Alright guys! How's it goin? Good? Good? Great. Guess what? There's three g's before this sentence. Lols! But no, really guess what? There's a twist at the end. And Annie's POV for the first time. I don't even think I did her POV in the previous one......no....no I don't think I did. Hmm....how odd. I did a Myla's POV in that one, but I don't think I ever did an Annie's POV. How strange.
Now I know that after you guys read like the first...what? The first couple POV's, you're going to be kicking and screaming and shouting out "WHY?!"
Ha ha, I just like to torture ya. No, I'm kidding I don't. It's not the right setting, trust me. When IT happens, you guys are going to be like "AW! I'm so happy she choose to have it happen now!" It's cute, trust me. Lol. Okay, here we go peoples!
<3 Nikky~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-Grace's POV-
Cory was acting weird. And I mean really weird. He was walking me home after school, after Coach kicked me off the cross country team due to too many missed practices and after I had to do some hard work convincing my father to let me walk home. Both he and my mom have been acting weird, and they got even weirder after Owen had his accident. I could tell that they were hiding something, but I just didn't know what. God, everyone around me was acting weird. What's up with everybody now?
"Grace?" Cory asked.
"Hmm?"
"We're uh....we're still going to that dance-ball thing together, right?"
"Of course, why wouldn't we be?"
"Just wondering," he shook his head. "I'm kind of looking forward to it."
"Me too," I smiled. He was silent again after that. Enough of this now, I thought. This kid was one of my two best friends, and something was up with him, and he wasn't telling me. I sighed and stepped in front of him.
"Grace, what-"
"What's wrong with you?" I asked, folding my arms across my chest.
"What are you talking about?"
"I can tell something's bothering you, but you won't tell me what."
"Grace, your dad is going to kill me if I don't get you home by the time I said I would."
"He won't even be home until late."
"But your mom-"
"My mom will understand."
"Grace," he sighed like he was in pain. That got me, that sigh.
"What's wrong?"
"It's just...hard."
"What is?" I urged. I could sense that I was getting closer and he was about to answer my question when there was a loud noise from the street. Both of us whipped our heads in that direction and watched Danny quickly pick up the books he had dropped. As if he felt our eyes on him, he looked at us with hard eyes.
"What?" he snapped. I walked over to him despite having Cory call me back quietly.
"Let me help you," I said, crouching down so I could help pick up the rest of the books. He snatched a book up from the ground just as I reached out for it.
"I've got it," he said coolly. I tucked some hair behind my ear and looked at him.
"Danny, I'm trying to be nice," I said, hiding my frustration. Why did he have to be so freaking difficult? Why couldn't we just be friends?
"Yeah, well I don't need your charity," he snapped standing up after he picked up his last book. I looked up at him and slowly stood up.
"Danny-"
"Don't ask me why we can't be friends," he said. "You know why."
"No, I actually don't know why-"
"Because I love you, Grace!" he declared. I stared at him with wide eyes, my mouth slightly open in surprise. He pressed his lips together and looked around. "Yeah. I didn't always, I'll admit that. But I know that I do now." I couldn't speak. I opened and closed my mouth again when I was unable to find words a few times. He...he loved me NOW? What the hell did that mean? Suddenly, my shock turned to anger. I couldn't understand why I was mad, but....ugh! I just was!
"What do you mean, you love me NOW?" I demanded. Danny sighed.
"I didn't really like you all that much when we first started-"
"What the hell. We went out for a YEAR, Danny! And all that time you were faking it?"
"Not exactly faking it, more like getting used to it."
"Oh. Yeah, getting used to it," I scoffed sarcastically. Tears started to well up a little at the bottom of my eyes. "You know what? I'm glad you and I broke up. I don't have to deal with your crap anymore." I started walking back to Cory, who was still standing on the sidewalk watching us and getting ready to jump in when he was needed, when Danny grabbed my arm and spun me back to face him.
"Never say that," he said darkly. "Never say that you're happy we're over."
"Danny, let go. You're hurting me."
"Maybe this is the only way I can make you understand," he said more to himself than me. I reached my hands up and put them on top of his in an attempt to get them off me.
"Danny you're really hurting me."
"Let her go," Cory said from behind me in a dark voice. Danny glared at him and let me go without looking away. The blood rushed down my arms again as I rubbed my left arm. That was the arm he had the most pressure on.
"Come on, Cory," I said, taking his arm. He stayed where he was standing, glaring at Danny.
"Hang on," he said. "Now, if you ever ever EVER touch her again, I'll make you regret it."
"Bring it on," Danny challenged. "Think I'm afraid of you."
"If you knew any better, you would be," Cory said at the same time I said "Alright that's enough!" I dragged Cory away from Danny and we continued walking to my house. I took Cory's hand in mine when he didn't say anything, but kept staring straight ahead with that dark, scary look on his face.
"Cory," I said. "Hey." I put my hand on his cheek, ignoring the electricity feeling I felt when I touched him, and made him look at me. His face softened when he looked at me.
"Sorry," he said. "That guy pisses me off."
"Same here," I said. "Same here."
-Cory's POV-
There was NO. 'EFFIN. WAY I was going to let this guy hurt Grace like that and let him get away with that. Anyone who hurts her in anyway is going to have to deal with me. I was still pretty mad about the whole ordeal back there with Danny when Grace and I started walking to her house again.
"Cory," Grace said. "Hey." She put her hand on her cheek, sending sparks on the spot she was touching, and made me look at her drop dead gorgeous face. I softened my face for her and calmed down.
"Sorry," I apologized. "That guy pisses me off." Especially when he puts his hands on you like that, I thought.
"Same here," Grace said. "Same here."
"What did he even talk to you about in the middle of the street where you could have been easily hit by a car?" I asked, anger at Danny tinting my voice.
"Just....stuff," she said. I could tell she wasn't telling me something.
"What stuff?"
"Nothing. Don't worry about it."
"Now who's not telling who stuff."
"Hey, in my defense you haven't told me what's bothering you either. So I get a pass."
"Fine, I'll tell you what's bothering me if you tell me what he said to you," I said. I was going to tell her how I felt. I was going to tell her. She sighed and nodded. "You first." She looked down at the ground.
"He told me he loved me," she said sadly. My heart sank. She was still in love with him, wasn't she?
"I see," I said, masking my jealousy. "And...do you still love him?"
"No," she said quickly and truthfully. "No, any feelings I may have had for him are all gone now. Especially after all of that." My heart fluttered up again when she said that.
"What happened? What else did he say?"
"That he didn't always love me. We went out for a year and he pretended to love me for most of it," she replied. "I...I dislike him now, if anything."
"No," I said. "Admit it. You hate him."
"No!" she gasped. "I-I...I don't hate anyone! Hate is a strong word."
"Stop being so damn nice for once, Grace," I begged.
"I'm not being nice. I'm just saying that hate is a strong word for anyone to use!"
"But you hate him."
"No I don't. I don't hate anyone, I told you that."
"Not even Aurora?"
"Oh god, I hate her!" she slipped. Realizing what she said, her hand flew up to cover her mouth and her eyes widened in shock. "You- you tricked me into saying that!"
"Did not, you said it yourself."
"But you-"
"Only provoked you, but you said how you felt."
"Fine, I hate him," Grace said. "I hate him. I hate them both!"
"Doesn't that feel good?"
"Surprisingly," she admitted. "Okay, now what's wrong with you?"
"Oh," I said. I was starting to reconsider telling her. I mean, she just had the surprise of her life with Danny telling her that he didn't love her for most of their relationship, but he did now. Did she really need me to spring it on her that I loved her now? Leslie said that Grace felt the same way about me that I did her, but now....didn't seem like the best time to tell her. Today, definitely, just not right this moment.
"What's up?" she asked.
"Uh...we should get you home first. I'll stay and tell you there," I said walking ahead of her. She sighed impatiently and nodded.
"Fine," she said. "You're making me think it's something really bad."
"I hope it's not really bad," I mumbled.
"What was that?"
"Nothing," I lied.
"You said something."
"Did not."
"Did too."
"Prove it."
"I heard you say something."
"You're going crazy then."
-Owen's POV-
"You know something," I said to Allison. "I really hate these things."
"What? Snack Packs? Why? They're beast!" she said. I looked at her and then back at my pudding cup.
"I would never say that I hate Snack Packs. I agree with you, they're beast, but I HATE the STUPID LIDS!" I was either special needs or every pudding cup I got had the stupid lid super glued on!
"It's probably hard for you because you have no nails," Allison said.
"That's a really weird that's what she said," I said. She rolled her eyes and held out her arm.
"Do you want me to open it for you?" she asked. I handed it to her. She took it off easily.....whoa. That's what I was thinking about. I wonder....NO! BAD PERVERT OWEN! She handed my pudding cup back and grinned. "It's open."
"Eh," I grunted, taking it back. She laughed her musical laugh that I loved.
"Can you open pickle jars?"
"Of course," I said. I really couldn't.
"Then you can have that glory," she said. I smiled and shook my head.
"You're a dork," I said. She gasped.
"You're the dork," she returned.
"No, I'm pretty sure it's you."
"No, you."
"You."
"You."
"You."
"You, you, you, you!" Dad said as he entered the room with Mom, pointing fingers between Allison and me. In the time that we've been here, he and Mom have gotten to know Allison. They got along pretty well. However, the same couldn't be said for me and Allison's mom. Every time that woman looked at me it looked like she was Rose's mom looking at Jack in Titanic. I uh...I don't think she liked me that much. Allison tried asking her about it, but she said her mom never answered her.
"Mature," I muttered.
"Oh like you doing that just a couple seconds ago was?" he said, sitting down on the chair next to my bed that he always sat in. Mom sat on the chair that was between mine and Allison's beds and held my hand.
"How do you feel?" she asked me.
"Better than a couple days ago," I said. She smiled.
"Good," she said, kissing my forehead.
"Ah, Mom! We're in public," I whispered. She only laughed and shook her head.
"Hey!" Dad said. "What...what about me?"
"Don't be such a baby," Mom teased him. He gave her a look.
"Jimmy Day is NOT a baby."
"Right," Mom rolled her eyes.
"I"ll get you later for that," Dad said.
"Whatever," Mom said dismissively. "How are you feeling Allison?"
"Fine, Mrs. Day. Thank you for asking," Allison replied politely.
"And how's your mom holding up?" Dad asked.
"She's pretty good," Allison said, although I could tell that she wasn't sure.
"You know something," I said randomly. "I just noticed that I'm going to be wearing a cast for Founder's Day. How am I supposed to wear a tux? My cast is going to make my arm too fat to fit through the arm of the jacket!"
"Relax, will you?" Dad said. "We'll find a way for you."
"Are you going Allison?" Mom asked. Allison made a face.
"I don't know," she said.
"Please, Alli," I said. "You have to come. With me, I mean." Mom and Dad exchanged looks and stood up slowly.
"We're just going to step out for a minute," Mom said, giving me a knowing smile. They left and I looked back at Allison who couldn't be redder.
"I mean it," I said. "You have to come with me. Be my date."
"You really want to go on another date with me?" she asked. "I thought you'd think I was bad luck or something."
"No," I said. "I would NEVER blame you for what happened. It wasn't your fault, it was that maniac's. Besides, I really like you and I want to keep dating you." She smiled. "So? Will you go with me?" She nodded her head.
"Sure," she said. "I'd love to."
-Allison's POV-
I wanted to jump around the room and squeal with joy like a little girl. I couldn't believe that he asked me out again! I really thought he'd think I was bad luck what with the accident and all, but he didn't! And now, he wanted to go out with me again! He wanted me to go to the Founder's Day ball, which around here was a big deal, with him! I. Was. So. Happy!
"Ah ha!" his mom exclaimed as she came into the room clapping, a huge grin plastered on her face. She hugged Owen gently to avoid hurting his arm. She whispered something to him and he looked at her with a "don't say that out loud" look. She came over to my side while his dad entered the room. Mrs. Day hugged me and whispered in my ear.
"I knew he liked you a lot," she said. I smiled and blushed again. I really had to stop blushing so much. People would think something's wrong with me.
"Great job, Casanova," I heard Mr. Day tell Owen. Owen rolled his eyes at his dad, but smiled.
"So," Mrs. Day said after she let me go. "What color dress do you think you want?"
"Oh," I said. "Um...well, I never really thought of it. I didn't really think that I was going to be going until now."
"Oh, well you should come shopping with me, Owen's Aunt, and his cousin," she said. "You can...bring your mom. If she wants to come," she added. I nodded.
"Okay, sure. I'll ask her about it later."
"Great," Mrs. Day smiled. She was so nice.
"Mom, god. Give the girl some breathing room," Owen scolded playfully. She rolled her eyes.
"Oh calm down," she said. "It's not every day my son sets a date up with a very sweet and pretty girl like Allison here." I smiled and blushed deeper. Dammit, I thought. Just then, "Mom" came into the room. Without a word, she walked to my side of the room, pulled the curtain to separate the two halves, and sat down on the chair that was between my bed and the wall by the window.
"So," she said. "How are you feeling today?"
"Fine," I said. "Why did you pull the curtain?"
"We need our privacy."
"Why? They're nice people. Don't you know them? I thought you did."
"You thought, but I don't."
"But didn't you say-"
"I said I KNEW them. I don't know who they are anymore," she said. She was going deeper than I meant to go, but okay. It sounded...personal.
"Um..." I trailed off. Should I even bother asking her about that shopping trip? She sounded like she didn't really like them all that much anymore.
"Um what?" she asked. I sighed and decided to ask her anyway. I really wanted to go shopping with Mrs. Day. Grace was really sweet to me ever since she met me and her mom seemed just as nice. What reason would "Mom" have to not want to go shopping with them?
"Well, Owen's mom was wondering if we wanted to go shopping with her for the Founder's Day ball-"
"We aren't going to that," she said.
"But...Owen asked me," I said. She looked at me for a second with an unreadable expression before she stood up abruptly and yanked the curtain so the room wasn't divided anymore. Owen and his parents looked at her in surprise.
"May I speak with you for a moment?" she asked his parents. Owen and I looked at his parents while they looked at "Mom". Mr. Day was the first to stand up.
"I don't see why not," he said. Mrs. Day stood up after that and let "Mom" leave the room before her. She went out right after while Mr. Day turned to Owen. "This will only take a second." Owen nodded and looked at me questioningly after he left.
"What was that about?" he asked. I shrugged.
"I have no idea," I replied. What WAS that about?
-Jimmy's POV-
We followed Annie all the way down to an empty-ish hallway. She stopped walking suddenly and turned her back to the wall, arms folded across her chest and a pissed off look on her face.
"How dare you," she said to Myla.
"Excuse me?" Myla said.
"How dare you," Annie repeated. "What makes you think for a second I would let my daughter go shopping with you?" Myla rolled her eyes.
"Oh god," she groaned. "Look, just because you have an issue with my husband and sister-in-law doesn't mean that my son has to pay for it. He happens to like your daughter a lot and I was only offering to take her shopping for a dress for the ball. That's it. I was trying to be nice!"
"Well, stop being nice," she snapped. "And you-" she pointed a finger at me. "Keep your son away from my daughter." She walked away after that, leaving Myla and me behind.
"I'll be right back," I said, following after Annie.
"Where are you going?" Myla asked.
"Just hang on, hun. Go back to the room," I said. I followed Annie to the waiting room and just as she was about to turn the corner to go back to the room, I grabbed her elbow and made her walk with me straight down the hall.
"What the hell Jimmy?" she demanded. I didn't answer her, but kept walking until we were in the elevators and then outside alone.
"You aren't going to make my son pay for our past," I said right away after I let her go.
"I just don't want my daughter anywhere near you," she said.
"Where the hell is this coming from, Annie?" I demanded. "If I remember right, YOU'RE the one who dumped ME? Remember that? YOU dumped ME for that husband of yours, how's HE by the way? You can't come here and pretend like I did some horrible thing to YOU."
"Well if you just got over it, Summer wouldn't have gotten so mad at me and she wouldn't have stopped speaking to me!" she practically yelled. "She was my BEST FRIEND, Jimmy! Didn't that make you feel at all bad?"
"What the hell are you talking about?" I asked. "Summer didn't stop talking to you because of what happened between us!"
"Yes she did!" she shouted.
"It wasn't only that, it was the fact that you made her think that Jay was going to cheat on her the first chance he got!" I shouted back at her. "You were her best friend, Annie! She believed you when you convinced her about that!"
"I was only trying to protect her-"
"When you KNEW she didn't need protection," I said coldly. "You knew Jay. You knew that he would never, EVER, hurt Summer. He loved her too much to do anything like that to her. He still does." She looked to the side after I said that.
"What's our business, is our business. Don't bring our kids into this," I said. And with that, I left her standing out there and went back inside to go back to see my son. Classic Annie. Find somebody, anybody, to blame but herself. What did I ever see in her?
-Annie's POV-
I suppose I was being a little.....irrational. As much as I hated to admit it, Jimmy was right. What happened between us, happened between us. It's our business and I really shouldn't be making the kids pay for it. But I was just so...angry and hurt. Summer stopped speaking to me after she found out that the only reason I dumped Jimmy was to get back with Austin- that was a bust- and I was hurt after that. I felt that Jimmy was to blame and I was always just so mad at him because I thought that if he hadn't been such a big baby about it all, then Summer would still be talking to me. I blamed him for years and just...I guess I was really convinced that it was his fault. I sighed and went back inside. I should let Allison go. I should let her go have fun. I got back to the room and went to my daughter's side without looking at Jimmy or his wife and without pulling the curtain.
"What's up?" Allison asked me. I sat back down on the chair I was sitting in earlier and looked at her.
"I think," I began with a sigh. "That you should go shopping with them." Her whole face brightened up.
"Really?!" she asked.
"Really," I nodded calmly with a little smile. She hugged me.
"Thank you," she said. Then she let go quickly with wide eyes. "Are you going to come with us?"
"No, sweetie. I don't think it's a good idea."
"Oh," she said. "Okay." I smiled at her. I didn't think it was a good idea. I really didn't think that it was a good idea to go shopping with the woman who was married to the man I think I'm still in love with.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Whew! Long chapter, but AW YEAH! I told you there was going to be a twist at the end. At the very end, in fact. Like the last sentence. What are you guys thinking? Comment and let me know! Please! Oh, and do you guys like totally hate me for the whole Grace and Cory thing that never happened? What do you think? OH! And what do you think about the whole Danny thing? Pretty sketchy, huh? Lol, let me know! :)