Sequel: Running With Scissors ›
Those Worse Off Than You
Part 120
I sat quietly in the chair next to the bed. I had used all of my energy stressing out over the newest addition to my problems. I was too tired to pull the fit I wanted to pull- the one I imagined Ace pulling after finding out the news for himself. I didn't even know why I was freaking out so much- Ace was right, he was the one moving, not me. He was the one who was going to have to build his life all over again.
It hit me that just maybe that was why they were sending him away. Maybe starting over would be able to help Ace out in the ways that his old life couldn't. That thought calmed me down a bit and allowed me to speak in a sane manner for the first time that night.
"Do you think we can get some cards or something," I asked.
"Yea, why?"
"Just a thought. Thought maybe we could find something to do."
He looked up at me through his long stringy hair and smiled, "Yea, sure."
He opened a drawer in one of this nighttables and pulled of a fresh, unused deck. He shuffled the cards quickly through his nimble fingers before dealing them into two piles. We unnofficially began playing an old card game I knew as 'war'.
I threw my deck down out of frustration after an hour or two, "Okay, okay- you win!"
"Okay. Why- you don't want to play anymore?"
I shook my head. "I'm going to get a bag of chips from the vending machine- what kind do you want?"
He shook his head, "None."
"You sure?"
"Yea. Don't worry, I'll be fine- you go get some food. Bring me back a water if you can though," he called after me as I slipped through the door and heard it click as it shut. I tip-toed quietly down the call and put my money int othe machine, pushing a pattern of buttons before 2 bags of chips fell down the machine- I would get Ace a bag anyways, just incase he was hungry. I then made my way down the hall and grabbed a jug of water off a cart along with some cups before I slipped back inside the room, placing the food on the table and ripping open a bag of chips.
"Have one," I offered.
He shook his head and pushed it away. I cocked an eyebrow at him suspiciously.
"Eat it."
He looked at me discustingly. "I don't want to."
It hit me that just maybe that was why they were sending him away. Maybe starting over would be able to help Ace out in the ways that his old life couldn't. That thought calmed me down a bit and allowed me to speak in a sane manner for the first time that night.
"Do you think we can get some cards or something," I asked.
"Yea, why?"
"Just a thought. Thought maybe we could find something to do."
He looked up at me through his long stringy hair and smiled, "Yea, sure."
He opened a drawer in one of this nighttables and pulled of a fresh, unused deck. He shuffled the cards quickly through his nimble fingers before dealing them into two piles. We unnofficially began playing an old card game I knew as 'war'.
I threw my deck down out of frustration after an hour or two, "Okay, okay- you win!"
"Okay. Why- you don't want to play anymore?"
I shook my head. "I'm going to get a bag of chips from the vending machine- what kind do you want?"
He shook his head, "None."
"You sure?"
"Yea. Don't worry, I'll be fine- you go get some food. Bring me back a water if you can though," he called after me as I slipped through the door and heard it click as it shut. I tip-toed quietly down the call and put my money int othe machine, pushing a pattern of buttons before 2 bags of chips fell down the machine- I would get Ace a bag anyways, just incase he was hungry. I then made my way down the hall and grabbed a jug of water off a cart along with some cups before I slipped back inside the room, placing the food on the table and ripping open a bag of chips.
"Have one," I offered.
He shook his head and pushed it away. I cocked an eyebrow at him suspiciously.
"Eat it."
He looked at me discustingly. "I don't want to."