to go through bullying by the so called 'it' group. Also, even if that was the case, she wasn't someone you can bully.

She could feel few people stopping around to look.

"Aren't you getting a bit out of your boundaries?" she asked while smiling sweetly, probably to show others that she was having a normal conversation. The rest of the three girls just stared at her.

Ace didn't reply, mostly because she was slightly confused about the situation. How had she crossed the boundaries? And where exactly do these boundaries start and finish?

In her confusion and daze, she didn't notice that the other girl was saying something till she put a hand on her shoulder and pinched her. On reflex, Ace swing her arm around and twisted it. The girl's loud scream told her that she used way much force then necessary so she let her go almost immediately.

The other three attacked her out of no where. Her arms were scratched, her hair were pulled but she let them do what they want. She didn't trust her force to hit them, one girl sobbing was enough.

It was well and bearable till one of the girls punched me. She had rings on her fingers and Ace felt the metallic flavor of blood in her mouth.

Fudge, that hurt!

Someone shouted her name but she didn't recognize the voice. Within few seconds, teachers arrived and got the girls from over her body while they struggled to get last few scratches and tugs.

Her clean arms were now filled with bloodied scratch marks.

"You okay?" She saw Mike pulling himself from the crowd, a large grin on his face.

She glared at him in irritation but didn't respond. Since the faculty got busy with the four girls, she was pretty much ignored. Hence they reason why, the crowd of kids who were just few seconds ago enjoying the show- started fading from sight.

"Ace! You okay? Man you look like hell." Andy appeared from behind Mike and before she knew it, she was crushed in a hug.

She froze in surprise.

"What the f**k are you doing? Get off her!" she heard James say before Andy was pulled off her body. She was still confused about too many things.

Mike dropped a question glance her way which she ignored. She was in no mood to talk to anyone right now. She just wanted to go home and get into her bed to sleep for few days.

Matt and Daniel were also there, they both looked at her from head to toe. She found Daniel once again staring at her lips. No, more like glaring at them. She raised a hand to touch them and it felt wet.

Blood.

"And you are?" Mike asked seeing at I was playing dead.

"Sorry about Andy. He is the drama queen of us. I'm James, this is Matt. And the drama queen like I said is Andy." James introduced while shaking Mike's hand.

"Nice to meet you all. I'm Mike, Ace's twin." Mike said while ruffling her hair, she just slapped away his hand and felt sorry for herself.

Before they start talking again, Ace complained, "Can we go home now? My mouth hurt."

She really didn't wanted to wait till they become best friends.

"Of course. Sorry for Andy." James said with a sheepish expression. His hand smacking Andy on the head.

Ace just nodded in acknowledgment and ignorance and got in the car. Mike also followed her after saying goodbye.

The drive home was silent. Mike somehow sneaked her in her room without their mother seeing her and also smuggled some food in. He said he'll explain the suspension situation to their mother and probably warn her about the fight as well.

Mike was very good at lying.

It was around 8 pm when she heard a knock on her door. It was Broody, it seems like he just arrived back from hospital.

Broody was 7 years younger then her mother. He was red head with slightly flushed skin and very curly hair. What in the heaven did he see in her mother who was not an old hag but also had two teenage kids was beyond her.

"Hi, dad." she sat herself up and made space for him to sit in her women cave.

He stared at her arms and then mouth for a while then pulled out a tube from his pocket.

"Put it on the scratches and inside your mouth. The nail scratches can cause infection."

She nodded and took the tube to put it on her beside so she would remember.

Her relation with Broody was normal. Since he was a good guy who genuinely cared about them, she saw no reason to be rude. He was happy with her mother and he had always treated her and Mike as their own father did.

"Honey, are you getting bullied at school?" Broody suddenly asked which made Ace cough out which was followed by a laugh.

"Holy Mother of pumpkin dad! No. I am not getting bullied." she explained while looking at him in amusement. The man worried too much over nothing.

He looked at her thoroughly to check if she was lying or not and only when he was satisfied, he left after wishing her goodnight.

She was just thinking over whether to go to the downstairs to get food or visit the mart when her phone started ringing. She grinned when she saw the caller id.

"It has been three days, when were you going to call me?" Cole demanded with his very dramatic air.

"I got busy." she lied without a second though while leaning back into her pillow. She'll just go to the mart and get Doritos.

"Stop lying. You just forgot, didn't you." Cole snorted.

"Yeah." she carelessly admitted and searched around in her room with her eyes for sneakers.

"Rude! Anyway, I'll be coming by this weekend so keep it open. I'll be hanging up now since you probably aren't listening to me. Love you, babe." she heard him say and then the call was disconnected.

She grinned and shook her head. The guy really knew her too well.

She waited around doing nothing because she suddenly got really lazy. After calculating how far was the mart and also how much she was carving Doritos, she got up and pulling her shoes. Sneaking down the stairs, she checked on her mother and Broody who were watching television. She texted Mike to let him in case she got locked out and started walking.

The air outside was cold which made her shiver. This town wasn't as cold as the last place but it got very cold even in summer. This was one of the reasons she didn't made an issue out of moving away.

She felt someone following her right after getting out of her street but she ignored him or them, whoever and how many they were. She was used to such things and depended more on instincts rather then thinking over before anything happened.

After about 16 minutes, she reached the mart. Buying few large packs of the chips, she saw the freezers of ice cream and got greedy. Buying a tub of vanilla with chocolate fudge, she paid for everything and left.

It was still around 9 pm so it wasn't as late for her to not run into anyone hence why she calmly start walking home, feeling the sound of feet which were neither too far nor too close to her.

It wasn't until she reached park where she passed through to get to the mart that they cornered her. There were two of them, both too heavy and broad for her to fight but she wouldn't be Ace Adams if she panicked.

"Hello, sweetheart. Out for a stroll?" one of them said while coming closer, his hand raised in the air to touch her.

Since they weren't drunk, she saw no reason to be nice.

She swing her ice cream tub which was in a plastic bag with much regret and smacked it on his friend downstairs.

And then she ran, like her ass was on fire.