Grace
"Hey sweetheart." My dad's voice echoes through the receiver.
"Hi dad." I say, watching Michael kick a soccer ball around with Calum in the backyard.
"Is everything okay over there?"
Nope. There's a really annoying boy who thinks he's all that, and not only did he steal a twix bar from me, he also invaded my private area. "Of course. It'd be better with you here." I say in a singsong voice.
I hear my mother chuckle in the background, as my father says, "We'll be back by Friday."
"Alright. How's the University of Florida?" I ask, just wanting to make small talk. I actually didn't care at all. I had no intentions of going to UF, and didn't even know what Lily was studying there. I've always wanted to leave Florida and go to Seattle. Big difference, big move.
"It's wonderful. I'm sure you'll love it when you graduate this year and go there next year." My mother gushes, taking over the phone.
I roll my eyes. I haven't actually told my parents about my ideas for college. I know they wouldn't approve. It's always been Florida for them. My parents went and met at UF, and they expected me to as well. At one point, I had decided to fail so badly that they wouldn't accept me, but in that case, Washington wouldn't accept me either. "Definitely." I mumble.
"How are Michael and Calum?"
"They're great. They're playing soccer right now."
"Tell them I said hi."
"Mhm."
"Is there a new family in town?"
"I don't know." I lie. "I haven't seen anyone."
"Oh. Ashton's mother called me yesterday night and said he started hanging out with a new boy in town. He's in your year, starting in your school as well. You should say hi, if he's Ashton's friend, he must be a nice boy."
I start to scoff, but stop myself, remembering I was talking to my mother. "Oh, I'm sure he's a great guy. I'll be sure to talk to him." I say nonchalantly.
"What have you been eating these days?"
I laugh lightly. "What kind of question is that? You know I can cook a large enough variety of meals to keep myself satisfied for a week."
"I know, I'm just curious. A lot of pizza and spaghetti?"
I twist a piece of my brown hair around my finger. "Maybe." I say, dragging out the 'e', "But I also ate salad."
My mother laughs loudly. Her laugh always reminded me of Lily's. They laughed exactly the same. Which is why, currently, I hated it whenever my mother laughed.
"Okay. Love you." I say, not wanting the conversation to drag on any longer. Calum just kicked Michael's shin.
"Love you Grace, stay safe."
I hang up the phone and immediately walk over to Michael. "Are you okay?"
"No I'm not." Michael hissed.
I glare at Calum, and run inside to get a band-aid.
It takes me a few minutes to find one; all the boxes I looked in were empty except the one in the very back.
When I come back outside, Michael and Calum are kicking around the soccer ball again.
I squint my eyes, furrowing my eyebrows. "Do you still need this?"
Michael shakes his head. "Nah, I'm good. Let's go visit Ashton."
"But I just ate a twix bar." I say, annoyed that I went inside and got a band-aid for no reason.
Calum laughs. "Since when do you care how many more twix bars you eat a day? You'd only eat twix bars if you could."
"True."
Michael climbs into his truck, and I sit in the back, because Calum beat me to the front.
"Your car smells like hell." I say, scrunching up my nose in disgust.
"You're quite the straightforward one, aren't you?"
I giggle. "What a surprise." I move the food wrappers on the floor around to give my feet some space.
Calum turns the radio on to Britney's Baby One More Time, and we all sing along until we reach the candy shop.
"Isn't it so funny how Ashton claims he's manly, but he works at a candy shop called "Krazy Kandy" written in pink?"
Michael laughs in agreement, opening the door.
As soon as I walk in, Ashton is standing there, holding a twix bar in his hand, the price already showing up on the register.
I rummage through my purse, taking out three quarters, and taking the candy. "Took my advice?"
"I did."
"How were you so prepared, though?"
"Who could miss your beautiful face from outside my shop?" Ashton teases, and I laugh.
"You really know how to flatter someone; it was only a little bit creepy." I say honestly.
"I wish you'd feel more creeped out than flattered. You don't deserve to feel flattered." Luke's voice interrupts every thought I have.
I whip my head towards where his voice came from, and he's sitting there, eating a twix bar. "You told me I was the rude one yesterday, but look who's talking." I say as meanly as I can, nearly growling.
He smirks. "You don't scare me." He says calmly.
"I said I didn't want to talk or see you again. I wouldn't have, if you didn't speak up."
"Oh, Gracie. I would feel sympathy for you, however, I don't. I don't feel sympathy for those who don't deserve it."
Anger is boiling inside me, but I keep it inside, as Michael shoots a glare at Luke. "Chill, kid. Besides, she doesn't like being called Gracie. It's Grace."
I lean into Michael more, thankful he butted in.
"Who are you? Her boyfriend?"
"No," He snorts. "I'm her best friend."
Luke nods. "That's what I thought. Gracie can't keep her temper down for long enough for any boyfriend to keep up with."
"Excuse me?" I nearly scream.
"What?" Luke says innocently, making me want to punch his pretty face in.
My jaw drops. "You're an asshole, Luke. An asshole. This just started off as playful hate, and last night, you finally hit my last nerve. The fact that you can say all this is unbelievable. How far will you go?"
Michael starts pushing me to the door, with Calum right behind me.
Luke is staring at me blankly, all his expression lost. "I-"
"Don't speak, I don't listen to immature brats." I take my twix bar and snap it in half, then I open the door, and step on it outside, crushing it to pieces, making sure Luke can see. "Twix bars are basically the love of my life, but because you love them too, I'm never eating them again. I hate you." I say harshly, realizing how malicious I sounded.
I stomp outside, fuming.
"Grace, calm down. What happened between you two? He literally arrived to Miami like, two days ago. I didn't even know you two met." Michael says, confused.
"You were there! When he stole my twix bar."
Michael got back into the truck. "Oh, right. Sorry. But Grace, you can't let him do that to you. Now that he knows how easy it is to hit your nerves, he'll do it all the time, just to spite you. Don't let him be in control."
I nod, his words melting in my brain. "You're right." I huff, leaning my head against the window as Michael drove me home.
"What happened last night?" Calum asked, looking over his shoulder to see me.
I shrug. "Stuff." I couldn't tell them about the City of 94, which is exactly where I planned to go as soon as Michael dropped me off. I needed to breathe.
"Just ignore him. If you don't let him get to you, he won't try anymore. Hey, maybe you guys will end up being friends, if you're lucky enough to keep bumping into him." Calum suggests.
I laugh sarcastically. "I'd rather never have another twix bar in my entire life than run into him one more time."
"That's a lot of hate, Grace." Michael muttered, dropping me off.
"Bye." I say, slamming his door shut, going up my driveway.
I wait until the two of them have driven away, before getting into my own car, speeding off towards Highway 94. I'd live in the City of 94 if I could.
I go down the pebbled pathway and was about to park, when I realized something was wrong.
There was another car in my spot.
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