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Ace became part of the gang when Sodapop asked one night if the new kid he and Steve met at the Drive-in could have dinner with them.
Darrel had overheard the conversation between Sodapop and his mother on when said new kid could come over. Darrel was 16 at the time, and Sodapop was 12.
Darrel's mother knew the kinds of greaser boys who hung out at the Drive-in. Poor, cold boys with drunks for parents and grades lower than a baby turtle. Future thugs, the kind of boys Darrel's mother wanted so desperately to fix.
So it was no surprise when she said yes, and told Sodapop to invite this "new kid" over for dinner the next night.
The next day, Steve, Soda, and the mysterious new kid had been playing football in the lot. Darrel's mother told him to go fetch the three for dinner.
Darrel was expecting to find an angry white boy with bruised eyes and short greasy hair. Not the pretty young black girl he saw when getting to the lot. Adorned with no bruises, a huge smile, and curly hair that reached just short of midway down her neck.
From that point on, Ace was the third musketeer to Sodapop and Steve's friendship.
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Ace never got too close with Darrel. At first, she never really interacted with any members of the gang besides Soda and Steve. When she eventually made friends with the other members, she was always too caught up with the shenanigans of the group to worry about what big disciplinarian Darrel had to say.
So it was surprising when Darrel asked Ace if he could speak with her in private after dinner.
Around a week before, all the gang had dragged Darrel to the drive-in for some new beach movie.
The gang was sitting in the seated section, Pony, Johnny, Dallas, and Two-Bit all next to each other, and Steve, Sodapop, Ace, and Darrel all in the row behind.
Around halfway through the film, Two-Bit had leaned back and asked if anyone else wanted popcorn, to which almost the entire gang agreed.
Ace volunteered to get it, saying she needed to stretch her legs. As she got up, Sodapop interrupted.
"'ey Darrel, how 'bout you go with her? She'll need help carrying the popcorn."
"Sure." Darrel had replied.
With that, Darrel followed Ace as she made her way to the concession stand. Neither of them talking. Neither of them ever did talk, there was just never anything to say to one another. To Ace, Darrel was just her friend's older brother. To Darrel, Ace was just his little brother's friend.
They continued in silence, eventually coming to a stop as they stood in line for concessions. Darrel opened his wallet and began rummaging through it for some cash. When he looked up, Ace was looking somewhere else, her gaze focused.
Darrel followed her gaze, all the way to a pretty blonde soc girl standing up further in the line. The girl was wearing a baby blue dress, and talking with some tall soc boy. The girl was beautiful, even Darrel could tell that despite not being attracted to women.
Darrel looked back at Ace. She was leaning against the railing as peered at the girl. Ace was smiling one of those soft smiles, her eyes filling with a mix of longing, love, and sadness. Darrel recognized the look immediately. It was the same look he once had when looking at Paul.
Darrel felt closer to Ace in that moment then he ever had before.
Darrel looked at Ace and saw himself. He saw the scared little boy who loved someone of a different social class, and someone of the same sex.
Darrel had never thought about it before, but now it seemed like Ace was a puzzle he never realized he was putting together, and now it was completed.
He needed to say something.
But he couldn't, he didn't have half the words to say what he needed to tell Ace in that moment, and he couldn't mention something like this in public.
So he waited for a good time.
A good time came on a warm Friday night just a week after the encounter.
The whole gang was over for dinner, which meant this was one of the rare times Ace, Steve, and Soda would stay in one place long enough for Darrel to talk with Ace.
He didn't know how to go about asking, so he thought he'd just do it bluntly.
Ace was on the couch, her head on Steve's shoulder as the gang all watched TV. Darrel came up on the side of the couch, everyone but Ace and Steve turning to look at him.
"Ace." He said firmly.
It was then that Ace looked up. Darrel never spoke with Ace, especially not directly.
"Yeah?" She said softly, almost like she was afraid.
"After dinner I need to speak with you, privately." Darrel's voice was firm. He knew this was something he had to do.
With that, Darrel returned to the kitchen. Leaving Ace wide eyed in the living room as Two-Bit nudged her with his elbow and joked that she was in trouble.
Dinner went smoothly, Ace stayed silent the entire time, something she rarely did. It was like she was hoping dinner would last longer, because she too her sweet time eating every bite of her meatloaf and green beans.
Like all things, dinner eventually ended. Everyone cleared their plates, Soda starting on dishes. Ace tried going back towards the living room, hoping Darrel would forget whatever he needed to tell her. Unfortunately, he wouldn't forget that easily.
"Ace."
"What's up?" Ace tried to act like she had forgetten about Darrel's request to chat.
"Step into my room real quick."
Darrel only took people into his room when he needed to say something real important. Usually yelling at said person. Ace stiffened briefly in fear, but gained her confidence back quickly. Strolling right on into Darrel's room as though she had been in there a million times.
Darrel followed her, closing the door behind them.
Ace stood awkwardly in a corner, pretending she didn't care at all. Darrel sat down on the edge of his bed.
"What's up superman?" Ace said, her voice shaking.
"How 'bout you come sit down." Darrel responded.
Ace knew she couldn't fight this anymore. She sat next to Darrel silently.
"Now Ace, I need to talk to you about something real important, can I trust you to take this seriously."
"Sure thing" Ace was getting more comfortable now, her voice returning to normal when she realized she wasn't about to get yelled at.
"I noticed something about you, a few days ago in fact, 'nd I need to ask you about it."
"Whatever you want." Ace wasn't worried anymore, leaning back slightly on the bed.
Darrel felt real bad, he knew this was gonna scare Ace. He thought about saying something real deep and fancy, but decided just saying it bluntly would get it over with faster.
"You a lesbian, Ace?"
Ace straightened back up, completely silent for a few seconds, before standing up.
"I-I-I need to go"
Darrel stood up after her, grabbing her wrist.
"No. We need to talk." Darrel's voice was stone hard.
Ace's eyes were wide, fearful, she was like a deer caught in a trap. She returned to her seat on Darrel's bed.
"I saw how you were looking at that soc girl at the Drive-in." Darrel restated his question."You a lesbian, Ace?"
Ace started shaking. People got killed for this. For being queers. And now Darrel knows. Big strong manly Darrel. Darrel who played football and tiles roofs and surely thinks she's a disgusting degenerate. Darrel who surely pulled her in here to tell her she's disgusting, and to tell her to stay away from her brother so she doesn't turn him gay. Darrel who will surely tell everyone in Tulsa, get her jumped, and probably much, much worse.
Darrel knew. There was no use lying. So with tears rolling down her cheeks, Ace spoke.
"Yeah... Yeah I am."
Ace was crying now, hugging herself as tears rolled down her cheeks. Ace mustered up what little bravery she had, and spoke.
"Go ahead, kick me out, hit me, tell all of Tulsa I'm a damn queer. Go ahead, see if I care."
Ace stood up, making her way to the door, afraid she'd get hit if she stayed too much longer. It wasn't a punch that stopped her, but two strong arms wrapping around her in a hug. Ace finally starts sobbing, it feels like her entire body is shaking.
Darrel drags Ace back to the bed, setting her down and immediately sitting next to her, moving her head to lay on his chest and he hugged her tightly.
Darrel eventually spoke again, much softer this time.
"It's okay. It's okay. I'm not gonna kick you out or nothin'. I'm not gonna tell nobody, and I don't see you any different, okay?"
Ace nodded her head slightly, still crying. Her voice was quiet and shaky.
"Okay"
"Alright. Now when we were at the Drive-in, was it that soc girl you were lookin' at?" Darrel kept his voice low and quiet.
"Yeah..." Ace sniffled.
Darrel breathed in deeply. He knew it. He knew that look in Ace's eyes. He knew how Ace was sobbing when confronted about it.
"If I tell you something, will you promise not to tell anyone, not Soda, not Steve, not no one."
"I promise." Ace kept her head resting on Darrel's chest.
"I'm like you, Ace. I'm a queer."
Ace gasped softly, finally moving her head to look up at Darrel. Her mouth open just slightly in shock and awe.
"And I was in love with a soc too, a 𝘣𝘰𝘺 soc."
"Really?" Ace asked.
"Yeah. You remember Paul, my football buddy I'd bring 'round the house so often. Well me and him were going steady all throughout highschool."
Ace hugged Darrel back, real tight.
"Which is why I need to tell you to stay away from that girl."
Ace let go of Darrel very suddenly, sitting back up.
"W-what?" She mumbled.
"Listen Ace, socs are bad news, specially when you're datin' 'em. I know you love her Ace, but it's just not worth it."
Ace turned to look forward, staring at her feet.
"I know I can't control who you love. But please just think about what I said."
Ace didn't look back up at Darrel. She just got up and left the room. This time, Darrel didn't stop her. She was still crying, and the rest of the gang definitely noticed as she hurriedly put her shoes on and ran out of the Curtis house.