Part 2
The next day, Grace had already gone to school by the time I got up. Figuring it was probably for the best, I went to work, and tried (unsuccessfully) to not think about her for the rest of the day. I got home at about 4:00, and headed towards the garage, when I saw Grace sitting on the lawn, her head in her hands.
"Are you alright?" I asked, walking over to her. As soon as she lifted her head, I knew that the answer was no.
"Just go away, Eli," she said, but I wasn't about to leave her crying on the front lawn. I walked up to her and started stroking her hair. She immediately leaned into my touch.
"What happened, Grace?" I asked, but she wasn't talking. "Well-"I started, but she cut me off.
"Everyone knows," she said, still crying.
"Knows what?" I asked.
"About me and him," she said, leaning into me even more. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder protectively.
"You and who, Grace?" I asked, already knowing the answer. "Mr. Dimitry?" She nodded and let out another sob. "What about you two. Is something going on?"
"No," she said insistently, "Nothing's going on. I just had this stupid little crush on him, and then he told me that nothing was going to happen. That hurt, you know? But I knew where he was coming from, and I let it go. It was just a crush. It wasn't like I was in love with him. But then everyone found out that I liked him, and they keep teasing me, and taunting me. And when I told him about it, he didn't even care. He said it was just stupid gossip, and I shouldn't pay attention to it." She paused to breathe, and I stroked her shoulder.
"Is that all?" I asked, knowing that there must be something more to get her so upset.
"No," she sniffed, and finished her story. "After he told me it was no big deal, he started to rub my hand, and then moved his hands to my shoulders. I told him to stop, that it wasn't right, but he didn't listen. He said that he knew I wanted him, and that he was ready to give in to his own desire. I pulled away, telling him that someone would walk in, but he wouldn't listen. Then he kissed me, and while I was struggling against him, Tad walked in and saw us. You know Tad, right? The guy that Jessie went out with?" I nodded, and she looked satisfied. "By tomorrow everyone will know, and everyone will think that I'm Mr. Dimitry's slut."
"No they won't, Grace," I assured her. She looked up at me, those huge brown eyes of hers filled with tears. I stared at her face, not knowing quite what she was thinking. As I watched her, her lips suddenly pressed against mine, in a strong, ferocious kiss that I never thought would come from Grace. I kissed her back, and as the kiss went on, it became the sweet, sensitive kiss that I'd always expected kissing grace would be like. Before long, Grace pulled back, pure horror showing on her face.
"Oh my god," she said, and without even looking back, she ran into the house, leaving me sitting on the stoop, horribly confused.
The next day, Grace had already gone to school by the time I got up. Figuring it was probably for the best, I went to work, and tried (unsuccessfully) to not think about her for the rest of the day. I got home at about 4:00, and headed towards the garage, when I saw Grace sitting on the lawn, her head in her hands.
"Are you alright?" I asked, walking over to her. As soon as she lifted her head, I knew that the answer was no.
"Just go away, Eli," she said, but I wasn't about to leave her crying on the front lawn. I walked up to her and started stroking her hair. She immediately leaned into my touch.
"What happened, Grace?" I asked, but she wasn't talking. "Well-"I started, but she cut me off.
"Everyone knows," she said, still crying.
"Knows what?" I asked.
"About me and him," she said, leaning into me even more. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder protectively.
"You and who, Grace?" I asked, already knowing the answer. "Mr. Dimitry?" She nodded and let out another sob. "What about you two. Is something going on?"
"No," she said insistently, "Nothing's going on. I just had this stupid little crush on him, and then he told me that nothing was going to happen. That hurt, you know? But I knew where he was coming from, and I let it go. It was just a crush. It wasn't like I was in love with him. But then everyone found out that I liked him, and they keep teasing me, and taunting me. And when I told him about it, he didn't even care. He said it was just stupid gossip, and I shouldn't pay attention to it." She paused to breathe, and I stroked her shoulder.
"Is that all?" I asked, knowing that there must be something more to get her so upset.
"No," she sniffed, and finished her story. "After he told me it was no big deal, he started to rub my hand, and then moved his hands to my shoulders. I told him to stop, that it wasn't right, but he didn't listen. He said that he knew I wanted him, and that he was ready to give in to his own desire. I pulled away, telling him that someone would walk in, but he wouldn't listen. Then he kissed me, and while I was struggling against him, Tad walked in and saw us. You know Tad, right? The guy that Jessie went out with?" I nodded, and she looked satisfied. "By tomorrow everyone will know, and everyone will think that I'm Mr. Dimitry's slut."
"No they won't, Grace," I assured her. She looked up at me, those huge brown eyes of hers filled with tears. I stared at her face, not knowing quite what she was thinking. As I watched her, her lips suddenly pressed against mine, in a strong, ferocious kiss that I never thought would come from Grace. I kissed her back, and as the kiss went on, it became the sweet, sensitive kiss that I'd always expected kissing grace would be like. Before long, Grace pulled back, pure horror showing on her face.
"Oh my god," she said, and without even looking back, she ran into the house, leaving me sitting on the stoop, horribly confused.