Grace dumped her books in her locker, knowing she'd probably regret the mess tomorrow morning.

Thank god this day was over. She was so sick of this day.

You know what was exhausting? Avoiding someone. It was exhausting having to be aware of someone at all times so you could not interact with them.

Her phone buzzed. Probably another text from Daniel. She was this close to blocking his number altogether. But while that would make her life slightly easier, she didn't want him to know she'd put so much effort into avoiding him.

She didn't pretend to be logical.

Grace had almost considered attaching herself to Kelsey, because the one time yesterday that Daniel could have had a shot at talking to her she'd run into Kelsey and he'd instantly backed off. But then she really wouldn't put it past him to destroy her friendship with Kelsey by saying something stupid in front of her.

It was just such bullshit.

Nobody.

He'd told his brother she was nobody. The freaking second his macho "women are dope" brother shows up he turned into a douchebag. It was just so classic. His brother called him gay for drinking hot chocolate. What the actual fuck.

It was such toxic masculinity bullshit, she just couldn't handle it.

His brother was probably in a frat and weighed his goddamn chicken.

Sure he'd seemed friendly, but she'd gotten a bad vibe.

She shut her locker door with more force than was necessary, reaching down to pick her bag up off the floor.

"Hey, you."

She flinched at the sound of Daniel's voice, looking sideways to find his face way too close to hers for her liking. She jerked away, swinging her bag over one shoulder.

"What do you want?"

He frowned, getting that stupid little furrow between his brows that she definitely did not like.

"Nothing. Just missed you. How have you been?"

Grace rolled her eyes, turning on her heel and walking away from him.

Of course he came after her.

His hand wrapped around her wrist, jerking her to a stop.

"Hey, Grace. What's wrong?"

The anger she'd been suppressing bubbled over and she whipped around, tugging her hand from his. "Nothing. Why do you care? I'm nobody, remember?"

His face said it all. Oh shit, she heard me. Oh shit, I can't play her anymore. Oh shit, I can't pretend to actually have human feelings anymore.

"Grace..." She cut him off before he could even try.

"I really don't want to hear it" she said, turning away again.

She heard a thud behind her, and then suddenly Daniel was in front of her. Stupid athletic person.

"Grace, c'mon. Please. Just hear me out."

She glared at him. How dare he not let her leave? Douchebag.

"If I do will you leave me alone?"

"Grace, c'mon..."

Grace sighed, crossing her arms over her chest.

Daniel looked at her for a moment before speaking. "Come on, let's go into a classroom. I know you don't want your friends to see us."

Grace raised an eyebrow at him, but moved towards the nearest classroom.
"Are you sure you just don't want your friends to see us?" She shoved open the door of the empty classroom, throwing her bag down on a table. She sat down on the desk next to it, crossing her arms.

Daniel shut the door behind him, running the fingers of one hand through his hair. His other hand held his bag, the one he'd dropped in his haste to come after her.

"Grace, it's not like that."

Part of her wanted to tell him to stop saying her name, but she knew that was stupid.

"Then what's it like, Daniel?"

Daniel sighed, moving his hand from his hair to his face and rubbing it harshly.

"The thing the other day wasn't about you, I swear."

Grace scoffed. "Sure felt like it was about me, considering you treated me like shit. I had to freaking escort myself out."

"My brother just got broken up with, that's why he came home. I just didn't want to rub it in his face."

She gave me an incredulous look. "Rub what in his face?"

Daniel titled his head at her, managing to look even more like a puppy than usual. "Us."

Grace rolled her eyes. "Whatever, you were a dick."

He stepped towards her. "I know, and I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to hear that."

She glared at him. "Oh, so it's fine to say it as long as I don't hear it?"

"You know I didn't mean that."

Grace shrugged. "Whatever."

"I didn't mean to hurt you, Grace."

She tightened her arms against her chest. "You didn't hurt me" she said, feeling more and more like a petulant child.

Daniel looked at her for a long moment, and she felt like she was being examined. "Okay. But I didn't meant to. I don't want to ever hurt you."

She rolled her eyes again in response. Really rocking the annoyed toddler vibe.

"Whatever. I just thought you acted like a douchebag, that's all."

"I was a douchebag, and I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

He made to speak, but she cut him off. "You know this is actually a good thing, I didn't want you going around thinking we were a couple or something."

Daniel titled his head at her again, and her heart thumped stupidly in her chest in response. Damn him.

He stepped forwards towards her, and she did her best not to react. His apparent distaste of personal boundaries was really making it hard for her, though. He reached out, taking a strand of hair that had fallen in her face between his fingers.

"C'mon, Grace" he said softly, tucking the lock of hair behind her ear. "You know that's a lie. You're not nobody to me, and I'm not nobody to you."

She meant to shrug and brush him off, but instead she just stared at him like an idiot.

He leant in, and for a second she thought they were going to have their first kiss in an empty classroom after she'd called him a douchebag about twelve times. But he just cradled one side of her face in his hand and kissed her other cheek before pulling away.

"We okay, Gracie?"

She locked eyes with him, a surge of warmth spreading through her at the nickname. Her shoulders relaxed, and she gave in.

"Yeah, we're okay."

He grinned at her, and she couldn't help but smile back.

"What are you doing this weekend?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Nothing."

He smirked, reaching out to rub his thumb across her cheek. "Guess we've got a second date then."

She tried to shift away from his touch, a giggle bursting out of her without her consent. "Maybe. If I feel like it."

He rolled his eyes, still grinning. "Yeah, yeah. I'll text you."

"I might answer."

Daniel laughed, taking a step backwards and picking up his bag. "Do you need a lift home?"

Grace shook her head. "No, I'm good. I need to refill the paper stands."

He nodded. "You want help?"

She giggled. "No, go home. I'll talk to you later."

He slung his bag over his shoulder, walking towards her again. He leant in, kissing her cheek again, and she resisted the urge to grab his face and kiss him. Now was not the right time.

"Bye, Gracie."

"Bye, Donald."

He scoffed, turning around and walking out the door.

She sighed, thinking it was probably time she talked to Megan.