Ace + Thorn = Love = Impossible

Thorn and I had this tradition where every other Saturday we went to the zoo and just goof around and have fun. We arrive every time at exactly 8 a.m. We’ve had this tradition since we were kids. Well today we are going to the zoo. Just us two going to the zoo like normal. Every employee knew us so they always greeted us when we arrived; some even waited for us.

Marty, one of the oldest employees there with as many wrinkles as he does years greeted us. “Hello son and my dear beautiful darling” his hand shook reaching for Thorns hand and he kissed it. He calls me son because I’m nice to him and he thinks of me as a son. He always greeted us the same way every time. Thorn smiled at him and kissed his forehead.

“How’s the wife” I asked nicely and he looked at me with joyous eyes. Last week when I asked this question his eyes watered because his wife was sick. Seeing how he’s happy again made me think that his wife is better.

“Better since Thorn gave me that soup to give to her” he smiled the biggest smile I have ever seen on his face. I was glad I was right and even gladder that his wife is better. I’ve met her once or twice and she is just like Marty. She also thinks of me as a son.

“My mother said that soup would cure it” Thorn said wrapping an arm around my waist. She didn’t do this often, but I didn’t notice when she did.

“Would you mind if I had the recipe?” he asked and Thorn bit her lip. It was her mother’s secret recipe; everyone knew that. However knowing Thorn, I knew she wouldn’t be able to resist helping Marty out.

“Well it’s my mom’s secret recipe. But for you Marty I’ll make an exception” she told him. Marty smiled and kissed her hand again. He was extremely grateful; it showed on his face.

“Thank you my dear. Well I’m going to go and get ready for the tours… busy, busy day. Send me an invitation to the wedding” he smiled walking off. He was a tour guide at the zoo.

He was always convinced Thorn and I would get married and I would never get married… not even to Thorn. It breaks my rule. Every time I tell him this he says ‘Son, you’re a fool and if you really were my son, Id smack you and give you a reality check’. But Marty had the heart of a saint and I knew he could never hit a person… he was just too nice. When I told him that Thorn and I were just friends, he’d laugh and say ‘you’ll see one day…’ or ‘in your case love is blind’. But that was Marty.

We first walked towards the bird exhibit. A crow glared down at us as soon as we entered. Thorn giggled at this, a sound I haven’t heard in a long time; she usually laughs at things nowadays. Something inside me wanted to make her giggle even more. So I spread my arms out and screamed “Ca-Caw!” and chased the bird around the exhibit. She started giggling and so did a bunch of kids nearby. I made my eyes widen and I chased after the kids they started laughing and running away. Now she couldn’t stop laughing. She hugged me to stop me from continuing while, laughing so hard she was crying. I wiped the tears away so they wouldn’t smudge her make-up. We continued on to the next exhibit… apes and monkeys.

Marty was giving a tour to a group of elementary kids. He saw us and smiled; some of the kids that I chased around were apart of the group and saw us and they started laughing. Nearby, there was a glass to look through to look at the monkeys. I was staring out when suddenly I heard a big thud and a monkey’s face was flat against the glass. I screamed and ran backwards and tripped over a bench falling flat on my back. Thorn fell down because she was laughing so hard. A shadow overtook my face and Marty was staring down at me… laughing. “You finally fell for her” he said smiling.

“Marty… we are just friends” I clarified now feeling a little frustrated.

“Give it a year” and he walked off. I groaned and she reached out her hand. A flashback of the beach when we were kids popped into my mind. I flushed it out of my head and used her hand to get up. The monkey with a smile on his face still had his face flat against the window peering in. I walked up and flattened my face against the glass. He rose his arm and I rose mine, mimicking his movements. Now it seemed it had turned into a mirror. He scratched his armpit and I scratched my armpit. He raised his leg and I raised my leg. He kissed the window and… I walked off.

“No way”

“Kiss the window” Thorn pleaded and I knew she was determined to get me to kiss the nasty, dirty window.

“There is no way” I was just as determined to not kiss the window.

“If I do it will you do it?” she asked. I knew she wouldn’t stop asking until I did so I might as well do it.

“Fine” I said and we walked back to the window. She kissed it and I stood next to her and unfortunately kissed it. I leaned back when she did and her hand was against the window. “You didn’t kiss the window?” I asked.

“Nope… gotcha” she said and ran off. I ran after her and she ran into the snake exhibit. I didn’t go in; instead I counted down using only the fingers on one hand. By the time I reached one she was running out screaming. She is absolutely terrified of snakes.

“You ran into the snake exhibit” I laughed at her and she crossed her arms. She crinkled her nose and glared at me; then she started laughing. I now felt a wave of confusion wash over me.

“What?” I asked dumbfounded.

“At least I didn’t kiss the monkey window” she shrugged. Ruben came along pushing his ice cream cart. He had the usual flavors and Thorn and I never got the same flavor two times in a row.

“You kissed the monkey window? That’s funny” he said. Ruben was probably my age. He had red hair and dark brown eyes with as many freckles as he does pimples. “What will it be today?” he asked.

“One chocolate fudge brownie” I said and looked at Thorn. Thorn bit her lip looking down the list.

“I’ll take butterscotch” she said and Ruben took out two waffle cones and filled them with our ice cream. I handed him a twenty and told him to keep the change. We walked towards a bench and sat down. “Ace can I get some of yours?” she asked. I shoved it in her face and got it all over her mouth and nose. I started laughing and she wiped it off her face laughing. “Would you like butterscotch” she asked and I shook my head. “Too bad” and she pushed it in my face. My nose and mouth got covered. It started to rain horribly. “Alright its time to go” she told and I agreed. When it rained this bad at the zoo we always left early.

A part of the zoo routine we headed home after we left the zoo. We went to my house and played a game on the ps2… but in this case we played on the ps3. As always we played Halo… and also as always she beat me by at least double.

“Okay... I’m going to be nice. If you beat me on this round Ill let you win the game” she said. I’m running around on the game and hide behind a tree on a high cliff. I use my scope to zoom in and see where she is. I hear a big boom and the words GAME OVER appear on the screen. She apparently snuck up behind me and shot me with a rocket launcher.

“I swear your cheating”

“You just don’t want to admit a girl is better than you” she said simply and her mom appeared at the door.

“Uh no... you cheated” I told flatly demanding that this is the truth. Her mom smiled and looked at us two.

“Let me guess Thorn beat you again” Theresa guessed smiling at me. I wanted her to be wrong but nope… she was right, yet again.

“There is no again mom if he never has beaten me” Thorn corrected her.

“Theresa your daughter cheats” I sneered frustrated. She walked over holding a laundry basket to her hip and kissed me on the head.

“Honey I’ve seen you play and you suck” she whispered and she pushed me back. She walked out of the room while Thorn failed at trying to hold back a smile.

“Theresa you are not a nice person” I yelled.

“I love you too Ace” she called back. I looked at the time and realized it was time to go. I really didn’t want to go but I had to.

“Well I got to go… Are you coming to my game tomorrow? A person from a college is coming to see whether or not I deserve a scholarship for basketball” I told.

“As always. I’ve never missed a single game and I don’t know why you still ask whether or not I’m going” she told and I shrugged. I kissed her on the cheek and left. I went next door to my house where my mom was standing on the porch with Theresa.

“I heard you lost again” my mom giggled. I looked at Theresa and looked at my mom. I had no comeback for this because Theresa told her what happened.

“Yeah yeah yeah”