This Love, This Hate (Nevada.)

[Mothtoto.]

Ace sat alone at the water's edge of the small pond, blankly staring at the reflection of himself that was staring back at him in the same way. It's just me and my reflection now, he thought sullenly. With that thought, he turned his head away from the sight of himself in disgust. He had Owen before. But now that Owen had Emmie, he didn't need Ace. And besides Owen, Ace had made no friends in Noatak. There was his stupid half-brother Evan, and his lover (if that's what they were even going by nowadays), but they would most definitely not be counted as friends, considering that they all wound up in the hospital when they were together. Just face it, he thought bitterly, you've got no friends. Sure, he could force someone into being his friend, but what good would that do? He figured he could just go on with his life without being too close to anyone.

He turned his head slowly back to the shining surface of the sun on the pond, a sudden rage coming to him. A rage that urged him to find someone to fill the empty hole that was slowly burrowing its way deeper into his heart. He picked up a small stone and neatly threw it right at his reflection's face. He didn't need it for company any more, seeing as he was going to find a new friend. Or maybe even a girlfriend? But that was probably wishful thinking. He would find a friend. Hoping for the best, he stood up and brushed off his pants. Now that he thought about it, it probably wouldn't be too hard to find a friend. All he had to do was turn the charm up and let it work its magic. Ace remembered the days when he used to use his charming abilities and good looks to his advantage all the time, whether it was persuading his teacher to bring up a grade or convincing his parents to end him a little of their much abundant cash.

Now that he knew how he was going to gain his new acquaintance, he scanned the horizon for someone suitable. Too old... too fat... too young..., so went his thoughts as he looked around The Gardens, until he found someone who looked perfect. Well, okay, maybe she didn't look exactly like the let's-be-pals-type he needed right now, but he couldn't help himself from going for her. She was a slender, dark-haired beauty that he must have. He prepared himself for the attack. He made a mental checklist of everything that needed to be fresh and clean. Breath? He blew into the air and smelt the desired mintiness. Check. Hair? He ran a comb through it quickly. Check. Clothes? He looked down at his jeans and pulled the leg down all the way. Check. Now was the time to make his move, if any.

He didn't know what he was going to do, and she was going to pass him soon. She was walking on a curved path, while he was standing by a tree at the edge of it. A piece of paper flew past him on the wind, and he quickly caught it. That was it! He knew what to do even more so than before. He quickly grabbed a broken crayon a child had probably dropped, and quickly wrote "KISS ME?" across the page in huge, purple letters. He then folded it hastily into a paper airplane, and threw it so it was headed directly toward the woman.

[Augustus is a SWOObat]

The paper airplane hit Nevada in the back of the head. Her hand reached behind her and crushed it in her fist. She hadn't known what it was, but now that she pulled it to the front of her, she could tell it had been an airplane.. before Nevada so brutally murdered it. Uncrumpling it, she saw a hint of purple. The paper airplanes request was so.. silly and absurd. She looked up expecting to see a child or maybe a drunk teenager, but a good-looking, grown man was the last thing she thought to think of. Honestly, Nevada didn't know what to do. There was no way she was going to do what he asked, she just didn't know a tactful way to refuse.. thought Nevada had never been very tactful. She took a pen from behind her ear and scribbled her reply on the back. Never.

Graceful like she always was, Nevada walked forward swiftly, a smile on her lips. She put one hand on the back of his neck, feeling the edge of his hair tickle her fingertips. He was taller up close. She didn't like it. It made her feel short in comparison though she'd always been tall for a woman. She leaned closer, her breath tickling his skin. Nevada noticed slight goosebumps. It was just a natural reaction.. probably. She had to tippy toe to reach his ears, her body pressing against his. This was where she was suppose to say something, but everything she needed to say was on their crumpled little message carrier. She stuffed her reply into the waistband of his pants right behind his belt buckle, her smile getting a little bigger. This was how you paid strippers, because that was essentially what he was. Strippers had nothing to offer but pretty faces and nice bodies, and that's all that this overly confident man had to offer her, and that's not what Nevada wanted. Now that she was so close, she could smell cologne. It wasn't cheap cologne either. It was the good stuff with scientific research that couldn't help but make Nevada hot, but his wealth only made her dislike him more. Good looks and wealth, no wonder he was so confident. He probably didn't do anything to get his money, just like he didn't do anything to get his looks. He probably didn't deserve it either. She knew several people, with unfortunate looks and empty pockets, with a personality sweeter than sugar covered honey. Those people deserved nice eyes, strong jaws, minty breath, and nice hair. Those people deserved nice cologne and decent clothes, not this man who never had to worry about needs. All he had to focus on were wants, and he wanted Nevada.. but not for long. He wouldn't want something so rude, tactless, and blunt.

Nevada patted the note, dangerously close to something else, and walked away, her business done, her message sent.

[Mothtoto.]

Ace's insides rippled with nerves as the slim figure drew nearer. This was a bad idea. Worse than bad. Like really bad. Why couldn't he have just strove for friends? There was an unbecoming grimace on his face, he could tell. He quickly drained his face of any emotion, hoping that would be better at least than the worry and doubt that was haunting it before. Breathing deeply, he thought of puppies and summer days spent sun-warming on the beach. Fortunately, it brought upon him a small grin. But before he could congratulate himself at the small miracle, the woman was on him. Whoa. It had actually worked! His small smile quickly transformed into smirk of pleasure and pride. Now that he was thinking back on it, his plan was actually quite brilliant and thought wonderingly at how he could ever have doubted something so genius.

It started off great. She just came at him. She was touching him, her body dangerously close to his own. He would have made a move, kissed her, something, but she was going to whisper something in his ear, something he knew he was going to enjoy. But no- instead she was... stuffing the paper inside his pants? It scratched his sensitive skin roughly. Well, at least she was thinking about down there, right? He shrugged it off. But wait... she was leaving. He frowned with a gaping mouth as he watched her strut off, his hand placed gingerly on the note, afraid of what it contained. Maybe she left her digits...? He had to hope for the best.

"Never."

One word. That was all. No seven digits. Just that one word. It hurt. He was so close to starting something with this mysterious woman. But no. She obviously had different plans. He was temporarily speechless. Temporarily.

Ace soon got his wits about him and started thinking slowly of what to do. Not too slowly, for he had to think of something before Little Miss Sunshine vanished from his life completely. He racked his brain in frustration. He needed to do something that would make her think not of him as a douche and a dick ad just an overall overconfident rich baby who was used to getting what he wanted. Which was...?

He was about to give up on his efforts, when, Aha!, he knew exactly what to do.

Ace jogged up next to the woman who's name he had yet to find out. He stopped in front of her and put his hands on her arms to halt her. "Look, I'm really sorry... about... all that. I don't know what I was thinking. I guess I was just caught in the radiance of your beautiful glow." He dropped his arms to his sides and smiled sheepishly. His brilliant solution? Simply apologizing.

[Augustus is a SWOObat]

Nevada had to give him credit. She never heard his type say the simple phrase "I'm sorry." For a while, she wasn't sure they knew what it meant or even if they could say it, but what came from Mr. Handsome's mouth was definitely an apology. Maybe she was wrong about him.. then he laid on some smooth talking and Nevada couldn't help but laugh. He was trying very hard, but that made it a little cute... Now way was Nevada going to fall for him.. and his cute smile. Nevada tried to get her head out of the clouds and focus on his attitude, because that's what was important. He was cocky.. but he made her curious, which was a good thing. He didn't seem like every good-looking rich kid.

Nevada wasn't going to be like everyone else he knew. When she decided she'd get to know him, she did not know, but now it felt like a certainty. He had been bold and direct, which was admirable.. [by that she means a total turn on.] Nevada wasn't going to fall for his beautiful, big, blue eyes or the muscles she felt under his shirt. She was doing it again, falling for his good looks. Nevada controlled her hostility and said, as smooth as silk. "So what do you want, Mister... ? It dawned on Nevada that she didn't know his name. It felt weird, because he felt weird. It felt like she knew him longer than just a few minutes, like she should know his name. It got weirder. She actually wanted to know his name.

[[SO short. I'm SO sorry. D:]]

[Mothtoto.]

Ace stuffed his hands in his pants pockets as a strong wind ruffled his hair. Satisfied at her response, he thought of what to tell her next. Sure, he could simply tell her his name, but not telling her would make him seem mysterious, right? No, no, that was probably stupid. "Ace. Just call me Ace." He struggled for words. This girl seemed to have the power to make him second-guess everything, and he kind of liked it. It was new to him.

He put an arm around her shoulder to usher her into walking with him, but dropped it as soon as she started. He had decided to go with a different approach, the one that nicely followed up his apology. Friendship. Wasn't that how most relationships started, anyways? There was even a song about it, if he remembered correctly. "You probably think I'm a real dick right about now; I know I feel like one. I really acted like a dick back there. No matter. Care to start over? Like I said, I'm Ace. And you are?" He made sure to put on the warmest smile he could muster.

Everything he was saying made him feel as if he was going against his own will. He wasn't some nice guy that gave money to the homeless and was just such a wonderful gentleman all the time. That wasn't him. The real Ace was more.... more like how he first came off. A dick, really. He was used to getting what he wanted, with his charming good looks and money. But this... this was going to be difficult. Although, he had to admit, it was probably good for him. He could use some practice being nice. He had the ability to be charming, but he usually chose not to be. Maybe this girl could make him a better person. Who knows.

[Augustus is a SWOObat]

Nevada wasn't convinced. Something about him actually admitting what he was. No one ever said that outloud. She started to think about what he really wanted. It didn't take long.

Nevada was debating her next course of action. It hit her. She'd give him what he wanted, then see if he stuck around. Either way wouldn't be too big of a loss on her behalf. If he didn't just want what she thought he wanted, then she'll have met an interesting guy, and if she did give him what she thought he wanted, and he high-tailed it afterwards, he'd be out of her hair.

And you are?

It was such a vague question. Nevada was a lot of things. Nevada was blunt. Nevada was strong. Nevada was independant. Nevada was a complicated woman.. and she liked it that way. Nevada was Nevada.

-Not done-
I'm just too tired and lazy to save it in a word document or some chips like that.