Chapter Thirty Two: Exposed
I spent the entire weekend applying for college and studying. I had about two hours of a break with Danny where I painted on him, and then we went right back to work.
I was up until two in the morning memorizing everything I can about my Trigonometry test today. I can use the art one on my test so I'm not that concerned about it.
What I'm concerned about it how much I'll never see Danny today.
Danny and I are annoyed because we aren't exempting, so we made a pact to only miss two days next semester so we can exempt.
If I get Ebola, I'm going to school anyways.
My Dad is right and I've really let him down lately, so I'm going to try my best to make it up to him.
I walk down the hall with my art study guide in hand, studying it anyways because what if my teacher decides I can't use it?
As I walk, I slam into somebody. My eyes snap up from my paper to the person
Ian Wilson.
"Hey cutie."
"I'm in a relationship." I say shortly, walking away from him.
After a few more seconds, I bump into somebody else.
My eyes snap up, annoyed, but when they meet familiar brown eyes, I calm down.
"What did Ian want?" Danny asks, looking over my head to glare at him.
"I don't know. He called me cutie and I told him I'm in a relationship." I look back down at my study guide.
I see him roll his eyes at Ian's back and then he looks down at me and smiles, snapping out of his territorial manly thing.
"You need to relax before you combust." He says, rubbing his hands up and down my arms.
"That's not possible. I'll relax Friday afternoon when the bell rings."
The warning bell signaling we have a few more minutes to get to class rings.
I lean in and kiss his lips.
"I'll see you at lunch."
"Okay." He pouts, backing up towards his classroom door. He was stopped at my door.
I turn to go into my room, but he darts back towards me to steal another kiss, and then he slips into his classroom door.
I love him so much.
*****
After the written exam, our teacher took them away and told us to use the supplies to draw our favorite thing about earth and nothing made by humans can be in the picture.
I was going to do the rain but I figured it would be hard.
And then I thought about sitting under that tree in the cool air with Danny.
I think it's because since he kissed me, all I can think about is touching him and kissing him.
I'm obsessed with him.
And then I thought about a creek that ran behind Danny's house in Maryland and we used to play in it and jump from the tree into the river.
So I painted that, moving as quickly as possible. I mixed colors quickly and had to stand up to do it, getting the right shades of everything.
I was putting the last dab of paint on my painting when the bell rang.
Now I'm walking to lunch with my hands coated in paint, picking at the dry spots.
I stop to the bathroom to pee and wash my hands, and as I finish drying my hands, I turn around and come face to face with Crystal Bishop.
Her eyes narrow at me, but I don't say a word.
She is the least threatening thing on the planet.
I turn around and walk out, but when I reach the hall, she grabs my arm.
"Hey Gracelyn." She sneers. "I heard you ran away from home. Why? To go get plastic surgery because you look like a frog?"
Of course heads are already turning, but I don't falter in the slightest.
"I may look like a frog, but I least I don't look like you. I mean...you look like your mothers loose vagina."
I rip my arm from her grip and walk over to my table without a single fuck.
If I looked like a frog, I wouldn't have scored Daniel Grey.
"What did she say to you?" Danny asks when I walk up.
"She told me I look like a frog." I shrug.
"What a bitch." Kyle says.
"I told her she looks like her mothers loose vagina. It's all good."
Crystal is still glaring at me from her spot by the bathroom, but I don't have time for her petty bullshit.
I have a trigonometry test to study for.
Danny, Miley, and Kyle are laughing but I don't care, I just pull out my next study guide.
"Aw come on." Danny says.
"Let me study." I say.
"You have the test memorized all the way down to the trademark." He says,
I shrug a shoulder at him and start studying anyways. He grabs my arm.
"What's this?"
"Paint." I say. He peels it off and decides to study also.
"Hey everyone!" Crystal calls out. "Did you guys know that Grace's parents are divorced?" She says when they quiet down. "And according to the background check on her mother, she was abused by her!"
Danny's eyes harden and his lips press into a thin line. Kyle's hands are in fists on the table and Miley is glaring daggers at Crystal.
My throat feels tight, my hands gripping my study guide so hard.
A few weeks ago, I would've left in tears, but I'm done being a little bitch.
I have a test to study for, and if Crystal wants to do this, fine. I'll help.
I stand up and rip the paper from Crystal's hand.
"For those of you who are wondering, my Mom choked me. Twice. The first time I passed out, and the second time, my Dad saw what was happening and stopped her. He filed for divorce and custody and won, and then we moved to Florida where Danny lives because we've been friends since birth. So yeah, my Mom tried to murder me." I turn to Crystal. "I'm trying to study."
Without another word, I walk back to my table and sit down, continuing to study my study guide.
"Well-"
"Let it go, Crystal." Danny snaps. "Just shut up about it!"
She huffs and goes storming off.
"Grace." Danny says when everyone starts talking again. "I'm so sorry, Gracie."
"I'm fine." I say, turning my head to look at him. I lean in to kiss him. "I promise."
*****
After turning in my test for my Trigonometry exam, I hesitate by my teachers desk.
After everyone leaves, he turns to me.
"What is it, Gracelyn?"
"When are you going to grade the tests?" I ask. "I just um..." I scratch my eyebrow. "I think I messed up number fifty two." I hesitate.
"I'll grade yours right now if you wait."
I sit down in the desk.
He gets the test of answers and starts grading my exam.
I sit and wait and he'll glance up at me and look confused and then go back to his test.
After about twenty minutes, he sighs.
"Gracelyn, I'm going to ask you something and I need you to be honest with me." He says.
I stand up and turn to him.
"Okay..." I trail off.
"Did you cheat today?"
"Cheat?" I repeat. "No, I studied really hard."
"I mean, this is...you got a hundred on this test."
"I'll retake it." I say. "Give me a mixed up version and I'll retake it. I swear on my life I didn't cheat."
He studies me for a long time.
"Alright." He says. "How about I write down a really hard problem similar to one of the test and if you can give me the right answer, I'll believe you."
I nod. "Okay."
He walks over to the white board and writes the problem down, and then he hands me a calculator and the expo marker.
I use the board to show my work and I don't even use the calculator.
After a minute or so, I write the answer down and turn to him.
"Wow." He says. "Now that's remarkable." He pauses. "Well I guess you got a one hundred on your exam, so congratulations."
"Thank you." I smile. "Can I leave now?"
"Sure."
I say goodbye to him and Merry Christmas, and then I gather my things and walk out.
I walk down the hall to the stairwell and push the door open.
I head down the stairs and down into the hallway.
When I reach the cafeteria, it has a couple of students left in it.
I head out the door and most of the cars are gone. Danny's truck is still next to my car. I dart across the parking lot towards Ocean and unlock her.
When she chirps, Danny walks around from his truck.
"My girl is here!" He says.
I smile, jogging the rest of the way to him.
He catches me in a hug, lifting me off the ground.
"You're my baby." He says adorably. "And I love my baby."
He carries me all the way around to Ocean's door and sets me on my feet.
"You're very beautiful." He says.
"You're very handsome." I smile.
He leans down to kiss me.
I kiss him back, and then I remember I need to find him a Christmas present.
"If you could have anything in the world, what would it be?"
"A house with you...married to you...kids with you."
I laugh.
"I mean right now."
"Yeah, so do I. I wish we were older."
"Danny, I mean things. What's something you want to have?"
He sighs, thinking.
"Tools." He says. "And I want a waterproof speaker. And a life proof case . I want lots and lots of things, Gracie. Why?"
"Because."
"All I want from you is your love." He says.
I scoff and kiss him again.
"Alright. Are you coming over?"
"Yeah." He pauses. "What's something you want?"
"I don't want anything." I say seriously.
"Come on." He pokes me. "You have to want something."
"I want art stuff. I like art. Many a sketch book and good pencils? And erasers?"
"And what else?" He asks.
"I want shoes."
"What kind?"
"Roches."
"Nike?" He asks.
"Yes. Maroon, because mine got ruined."
"Okay." He says. "Let's go home."
*****
Okay so you guys keep asking and YES there will be a sequel, and possibly one after that but idk. But there will most definitely be a sequel.
~Sam