Ace of Spades

Belle reassures Chiamaka that nobody really believes that she stole the candy. However, Chiamaka is suspicious of Belle’s motives and thinks Belle is being too nice. The chemistry teacher, Ms. Brown, tells the class that the science resources storeroom door was left unlocked and that some supplies were taken. Chiamaka is the science representative and is therefore responsible for locking the storeroom door. When Ms. Brown asks Chiamaka whether she stole the supplies, Chiamaka insists that she did not and states that she did not leave the door unlocked. Ms. Brown confiscates the storeroom key, saying, “It’s best we find someone else to take over managing the resources storeroom” (76).

After class, hoping to show Jamie that he has chosen the wrong girlfriend, Chiamaka invites both Belle and Jamie to watch a superhero movie at her house. Meanwhile, everyone receives another text from Aces. This time it is a video of two people having sex. Chiamaka does not watch it, since it is not about her, and tells Jamie to turn it off. She worries that Aces will somehow leak information about Jamie’s car crash.

Devon learns that the latest text from Aces is a video of him and Scotty having sex. Devon is furious and accuses Scotty of being Aces. Because Scotty has dated both Devon and Chiamaka, Devon believes that Scotty is the only one with a reason to hurt the two of them. Scotty denies being Aces. Later, Devon’s mom asks him how school was. Devon thinks about what his mom would do if she found out that he is gay, and how awful the first week back at school has been. Not wanting to burden her, he lies and says, “Everything’s good, Ma. Perfect” (87).

Chiamaka, Jamie, and Belle are at Chiamaka’s house to watch a superhero movie. Because this is one of Chiamaka and Jamie’s traditions, Chiamaka feels that having Belle there as well violates that tradition in the worst possible way. Chiamaka’s father is about to go to Italy to visit his mother. Chiamaka and her mother used to go to Italy to visit as well, but they had to stop going because her father’s family members “aren’t huge fans of Mom […] or her dark skin. And by extension, [Chiamaka] and [her] dark skin” (92).

After Belle and Jamie leave, Chiamaka cleans up the movie room and finds a piece of paper with the number “1717” written on it. She recognizes the handwriting as Jamie’s. Later, Chiamaka makes a speculative list on her phone of people who might have reason to “hate” her. She reflects that whoever is sending the anonymous texts must be targeting her, Devon, and Scotty, and she is determined to find out why.

Jack and Devon walk to school together in silence. Devon worries that he is losing Jack’s friendship. In music class, a boy named Daniel tells Devon that “it’s the twenty-first century” and “no one hates gays no more” (98). Devon tries to brush off the interaction. Soon, he receives another text from Aces. This time, it is about Jack. Aces claims that Jack has a drug addiction. Devon does not believe it. He knows Jack well and knows that Jack would never touch drugs, as “his ma died because of drugs, his dad got incarcerated because of drugs, and he has brothers to look after” (99).

Devon texts Jack to tell him that he knows the message is not true. Jack implies that it is, saying that Devon does not know him that well after all. Devon feels alone and friendless and wishes that his dad, who is incarcerated, would come home. He imagines his dad knowing what to do about Aces and teaching him important life lessons.

Chiamaka talks to Jamie about Aces, but Jamie is uninterested. Belle asks if she can join them the next time they watch Marvel movies. She also expresses concern that Chiamaka is so worried about Aces. Jamie laughs at Chiamaka for caring about Aces, and Chiamaka leaves, upset. Hiding out in the bathroom, Chiamaka thinks about the car crash again and recalls her guilt about leaving the girl behind. Belle comes to find Chiamaka and asks if she is okay.

Later, Jamie apologizes for laughing at Chiamaka. Everyone receives another text from Aces. This one is about Devon. There is a picture of him outside of Andre’s building and a text that accuses him of spending time with drug dealers in the “wrong” part of town. Chiamaka thinks that the tone of the text sounds like something a jealous ex would write, so she texts Scotty and asks him if he is Aces. Scotty again denies being the anonymous texter and asks Chiamaka if she is afraid that Aces will learn about a party from the beginning of junior year. Chiamaka does not remember much about the party.

In a flashback, the narrative relates the night of the party. Chiamaka is at the party talking to Scotty. Chiamaka does not remember what has just happened, but her body hurts, and she has bruises on her hips. Scotty is very drunk, and he cries, telling her that he is a disappointment. Back in the present day, Chiamaka decides that Scotty is not Aces. She tells Jamie that he left his password at her house. Jamie says that he does not need it anymore.

Devon gets a text from Andre saying that they need to talk. When he arrives at Andre’s apartment, Andre breaks up with him because of the risk that the Aces texts pose for him. Devon tries to protest, but Andre has two of his friends drag Devon outside and beat him. Devon loses consciousness.

When Devon wakes up, there is a boy standing over him. He introduces himself as Terrell Rosario and says that he saw what happened to Devon and took him home to make sure he was okay. Terrell says that he and Devon went to middle school together, and that Devon was his first kiss. Devon is confused that he cannot remember Terrell or the kiss. When Devon goes home, his mother is looking at some unpaid bills. Devon gives her the money he had saved from dealing drugs. She is clearly disapproving, but she thanks him.

Chiamaka cannot straighten her hair because the electricity goes out. This upsets her; she does not want to go to school with her natural hair. Her mother tells her that she should love her hair. Chiamaka reflects that she does love it, but she also knows that people will treat her better at school if her hair is straight.

At school, everyone receives another text implying that Devon and Andre were in a relationship. Jamie is unsurprised by this news; he suggests that Devon does not belong at Niveus because he comes from a poor neighborhood. Chiamaka worries that Aces is targeting her and Devon because they are both Black. Another text from Aces announces that Chiamaka and Jamie are sleeping together. Some girls at school harass Chiamaka about the text. One of them calls Chiamaka a “bitch,” and Chiamaka is so angry that she slaps her.

Chiamaka gets sent to Headmaster Ward’s office. She tells him about Aces, and he says that he will look into it, but he seems skeptical and unsympathetic. He reminds Chiamaka that the school does not tolerate violence between students, but since this is her first misdemeanor, he will let her off with a warning. When she leaves the office, Jamie finds her and tells her that he needs some space so that he can convince Belle that he has not cheated on her. Chiamaka tells him that he cannot undo what they have done and that she is “so tired of [him] pretending things didn’t happen” (143). She brings up the accident again. Jamie tells her that she should think before she speaks, because “people might start to think [she’s] making things up for attention” (144).

Devon feels isolated from both Jack and Andre. He goes to Terrell’s house and tells him about Aces. Terrell is sympathetic and asks Devon about his music and his plans after high school. Terrell cannot afford college, though he would like to attend; instead, he plans to get a job after graduation. The two boys watch a movie together and bond, but Devon is still perturbed that he cannot remember Terrell from middle school. The next day at school, Chiamaka talks to Devon. She tells him that she has told Headmaster Ward about Aces, and that that she believes the headmaster will help them. Chiamaka leaves and Devon finds a USB stick in his locker. It is stuck to a playing card, an ace of spades, along with a note that says, “Everything is on here” (154). Devon goes to the library and uses one of the computers to look at the USB. There is only one folder on it, titled “The Life and Crimes of Chiamaka Adebayo” (155). The folder has lots of subfolders containing photos. One is labeled Murderer. Devon does not open that one.

Later, after a prefect meeting, Headmaster Ward asks Devon and Chiamaka to stay behind. He accuses Devon and Chiamaka of “collecting defamatory information about each other” (158). He also revokes their status as prefects and gives them detentions every day after school. Devon and Chiamaka realize that they both received USB sticks and go to the library to compare them. When they plug the USB drives into the computer, they realize that both drives have been corrupted and are unreadable. They suspect that someone is trying to get them expelled from Niveus.