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"Ughhhhh!" I groan loudly, letting my head fall into the wood table, causing pain to shoot through my skull.
"Well that didn't sound good." Isaac states as he sits down with his coffee.
"I'm so done with everything right now." I mumble into my folded arms. My brain throbs roughly, a headache flooding in.
"You didn't tell me over the phone what was wrong when you called me."
I look up at him and run a hand through my hair, blowing a loose strand out of my eyes. I glance back at my laptop, glaring at it. "This hella stupid English assignment is ruining my life."
Isaac stifles a laugh.
"This isn't funny!" I whine. "I have been up every single night this week attempting to figure this thing out."
Isaac passes me a cup of coffee. "Well what's the assignment?"
"That's the thing! There is none! She just wanted us to write some stupid speech. No prompt, no guidelines, nothing!" I let out another hopeless grumble. "And it's due Monday. This shitty project is gonna bring me back down to a B."
"Oh no! A B! Throw water on it, maybe it will melt away!" Isaac sarcastically remarks. I shoot him another glare, which makes him laugh even more. "Look, here is what you do." He reaches across the table and shuts the computer screen.
"I have to get it done, though." I argue, lifting it back up to reveal my blank document.
"No one is forcing you to this very moment." He closes it again.
I roll my eyes, placing my hand back on top of the computer to open it. His hand lands back on mine, stopping me.
Tingles run through my arm.
I look up from my hand, feeling my cheeks get warm, his eyes locked on mine.
"Grace," His voice softly murmurs, fingers intertwining with mine. My heart rate speeds up as he leans in.
Closer.
Closer.
Closer.
And then I panic.
I jerk my body to the side, pulling my hand away from his, arm flinging left and knocking over my cup, coffee spilling all over the table.
"Shit." I mutter, reaching for some napkins. I pull probably fifty out, spreading them across the table, watching them turn limp with dark brown liquid. I mumble profanities under my breath as I press more onto the tabletop.
I look up at Isaac who has another one of those stupid smirks on his face. He glances down at his shirt and back up, making me look at it.
Making me look at the giant brown stain on the front of it.
"This is bad."
Isaac rests his arms on the table. "I can't tell you how hard I am laughing inside right now."
"That is a very bad stain."
"Yes, it is."
"And I feel very bad."
"It's fine, Grace."
I look back up at him. "You forgot the 'Baker.' "
He smiles even more. "No, I only say Grace when you're in trouble."
"Shut up."
"You're being very rude judging you're the one who spilled coffee all over me." Would you stop smiling, Isaac? It's contagious.
Groaning loudly I rest my head against the wall. "I'm never gonna live this down."
"I won't let you," He winks. "I have this shirt as a souvenir now."
I take a wad of napkins and throw them at him. He shields his face, chuckling. "Oh, lighten up, Grace Baker. It's Halloween after all. Speaking of which, the party is in a few hours."
I sigh. "Yeah, I should probably head back home." Isaac nods in a silent agreement. I scoop up the dirty napkins, throwing them away with my cup. I tuck my computer into my backpack, walking with Isaac out the door of the café.
"You sure you don't want a ride home?" Isaac asks.
I shake my head. "No, heading over to Jane's house anyways. I'll take my board, need the exercise anyways."
"You'll be safe?"
I shake my head yes. "Yeah, I will." I say, offering a reassuring smile.
He sucks a breath in, and let it out. "Okay Grace baker. By the way, you owe me a shirt."
"Whatever." I tease.
"You know," He says, swinging his keys on his finger. "This reminds me of when I spilled Coke on you at the diner." I let out a small laugh at the memory.
"You're right."
He opens his car door. "Except that time, we weren't about to kiss."
My eyes widen, and I can practically feel my cheeks turn bright red as he closes the door, waves and drives off.
He just left.
Shit. Again.
Why does he always leave after saying things like this?
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"I need more blood!"
I grab the bucket of fake red blood and set it next to Jane. "I hope the neighbors aren't hearing this."
"Let's hope not." Jane confirms, dipping her paint brush into the bucket and making marks on the delicate white dress laying in the grass of the lawn outside her apartment complex. "Cuts or no?"
I think for a moment. "No. Just blood. She was rich, so I think the dress would be nice, but after the whole scenario happened, it'd just be very, very bloody," I say, pulling at the green grass as Jane works her magic. It is such a blessing to have an artistic friend. "Thanks for helping me with my costume."
"Of course, Gracie! This is so much fun!" Jane says excitedly, adding small streaks to the hem of the dress. "Oh, and I found a fake axe at the Halloween store for you."
I grin. "Oh, thanks, Jane! I was stressing about how I was gonna get one!" I hear some rustling of the bush, and look over my shoulder. A small black nose pops out of the bushes, little teeth biting the grass.
"Leo!" I call, clapping my hands together. A tiny brown body pops out of the shrub, bounding towards me. He jumps onto my lap, licking my face. "Hi mister!" I sing, rubbing the Beagle's back. He puts his paws on my chest, trying to lick my forehead, instead causing me to fall over.
"He was having withdrawals from his favorite Aunt." Jane comments, dipping her hand into the fake blood and adding a bloody handprint to the dress, a eerie finishing touch.
"I was having them too!" I say, letting him sit on my stomach, rubbing his soft ears.
Jane wipes her fingers off. "So, how is Isaac?" I see her raise an eyebrow.
"He is good." I say quietly, remembering the event that recently took place. I can't believe we were about to kiss. God, what was I thinking? You can't just go around kissing your best friends!
But he was the one who leaned in first...
And what were those tingles I felt when he touched me?
"Hehe," I hear Jane giggle.
I furrow my brows. "What the hell was that?"
"You just said your thought process out loud." She says, stifling a laugh.
I facepalm.
"Gracie! Don't be embarrassed! It's normal to be in love!" Jane says, turning to me.
"But-"
"I mean, I've never been in love. Well, I am in love with Leonardo DeCrapio. And my dog. They have the same name. Young Leo is just–"
"I am not in love!" I shout, throwing my arms to the side.
"But, you did want to kiss him, right?" Jane slyly asks.
"No!"
"Really?"
"Yes!"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes!"
"Positive?"
"Yes for God's sake!"
"Positive that you wanted to kiss him!"
"Yes! Wait–No! Yes? Ugh! Be quiet!"
Jane laughs. "Keep telling yourself that you don't have feelings for him. It's kinda cute to watch, honestly. She hangs the dress up on a hook to dry and cleans her hands off with the hose.
"I really don't, though." I argue. And truth, I'm not sure how I feel about Isaac. Everything is so confusing.
"Sure." Jane says sarcastically. She helps me stand up, pulling me inside, Leo at our heels. "Let's go do your makeup."
"I don't like makeup!" I say.
"But I do!"
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"Have fun! Tell Isaac I say hi!" Jane says, sounding like a mother giving her daughter up on her first date. I tell her bye, hopping out of her car and she pulls away.
Loud, bass music bursts from the house, probably driving the neighbors crazy. Luke's home is huge, making me just staring at it to take it all in. Several teens scatter the front lawn, passed out and drunk. Damn, how does one get wasted so fast? It's barely even eight o'clock.
I shift my gaze over when someone calls my name. I see Isaac running down the front steps and towards me. He is dressed in a dark suit, hair styled with gel and fake blood coming from the side of his mouth. He smiles, revealing sharp fangs.
"Hey, Edward." I greet as he reaches me, giving him a quick hug.
"I see you've already figured out what I am," Isaac says, looking at my costume. "Um, crazy axe murderer?" He guesses.
I chuckle. "I guess in a way," I say as we walk inside. "I'm Lizzie Borden." We reach the kitchen, where Luke says, talking to some random blonde.
"I have no clue who that is." Isaac says. "Ay! Luke!" He shouts, getting his best friend's attention.
Luke looks at us. "Awe, world's cutest couple just arrived. Grace, what even are you, eh?"
"Lizzie Borden." I say again. The name doesn't register with Luke either. These boys really need to brush up on their history. "She's a girl that killed her parents with an axe."
"Damn." Isaac states.
"Freaky." Luke adds. He shrugs and turns back to the blonde, who is dressed as Tinkerbell.
"I think it's creative." Isaac says, taking my hand. "Tell me Grace Baker, what soda do you prefer."
"Coke Zero, if you may." I giggle.
He pulls one out of the cooler, opening it and present it to me. "For you, my lady."
"Thank you, sir." I say, taking a small sip as he gets himself a Coke. "You're not gonna drink?"
He shakes his head. "Not into it really."
"I'm surprised."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, most high school boys don't give a shit and drink as much as they want. But I respect that you choose not to." I explain.
"Yeah, I mean, I used to. At my old school. But I want to set a good example for Mia. Plus, my mom doesn't need a drunk teenager in the house tonight."
I smile, nodding my head. "I like that."
He returns the smile, and sets his drink down. "Come on, Grace Baker, what's a party without some dancing?" I put my can and axe on the counter.
I gulp as he drags me to the area where everyone is dancing. "I don't dance."
"Sure you do."
"No I really don't. All I know how to do is the hokey pokey."
"It fun, Grace Baker." He says, swinging my arms back and forth. He gives me puppy dog eyes.
"Fine." I agree. "So what do I do?"
"Just move, do anything really." He holds my forearms, leading me to rocking back and forth.
I nod, and follow what the others are doing. A little bit of hips, a little bit of shoulders, and a lot of making a fool out of myself.
I end up defeated, collapsing onto Isaac's chest, laughing my ass off. He holds my waist, my arms around his neck, trying to catch my breath.
"That was the best thing I've seen in months." Isaac says once both our hysterics die down.
I stay in the same position, looking over to the side. I see two of the people I hate the most, Claire and Connor.
Claire is wearing a skintight white dress with black spots painted all over it, heels and puppy are. Connor has on black pants, yellow suspenders, no shirt, and a fire man's hat.
I roll my eyes, looking back up at Isaac. "I thought Halloween was supposed to be scary." I say, taking notice of all the slutty costumes. One girl is practically wearing a black lingerie set, the lace ears passing her off as a cat. Another girl is dressed in a short, blue checkered dress that barely reaches mid thigh, her hair in braids and wearing knee high socks and red pumps, a trashy attempt at Dorothy.
"Same." Isaac says. "Shit, Almost everyone is wasted."
I pull away. "What do we do now?"
"I don't know."
"I've never liked the whole party thing." I say, pulling my phone out and checking the time. 10:28.
"Well, then let's go somewhere else." Isaac suggests.
"Like where?"
He thinks for a moment, then his eyes light up. "I know, follow me."
❁ ❁ ❁
"Wow. This is beautiful." I say, looking at the twinkling lights of Chicago.
Isaac drove us outside of the city, to a small hill overlooking downtown. Small stars dot the indigo sky, and a soft, chilly October breeze slides across my skin.
"Mia and I found this place when we first moved here," Isaac says, standing next to me. "We would shout confessions that we didn't want our mom to hear, because only we could listen to it."
It's a breathless view.
"Lemme try," I say, taking a step forward. I suck in a deep breath. "The only reason I like my job is because I work with my best friend!" I shout.
"Wow, what a confession," Isaac teases, poking my back. I chuckle. Sure, there's plenty more to confess, but not right now. This moment is too good, too happy, too pure. Isaac doesn't deserve to be burdened with my problems.
"Well then you go, Mister Bad Boy." I bet, crossing my arms and stepping to the side.
"Fine," He accepts the challenge and steps to the edge and clears his thought. He cups his hands over his mouth, projecting his voice as he shouts:
"I have a crush on a girl and I don't know what to do."
And when he looks back at me, I can't deny the ever growing smile plastered on my face.
Damn, Grace, what have you gotten yourself into?
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Tada! New chapter! This took so very long and I am really sorry, I had major writer's block. :(. Am I the only one squealing over this chapter? I love Grace and Isaac. And aren't Jane and Grace #friendshipgoals or what?!?! Grace's feelings for him are developing, but how long will it take for her to accept them? New chapter coming soon! Xoxo
-Acreativeblur