More Ace ramblings but this time from his pov (ish)
Ace thought he knew what love was. He’d become so familiar with that particular feeling, having thought he was the type of person to fall easily.
He thought he knew what love was. He thought he’d been in love.
There was Laura, a summer fling, but to him, maybe something more. He couldn’t help but fall for her mischievous smile and confident nature—so opposite from himself. And then she’d left. But she came back and he found himself there again, easily falling into what he assumed was love. He’d been enamored, taken by her spell, but that’s not love, is it? So he’d said no to her offer of Paris, knowing he couldn’t do it. Not when he didn’t love her. Not when he knew he loved Horseshoe Bay.
There was Bess, but even at the height of his crush, Ace knew he didn’t love her. But he thought he could easily love her. He knew if he ever got a chance with her, he’d fall, and fall hard. And he was right, in a sense. Because he did love Bess, but it wasn’t a romantic love.
Amanda was someone he really thought he loved. He was giddy at the sight of her, nervous, really, and when she’d reciprocated his feelings, he’d been ecstatic. This was it. This was love, what he’d been waiting for. But then they went on their road-trip and something immediately felt off, like something was missing, like he’d forgotten a piece of himself. But he still thought he loved her—he wanted to love her. And he tried, he really did. He helped her dad, tried to do the right thing, and it had cost him. He’d thought that was love, but he’d only gotten hurt. He knew that maybe with more time, with different circumstances, with certain people removed, he would get to love her. But they didn’t get that time.
Ace thought he knew what love was. He thought it was the quick fall, the exhilaration of feelings, of desire, and the simple want to love and be loved. Because that’s really what it came down to. Ace wanted to love someone.
And he did. It just was not what he expected. Because for Ace, love was slow, a strong bond built over time. It was the connection of minds, the desire to always be by someone’s side, the feeling of completeness and peace in their presence, even when the world was otherwise going to shit. Love was almost invisible, if only because it felt so natural.
Ace thought he knew what love was, but he didn’t, not until he finally understood that he was in love with Nancy Drew.
