Getting Grace

Chapter Eight

Jerome was late to school the next day and could barely stay awake. He played around during his test and failed it. Forgetting everything Grace told him and christmas tree'd, turned it in, and slept. After the class, Grace caught up with him and he yawned wrapping his arm around her.

"Hey."

"Wassup?" He mumbled.

"How did you do on your test?" She asked smiling. "Did you remember what I taught you?"

"Yeah, yeah." He said nodding. "I remembered. I did good. Bye." He said walking away.

Grace scratched her head on that performance and walked to class. She ran into Veneer and he leaned over her.

"Hey Veneer." Grace said smiling.

"Hey babes." He said hugging her. "I'm missing you."

"It's been like a day, stop playing." Grace said. "I still got love for you."

"I know." He said stopping by the door of their classroom. "Wait a minute. I'll be in." He said taking his phone out.

At the end of the day, Veneer drove Grace home and they went inside. Grace's dad eyed them and hugged Grace.

"Dad, Veneer and I are best friends he's my protector." Grace said to her dad as they walked upstairs. "We're going to do homework."

"Ok, behave."

"We'll try." Veneer said winking at my dad. He growled and Veneer laughed.

"That's why he doesn't like you." Grace said punching his chest. "Chill."

"He knows I'm joking." Veneer said waving the conversation and bouncing lightly in Grace's bed. "You feel like doing my homework?"

"You feel like doing mine?" He shook his head quickly.

"That's not the deal. You do mine. You do your's."

"No." Grace said biting on her pencil.

"Aye don't do that, that's a turn on." He joked. Grace chucked the pencil at him and he dodged it.

"As I was saying," she rolled her eyes. "You do your's. I do mine."

"Fine." He growled picking the pencil up and taking his work out.

"My pencil please?" Grace asked with her hand out. Veneer handed it back and took out one of his own.

"So how are you and Jerome working out exactly?" Veneer asked.

"Perfectly. I like him. He's nice." Grace said all at once. "He hasn't done anything suspicious, yet."

"You trust him?" Grace shook her head. "Good."

"Veneer I don't need you down my throat. I can handle it." She told him politely.

"You sure? I don't need my ass beat for not protecting you." He said.

"I promise I can do it. I'm growing up." She pouted.

"Ok, I'm still gonna check up on you, though." Vener said tapping his pencil.

"That's fine." She told him. "Just don't ask every day."

"I don't ask every day." He protested.

"Drop it." He shut his mouth and continued with this work.

"We probably should've just left that party."

"Veneer!"

"I'm sorry!" He said shutting up. They finished their homework and put their things away.

"I'll be here to pick you up tomorrow." He said pinching her cheek.

"No." She cried rubbing her cheek.

"So adorable." Veneer joked. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Leave already." She yelled throwing a pillow at him. He caught it and threw it back running away. The pillow hit Grace in the face and she fell back laughing. "I hate you!"

She went into the bathroom still laughing and started the shower up.

Jerome was sitting next to Hailey trying to sweet talk her. "Come on ma. Let me take you home."

She blushed with a smile. "I don't know. I know someone like you can't be single."

"Oh don't worry about no other girl. I'm sure you don't have to worry about anyone." He said. "Come on. I don't bite."

"No boy. Maybe another time." She said.

"Damn, you gonna do me like that?" He whined. "Well, maybe I do have a girl and she way more willing to give it up."

"Then I guess you'll have to call her, because my bank is closed." She whispered. "Bye Jerome." She stood up and walked away, twisting her hips for him.

"Damn Hailey," he groaned. "Always on the same shit."

"Dude I see you got rejected." Drake joked taking Hailey's old seat.

"Man I ain't stressing." Jerome said. "I got a girl. Plus Hailey will give it to me eventually."

"A girl? Like a main bitch?" He asked, like a girlfriend was some unknown term to him.

"No like a girlfriend dumb ass." Jerome said slapping him. "Moron."

He rubbed the back of his head. "My bad. She bad?"

"She alright. She ain't no Nicki Minaj or no Beyonce." He said. "I'm only with her for a bet."

"Aye go get Astro." Jerome told him spotting him out in the crowd. "This nigga owe me an explanation."

"Alright." He said getting up. "I'll be right back."

A thick darkskin chick walked past him grabbing his attention. "Hey mami never seen you here. What's your name?"

"Relationship." She said continuing to walk.

"Well, relationship. I was wondering if you'd like to take this back to my place?" Jerome said being childish.

"Back off." She said. "Don't think I'm scared of you of something."

"I bet you are." He said. "You might not think you are, but deep down you know I'm crazy. I'll have your boyfriend killed and I'll sell his organs to pay for his funeral."

"You're sick." She said staring him into the eyes. "I like it."

"I got a sick ass stoke game, too. I think you'll like that more." He said.

"I was joking." She said pushing him back. "Stay away from me."

"Alright fuck you then." Jerome said. Astro walked over and dapped Jerome up.

"Wassup?"

"Aye where you been?" He said.

"Oh I been laying low." He said. "Just a lot of other things going on in life."

"Well, you need to get over it and get back on these streets. You messing with my money."

"Look I'm sorry man. I'll be back soon." Astro said.

"Tomorrow. Come by the trap and I'll give you the product." Jerome told him standing up. "I guess since I ain't getting no pussy tonight I'm out."

"Aye where you headed?" Frank asked.

"Home." Jerome answered. "These bitches wack."

Jerome left and drove home. It was late and the house was quiet. He showered and flopped on to his bed with his phone in hand. He shortly after fell asleep forgetting to text Grace.