Grace has been locked inside her apartment for the past two weeks. She's been doing nothing but sleeping, binge eating, drinking and painting. She had shipped her paintings off to the gallery a week ago so they'd be there for tonight's event. She's had no phone ever since she threw it out into the middle of the road that night so she's been using her computer as her only source of connection to the outside world. She managed to email Nikki and tell her she was really sick and contagious, that way she would stay away. She's been avoiding her so called parents numerous Skype calls. She's been avoiding the knocks on her door from Nessie or Bella, both begging her to let her explain but she wasn't ready for that. She found out all in a matter of minutes that her whole life was a lie. Seth was a wolf, the wolf from her dreams growing up. The wolf she painted. The wolf he bought. Nessie was her twin and they kept her while sending her away. Bella and Edward were her actual parents. She herself was a vampire. They had all lied to her for months, Seth had let her fall for him and Nessie had let her believe they were best friends but it was all a lie. Grace sighed and shook her head, she needed to get out of her head. She rolled over to check the time, her February show was tonight. Valentine's night. She was terrified to go because she couldn't help but think they would all show up. They always showed up to them and she knew tonight would be no different.
"Get up. You can't go home now because it's not home," Grace pushes herself out of bed before pulling up Uber on her computer and ordering one to arrive in the next hour. Grace flipped on the bathroom light and cringed when she saw herself in the mirror. Her hair was matted down in places and extremely greasy from not being washed. Her skin even looked oily for the first time in her life from not being washed daily. Her teeth felt fuzzy from not being brushed. She went and turned on the shower to hot before pulling off her nightgown. She felt dirty now that she saw herself. Once in the shower she scrubbed and scrubbed until she felt raw and clean. She got out and quickly dried herself off and blow dried her hair before doing bubble pigtails. She put on simple mascara and eyeliner along with a mauve lip color. She was satisfied enough with her look before going into her room and pulling out a simple black maxi dress with a slit up her right leg. She pulled on a pair of brown booties and called it a day. She checked the computer and saw that her Uber driver Adam would be here in five minutes. She grabbed a jean jacket from her closet, her purse and her keys before looking around at her trashed apartment.
"Tomorrow," she whispered before creeping to the front door and looking out the peep hole. She saw no one so she unlocked all her bolts before stepping out into the hallway for the first time I forever. She walked down the hallway and the steps until she reached the mailbox wall. She went to hers and unlocked it before grabbing a stack of white envelopes that were busting out of it. She could sort through them in the Uber, it would give her something to do since she doesn't have a phone now. She was about to shut the mailbox and head out to meet the Uber when Sarah came running down the hallway.
"Miss Grace! I have something to give you," the little girl was almost out of breath when she reached her. Sarah handed her a brown cardboard box that had some weight to it. It had no note or anything other then just her name written on top.
"Who gave it to you?" Grace asked with raised eyebrows as she took it and tucked it under the envelopes. Grace looked at her feet and rocked back and forth debating on answering. She finally looked up and let out a sigh.
"Seth...but he told me not to tell you but I've known you for longer so I though it's only fair that you know," Sarah rushes out her words like she was scared Grace was going to be mad at her.
"Thanks kid. I appreciate the loyalty," Grace just rubbed Sarah's head before waving goodbye with her free hand and exiting the building finally. She looked up and down the street and saw no one that she didn't want to so she went ahead and walked to the bench at the end of the block. The Uber would be there any second. Grace went through her envelopes first sorting them through important to junk. She would toss the junk in the trash can next to her.
"Bill, bill, bill, junk, junk, junk, magazine, junk, junk, flyer, bill, and four plain envelopes with nothing on them which means they can only be from so many people," Grace shook her head and threw out the junk before grabbing her bills, plain envelopes and the box. The Uber was finally pulling up and when it stopped behind her she heard the window roll down.
"Grace! Hop in!" Grace froze when she realized who Adam was. Adam from the store. Adam the man who never took no for an answer. Fuck. Grace groaned silently before turning around and walking to the back door and opening it.
"You can sit up front," Adam patted the seat next to him but Grace was already shutting her door.
"No thanks, I have some things to look through," Grace shrugged and refused to make eye contact with him. She would give him no hope. Even though she wanted to hate Seth she knew she couldn't. She loved him. She was just pissed at him. She knew eventually the ice would thaw and she would talk to him but not yet.
"So...where to tonight?" Adam asked as he began pulling out of her apartment building lot. Grace looked from her lap and sighed.
"Seattle art gallery," Grace gave no more information then needed as she turned back to her lap. She put the four bills in her purse and told herself she would pay them online later with her computer. She looked at the four blank envelopes and wanted to scream. Were they all from Seth? Nessie? Bella? She opened up the first one and saw Nessie's name on the bottom.
I'm sorry. I can't write the things I want in a letter incase the wrong hands get it but I can at least say I'm sorry. I can say I feel awful about everything that happened. That for years I wondered if I was ever going to meet you and then I learned you were here and I knew I had to get close to you. I knew I was lying. I knew what I was doing was wrong. But I also knew I had to know you and you had to get to know me without all the other weird stuff too. I'm still Nessie. I'm still your friend.
- Nessie
Grace put that one aside in her purse before opening the second one and scanning to the bottom to see this one came from Bella.
I want to explain everything that happened and why it had to happen but I also know I can't in this letter. It has to be face to face. I know it also has to be when you're ready. Until then, I'm sorry my love.
- Bella
Grace felt her eyes water as she stuffed that one in her purse next. Two left.
Please, call me. Please.
-Seth
Grace appreciated his simplicity. She was also angry at the fact no one could give her any answers unless she spoke directly to them.
When you're ready, find me first.
-Jacob
The last note took grace by surprise. Jacob has become like a big brother to her in the past few months. She grew to love making fun of him. She tucked both in her purse and shoo the tears out of her eyes before staring at the box. What was inside?
"Date tonight?" Adam tried asking but grace ignored him. She would not feed into his desperation.
She slowly undid the tape on the box and opened it to see two phones. One cracked and broken. One shiny and new, begging her to touch it. Begging her to turn it on. She picked it up and hit the on button knowing that she could be bombarded with calls and texts now but also knowing they might respect her until she reached out to them. Once the phone was on she saw nothing but a list of them for contacts and a single text.
I love you too. I'm sorry.
