Chapter 37: 𝓘'𝓵𝓵 𝓜𝓲𝓼𝓼 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓣𝓸𝓸
He tensed up when Jake started singing. He had his hands on her waist and kept pulling her closer to his chest. He was looking Gracie up and down like he was hungry and she was the last piece of food left on this planet. Cory couldn't stand the way he was touching her and he couldn't watch any further.
He stood up from his seat, his anger building up as he walked up the steps to the stage and punched Jake in the face.
-
One punch in and he was already being escorted out of the house by the rest of his teammates. The images of Jake's hands all over her - her waist and cheek and her hair infuriated Cory.
He didn't want to see anyone else's hands on her. He yanked one of the boys' hands off him and ran his hands through his dripping wet hair. Rage gripped him; his jaw was clenched and his chest was heaving up and down.
He-who-shall-not-be-named slammed the front door open hard enough to hit the wall. "We were just singing together! What the hell did you do that?!"
"Just singing? If that actually were the case, that'd be fine, but your hands were all over her!"
"Oh, come on! That meant nothing! It was a sexy song-"
"That you chose!"
Rain was still being dumped from the sky, thunder was booming loud enough to drown out the rest of the argument and lightning was brightening up the whole sky. Wind was blowing so fast, palm trees and cactuses were swaying and birds were flying everywhere, desperate to find shelter from the storm.
Gracie remained inside, but stood behind Jake with a perfect view of Cory. She'd never seen Cory so angry. His piercing eyes directed toward Jake and the heat that was spreading to his face in fury reminded her of her father. Growing up, she learned things at a slower pace thanks to a certain brain injury.
She remembered that for the longest time, she'd still hold her fork with a fist - much like a baby would when they're first learning to use eating utensils. If she was at an age where she could remember that, she was too old.
Her dad wasn't the most patient man. He never hit her. It never became anything physically violent, but when she wouldn't respond to him, he'd scream and curse at her, the veins popping out of his red forehead. Gracie only wouldn't respond to him because she was always intimidated by him. She feared she'd say something that would unleash the monster hidden within him.
There was one day when she realized how scary her dad was. She couldn't think of what it was that started it, but her and her mom were in their bathroom as she was fixing her hair. They were getting ready for her older sister's basketball game at their middle school.
Dad came in. He was livid. He screamed at mom to get out of his house, her mom recoiling against the shower door. Her voice saying that she was sorry, on the verge of bursting into tears always haunted Gracie whenever dad would get angry. She would imagine herself in mom's position with his face inches away from hers and feel the horror wrapped around her chest.
Now there stood Cory with a familiar look and now Gracie was trembling with fear. Her eyes were glistening with unshed tears at the memories but she quickly wiped them away with her fist before anyone could see them. She wouldn't want to cause another scene and ruin their party even more.
"You know what? Fuck you! Don't ever let me catch you with your hands all over my girl-I mean her again!" He squeezed his eyes shut and forced himself to take deep breaths, focusing his attention on Gracie who was still inside as she watched the fight. A small smile touched his lips. "I'll meet you in the car, Gracie! I want to make sure you get home safe!"
-
Gracie was finally able to crawl into bed to watch the new YouTube videos of the day after washing the makeup off her face and brushing her teeth. Her mom was surprised she came home early. And in an Uber, not in Cory's car.
She couldn't forget the words Kendall said to her earlier that night when Cory was waiting in the car.
"What did I tell you about staying away from him?"
"He said you two weren't a thing. And that you were just jealous."
Fuck!
Kendall swallowed a lump in her throat. She was jealous, but she didn't want Gracie to know that. She had to shove her jealousy away and act like it didn't bother her so she stood up straight with her head held high.
"Jealous?" Kendall scoffed at the thought. "Jealous of a short, ugly rat like you? I don't think so. He's more into girls like me. Hot..." She kept taking steps closer to Gracie. "Sexy." She stared her down, towering above her in five-inch heels. "Beautiful."
Gracie was tearing up, but she didn't want Kendall to know she was winning, so she wiped the tears away before they exposed her.
"Now, fuck off and let me ride home with Cory. Alone."
Cory said to tell him if Kendall ever said anything to her, but she wanted to get out of there as fast as possible.
Now she was enjoying Sam & Jess with a bowl of Cookies and cream ice cream topped with chocolate syrup.
Cory Walker:
Sent 7:36pm
Sorry about tonight.
Next time we hang out, it'll be at your house, watching TV.
Gracie Summers:
Sent 7:36pm
I'd like that.
Kendall's words echoed around her head. It hurt her heart, but she had to keep distance between them for a little while.
Gracie Summers:
Sent 7:37pm
But I'm afraid that we can't.
We can't talk anymore.
Cory Walker:
Sent 7:37pm
Why not?
Is everything okay?
Cory Walker:
Sent 7:46pm
Did Kendall say something?
Why did you take an Uber home? I wanted to drive you.
Did she tell you to stay away again?
Did you at least get home safe?
Cory Walker:
Sent 7:51pm
Gracie, talk to me, please
Cory Walker:
Sent 8:16pm
I'll miss you
Gracie Summers:
Sent 8:17
I'll miss you too.
Gracie could barely see the keyboard with the tears blurring her vision. Just typing out the message dropped her heart into an endless pit and hot tears were sliding down her cheeks.
She tried to wipe them away, but it was useless. More were coming, racing to fall to the floor first. She knew she was gonna miss him so damn much. Before, her days were spent waking up, going to work, watching TV, eating and going back to sleep.
She didn’t have a social life. She barely had a life. Period. Then Cory came. She had something to look forward to. Their morning texts. Nightly talks. Their phone calls. He was the closest she ever had to a friend, but she knew she did the right thing. If she kept hanging out with him, Kendall would keep texting to stay away.
Cory hugged his knees to his chest with his head down and hands on the back of his neck. He didn’t do anything to stop the unshed tears from being released.
He was fine. Living his life, going to football practices, hanging out with his friends. Then he texted the wrong number. Expecting to only make a new companion, Gracie became something more than that. She was all he thought about. Her voice was all he heard. Her smile was all he saw. His admiration for her was all he felt.
Everything was gone. Everything he looked forward to everyday. He couldn’t see her everyday or receive any form of communication from her. And just the thought broke him. Sooner or later, his tears were accompanied by sobs. Never did he think that he’d feel emotions this powerful. This strong.
C
ory will miss her.
So.
Fucking.
Much.