I watched as the clock slowly ticked by the seconds until the end of the day school. It hadn’t been a pleasant one. People were staring at me like I was some kind of heartbreaker- the whispers continued for three whole days.
Wednesday was my official least favourite day.
Teagan had been sending smug smirks my way since Monday, but Parker was never by his side. In fact, I had been looking out for Parker since Tuesday morning, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Right now, as I counted down the last few moments in Math, people were shaking their heads at me. Like I had done something wrong by telling Parker I wouldn’t even hear him out. I knew everyone heard exactly what I had said to him- and now I was being called Ice Queen- and jumped to conclusions. That everything that had happened was my fault.
And, technically, everything that happened was my fault.
If only I had just kissed Parker in the hallway two months ago none of this would have happened. Maybe if I just gave him that second kiss, Greg wouldn’t hate me, Harris wouldn’t have gotten involved, I would have never gotten into this huge mess. I would still be known as innocent little Grace instead of Ice Queen.
I let it show that I was upset though, and they still called me the Ice Queen. I couldn’t win in this situation. Couldn’t win.
I wanted Parker. And now- I couldn’t have him.
The bell rang and shocked me out of my reverie. Glancing around, I noted that all the girls were giving me glares and the guys giving me suggestive looks. They all either thought I was a slut or a bitch. I tried not to think about it, tried to ignore it, but I was a girl after all. A self-conscious little girl. And the looks were killing me.
Quickly grabbing my stuff off the floor beside me, I practically ran out of the classroom- and straight into a tall male chest. Quickly taking a step back and lifting my head, I felt a rush of disappointment.
“Harris,” I sighed before stepping around him and walking down the hallway. His footsteps caught up to mine in an instant.
“Grace I wanted to say sorry about everything. I never wanted to get involved, and trust me; I did it to help you. Not them,” He rushed out in one breath. I looked at him and raised an eyebrow.
“Right,” I rolled my eyes and started walking again.
“Grace, c’mon! Look at me,” He spun me towards him by my shoulders. His eyes bore into my own. “I have my reasons for why I did it. But I can’t tell you why right here, okay?”
“You have your reasons? Where can you explain them?” I hissed quietly. He glanced around him before spotting something and lighting up. He looked back at me.
“There,” He pointed at the janitor’s closet across the hall, and before I could protest, he had dragged me into it. I could practically hear the new rumours spouting out of people’s mouths.
“Shit, where’s the light?” He grumbled in the darkness. I groped the air until I found the string that turned on the light. I tugged on it and suddenly we were covered in light. I glared at him under the dim yellow light.
“Well, get explaining,” I huffed impatiently.
He stared at me for a moment with pained expression before running a large hand over his perfectly manicured features.
“I-I’m gay,” He stated beneath his hand. My eyes widened ever so slightly, but in truth I had previously thought that he was, especially after the kissing incident.
“Oh,” I said quietly. He spread his hand so his eyes were visible.
“That’s it? ‘Oh’? You’re not shocked? Surprised? Weirded out?” His eyes were narrowed suspiciously. I shrugged.
“Not really. After that kiss, and that fact that you have perfectly manicured eyebrows kind of tipped me off. Oh, and the purity ring thing. That was the best hint. But that doesn’t really explain anything,” I supplied for him, raising my eyebrows again. He removed his hands and furrowed his brows. Those girly looking brows.
“How... God, girls really are good at seeing this stuff, aren’t they,” He mumbled before sighing dramatically. “Well, I kind of have this...crush on uh, Teagan. And I saw those e-mails saying you liked him, so I decided I would get involved after Teagan asked me too. Then once we started hanging out, it was extremely obvious that you were, are, in love with Parker. So then I realized I really had no competition, I started trying to help you out by trying to make Parker jealous. Which was even more obvious when you told him that you were going to that party with me,” He paused and gauged my expression, which was blank even though I was freaking out at the word love, before he continued. “Then, at the party, I saw Parker looking at you and I knew I had to let him have you so I tried to find Teagan. I wasn’t going to talk to him, but I wanted to um, see how he looked. I saw him going upstairs by himself and followed him, because I really had nothing else to do, and before I knew it we were both in that bedroom- alone. What else could I do? I just sort of froze up and blacked out- the next thing I know, I’m kissing him and he’s standing stick straight. Then, you guys walked in.”
So that’s what happened, I thought before slowly nodding.
“Alright, so, Teagan isn’t gay, and you pretty much forced yourself on him? Teagan’s a douche. I could have told you that before you did that,” I mumbled. Harris sighed then shrugged.
“Yeah, well, you’re not the only one who looked right through his flaws. And now you’re not the only one who’s being alienated. Every guy on the team knows what happened and are all avoiding me like the plague. You know they broke into my locker during my gym class and changed all the clothing with girls clothing? You know how much it hurts, Grace, to be alienated and that’s why I’m talking to you. Because you know you’re not the “Ice Queen” and I know I shouldn’t be treated like this for accidently kissing him. They’re being homophobic assholes and everyone else is being stupid for taking the wrong side with you. So let’s join up and show everyone that were not what they think we are. Friends?” He asked sticking his palm out towards me.
I hesitated then placed my hand in his. We shook them and I agreed, “Friends.”
After a moment he pulled me into a bone crushing bear hug.
“I’m sorry,” He breathed and I smiled against his huge bear chest.
“It’s ‘kay,” I mumbled but it was so muffled by his chest it came out as a small groan.
After a moment of me not breathing he finally let go of me and looked down at me with a lip-splitting grin. It was beyond contagious and I finally let my own grin fall onto my face.
I reached for doorknob and spun it, pushing the door open. Harris turned off the light then followed me out into the hallway while shutting the door behind him.
“So, how was your day at school?” My mom asked me quietly at the dinner table that night. She’d noticed my mood for the past three days but hadn’t said much about it. I think she was afraid that I would snap at her- which last week I might’ve. I just didn’t have the heart for anything this week.
“Fine,” I mumbled while pushing my peas around on my plate. I didn’t feel like eating. I couldn’t stomach much for the past few days. My stomach felt like it was in a constant knot.
“You know, when I was around your age, my mom and I never got along. She was convinced that I was rebelling against her, which I was, but we never had the relationship I always wanted to have. You know how grandma is,” She spoke quietly. I stopped pushing my peas around and looked up at her, wondering where this story was going. She paused to look at me and a small smile pulled on her lips. “She was always worried about me because I was a bit reckless back then. We often fought about silly little things that never really mattered, and then she would ground me. My window was on the first floor and I used to sneak out with my friends after my mom had gone to sleep though. Around when I was fifteen, there was a boy that liked me and I liked back. I couldn’t tell anyone at school about it because he was what you would call a nerd. I had no one to tell because I didn’t have anyone to tell. I really wanted to tell my mother, but I thought she would just get mad at me. Looking back on it, that poor kid got his heart broken because I ended up telling a friend of mine and she told him that I didn’t like him. It was a big mess that probably wouldn’t have happened if I had just talked to my mother once in a while,” She smiled at me, her words making my own mouth curve up into a smile.
“You were rebellious? I can’t see that,” I laughed.
“Oh, you would’ve had nothing on me,” She winked causing us to both laugh.
“But mom, you really don’t want to hear about my life. What happened is over now and I’m finally free, even if I don’t want to be,” I said the last part under my breath and shrugged. My fork pushed the peas around again.
“Honey, I want to hear it. I won’t tell your father, and trust me, a woman needs a bit of drama in her life sometimes even if it isn’t hers per say,” She smiled. Hesitating, I finally pushed the peas onto my fork and shoved them into my mouth in order to allow myself a longer thinking period.
I swallowed then began speaking again, more quietly this time, “You know I would never want to push you away like grandma did. It’s just... so much has happened in the past two months- I’ve done some pretty rational things- and I just didn’t want you to think badly of me.”
“I could never think badly of you. You’re my daughter, my own flash and blood. I love you sweetie, no matter how many rational things you do,” Her hand reached across me at the kitchen table and placed itself on top of my own. I let out a smile choked laugh.
“God, you’re really milking this ‘you’re my daughter thing’ aren’t you?” I joked. She grinned at me.
“Just a little,” She chuckled. “Now, open your damn mouth and tell me everything that’s happened in the last two months.”
“Alright, but don’t say I didn’t warn you,” I muttered before taking a huge breath and telling her everything.
Right from New Years Eve.
*****
the song is one of my favourite songs of all time, it kinda made me think of this story, so I thought I'd share it. It's not the ending yet, but.. were getting close. So sad :'(
uh, there's a little thing in here I put in by accident.. I just realized it and I find it pretty funny. Um, after Harris and Grace talk, he comes out of the closet behind her. LOL I didn't even do that on purpose xD Okay, okay, sorry about the short update, blah blah. :) One more chapter until the last chapter. I'm so excited for everyone to read the last chapter. WOO.
anyways, 4 people commented last chapter, but everyone voted.. :S huh.. well, now that were getting close to the end, maybe you guys could leave a comment if you've never left one?
question: who was your favourite character throughout the story? least favourite?
let me know please! I like hearing your opinions. & I kinda wanna know what to do when I rewrite and edit the story. ^_^
facebook in the external link, vote/comment/fan, do your awesome thing ;)
-natalie ♥