A Touch of Grace

[ chapter seventeen: the initiation ]

Chapter 17: The Initiation

"And you initiated it?" Camryn asked quietly.

"Yes!" I responded as I unlocked my locker. "I just said that."

"We can talk about it more in the cafeteria, I'm starving," Alice explained as she rubbed her stomach.

"Wait, I want to get my books for next period," I told them. "But I was surprised at how much I actually wanted to kiss—."

"Shut up," Alice hissed.

"What?" I asked as I turned around. Phoenix was approaching with furrowed eyebrows.

"What's up with the sudden silence?" he questioned.

"We were just talking—," Alice started.

"About you," Camryn finished.

Phoenix looked surprised that Camryn had been that blunt. "Really?" he asked.

"We're going to go get lunch," Camryn smiled as she disappeared behind Phoenix. I glared at her and she made began kissing the back of her hand grossly, pointing to me and then to Phoenix. I stuck up my middle finger and she laughed, dragging Alice around the corner in the direction of the cafeteria.

"You guys were talking about me?" Phoenix asked as he leaned against the locker beside mine.

"Yeah," I nodded.

"Yeah?" he asked. "What about?"

"Just about you," I told him.

"Specifically?" he inquired.

"You," I responded. Noticing his curious look, I sighed. "I can't tell you. It'll be weird."

"Just pretend I'm Camryn, or Alice," he suggested. "Like, girl, like, what did you, like, say, about, like, Phoenix? Like?"

I rolled my eyes at him while chuckling. "They don't say 'like' after every word, and you have to be more realistic if you want this to work."

"Phoenix is so hot, don't you think?" he asked in a falsetto voice. I stared at him and smiled.

"I can't take you seriously," I laughed. "They asked about what happened on Halloween and then they asked me some questions."

"What questions?" he asked.

"They asked if I got any candy, if we kissed, if I was going to give them some candy," I trailed.

"What'd you say?" he inquired.

"I told them I didn't get candy," I responded.

"No," he sighed. "What'd you say about whether or not we kissed?"

"I said no, that we didn't, because we didn't," I responded.

"But..." he trailed.

"We almost did," I explained. "And they asked what happened and I told them."

"I wish I had someone to tell things to," he complained as we walked towards the lunch room.

"Tell Leo," I joked and he glared at me.

"He'd kill me if he found out I almost kissed you," he muttered.

"You could always confide in Elliot," I told Phoenix. "He's a really good listener. And he gives good advice." He looked at me doubtfully and I shook my head. "Trust me, he won't tell your business either."

I entered the lunch room and got my food before approaching my table. I sat down and Camryn smirked at me. "So how was it?"

"We didn't kiss," I told her and she shook her head.