Ch 4

Morning comes and I still feel like I'm walking on air. Grace and I agreed starting today we will be walking with each other again.

"Mom! I'm leaving, love you!" I yell towards the back room.

"Ya ya" Mom mumbles.

Mom is clearly not fully awake.

I'm sooo excited! I rush out the door grabbing my backpack and an apple for breakfast, but what I find isn't Grace but Brad waiting outside.

"Grace! Let's go!" Brad yells towards the upstairs window.

"Hey!" I step up

Brad turns and glares

"What do you want?" Brad gestures

"Well for 1, you are not dating anymore. And 2, you look like a creep standing out here." I say clenching my fist.

"What did you call me!" Brad steps closer to me.

Closing my eyes waiting for the impact. "Hey! Boys it's cute that you are fighting over my daughter but it's annoying that it's in front of my door, EARLY IN THE MORNING!" Stella Shouts "Go to school!

"Sorry," I say inching away from her. She's scary when she's upset.

"Whatever, tell Grace I waited for her," Brad says, shrugging his shoulders, not even looking at Shella while he walks away.

"Hurry up and leave" Stella says, not taking an eye off of Brad.

My head hangs low, but my face is heated, and fist clenched. I cannot believe he will not leave her alone.

I walked to school thinking of a way to help Grace from being around bullface Brad but Grace doesn't get to school until hours later. I tried to talk to her, but she said she needed some time alone.

Five thirty rolls arounds, schools finally over. Getting up from my desk I see Grace walking out the classroom door. Running after her, I offer to walk with Grace but once again, She half smiles and says "another time.." and walks away.

What's going on?

Walking home I kept thinking of a plan to convince Grace to talk to me, to trust me. I see Stella outside watering their plants.

"Is Grace home?" I say peeking behind her.

"Yeah but it seems she wants to be alone. Do you want to leave her a message or you can just text her?" Stella says putting the water-can down beside her.

"Can't I just go up and talk to her?" I say as if I have ants in my pants. Wanting to jump inside the house.

"If she's okay with it but the second she says no you'll have to leave. Sorry, Hun. A mother gonna protect her kids" Stella says walking towards the door.

"That's fine, Thank you!" I say walking into the house, holding myself back from running upstairs.

-------

Stella lets me in.

I head up to Grace's room, Knocking on her door, "Hey, Grace? Can we talk?"

Silence.

"Grace, let me in. I can't help you if you block me out. I care deeply about you and I want to make sure you're okay," I say, shifting my weight back and forth.

I hear some shuffling, then silence.

The door opens until it's just ajar.

"Thank god," I whisper.

I look back at Stella, who has been waiting and watching downstairs. She gives me a thumbs up and walks away.

I take in a deep breath, then let it out slowly, before walking into Grace's room. Looking around, the blinds are closed, and the lights are off. It's not completely dark, as a bit of the sunset is pushing through the blinds.

"Do you mind if I sit on your bed?" I say, slowly walking towards the bed while trying to not trip.

Patting the bed to make sure nothing is in the way, I carefully sit down.

"I'm sorry," Grace says looking down.

Turning towards Grace, I notice she has been crying. I quickly hold her gently in my arms.

"Oh no, what happened?" I say, giving her a tight squeeze.

"I'm sooo sorry!" Grace says, curling herself into a ball.

"Shhh… It's okay. Let's calm down first and talk about it later" I squeeze her a little a couple more times to help with pressure she may be holding in.

"Okay…" she says, in a weak whisper.

We sit like that for an hour. She gently pulls back from my arms.

"Brad is harassing me," Grace says, taking in a deep breath.

"Are you…" I say.

She holds a hand up.

"Let me finish. He does not like the fact that I dumped him. He would rather dump me and brag about it but that didn't happen. Sooo" she takes a deep breath "He's been going around and calling me names and telling others at school stuff that never happened. I don't want to drag you in this. So, I can't risk dating you or being around you right now." Grace says determined.

"Wait wait" I say while anger creeps up "You think I would date you for status?"

"It's not about status" Grace says, wiggling out of my arms.

"That's what you're making it sound. Plus, it doesn't matter, you think I've waited years just to be told that I can never be with you because a dumbass hurt you. NEVER!!! I love every part of you no matter how much you get hurt, I'll always be here to support you and help you. Believe in that!" I say holding on to the tip of her chin, showing her how serious I am.

She begins to tear up, I go in to hold her again.

"Please don't cry, you are beautiful and strong." I say holding her with desperation.

Grace cries even harder.

Since it was Friday, I spent the night with her; One to make her feel safe and plus I didn't want to leave her just yet.

I called mom, telling her I'm sleeping over, which she didn't care about as long as I don't starve myself.

After last night I felt closer than I have ever been with Grace.

"Hey" I say slowly getting up from the floor.

"Hey…" Grace says depressed.

"How are you feeling?" I say folding my blanket.

"Better," Grace says, putting her hair in a pony.

"That's good, right?" I say looking at her intently.

She giggles "Thank you"

"You are always welcome" I say, giving a smile.

"Hey kids! I know it's Saturday but come help with breakfast" Stella yells from downstairs.

We look at each other and laugh. Setting down the folded blanket onto Grace's bed, I make my way to the door.

"Ladies first" I say, holding the door open.

"Sure, you just don't want to go down and help" She says rolling her eyes.

"You think sooooo lowly of me" I say, making a pouty face.

We laugh. This feels great. It feels as if Brad never happened, plus we got to be closer than friends. This is nice. Who would have thought?

"Hey guys! Had a good sleep?" Stella says back towards us, grabbing ingredients from the fridge.

"Yeah, definitely for me I feel as if I slept on clouds" Grace says walking towards her mom.

"Really?!" Stella glance at me with an eyebrow raised.

Instantly blush "Soooooo what would you want me to help with?" I say in panic.

Stella laughs "Cute" She whispers.

"Gin, come cook the eggs, make sure you cook about six of them. Grace come help me cut up the potatoes" Stella commands.

"Yes, ma'am" I salute in a joking manner.

"Okay," Grace says, rolling her eyes.