Bang! As the wooden baseball bat collides with the steel wrath of the mailbox, I jump in my skin slightly. I should be used to it by now; the guys play mailbox baseball every weekend, possibly three times a day as if they have nothing else to do with their time. I guess it's just what guys do though. Being a girl I wouldn't know what guys find amusing. Bang! I snap my eyes to my boyfriend Ace's direction. Ace Merrill, the guy I've been dating for some few months now and his reputation is widely known as the rebel who always has a cigarette in hand. Whenever anyone sees his light blonde hair and muscular form, they know to keep clear or they will be having troubles for the rest of their lives.

He appears frustrated at himself as he allows the baseball bat to slide through his fingers and the end of the stump to hit the car floor.

"Goddamn it!" Ace sighs sharply hauling himself back into the car, he receives a lit cigarette from Eyeball with burning ash scattering along the delicate cream leather seats and takes a long drag of it before exhaling with a cloud of silver trailing out his mouth. Eyeball Chambers is the son of alcoholics and criminals and reminds me of Ace the way he manages to scare the whole of Castle Rock. I may know that his name really isn't Eyeball; however I haven't a single clue what his real name is. I don't think Ace even knows his true first name. Ace revolves around to pass the bat to Billy who is being oddly quiet today "You're up Billy! Don't swing too hard, I wouldn't want you hitting my girl"

I smile meekly at him, he has no idea how tiring this whole game of theirs is, especially when you have nothing else to do but view it. Ace's reaction is his facial features drooping from a cheery soul who was having the time of his life to an unimpressed kid who hadn't got what they wanted. He leans over the seats, his face incredibly proximate to mine. I can feel his warm nicotine smelling breath spread along my face. The dry palm of his hand cups my cheek, his thumb rubbing it tenderly. "What's up baby?" he probes softly, his crystal blue eyes soon drift off to the left and his face beams scarlet in anger "What the hell is wrong with everyone in this backseat today?"

"Nothing man" Billy quips, there is obviously something wrong as he stares at his feet. Billy Tessio is the only skinny person in his family, well what can be considered skinny as his family are all overweight. He always has his silky brown hair of loose curls gelled back into a smarmy looking style, it really doesn't suit him. I look over at Ace again, he is getting more infuriated.

"Bullshit!" Ace snaps after removing the ablaze cigarette from his mouth "Don't try and bullshit to me Billy. I know when there's something wrong with you. Tell me" those words command authority.

Billy and Charlie Hogan, another blonde in the group of rebels trade a worried glance at each other. Charlie seems more panicked than Billy, his eyes widening.

"Ace, we wouldn't lie to you. Nothing's wrong" Billy informs him, his voice is still unconvincing. Ace sends daggers at the both of them, disbelieving his words.

"Play ball then, and like I said, watch my girl" Ace threats, narrowing his eyes at the two nervous boys before swivelling back around in his seat, his head gently nodding to the rock n roll music on the radio "Cheer up Jenny! It's your favourite song!" he increases the volume in attempts to make me happier. It won't work; I'm too exhausted from being hauled around all day.

"Ace baby, can we stop for some food? I'm getting kinda hungry" I lie, I never get hungry but this little game of theirs is so draining I have to find some distraction for them, Ace will never turn down food. Ace breathes out little spheres of thick smoke that vanish as they expand in the air.

"You heard my girl, drive to the cafe" Ace commands, and with a nod and a rolling of the eyes, Eyeball snags the car around onto the other side of the road. Cars following the trail of dried tar screech to a halt and sound their horns loudly "Drive Eyeball" Eyeball ignores the angry protests of the drivers behind us and accelerates the speed of the car.

"What happened to 'play ball' huh Ace?" Billy sniggers, though he may not realise it, he is challenging Ace's temptation to snatch the baseball bat from his hands and batter him over the head for his sarcastic manner.

"Shut the fuck up Tessio. Whatever my girl wants, she'll get" Billy in sync, mimics his last sentence. Everybody in this car has memorised that line off by heart since Ace repeats it that many times. I wink at Billy, easing off whatever worry is ailing him as he smiles warmly back at me. Whatever is wrong with him will soon be revealed; Ace won't allow him to keep any secrets to himself for much longer.

I am the first one out of the car but the last to access the bright cafe as Ace grabs hold of my waist before I had a chance to escape.

"Didn't think you were gonna get away from me that easily did you Jenny?" Ace chuckles, his hardened lips kiss my forehead repeatedly. I just stand there with a blank expression on my face, waiting to enter the food heaven.

"Of course not" I mutter under my breath, he immediately ceases his pampering to my head.

"What was that?" my chocolate coloured eyes drag themselves up to face him.

"Nothing"

"You said something Jenny, tell me what you said" his fingers roughly skim through my hair, I bite my lip at the uncomfortable sensation "You wouldn't lie to me, would you?"

"No baby, I wouldn't" I answer with a sigh, a smile pins itself on my lips by force.

"I knew you wouldn't princess, not to me" We are about to enter the cafe where sugary delicacies await us when something catches Ace's eye. Two boys, Chris Chambers and Gordie Lachance scamper past us, cursing their heads off. I sometimes wonder to myself how two twelve year old boys could possibly utter such words. Then again, with influences such as Eyeball around in this town, it's no wonder they have foul mouths.

"Well, well, well. Look who we have here" Ace chuckles sinisterly, like I said before – no one should ever mess with Ace. These two innocents hadn't done a single thing to disrupt his daily routine or bothered him in anyway, not that I have knowledge of anyway "Eyeball! Come out here!" With a smirk pencilled on his face, he takes another drag of his loathsome smelling cigarette. Chris and Gordie freeze in their steps, and morph into ice statues, staring at Ace in dread. I can't help but feel sorry for them; no one should have to face the wrath of Ace when he's feeling in the mood for trouble making. The sound of a bell jingling is heard as the cafe door opens, a mischievous grin spreads on Eyeballs lips as he steps out.

"Where you going girls? Shopping?" he mocks, stealing Ace's cigarette and puffing on it before delivering back into Ace's mouth. Ace instantly contorts his face in disgust, seizing the cigarette out of his mouth.

"Shit Eyeball, why would I want your spit in my mouth?" Eyeball shrugs and saunters over to the boys, kidnapping the black baseball cap from Gordie's head. In a flash, Gordie is retaliating to have his beloved baseball cap returned to him.

"Hey man! It's mine!" Gordie cries, waving his arms around as Eyeball taunts him by pretending to give the hat back to him. I am restrained to just idly watch the scene that commenced only a matter of seconds ago. Ace interferes, that devilish smirk glued on his lips.

"Now you've given it to me!" his smoky voice declares, wafting the cap around his inner comfort zone teasingly "You want it Jenny?" I shake my head disapprovingly, if he thinks he can involve me in his game of unfair tortures then he can think again "Nah you wouldn't want this old thing baby, too shabby for a beautiful girl like you" I gaze down at my feet, my cheeks flaring a ruby colour in disgrace. How could I be dating such an ungenerous man? Gordie's saddened eyes arrive onto my slim figure that is isolated away from any unruly humans and gawks at me as if he is besotted by my casual yet enticing attire of a sleeveless woollen sweater vest with a black and white pattern of zigzags and knee length plaid skirt that flutters gracefully in the wind. Ace soon notices his wide open mouth and eyes staring at his proclaimed property.

"What the hell d'you think your eyeballing kid?" he questions with peril for Gordie's future etching his words; Gordie sinks his eyes down onto the floor in shame "Yeah that's what I thought kid; and you keep your eyes there to unless you wanna have your vision removed"

"Did you know that you're a real asshole?" Chris dares himself to bitterly spit, his eyes glowering at him. Ace isn't too amused by his comment, Chris really should know better than to provoke the 'man of town'. Yet there is a surge of guilt for him and whatever punishment should await him for his treason against the king of Castle Rock.

"Ooh, Eyeball I believe your brother hasn't been taught any manners" Eyeball smirks as Ace strolls towards his younger brother whom he should be protecting with his life. It seems to me that Chris's life is worthless to him.

"Now Christopher, I know that you didn't mean to insult my friend" Eyeball talks to Chris as if he is a naive baby who knows no facts of the world. Ace finally reaches his destination, situating himself incredibly close to Chris.

"I know that he didn't mean to insult me. Now not only am I gonna teach this kid some manners but I'm gonna give him the chance to take it back"

Ace has one more inhalation of the nicotine before flicking it on the floor. Chris groans in shock as Ace yanks his head to the ground, forcing it with not a lot of strength to keep it there. With his free hand, Ace picks up the burning cigarette and brings it only centimetres from Chris's face.

"Oh shit..." Chris rasps as he watches the hot object that blackmails to scald his bronzed skin.

"Take it back kid" Ace snarls, manoeuvring his weapon closer to Chris with every omen. I have to interrupt this intense showdown somehow, or I have to attempt to. I can't allow Ace to do this to a kid.

"Ace, I'm still hungry" it was weak, but it was something. It was a step nearer in achieving the confidence to stand up to my undesired boyfriend.

"One second baby, I'm just dealing with something"

"Ace –"

"I said I'm busy!" Ace barks, I flinch at the volume of his words. That confidence I had been building up has been knocked down once again "Take it back!" Gordie's protest fades into the background and Chris's eyes increase as does the cigarette to his face.

"Ok! Ok! I take it back!" Ace grins and chucks the cigarette away, jagging Chris to his feet.

"Now I feel a whole lot better about that, what about you?" there is no reply, Ace then saunters over to me in triumph, he strenuously tilts my chin to look at him, fright etches my eyes "I know you'll forgive me baby" I have no choice but to forgive him, until he grows bored of me like a child with a useless toy, I am his slave. I nod my head in understanding and quickly lift a corner of my mouth "Come on, let's get some grub" he tugs me to his side and begins to walk into the store until Eyeball hollers something that is unclear to me.

"Where'd you girls think you're going?" Gordie and Chris twist around "No fucking way. Not without an adult" Ace raises an eyebrow at Eyeball in disbelief and bursts out in snickers "What? I don't wanna be grounded again just because of those brats going off without me! I'll be damned if I'm going though!"

"What? We need to do this Eyeball!" Chris debates in whining tone of voice.

"You said that last time shithead, I'm not going on one of your boring adventures, that's for sissy's like you"

"Jenny's gonna go" Ace demands, this is my chance. As much as I find little kids like them annoying, I'll do anything to get out of Ace's clutches. I nod my head enthusiastically and skip merrily over to them. Gordie's whole face lights up as quickly as a shooting star, as if all of his dreams had suddenly came true.

"Sure! Then you guys can go play ball again, you know guys day out or whatever you wanna call it?" for once I feel liberated from my condemned title of 'Ace's Girlfriend'.

"See! Told you my girl would do it!" Eyeball has no say in Ace's instruction and just tuts. Ace moves over to Chris, bending down to his height so he can intimidate him "Better look after my girl, the both of you. Or else" after this threat which leaves Chris still unemotional and Gordie wreaking his pants, he stands in an upright position and presses his brambly lips onto mine before freeing me at last "Have fun Jenny" he glares at the two boys "Remember what I said" Eyeball waves goodbye in a joking manner as the two bullies depart into the cafe.

After a critical examination of my appearance, Chris walks off dragging Gordie who was too busy goggling at me in amazement along with him. I'm fast to follow them, jogging to catch up with their speedy pace. There are no words exchanged between us but I know for certain I'm about to face my wildest dreams.

This is my first fanfic for Stand By Me! Thank you to everyone who has read and please let me know what you think in a review! Hope you've enjoyed and that you enjoy the following chapters to come! :D