Hating & Loving Him

Chapter 9: Tom

It's been a week of Ace.

I've been stuck home too, and just spending the time in my room or the garage.

Ace learned to quit trying to befriend me, and we pretty much keep to ourselves.

He's brought Abbigale over three times, he almost got caught once but I quickly said she was Hannah's cousin getting something for Hannah.

Dad believed it very quickly and I warned Ace that I'd never lie for him again. To which he said he understood.

The new neighbors moved in and to my disdain, I got a new window neighbor. He wasn't sexy, just normal and seemed to love his beer.

I pulled on a pair of jeans and a camisole with a light cardigan heading down the stairs as the doorbell rang.

Dad headed to the door and gestured for me to go in the kitchen and probably get whatever he's almost burning.

Going to the kitchen, I headed to the oven and pulled out the baked vegetables.

Placing it on the stove, I went to the large tin with the lid and opened it to see the grilled chicken.

Pulling the fridge open, I got out a bag of salad and quickly tossed it into a large bowl adding some sliced onions, olives and tomatoes.

I won't add cheese until I know they're not lactose intolerant or something.

The door opened and I went to tell dad the kitchens a mess and don't bring them in but instead it was Ace.

He wore a dark blue T-shirt and grey gym shorts his ankle brace very noticeable. Maybe the neighbors won't notice.

As he went to the fridge, he pulled out a couple different soda cans and put them on the counter.

"How many are there?" I asked quietly.

His eyes looked to me and he watched me intently and quietly, I just realized I've ignored him the last two days.

Ace stared at the door, "Five." He said low.

I nodded and eyed the salad and then the chicken. 

"This isn't enough food is it?" I asked him softly.

He walked to the chicken and lifted the lid eying it. "Where's the rest of the chicken?" He asked low.

I pointed to the freezer and he grabbed them out, they're not frozen yet.

Dad marinates them and then freezes the meat.

Ace went outside and turned the grill on taking the chicken and putting it on the grill, cooking more of the chicken legs and breasts.

Going to the pantry, I pulled out macaroni and a jar of cheese going to the stove and quickly making a large pot of fresh Mac and cheese.

Fuck the lactose intolerant ones.

I poured it into a large bowl and eyed the vegetables and then the salad and macaroni and cheese.

We should be good.

I was called and looked to Ace, "You good?" I asked him worried that we wouldn't be ready in time. He shut he lid and nodded once while staring out at the other houses.

Going out the kitchen, I smiled at the older woman and man, they both shook my hands, "Kathy and Jaime." Dad introduced them and I smiled.

I moved my focus to the two girls, one a young teen probably sixteen and then one around my age. "Sadie and Nance." They both said their own names and I shook their hands.

Turning to my new window neighbor, he held his hand out smiling, "Hey neighbor." He said laughing low and blushing.

He's alright.

"Katie." I said shaking his  hand, "Tom." He replied.

Kathy looked toward the kitchen, "And you have another kid right? A son?" She asked smiling and then looking to Tom.

Dad stared to the kitchen and laughed nervously, "Oh no, he's a friends son. He lives with us." He said staring at me.

I sat down with them in the living room, we talked to them about what dad does and why I don't go to school. Lovely.

Ace came from the kitchen thirty minutes later and stared over at me and then over the family but went upstairs before they could notice him.

When he came back down, he was wearing a pair of longer pants and black socks keeping the brace hidden.

I kept my smile mental and focused on Kathy and then Tom who wouldn't stop eyeing me like a damn lion eyeing a piece of meat.

Creep.

Dad introduced Ace and the blonde girl around my age, Nance, was blushing and giving Ace a very flirtatious smile.

He seemed to notice and I could tell by the small mischievous twinkle in his eye that he's found a new f**k.

I smirked finding it comical.

We headed to the dining room and I headed into the kitchen with Ace to bring everything out as they got situated.

Ace was carrying all the chicken and I took the vegetables. We set the table an hour ago to make sure it was perfect.

As we put them down we headed back inside and I handed him the cans watching him eye the door. "Just slip her your number. Don't you have a phone?" I asked quietly.

He seemed caught off guard and stared at me with a small glare, then he shook his head.

Interesting.

I pursed my lips, "You can give her mine. The only people that call me are my dad and my friend Hannah." I said laughing at my own lameness.

He took the cans and I took the salad going to the dining room and putting the salad down, "Oh and the dressings, and cheese." I said reminding myself and hurrying back into the kitchen.

Grabbing two dressings, I eyed them curiously.

"Ranch is good."

His voice spooked me and I jumped turning and laughing nervously as I steadied my heart that was racing. "Im sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Tom said smiling down at me.

I handed him the ranch and the Caesar dressing, "You like the town?" I asked him curiously but honestly I didn't care.

He gave a wide eyed laugh and shrugged, "I mean it's alright. This place is just really small. Your dads the uh sheriff?" He asked reaching past me and grabbing the BBQ sauce bottle. "Sadie." He said low.

Oh, okay.

I nodded, "Yeah, uh help yourself to the fridge. Anything you think they'll like." I said smiling at him politely.

He stared into the fridge and eyed the smoothies grabbing one.

Ah, f**k.

I held in my lecture, reminding myself he's a stranger and you don't lecture or yell at strangers. "Do you guys have teriyaki sauce?" He asked.

Turning I grabbed it off the fridge door and held it to him.

He nodded and headed out the door with my smoothie.

Shutting the fridge, I pursed my lips and took the cheese going to the table.

I sat next to Ace with dad at the head and Jaime at the other end.

Nance sat across from Ace and Tom sat across from me. Kathy sat beside Ace and she kept giving me a fake smile.

I don't really like her very much.

"Oh this chicken is so good!" Jaime said to dad.

Dad eyed the chicken and smiled at Jaime "Thank you, old family recipe." He said politely.

Sadie was eyeing Ace blushing and clearly in love.

It was kind of adorable.

She's got a thing for hoodlums already, so young.

"We heard the kid who murdered his father in the home is alive." Kathy said with wide eyes and then shuttering.

I laughed low and watched Ace as he bit back a laugh too.

Dad found it a bit comical too, that confused the family entirely. "Yeah we uh, we know the kid." Dad said taking a bite of his chicken.

Tom stared at me and I felt his shoe tap my ankle.

Oh, gee, no thanks.

I pulled my ankles back further but he kept scooting down like a child and smiling.

Moving my ankle to Aces, the one without the brace, I moved it to my spot and he gave me an estranged look.

His eyes moving to Tom when Tom was grinning and probably rubbing his ankle on Aces.

I laughed lightly and watched Ace lean forward and keep his stare on Tom.

Tom stared from me to Ace and then his realization must've dawned because his face turned a bit pale and then blushed red.

Ace shook his head in disappointment and I laughed a bit more.

Kathy stared at me, "It's not funny, someone was murdered." She said softly.

I nodded, "It's not funny, you're right. Mr Miller was a great guy, I mean he was the typical grumpy neighbor but you learned to like him." I admitted watching Ace smirk.

She dropped the subject and when we finished dinner everyone went out to the backyard to enjoy the fire pit and some conversation about where the best places to eat are and who was who in town.

Meanwhile, I was busy helping Ace clean the table off.

"You going to tell them?" I asked him feeling a bit amused by the whole situation.

He laughed low and put the leftovers in tupaware and put them in the fridge, "I sort of got it in for the daughter. Maybe after I get her over." He admitted.

Alright, fair enough.

Ace lifted the half empty shake bottle and I glared at it, "Don't remind me. He's already on my s**t list." I said shaking my head.

He tossed it in the trash and I gave it a soft prayer before sighing, "Does it bother you that everyone is so sure you did it?" I asked low.

I caught him off guard and he sighed and shrugged, "Honestly I'm not surprised. It doesn't bother me because I knew they would." His words made me feel a bit bad for him.

That would be hell if everyone always suspected I did the worst.

He stared up at me, "I never expected you to be my alibi. I figured I was on my own." He said clearing his throat and then putting the dressings back in the fridge.

I leaned my back into the counter, "I've always been an alibi for you Ace. All you had to do was ask. I would've gotten you out of that house, I know he was an abusive prick." I admitted watching him stare at me for a long time in silence.

Then I put the last dish in the dishwasher and headed out the door to the back. 

Aces POV:

She walked out and I realized if I hadn't already had it bad for her, I do now.

All this time, she knew, this was the first person.

I knew when she came running through that door with her eyes worried that she wasn't scared of me.

In the library, she was.

But in my most vulnerable moment, she wasn't. She wasn't scared that I may kill her too or that I was a threat.

That Anderson officer said she begged them not to shoot if I fought back and that I was innocent.

She's the only one who's ever thought I was innocent.

Heading out the door, I went out to the back and took a seat in one of the benches beside Nance who was drinking her soda and giving me small smiles and grins.

Moving my focus to the fire, I stared past it to Katie who was laughing low as she talked about the pain in the ass dog.

When she touched my ankle, I thought she finally wanted me, as absolutely lame and desperate as it sounds but like I said, it's Katie. The same girl I've had a thing for since I ever knew what crushes even were.

She wasn't though, she just wanted to share her awkward experience of that dumb f**k Tom.

Speaking of.

"So do you work?" Tom asked me as he leaned forward putting his hands over the heat.

I hate this guy.

I shook my head "I used to, but something happened and I had to quit." I said staring at Nathan who looked to me confused.

He laughed low, "You worked?" He asked trying not to come off like an asshole.

Nodding and surprising him a bit more, I sighed, "I did work like demolition and building. Freelance and whatever would pay the bills." I said shrugging.

Nathan watched me carefully and then stared at his daughter who gave him a look before they both stared at the fire.

"You build? Like bob the builder?" Nance asked me low and smiling.

I smirked and gave her a nod, "Me and some guys renovated kitchens, redid porches and patio decks. Just anything that really made enough money." I said low watching her stare at my lips smiling. 

When they got ready to leave, Nance said she had to use the restroom and her family told her to meet them at the house.

I headed back to the patio to help pick up the plates and cans but I was pulled into the bathroom and shoved into a wall. "You're annoyingly sexy." Nance said breathlessly.

She began unbuttoning my pants and I just let it happen, who knows if I'll get this chance again.

After a quickie with Nance, she hurried out the bathroom saying bye and going out the door. I headed to the backyard and Katie walked over holding a trash bag "Don't worry, you'll probably see her again." She said jokingly.

God Katie, I wish I could have you for one night. Even if you said just a quickie, I'd take it.

She gave me a weird stare and I realized I was just staring back at her, "Yeah." I said awkwardly before going to my room.

I passed by Katie's room to see her blinds dropped, a smile growing on my face before I walked to my room.

Damn, that girls got a hold on me.