'I'll be here when you get back……….' Grace took a deep breath and thought of Eli's promise as she walked to her locker.

She clutched her history book in one hand, and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear with the other.

"That's her"

Grace turned around, just in time to see a girl tug at her friend's arm and motion towards Grace.

She shrugged slightly and kept walking.

"Grace!"

She turned around, surprised to see a familiar face.

Naomi, with her white sparkling teeth, and perfect hair, dressed in jeans and a singlet top.

"Hey" Grace smiled, turning to her.

As Naomi approached, Grace didn't see her usual gleaming smile, she was only welcomed by a grimace.

"What's wrong?" Grace asked, creasing her brow, concerned by Naomi's glare.

She didn't say anything, only tugged at Grace's arm, forcing her to keep walking down the hallway.

"Naomi?" Grace asked, trying to wriggle out of her grip.

She didn't say anything, only pulled Grace into an empty classroom.

"Oh my god Naomi, is everything ok?" Grace asked, slightly frightened.

Naomi released her grip, and turned to Grace, narrowing her eyes icily.

"How dare you!" she sniped.

"How dare I what?" Grace asked, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

"Cheat on Ayden!" Naomi exclaimed.

GRACE oh

Grace's mouth dropped, and her cheeks flushed red, Naomi whipped her hair to one side.

"How dare you treat him the way you did………….."

"I……….I……….how did you……….." Grace stammered.

Naomi didn't listen to Grace, she continued on her rampage.

"I thought you were sweet, Grace………..all of us did……….we liked you, because Ayden liked you………..and because of that, we brushed aside the fact that you dress like your 8 years old, have seriously geeky tendencies and had an affair with that gross English teacher, Mr what's his name!"

Grace clutched her history book tighter, unable to speak.

"You hurt him Grace…………..in the worst way…………..and you better believe we don't like to see our friends get hurt like that………….."

"I'm sorry," she mumbled.

"Sorry isn't good enough Grace……….not now………..not ever………….be sorry you ever got involved with him and broke his heart……………your going to regret that for as long as you live!" Naomi exclaimed.

She turned on her heel and placed her hand on the door handle, but looked over her shoulder at Grace before leaving; "what did Eli have that Ayden didn't?" she asked, in a menacing tone.

Grace searched for words, but found none, instead she watched Naomi leave, without saying anything.


Walking slowly, her hands dug deep into the pockets of her jeans, she saw the boys hockey team running across the field; and instantly narrowed on Ayden, his black hair was wind blown as he stood, hockey stick poised in his hand.

As she came closer to the gate, she heard the chatter of the girls as they sat at the bleachers; and the last thing she felt like doing was talking to those hyena's, especially Naomi, so she stood by the gate, and watched the remaining 5 minutes of the game.

GRACE I never wanted any of this to happen………….none of it!

The boys started walking off the field, and Grace saw recognition in Ayden's eyes, and a hint of anger, as he approached.

He didn't say anything, only bent down and picked his bag up, brushing past Grace as he walked out the gate.

"Ayden wait!" she exclaimed, walking briskly after him.

He rummaged around in his bag, pulling out a bottle of water, but said nothing as he took long sips.

"Ayden……….." Grace pleaded, walking beside him.

He lowered the bottle and turned to her for a moment, then looked straight ahead again.

"Why are you here?" he asked, icily.

Grace almost didn't recognize his voice, it sounded like stone, cold and hard- she'd only ever heard him speak honestly, gently and huskily, and it scared her slightly to hear such anger.

"Because I thought you loved me!"

He stopped walking and turned to her, his eyes dark, as usual; except this time, as Grace peered into them, they looked hollow; and frightening, not broodingly beautiful, but eerie; because she didn't know what was behind those eyes, she didn't know the person she was looking at.

Her eyes explored his face, his chiselled features that showed no signs of emotion. She knew he was waiting for an explanation to what she'd just said, but she allowed silence to linger around them for a moment before speaking again.

"I thought you did………..but clearly I was wrong………..because otherwise you wouldn't have gone telling everyone about……….." she mumbled Eli's name, looking down at the ground as she uttered the word, and when she looked back, Ayden's face hadn't changed, it was still hard; "I had to go through this entire day with people staring at me as though I was dirt………..hearing people snigger behind my back………..and, of course, be threatened by Naomi!"

His face registered her last words, with a slightly surprised look, but his face soon returned to stone; and he continued to say nothing.

Grace ran a hand through her hair, and swallowed back tears, "Ayden……….. I am so sorry for hurting you…………. I really, truly am………….and I know I can stand here and tell you what an amazing person you are and how you changed me and how I never meant for any of this to happen………..but I know you wont listen to any of it……….because you can never trust me again, or anything that I tell you………..and I probably couldn't get what I need to say across to you anyway" she swiped away a strand of hair that fell across her face, and continued to babble;

"But everything has been so completely confusing lately, and nothing is going right………..and I am sorry about Eli and I, and what we did to you………..what I did to you………..but I don't want to apologize for telling the truth and doing what I think is right………..and you have no right to go telling people about my private life knowing too well how they would react………….."

The wind picked up and danced around their bodies; a menacing strand of hair blew across her face again, she brought her hand to swipe it away; but was too late, Ayden's hand had already brushed it aside, and now rested against her cheek.

"I………" she murmured, looking into his face, which was still firm and showed no signs of emotion; he leaned forward, his lips brushing hers.

"Cant………." she finished, pulling away from him.

His hand dropped and he stared into her face, "you never loved me, did you?" he asked, slowly.

Grace stared into his face, a million words running through her mind, but all it took was a small nod of her head, and Ayden looked away.

"I'm………..I'm sorry……….." she mumbled, not even sure of what she'd just admitted to.

"I'm really sick of hearing that" he turned back to her, hollowed eyes replaced with a softness that was familiar to her.

"I don't know what else to say" she admitted, swallowing back more tears.

Ayden gave the smallest hint of a smile, as he ran a hand through his wind-blown hair, he looked towards the car park, and back to Grace.

"I don't think you can say anything," he said, slowly and surely.

"I have to though………" she stammered, "I have to make this right again………..I can't just leave things like this………."

"You don't have a choice in the matter" he replied, softly.

Swallowing back a lump in her throat, Grace looked to the ground, "why did you tell everyone?" she asked.

"I wanted to hurt you"

Grace was shocked by his honesty.

"Oh" she mumbled, uncertainly.

"Well it worked………." She added.

Ayden gave a small nod, "revenge isn't so sweet" he muttered.

Grace nodded, and crossed her arms over her chest, knowing that was the closest thing to an apology she could hope for; "What now?" she asked.

Ayden turned to her, his head slightly cocked to one side, "I guess I try and forget about you?"

Grace looked away, towards the bleachers, and when she turned back, her mouth open, about to say more, Ayden was gone.

He was working towards his car, sports bag slung over his shoulder- Grace continued to stare after him, but after a moment, her feet moved and carried her away.