Chapter 8

"What the hell were you even thinking? You were being completely stupid!" I look straight ahead through the windshield as I was being yelled at. I had told Mel about Niall and everything that had happened. I don't think she had ever been this mad at me before. "What do you think could have happened, Grace? He could have hurt you! You didn't even know him! What if he would have done something to you? He could have killed you, Grace! Did you ever think about that?"

This is why I didn't want to tell anyone about the last two days. This is how everyone would have reacted.

"Do your dad and Amber even know what went on?"

I shook my head. "No, Mel, they don't and they won't know. It's none of their business." I looked at Mel who shook her head as she turned on to my street and up to the front of my house "Please, Mel. Don't tell them or anyone. I know that it was a huge risk, but I'm okay. He was a nice guy and everything is okay. I can just forget about it."

Mel turned her head to look at me. "Sure, whatever, Grace." I slide out of her car and barely got the door shut before she drove off. Great. She was mad. I walked up the sidewalk and into the house.

"Grace! You're home!" I turned to see my dad standing in the kitchen with Amber.

"Hi, dad," I said as I walked over to give him a kiss on the cheek. He pulled me in for one of his dad hugs.

"It's about time you're home! Did you and Mel have fun?"

I pulled out from his hug and looked up and smiled. "Yea, dad, we did." I looked over at Amber who was giving me a forced smile. I forced myself to give her a fake smile back.

"So, Grace, how was this concert?" Amber asked.

"Really good," I replied. "Just a bunch of drugs and alcoholics everywhere. Best time of my life."

"That's not funny, Grace." I looked over at my dad and gave him a cheeky grin.

"I know." I turned to head down the hall to my room. I walked in a tossed my purse on my bed. What a crazy couple of days. Who would have known that I would have ended up staying the night in an Irish man's hotel room? I felt my phone vibrate from inside my purse. It was a text from Liz.

"Hey! Are you back in town yet!?"

"Hey Liz! Yea, I'm back! You should come over tonight! I have a ton of pictures to show you!"

"Sounds good! I'll be over at seven! Wanna order pizza?"

"haha sure. See ya then! "

I closed my phone and threw myself onto my bed. At least Liz and Karen are still talking to me. I just hoped Mel wasn't going to tell them. I kind of need my friends here. I pulled one of my throw blankets from my on top of me and snuggled into my pillow.

I opened my eyes and starred at my wall. I had fallen asleep. I tuned onto my back and rubbed my eyes. I lay on my back while staring at my ceiling, breathing in and out slowly. I reached onto my bedside table and grabbed my phone to check the time. Six-thirty. Liz was going to be coming over soon. I checked my messages. My inbox was empty. I sat up in bed and flung my legs onto the floor. I stood up and opened my bedroom door to go down the hallways when I heard my dad and Amber down the hall.

"She's just showing up? When?"

"She'll be here Wednesday. I don't see what the big deal is, Jay."

"Amber, it would have been nice to have a little heads up." I wonder what was going on. I made my way down the hallway to the living room where my dad and Amber were.

"What are you two arguing about?" I asked as I tossed myself onto the couch. My dad sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"Amber's mother is going to be coming on Wednesday to stay with us for a few days."

"I still don't see what the bug deal is! It's not like she's going to be living here."

Amber's mother was coming? The only thing worse than the demon herself was the mother. "Wednesday? That's in two days." I didn't want her mother coming. First I had to worry about Mel, now this woman who hated me just as much as Amber does.

"Calm down, Grace," Amber said as she glared at me.

"We'll just have to try and make it work," my dad said as he threw his hands in the air. "Anyways, Grace, what did you want to do for dinner?"

"Oh, Liz is coming over tonight and we're ordering pizza," I replied.

"Okay, that's fine," my dad said as he smiled at me and walked out of the living room.

"You know, Grace," Amber said as I turned to face her. "You could try to make the best of this for my mother. You're always a smartass and rude to her. Maybe you could learn some manners before then?"

"Yea, I probably could. But that would mean I'd actually have to talk to your mother in order to learn some manners and I don't plan on communicating with her at all." Where the fuck did Amber get the nerve to tell me to get manners?

"Grace, let me tell yo…," the opening of the front door cut her off.

"Oops. Looks like we'll have to finish this conversation in hell," I said as I got up from the couch and greeted Liz.

'"Hey, girl," Liz said smiling.

"Let's get the heck out of here," I said as I led Liz to my room.

"Liz, I would appreciate it if you use the doorbell next time. I wouldn't walk into your house without knocking," Amber yelled down the hall.

"I wouldn't want you in my house anyways," Liz said under her breath. I laughed. We settled into my room.

"What kind of pizza do you want?" I asked as I started dialing the number.

"Hawaiian is good for me," Liz replied. I held the receiver up to my ear. I order Liz and me pizza. I hung up the phone. "So," said Liz, "how was the concert?"

"It was absolutely amaz…" my door opened and my dad popped his head in.

"Amber and I are going to grab dinner."

"Okay, dad," I said. He shut my door and walked away.

"Let's go to the living room and talk while we wait," I told Liz as I got up and opened my bedroom door.

Liz and I made ourselves comfortable in the living room while we waited for our pizza. "So, you were saying?" said Liz.

"It was so amazing! The band was amazing and everything!" Liz smiled.

"I can't believe you went there all alone! How was the train ride there and back?"

"Good," I said. Liz was my longest and best friend, but I couldn't tell her about Niall. "It was long, but smooth."

"I can't believe that you actually went. I told my dad about you going alone and he flipped shit. He couldn't believe that your dad let you go alone or even go at all!" Liz's dad was like my second father. He was one of the sweetest, yet sternest men I've ever met. He spoiled Liz like crazy, especially after her brother died. He loved his kids and wanted them to be happy, but he made sure they stayed in order.

I laughed. 'Well, your dad had nothing to worry about. I'm fine," I said as I smiled. I heard the doorbell rang and my eyes lit up. Pizza! Liz and I got up and headed to open the door.

"Hi did you order two….shit," the pizza man cut off. It wasn't just a random pizza man; it was Pete, Karen's ex.

"Pete? What the hell are you doing delivering pizza?" Liz asked.

"I needed to get a second job, okay?" pizza said handing us the boxes of pizza.

"Yea, I bet because taking care of a gold-digging hussy rally drains the wallet," Liz said back. So sassy.

"Ha-Ha-Ha," Pete said in a mocking voice. "That'll be $15.60." I handed Pete the money. "Tip?," he asked.

"Fuck no," Liz laughed as she slammed the door in Pete's face. We took the pizza boxes into the living room and sat them on the floor.

"Movie?" I asked Liz.

"Sure! Wait, isn't Pep Town on tonight?"

"Shit, it is!" I quickly turned to the station just as the show was started. Liz and I spent the night watching one of our favorite shows and eating pizza, wasting our night away.