Stronger Together

~4~

Gracelyn woke up the next morning with bruises everywhere so she had to wear jeans and a sweat shirt to school because the lower parts of her neck had bruises from the beast visit that occurred after May left. After getting ready she runs out the door and begins her 20 minute walk to school because she has no money for the bus or subway. As she's about to walk around the corner she hears someone call her name "Grace" she turns around to see Peter May and Bens nephew she starts walking towards him as he runs to catch up to her "hey" she says and smiles a little

"Hi" he looks down second guessing the confidence he had a second ago "aren't you going the wrong way subways that way" he says looking down at his feet while he bounces a bit

"I normally walk to school which is this way" she points and then speaks up again " have fun on your subway I'll see you later" then she turns around attempting to continue her walk to school

Peter grabs her wrist but immediately drops it after he sees Grace flinch but he did successfully get her attention "you shouldn't walk around queens by yourself it's dangerous"

She rolls her eyes partly because she's trying to ignore the pain that her wrist has caused her "I do it every morning I'll be fine" she gives him a reassuring smile and turns around and starts walking but after a minute she realized that Peter didn't go to the subway but continued to follow her to school she smiles at him "if your going to walk to school with me at least actually walk with me so people don't think your a stalker" she laughs at his reaction as he quickly speeds up and then slows back down to her pace when he's next to her .

"Sorry to seem like some creepy stalker it's just May would kill me if I let you walk alone" he says matter of factly

Grace laughs "yea she would" just the mention of May and Ben could make that girl smile there the only real family figures she really has

Peter then starts to kick a rock on the sidewalk trying to keep the same rock the whole time then.

Gracelyn steals the rock and then starts to run with it like a soccer player they play like that on there way to the school and then separate to go to there different classrooms Grace didn't have many friends in the class that year the only person she really knew was Bella and she ditched her all the time so Gracelyn kept to herself until lunch when she sat next to MJ which yes she is now allowed to call her that after the first sleepover they had at Michelle house her dad didn't know about it but it was honestly one of the best nights of Graces life she didn't deal with her dad or the beast and for her that's a win.

After school Michelle's mom drove Gracelyn home as usual but first they stopped for food which left Grace with less time to get her chores done which were getting even more lengthy and tiring by the day and if she didn't finish she didn't let herself finish that thought so she quickly went into her apartment and got started in the now ap physics work that her father gave her she was only ever given minimal house work and then homework straight out of a science textbook and her regular school homework which was easy work for her after about 2 hours she finished her work for the day and almost if on cue there's on a knock on the door signaling that her dads home she's tempted to just not answer but she goes to the door and opens it expecting a lecture but it's just Ben who has Chinese food in his hands .

"Hey kiddo you want dinner?"he asks

Gracelyn gladly accepts and walks over to the Parkers with Ben in tow once he places it on the counter Grace helps grab the food and set it down on the table where each person sits and then puts the rice and egg rolls in the middle of the table.

Ben then yells "Chinese delivery"

Grace laughs at his antics just as Peter and May run in Peter isn't at all surprised to see Grace because he knew she'd come for dinner May and Ben already told him that she's basically there kid but they said not to tell Grace that they said that because they don't want to scare her but based on what he knows he's sure Grace feels just as at home with them as they feel with her.