Counting the Miles

Bella

-> “Hello Jake, thank you again for going with Isabella.” I turned from the couch and rolled my eyes. Kara nudged me with her foot and smiled. Shaking my head I turned up the volume on the TV more. Kara was secretly in love with Ace, well not really in love, but she ‘fell in love’ with any cute boy. She’s had more boyfriends then I can count.
“Hey Bella, hey Kara,” Jake said as he walked towards the stairs. I watched his body and felt tingles. I pushed them away and looked at Kara.
“Hey Ace,” we both said as he started his climb.
“He’s so cute,” Kara whispered I smiled and shook my head. Told you. She thought a lot of boys were cute, and most of the time they were. But this time we were talking about Ace. My brother’s best friend since forever, he was practically my other brother.
We grew up together, we use to throw mud at each other, I mean how romantic could that be?
“Are you girls going out tonight?” My mom asked from the kitchen. I looked at Kara and she smiled a huge smile.
“Yes Mrs. M, but I won’t have her home too late, I promise.” She winked at me and I knew I was in trouble.

Lily Jacobson lived on the other side of town and her parents let her throw parties every Friday. Kara and I have been going the past two years almost every week, but so did my brother and Ace. She graduated with my brother and Ace, but we forced her to let us come into the parties, but soon she gave up caring, especially when I helped her clean up her own boyfriend’s mess.
Since I already had to spend a week or more in the car with Ace, I wasn’t looking too forward to hanging out with him here, along with my brother. Who has been the grumpiest the past week he’s been home. Besides the fact that I had to go with Ace to drop everyone off at the airport and at 7 A.M then start our wonderful trip.
Why did I want my car again?
“Look, Adam is looking right at you,” Kara said with her solo cup right in front of her lips. I flicked my eyes over to him and smiled and waved when his eyes caught mine.
Adam had graduated the year before and we always talked when we saw one another. He was on the soccer team, and played with my brother and Ace when they were still in high school.
He smiled and nodded before pushing his way through the crowd.
Maybe this night wouldn’t be so bad.

“Michael you’re so embarrassing!” I yelled when we were outside the house. People milling around outside turned and looked in our direction. I was usually not one to enjoy being the center of attention, but I didn’t care. When would I ever see these kids again? And if I did, something way more dramatic was sure to happen before then so they would forget all about this.
“He had his hands on your ass, I’m not watching that shit.” He threw his cup on the ground and glared at me.
“I’m eighteen years-old, I’m not a child!” I yelled at him and started walking down the street.
“Where the hell are you going?” He yelled at me. He was standing at the bottom stair with fury in his eyes.
“Anywhere away from you, you asshole.” I said and kept walking. I knew I’d feel bad for calling him that later, but for now I was going to sit and steam at my brother.
I was dancing with Adam and yes he had his hands on my ass, but seriously it was harmless. If my brother thinks that’s bad, he was an idiot. He didn’t know about my sexual life what so ever, nor did I care for him to know. He acts like he was Mr. Goody-too-shoes when he was in high school. I couldn’t even count on both hands how many times I covered for his ass when he skipped curfew or didn’t come home at all.
I rolled my eyes at him and kept walking.
My house was a good distance away, but I could make it home at a good rate, it wouldn’t take all night at least. I pulled out my phone to text Kara saying I left, so she wouldn’t worry when I heard a car pulling up behind me.
I heard the window roll down and looked over to see Ace.
He smiled like he felt bad for me and stopped his vehicle.
“I’m not getting in because you pity me.” He smiled and shook his head.
“Will you please get in the car Bella?”
I stood for a second and sighed. I was wearing really uncomfortable shoes and knew it would take at least a half an hour to walk. I turned and opened his door and slid onto the leather seat.
“Thanks Ace,” he nodded and signaled to start driving and took off down the road.

“So what exactly happened? I didn’t see what Mike did until he came back in pissed off and chugged another beer before going for another.” We were sitting on Ace’s trunk of his car at the 7-11, me drinking a slurpee and him a extra large coke.
“I was dancing with Adam Loore, and he touched my ass. It’s stupid, and Mike is annoying and needs to get a life.”
He laughed and looked at me, “Adam Loore made out with half the volleyball team, so he was just being protective, besides you do remember we played soccer with him so it’s not like we don’t know him.”
“I understand but I’m not a child.”
“You’re his kid sister,” he added. “Plus he will always be that protective of you.”
“I’m not a kid though Ace.”
“Oh I know.”