beside him…is Ace. What the hell? They’re deep in conversation, so they don’t see us until we step up beside them.
Ace, who’s sitting on the outside of the booth, sees me and immediately he stands up and wraps his arms around me, giving me a big hug. “You look amazing,” he whispers to me. As he pulls away I can see the questions in Hailey’s eyes.
“You know Dash?” she questions me.
“Dash? This is Ace, um well, Aiden, my best friend I was telling you about,” I tell her. Aiden releases his hold on me and sits back down beside what appears to be an angry Liam. Hailey motions for me to scoot into the booth, so I do. This left me sitting directly in front of Liam and Hales in front of Aiden.
“So, let me get this straight, Aiden here, also known to us as Dash, is your Ace?” Hailey’s trying to untangle the connection.
Aiden laughs.
“Yes, Ace is the name I call him. It’s his initials, Aiden Cole Emerson. I’ve called him that since I first met him,” I explain. “To me he’s Ace, sometimes Aiden, and to you, well, he’s obviously Dash.”
My thoughts drift to the day that I first met Aiden:
Sitting on Gran’s back porch swing, I scrunch my eyes, trying to keep my tears from falling. Today was the day I had to say my final goodbye to Mommy and Daddy. I’ve been trying to be really strong and show I can handle it, I don’t like for Gran to see me cry. It makes her sad.
Some lady I have never met steps up on the porch. This has happened a lot the last two days. I’ve met and hugged a lot of strangers. Gran says they worked with my parents.
“You dear child, come give me a hug,” she says as she leans down and embraces me. I can feel the burn in my eyes. No matter how hard I squint, I know my tears are going to come.
She turns and heads for the door, mumbling about how I still haven’t spoken to anyone. I don’t really have anything to say. I’m sad my parents are gone. I wait until she’s in the door, before I bolt off the swing and run to my favorite spot, the large oak tree. I reach the tree and slide down the side, bury my face in my knees, and let my tears fall. My only hope is Granny doesn’t find me before I can get myself together.
I’m not sure how much time has passed when I hear footsteps in the leaves. I raise my head and see the dark haired boy who was at the funeral. He sits down beside me.
“Hey. My name’s Aiden,” he says to me. “I live next door, we’re going to be neighbors.” He’s trying to make conversation. I don’t want to talk. “What’s your name?”
I keep my face buried in my knees and don’t respond to him. The next thing I know he’s singing. “Aiden, Aiden ,bo-baiden, Banana-fanna-fo-faden, Fee-fi-mo-maiden, Aiden!”
I can’t help the giggle that escapes, he’s funny. He’s also the first person who hasn’t mentioned my parents, or how I’m the poor orphan girl. I slightly raise my head to look at him.
“What’s your name?” he asks again.
“Allison Shay Hagan,” I tell him, and he nods as he starts to sing.
“Allison, Allison, bo-ballison, Banana-fanna-fo-fallison, Fee-fi-mo-mallison, Allison!” he sings.
I lift my head and gift him with a smile, but I don’t say anything. This doesn’t seem to bother Aiden, he just keeps on talking.
“Allison Shay Hagan, hey, your initials spell ash. I think that’ll be my new nickname for you.” He bumps my shoulder. “What do you think, Ash?”
“My daddy used to call me princess,” I tell him softly. The first words I’ve spoken, since Gran told me about the accident.
“Well, I like Ash, so that’s what I’ll call you from now on,” he states.
“What’s your name, your initials, I mean?” I ask him.
He smiles at me. “Aiden Cole Emerson, Ace.”
“Can I call you Ace?”
He’s already nodding his head yes. “Yeah, it’ll be our thing. You’ll be my Ash, and I’ll be your Ace.”
Hailey’s loud laugh brings me back to the conversation. “Wow, what a small world. I guess you never put two and two together did ya, big guy?” Hailey says to Aiden.
“Not in the slightest,” Aiden replies, laughing. “Ash, also known as Allison Shay Hagan, this is my roommate Mac, also known as Liam MacCoy, Hailey’s older brother.” Aiden suddenly whips his head