Chapter 17

Veronica POV

I couldn't believe it! I was shocked after I heard all that I did.

And all this time, I thought they hated me and were poor friends when in reality, they did care!

I feel so bad for all the times I detested and spoke of them with malice laced in my mind...They were great friends and always had been... Things would have been put in place if I had waited longer!

"But wait- Ace's panic attack? What was that about?"

"After you left, Ace constantly had panic attacks... Vera, you were Ace's support system, and the fact that he couldn't support you broke him to bits. Rayan had worse attacks at times, but he coped with them sooner than Ace did... "

Did I ask my question out loud? Or did you just say it? 

"You asked it out loud," Rea said.

I smiled and got up.

I made my way toward the boys and first tackled Jordan... As soon as I hugged him, he laughed and hugged me back as he got up.

"I missed you so much, you know that!? Don't ever disappear like that! If we make any mistakes, hit me hard and I'll be a good boy again! But don't you dare leave me?" Jordan cried into my shoulder, and I slowly let go. 

"I'll never let you go ever, Jordy... Never again!"

I looked towards Rayan, and he didn't wait for a second before tackling me into a big bear hug!"I'm so sorry, Vera. I'm so sorry... I couldn't be the big brother you wanted... " Rayan said to me.

"You were always my big brother, Ray, nothing can break that, And I-I'm sorry too..." 

"It's fine... and... you're the best."

He let go and winked at me as Jordan stared at him and I just laughed.

And now... Ace. I slowly approached him hesitantly... As his words from what Andrea said, replayed in my mind.

'I lost the one person I thought I loved... '

He stood up and looked away. { (O_O) }

I stood right in front of him and we just stood like that... for a few seconds...

It felt like hours, just staring at him without blinking.

I suddenly struck out of it when I realized the whole place was so... quiet.

I looked around to find no one...! 

"Vera... I owe an apology big time for how crazily I treated u ... I don't think all these apologies will ever be enough."

"Ace, I understand what made you act the way you did, and I forgive you... You're an awesome person, Ace."

"Vera, you mean a LOT to me. I don't what made me act that way at all, and I love you so much-"

He stopped and I froze.

He loves me...

He said he loved me...

Oh my goodness, I must be dreaming.

ACE SAID HE LOVES ME" Vera-" I cut him off as my lips just knew they had to meet his.

This moment felt magical.

Nothing in my entire life felt as blissful as it did when his soft lips were pressed against mine, and I couldn't have been happier.

After what seemed like an eternity- I let go for the sake of my breath.

And my life. After all, I need to be alive to experience that again.

"I love you too!!!! I'm so sorry it took so LONG for me to FINALLY realize that!! Being away from you made me realize that and maybe that's why it always hurt so much more when I thought about you, and honestly- Okay let's not talk about that- but seriously I've been in love with you since forever!"

He chuckled and I giggled... And then along with me, I heard a whole lot of other people giggling and chuckling and we looked at the sources of all that noise, only to see Bree, Allison, Rea, Avianna, and Laura, taking pictures and videos of us! I swear to god, these creeps-.

I blushed and hid my face and then Ace just groaned and sat back on the couch while staring up at the ceiling.

"They're never going to let me live this down," he said as he ran his palm down his hair and face.

"So that was a mistake!?" I asked with heavily sarcastic sorrow. 

"No, what- NO! I didn't mean it like-" He stood up and held my hands. He looked into my eyes and when he realized I was kidding, he rolled his eyes and sat down again, pulling me down beside him. But I instantly got up when I saw the crowd staring at us with ga-ga eyes.

"OMG, Vera!" "Girl..." 

"You ROCK!" 

"Ace's hid SO much from me!" 

"I can't believe this!" 

"Will you be in a long-distance relationship?"

The last question stood out as I looked up to see Allison looking at me questioningly.

I looked at Ace who looked equally as perplexed.

I hadn't thought about that.

"We'll think of it later, for now, Vera, be my girlfriend?" Ace shot straight out.

What?"Well, clearly, mister, I only kiss people I don't want to date," I said and huffed.

"Yes, or no?" He asked and rolled his eyes.

I'll have to get used to this attitude if I wanna date this idiot.

"Yes, idiot"

"Oooooo~~~ A love-Hate RELATIONSHIP"

They all cooed and the guys only laughed.

*****

"Guys, wanna play soccer? " Rayan suddenly said as we finished dinner.

"Football" Alden corrected.

Us girls rolled our eyes and declined as were going to go to Andrea's room with our make-up products and stuff to have a girl's night and give ourselves makeovers.

The boys all agreed.And then they all went to play football/soccer and all of us girls had one of the best nights of our lives!!

Thinking of that makes it sound dirty, but we'll keep it in my head.

Yeah- whatever...And then, after that, we roamed around different places, had immense fun for the next week, and soon- it was time to go... I had an amazing time and my few encounters with my monsters didn't miss my notice. Those were my last ones... Or so I hoped, but we'll see.

We had a long bye-bye session and in the end, I and Ace decided on a long-distance relationship and decided that it was the best and only option for us...

And just like that- soon, we left!

My parents finally accepted the rest, and I fixed my partly broken relationship with Mrs.Reynolds or Aurora!

It was all immensely AWESOME!!!