Chapter Two- Meanwhile back at school…

Grace smiled at the woman behind the counter as she turned and left the diner. Amy Jerguns…well Amy Boykewich now apparently. She couldn't get the image of her children out of her head. Janie should be Ricky's daughter, not Ben's, that she knew for a fact. Ricky was the real father, granted he wasn't exactly the best person for that in high school but he was so different now, and the thought of his daughter being right around the corner from him hurt her. There were always the rumors that flew around school involving those two, especially when Adrian dumped him and started dating Jack, but they were never true; at least not until senior prom when he asked her to be his date and then kissed her as they were leaving the dance. She remembered it so clearly sometimes it was like watching a movie for her…

"What was that?" she asked softly as she pulled away.

His face turned red but he wouldn't look away. "I'm sorry Grace, I just can't…I can't ignore this anymore."

"Ignore what?"

He sighed. "You know I like you and I know that you like me too. Why the hell are we playing the friends game huh? It's just a waste of time for us!"

"You like me?"

"You know I do," he said as he put his hands on her hips.

"Ricky, I…I don't know what to say," she stuttered.

"Say yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes you'll be my girlfriend," he said simply.

She ripped away from his touch, surprising both of them. "I need to think about that."

"You don't want that?"

"I…I don't know what I want," she said firmly.

"Yeah I can tell," he replied rolling his eyes.

"Can you just take me home now?" she crossed her arms.

He sighed but followed her to the car and took her home. "I'm right Grace, you know I am," he said as she got out.

"Bye Ricky."

That was the beginning of the end for Grace. She couldn't stop thinking about what he said; did she like him? She always had a feeling he liked her more than just a friend but didn't say anything lest she come off as cocky or conceited. When he kissed her though…it was like fire raced from her lips to her heart and made it pump twice as fast as it usually did. That wasn't supposed to happen. She had kissed boys before; Jack, Robbie, Dave, none of that happened with any of them. Why was it so different with Ricky Underwood?? Not to mention he was a Grade-A arrogant jerk sometimes. But then there were the other times when he and Grace were alone that she saw the real him, the one that he hid from other people. One week and four days after he first kissed her, she marched up to him at the end of school.

"Hi there," he smiled at her in a friendly way.

"Fine, you were right," she huffed.

His smile instantly changed from a friendly one to a smug one. "Oh I'm sorry, about what?"

"Ricky stop it!"

"That you like me too? That you liked kissing me?" he crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe," she said starting to lose her sudden burst of confidence.

"Maybe? Well maybe I should refresh your memory," he said as he leaned in and kissed her again, in front of the entire school.

"Ricky," she breathed as she pushed him and her heart rate slowly went back to normal.

"What?"

"I didn't forget," she said with a smile.

"I figured," he said as he kissed her again.

"What are you smiling about?"

Grace looked up, surprised to see herself at home.

"Lost again?" he asked amused.

She smiled sheepishly and went to stand beside him. "I saw Adrian the other day," he mentioned and his wife perked up. Adrian and her used to be friends back in the day until of course Ricky started dating her and it turned out to be serious.

"Maybe she's forgiven me by now," she said thoughtfully.

"For what?"

"For dating you."

He started laughing. "Yes, tell her that we're married and see how far that'll get you."

Grace bit her tongue as she almost told her husband about seeing Amy but thought better of it. If she said that she wouldn't tell, she wouldn't tell. Grace Underwood wasn't one for breaking promises and she wasn't going to start now.

"Hi there boyfriend," a girl coyly said as she sat down next to Riley Blake at lunch that day.

He sighed. "Hailey how many times do I have to tell you not here?" he hissed at her.

"Well if you just broke up with that whiny bitch then we wouldn't have an issue would we?" she smiled at him.

"Go away Hales," he said warningly.

She rolled her eyes. "Are we on for tonight?"

"Fine, whatever," he said hurriedly as he saw his friends coming.

"What did Hailey Bush want?" Nadine asked. "Wait, why am I asking this. Undoubtedly wants to share her STD's," she answered her own question, rolling her eyes.

His face turned red. "Uhh, I have no idea. We're in the same class so probably to share notes or whatever. Where's Jane?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "She had a free period," Nadine answered. "Where's Ray?"

Now it was his turn to shrug. Since he and Janie had been together for sometime now it was only natural for their groups to blend together and it just figured that their respective best friends would start dating.

"Where were you this morning?" Janie asked as she sat down.

"Ran late," he said as he focused on his lunch tray.

Where was he this morning? Oh that's right, making out with Hailey Bush on his bed. Right, the one thing not to say to his girlfriend that loved him. He felt bad for cheating on her but at the same time he just got bored of always doing the same thing with her, there was never any variety. Not to mention he was ready to take their relationship to the next level and she was still keeping up the good girl act. Hailey, not so much.

"You ready for tryouts?" Nadine asked.

"Tryouts?" Janie repeated confused.

"Janie!! You said you would do cheerleading tryouts with me," the petite redhead banged her hand on the table, managing to startle Janie and bring Riley out his daydream at the same time.

"You're trying out for cheerleading?" he asked her amused.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Janie turned to him.

"Nothing babe, it's just…well I don't picture enjoying that," he shrugged. "Besides you already have track and choir."

"You don't think I can do this," she accused him.

"Woah," he said putting his hands up. "I never said that Janie…"

"Kids," Nadine said putting her hands between them. "First off Janie, he never said you couldn't do it. Riley, let her try it. Besides, if she gets in then she'll be wearing those cute uniforms," she grinned as Janie scowled.

"I'll look like a cow."

"Shut up!" they both yelled.

"Fine!" Janie finally agreed. "I'll do it," she said without looking at her boyfriend.

"Thank you," Nadine grinned. "The tryouts are after school today…"

Janie tuned her out again as the same boy from that morning walked by her, this time glaring at Riley, not paying any attention to her. She followed him with her eyes wondering why he hated her boyfriend so much when Nadine kicked her and gave her a warning look.

"What are you doing?" she hissed after Riley left. "You can't check out guys when your boyfriend is right there!"

"I wasn't checking him out! And he was looking at him like he wanted Riley's head on a stake or something."

"That's great for him," she replied. "I mean I was kidding this morning but Jane, that's twice in one day. Is there anything going on that you're not telling me here?"

"What?! No!!"

"Then pay attention to your boyfriend, you know the kid that loves you?"

Janie rolled her eyes and made a face. "Whatever, I have to go fix my schedule."

"You didn't do that yet?"

"Nope. I hung out in the library instead," she grinned.

"I don't get you; it's like you like reading or something."

"It's like…I do like reading," she said back slowly and her friend gave her the finger.

"Can I help you?" the bored looking student asked.

"I was told Adrian Lee worked here."

"What's she do?"

"Excuse me?"

"What does she do here?" the boy repeated slowly.

Grace looked around. "I have no idea, I just know that she works here."

"I know Ms. Lee."

She turned around to see the girl from the picture collage at Amy's diner.

"She's a counselor."

"Thanks," she smiled warmly at her. "Do you mind showing me where she is?"

Janie looked at the boy behind the counter who went back to doing his homework and shrugged. "Sure."

"So how do you know Adr-Ms. Lee," Grace caught herself.

"Well she works here and I've known her my whole life, my parents are friends with her."

"Your mother runs that diner in town right?"

Janie just looked at her.

"I was in there earlier and saw a picture of you. I'm sorry, I don't mean to freak you out or anything."

"No it's…fine. Yeah my mom's Amy Boykewich, her and my aunt run that," she said as she approached a door. "Adrian?" she asked as she knocked on it.

"What's up Janie?" she smiled at her. "Skipping classes already?"

"Not really, I have someone who's looking for you."

Adrian got up and adjusted her skirt. "Hi I'm Ms…." She trailed off as she saw who it was.

"Adrian, hi," Grace smiled warmly.

"Grace," Adrian replied formally.

"I heard that you worked here," she followed the woman into her office and took a seat.

"What do you want Grace?"

The blonde's smile faltered. "I…wanted to say hi. I mean it's been so long and everything."

"Funny, I remember why we stopped talking and I'm pretty sure you married that reason."

"Adrian, please, that was years ago! We're all grown up now…"

Adrian glared at Grace and then a sweet smile appeared on her face. "You're right Grace. We are grown up now."

"Adrian…" Grace sighed knowing that smile. That smile meant that Adrian Lee wasn't going to budge. That smile meant that Grace could eat shit and Adrian wouldn't care. She had seen it plenty of times, most of which were before they were friends.

"Oh and another thing Grace, if you tell that husband of yours where Janie is or anything else about her, I will make sure that you are sorry for it."

"I'm not going to that, I already saw Amy and told her that myself. I still think it's wrong that Ricky has no idea where his daughter is but I mean if Ben adopted her and she thinks Ben is her father it's not right to upset her I guess…"

"That's right. It's not. Maybe we can be friends again," she said as she maintained her glare.

"Ok so we're going to do a right hercie, a toe touch and then a split, ready?" the blonde leading them said.

"No," mumbled Janie as Nadine bumped her.

Janie Boykewich was definitely not the most coordinated person on the planet and she wasn't sure who to blame for that one, her mom or her dad. In fact, she wasn't even sure why she was here doing this. She watched as Nadine flawlessly jumped her way through the routine and ended in a perfect left split and rolled her eyes. Her friend had this in the bag, they both knew it and Janie suspected the only reason why she dragged her to this was so she wouldn't feel left out if Nadine did make the squad. Which was ludicrous just to think of, Nadine would never leave her best friends out of anything and even if she did start to drift away from them, Janie had plenty of other friends, or at least people she was friendly with, to talk to.

"Hello?" one of the cheerleaders called in her direction.

Crap, of course she would be caught not paying attention. She looked at the girl and realized that she knew her. Hailey Bush.

"Do you think you can keep up?" she asked with a smirk and Janie immediately took a dislike towards her.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

The girl snorted and Nadine narrowed her eyes.

"You know she was all over Riley at lunch today before you came," she started in the locker room after the tryouts were over.

"Who?" Janie asked with a start.

"That Hailey slut."

"Dina, she's not a slut," Janie rolled her eyes.

"Oh yes she is."

"So if you make the squad, does that make you a slut?"

Nadine glared at her. "It does if I'm hanging all over a taken man Janie!"

"What do you mean all over?"

"I mean looking like she might as well just crawl into his lap and spoon feed him his lunch. It was gross."

"Huh…" was all Janie could think of to say. She thought that her and Riley had a good relationship; they had been together for a little over a year and she knew that he loved her. But then again, Nadine Young was not the type of person that lied to her friends, especially about something like this.

"I mean did you hear that snide remark she made towards you? Seriously, me and Jules could have her taken out you know."

"Ok first off, she caught me not paying attention. Sue me. Second off, you and Julie having ties to the mob sounds like a good plot for a bad sitcom."

"I'm just saying-"

"And I'm just saying I'll take care of it," Janie snapped.

"Fine, whatever," her friend retorted as she picked up her bag and walked out of the locker room.

"So did it work?"

"Did what work?" Grace looked at Rick with a perplexed expression.

"Did she talk to you?"

"Well she kind of had to, I showed up at her door."

Grace was already having a hard time with this secret she agreed to keep, especially since she had already interacted with Amy Boykewich and Ricky's own daughter. It was only a matter of time before Ricky himself bumped into either Amy, Ben or Janie and then it would all come down on her and that wasn't something she was looking forward to.

"Have you figured anything out for a job yet?" she changed the subject and he sighed.

"No. Telling people the reason you were fired was for having a close relationship with a client doesn't exactly make them want to hire you Grace."

She looked down at the ground and didn't say anything. Kerri Hilbert; the reason they moved back to their hometown in the first place. She was a great girl and she became one of Ricky's patients when she told him that her father beat her on a regular basis. Grace, being the woman that she is, felt horrible for the girl and wanted to make her feel loved or at least like someone cared for her so she encouraged him to take her to lunch or invite her over their house. It worked for a little bit; until people caught onto what Ricky was doing. Kerri loved being at their house and Grace adored her, but adoring that girl so much cost Ricky his job. There wasn't many cases of abused children in their town so of course he hadn't found work yet, and the only work he could think of doing would be at the school. That was the first thing that crossed his mind and when he told Grace that, she bit her lip and shook her head.

"I don't think that's such a great idea."

"Why not? It'd be perfect!"

"I just mean, well you're social worker, isn't there a constant need for you? Talk to the mayor or something."

"What's wrong with the school Grace?" he raised an eyebrow.

She sighed. She knew couldn't win this fight without giving away what she swore she wouldn't. "Nothing honey. If that's what you want, then go for it."

"That's my girl," he said as he smiled and kissed her on the head.

"Yeah, I'm your girl," she mumbled after him as she left their house.