Dreamer - Chapter 29

"What kind of accident do you want to report, ma'am?" A deep and raspy voice sounded on the other line

"A- I don't know. An accident that just occurred.. a shooting?" I replied, not realizing my word choice came out more of a question than a statement. I didn't even know what I would call this. Did Rev actually make a mistake? Was he intentionally trying to shoot my father? Was this just his way of getting back at me?

"And," the person on the other line asked, "where are you?"

I sighed, giving the person my address as I tried not to let out another sob. My eyes kept focusing on the open doorway. The darkness outside leading down an endless spiral of my short life in this new town; the note on the box that I still never figured out why I got in the first place, meeting Rev at random in the driveway, escaping Rev's car when I ran into Ace. That incident of Rev chasing me flashed before my eyes, or the time Mars stopped my car so she could hop in to get away. I bit my lip pretty hard to get the thoughts out of my mind, tasting blood.

"Ma'am?" the voice spoke out again.

"Yes?"

"I said," He repeated himself in a slow tone, "we'll send out paramedics immediately."

"Alright. Hurry fast." With that, I put my phone down and leaned over my father. I grabbed ahold of his hand and closed my eyes, whispering out loud as my eyes faced towards the sky. "Please. Protect him."

✿✿✿

I paced back and forth in front of Ace's hospital room. What did I just do? What the hell did I just do? Why? Why would I do that? Why? I clenched my fists together before walking into the room. Ace had been laying across the bed; his body laying straight as his head rested on the pillow. His eyes, although they were closed, faced my direction. I stood at the end of his bed, my hand placed on the edge where his feet didn't reach. I let out a sigh before narrowing my eyes to his face. His hoodie was off so you could see his full face. For some reason he never liked for people to see it; I never really understood. It's just a face. He's usually wearing his hoodie all the time.. every time we hang out to be exact. He just found it better to stay hidden behind a mask. Me, on the other hand, couldn't give two shits. I'd show my face. I'd do dirty things. He's just.. not like that. I remember when he first introduced me to the idea to his hoodie. He thought it would be so fucking badass to remain hidden while the rest of us all remained out in the open. I always just thought that maybe Ace was a bit ashamed of himself.. maybe he truly didn't want any of us to see who he really was.

"I did something awful tonight," I told him in a soft voice, "It was something really awful.. something that even you would have never done." I broke eye contact with him before letting out the rest of what I was saying, "I'm so sorry, dude."

I just kept staring back at him, hoping he'd wake soon. But another part of me was hoping he wouldn't. Why would I want him to wake? He'd want to kill me. I hurt Lex's father. He probably wouldn't even give me a chance to explain myself before he got angry with me. "I just got so damn angry," I continued, "You know just how I get when I'm angry.." I shot him a pleading look before turning towards the door, getting ready to walk out.

"Rev." a voice said behind me.

I turned back around. "Ace."

"What'd you do?" His voice sounded strangely weak.

"What?"

"You said that you did something bad tonight. What was it? What could it have been that made you feel this shitty?"

"I shot someone."

"How is that so bad? You've made your gun your best friend by now."

"No." I spoke back to him, "I shot someone."

He shot me a confused look.

I swallowed a strange lump in my throat. I had no choice. I had to tell him. I can't just lead with that and expect him to just stop asking questions. I can't ignore what happened. I shot Lex's father. I shot him. He didn't even do anything. Neither did she. I just.. I can't let go of what happened, no matter how much I want to. "It was the father of someone we know."

"Mars?"

"No." I sighed at the mention of that name, "Not her. You know more than anyone that I wouldn't just stop at her family."

"Who was it then?" Did he really want me to spell it out for him?

"Lex." I confessed, "Her father."

"What!"

"I didn't plan it!"

"Sure, because you just go around shooting the family members of those we actually care about."

"I never said that I fucking cared about that stupid girl!"

"Why wouldn't you care about her? Is it because she's not the type of girl who allows you to treat her like trash? Do you not like the fact that she doesn't stand for you to kick her around until you grow tired of her? I'm so fucking sorry that Lex isn't who you expected her to be." He said to me, "Just because she isn't like Mars doesn't mean that she isn't amazing.. and she's not a little girl."

"Whatever man," I scoffed, "Stop acting like you care about her."

"Maybe I do."

"Really?"

"Maybe."

I stepped to the side of the bed, leaning over his somewhat frail-looking body, "Don't you dare think about falling for her."

"You can't force me not to."

I walked out of the room without saying another word. If Ace thinks he can fall for someone like Lex, he has another thing coming. I won't allow it. Things like that can't happen.. not after Mars. No. The circle isn't supposed to be full of feelings. It just throws everyone off guard and we can't stay focused on what we should be doing instead.

The circle is meant to kill, not to love. Lex can never change that concept.