Graceless

Huit

-EDITED 19/10/15-     14/05/16

VIII

                  

"Grace?" My aunt called out to me, "Are you going?"

I breathed slowly and held my breath before walking to the front door. I just turned eighteen, my aunt is letting me make my own choices now. I guess. She told me that it was up to me if I wanted to get 'better'. I nodded slowly at her as I hurried out the door.

I stopped dead in my tracks, the cold almost toppled me over. It bit at my cheeks and nibbled on my toes. I should have worn sneakers and a sweater. Dammit. I bit my lip, hesitating on the front steps for a few seconds and I decided it wasn't worth it. It'll get hot pretty soon.

Curious, I walked in the completely opposite direction of the psychologist. What would happen if I didn't go? Would she beat me? My heart tumbled on that thought and I rebuked it. She was nothing like him. The streets were bare, save for the very late students and a few pedestrians. Everything was hazy and laced with stardust, I strolled past the bakery and slipped into the side alley to catch my breath. You'll be okay Grace.

Cold hands latched onto my throat tightly squeezing and I heard the 'snap, snap' of cartilage breaking. His face flashed before my eyes and I was paralysed with fear. I didn't even scream. I couldn't.

"I have you now Grace," His blurred face twisted into a clear sinister expression "It's okay."

I was enveloped in an endless vacuum. Cold and alone.

"It's okay."

"It's okay."

"Grace."

"It's okay Grace."

Something cold pressed against my forehead and I realised I was dreaming.

"Grace," I squeezed my eyes together even tighter at the sound of the voice.

I may not be in the best of states of mind but I was an expert at putting voices to face and faces to names. That voice had grey eyes. Eyes I never want to see again. My stomach churned strongly. Eyes wide, my body quivered and I rolled to the side releasing the toxins onto the floor, burning my throat raw while I did so.

Gentle hands settled me onto my back slowly. The room was dark and quiet, I wanted to grab the tension hanging over me and snap it in half, his hand then brushed my forehead lightly.

My breaths came out it hurried spurts. I remembered nothing of the night before, I only remember the worried look on Lena's face as I drifted into the wall of moving bodies.

My eyes were trained on the smooth white ceiling, determined to find flaws. Determined to do anything but be here. His hand settled on top of my head.

The hand was still on my head stroking slightly, he was kneeling beside me. I dared not look at him. There was a strangled sound and suddenly I felt his hair tickling my neck lightly and his head dropped onto the bed. My stomach churned faster and I flinched.

"I'm so sorry, Grace," his voice was a whisper but it was heavy and raw.

His head was on my neck now and his hand was no longer touching me.

"I'm so sorry,"

My neck felt damp but my throat was dry and I couldn't swallow. I didn't want him to touch me. I didn't want anyone to touch me.

You weren't saying that last night you whore.

"Why?" my voice was stronger than I expected, high and angry.

"Because I'm a weak fool and I shouldn't have let you leave that day," he didn't move but his voice was not muffled, it was clear and raspy "I swear I didn't even expect to see you last night... you looked so..."

He shivered and my heart clenched.

"I told myself that I was not going to get involved but I couldn't just stand there and watch that guy just take advantage of a drunk girl like that. It all happened so fast Grace, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hit him but something inside me snapped when I saw the two of you leaving; him with a sick grin and you stumbling behind him."

"I don't need to take care of me," my voice rose and my face grew hot, "I didn't ask for your help!"

He flinched and rose off of me as if he were electrocuted by my response but I didn't care.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" I set my eyes on him and his jaw was ticking, I could see it.

His eyes were clouded over and for a second and saw a flash of him in his yes—my uncle. He leaned in close to me, his face a breath away and I flinched, not knowing what to expect. A black eye? A couple of bruises?

I heard him sigh slowly, the air tickling my face lightly. His lips pressed against mine softly, the pin that popped the water balloon of tension clinging to the ceiling and a wave of something else drowned us. I had no idea what it was and I was not so sure if I wanted to find out. You're okay, Grace. I sighed onto his lips and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"I'm okay," I looked into his eyes, the silver orbs looking past mine.

In that moment I was convinced that I was.

Just this once, at least.

--

A/N

YASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! Been waiting a long while to write this!! XD Thanks for reading ♥May be a little short but yeah, this may seem like a filler but it was an important filler c: since this is out of the way the whole plot will start to make a little more sense and Grace would hopefully be less of a stranger.

I loveeee you,

Fleur ♥