A Touch of Grace

[ chapter twelve: what a struggle ]

"What question?" I inquired.

"Why are you so nervous?" he reminded me. "You think I'm going to try to kill you or something?"

"Not kill..." I muttered. "Maybe kiss," I said even quieter.

He glanced at me for a moment as he began pulling out of the driveway. "At least you're acknowledging it," he muttered.

"Yeah, well, I don't want to think about it," I grunted.

"I wouldn't have actually kissed you, you know that right?" he inquired.

"Because of our agreement, right?" I asked him.

"Yeah, that and I'm not going to force myself on you," he scoffed. "I've been raised better than that and I respect you."

"Yeah, I hope you'd respect women; you have four sisters," I retorted.

"Speaking of them, Paige and Alex have been asking about you, by the way," he told me. Those are his two older sisters who are in college and I guess you can say I was close with them. We'd play together when we were younger and they'd protect me from their brother.

"Yeah, what have they been asking?" I inquired.

He glanced away from me and shrugged. "They've been asking if you've been abusing me still," he sighed.

I gaped at him. "You're such an idiot!" I hissed and he began laughing. "They don't actually think I hurt you, right?"

"No, they love you more than they love me," he explained. "They've been asking how you've been and if I've been treating you nicely."

"Were you honest? Did you tell them how you harass me every day? How you make me cry all the time?" I asked him.

"I do not make you cry," he responded. "Right?" he asked, seeming a bit panicked.

"I'd never shed a tear over you," I snorted as I looked out the window.

"Thank you?" he asked.

"It wasn't a compliment," I reiterated.

+ + +

After Phoenix dropped me off and told me to text him if I needed to get picked up, I approached Alice's front door. I knocked twice, waiting for an answer. When there wasn't one, I wriggled the doorknob, finding the door to be opened. I glanced in the driveway, noticing that Alice's mother's car wasn't there. I slipped inside and closed the door behind me, making my way up to Alice's room. The door was open and she was lying on her bed, on her back, with tearstained cheeks and a large stuffed cat in her arms.

"Alice?" I spoke, trying not to startle her.

"What?" she mumbled into the stuffed animal.

"You okay?" I asked as I walked to the edge of her bed and sat down.

"No," she told me. "My heart is broken."

"What happened?" I asked her. She rolled over so she was facing me and she sniffled, staring at her entwined hands.

"I managed to gather up the nerve to ask Valerie to hang out so we saw a movie and got a bite to eat. I tried to be casual and ask if she was seeing anyone but she just looked at me and told me that she didn't like girls. It was so awkward. I mean, I could tell she was uncomfortable and I just wanted to run away. I don't think I can face her ever again," my best friend ranted.

"It sucks that Valerie missed out on such a great person. Any girl would be lucky to have you and soon enough you'll find the right girl," I told Alice.