Tattooed Hearts

Photography & Lasagna

"Next to the library, it has the best fries." I answer. Mia and I have always been really close, she was only eight when our parents divorced. Our dad still lives in Florida, and we barely keep in touch with him. Mia needs a male role figure in her life to look up to, so I decided to take the spot.

"So who'd you eat lunch with, if it wasn't Luke," She wonders.

"Someone in my class named Grace," I reply.

She turns around and smirks. "A girl?" She bats her eyelashes.

I chuckle. "Yes, a girl."

"Why'd you sit with her? Do you like her?"

"I suck at homework. She offered to help," Lie. "Plus, she looked like she needed someone to sit with." Another lie. But after seeing how everyone treats her, she definitely needs a friend. Even if she resents me, I know her closed off behavior can't last forever. For some reason, I want to be her friend.

"Is she pretty?" Mia asks innocently as she turns away to fix her bed, but I can detect the grin on her face.

"Yes." I respond.

"Why don't you ask her out?"

"I barely know her. But if you want to meet her, I was thinking about inviting her over to help me study."

"Study what? Chemistry?" She teases. I gently push her away.

"Calculus," I say, laughing.

"Isaac, why would yo invite over a girl you barely know? Unless you like her..." She trails off.

"People have tutors over all the time, Mia. Don't get too far ahead of yourself."

She giggles, putting the last of her things away and shushes me out of her room, closing the door, the little bell ringing as she shuts it.

I walk back over to my room and lay on my bed, pulling out my phone and scrolling through Instagram. I search for Grace Baker, but no results come up. I check Twitter and Facebook as well, nothing. So I open up her contact and press the message button.

ISAAC: Hey, is this Grace? I say and click send. I lay on my bed and wait for her response, which comes a few minutes later.

GRACE: Yes, who's this? It reads. I quickly type back.

ISAAC: Isaac.

GRACE: That was quick! Are you already stuck on homework? She asks. I laugh to myself.

ISAAC: Actually, ya. Help?

GRACE: Of course. Where should we meet?

I shout for my mom, asking if I can have Grace Baker over for homework help. She responds with a sure.

ISAAC: Want to study at my place?

I wait for her response. Five minutes. Ten minutes. Fifteen minutes. Shit. That's it. She thinks I'm a creep. She hates me. God dammit. Was I too straight forward? Does she not like me? Is she with someone else?

Oh wait.

My phone buzzed.

GRACE: Sounds good. What time?  It says and I smile, relief flooding through me.

ISAAC: Is in an hour good?

GRACE: Sounds like a plan. I begin to sit up until my screen lights up again.