"Hello Graham, and is this your girlfriend?" The history teacher asks, smiling remembering what her husband said about the two last night. It helped her decide on the new seating chart.
"No, she's just a new friend, Mrs. Chesterton."
"I am Dorothy McShane, I go by Ace."
"Nice to meet you Ms. McShane," she looks at Graham, "I redid the seating chart and the two of you are sitting next to each other. You can catch Ace up on what we have done."
"I already have made copies of most of my notes."
"Good," she smiles at the two who are standing almost too close to each other.
"Come on let's find our seats," they find where they are assigned. More students slowly filter in.
"Graham, what kind of clubs are there?"
"We have drama, language clubs, a GSA and some more."
"Are you a part of any of them?"
"No, I like to go home. Are you interested in any clubs?"
"I don't know, but I am interested in seeing you outside of school." Graham hopes she can't hear his heart racing. "Graham?"
"I like the sound of that."
"Good." The bell rings as the other students settle in and find their new seats.
"I can tell from the notes check last week no one has been doing their notes." She looks around at the students, "everyone go grab a class copy of the textbook and take notes."
Graham gets up and grabs a book. "Do you want my notes, or I can just show you where we started after our last test?"
"Book me." That garners a laugh from Graham.
"Here we go."
"What about you, where's your book?"
"I am ahead. I don't do much, so I read a few chapters ahead."
"You don't hang out with Yaz?"
"Sometimes, but her parents have her on lockdown whenever her grades slip."
"What about your other friends?"
"I'm a bit of a loner."
"I highly doubt that."
"Mhmm, get to note taking," the teacher says.
"Sorry." Ace says and looks sheepishly at Graham before looking at the book. He goes over his notes and occasionally looks over at Ace as she flips a page. Her braid falls to the side of her face and Graham inches to move it back behind her shoulder. He doesn't though.
"Okay, class time to put your books away before the bell goes off." Ace closes the book and gets up before Graham can. While she does this Graham packs away both of their things.
"Ace, ready to go?"
"I am," they walk out of the room as Tegan and Nyssa walk out of theirs.
"How was your class?" Nyssa asks them.
"Just a study hall today, it seems most haven't done their notes and Graham here is weeks ahead."
"You like to study that much?"
"I don't hang out with people much."
"We have a feeling that will change," Tegan says, looking between the two.
"If I have my way, it will." Ace says wanting to grab his hand, but doesn't.
"So none of us are late for class. We should get going." Adds Nyssa as she watches Ace win the inner battle and grab Graham's hand. "Teg, we will probably see them get together in no time."
"I don't know, they will definitely become good friends first. She is hiding a lot that not even Mel knows."
"She feels differently about Graham."
Hours later Ace and Graham are making their way to a table lightly talking. "Ace, Graham," they hear Mel shouting for them.
"Want to eat with them," Ace asks Graham.
"Sure." As they approach the table Mel likes to see how relaxed Ace is around Graham.
"So Graham," Mel starts, "are you seeing anyone?"
"No."
"Interesting," Mel looks at Ace and smiles at her. Graham follows Mel's line of sight and smiles at Ace who smiles back. "I think."
"You think what Mel," Ace doesn't want anyone to know a part of her likes Graham more than a friend. She is afraid of him finding out about her mum, Glitz and Manisha.
"Oh nothing, just the two of you seem to be already close, sort of like how these two," she gestures between Tegan and Nyssa, " like when Tegan moved here a number of years ago."
"8 years Mel, Tegan and her family moved here when we were 8 and Adric was 1."
"Speaking of Adric, Ace, do you want to ask something?"
"Tegan, did Adric talk about meeting a new friend?"
"He did."
"It's my little brother Liam."
"So the group of us will be seeing each other more." Tegan looks over to Graham, "you can join us."
"Are you sure?"
"Mel has two closest friends, Liam, his friend and me."
"Yeah Ace what do you have in this case," Mel teases.
"My new friend," her eyes don't leave Graham's as she is saying this. They go into their own world, eyes not leaving each other's.
"Do they realize that we are still here," Nyssa whispers to Tegan and Mel.
"I don't think so," Mel picks up a napkin and throws it at Ace.
"What was that for?"
"You two have been staring at each other for over 5 minutes."
"No we haven't, it hasn't even been a second," Ace replies when the bell goes off. Ace's eyes go wide now knowing what this will mean after school. She hopes Zoe is picking them up. She then remembers Zoe and her Dad talked about telling them something that night.
For the rest of the day, her mind is occupied with what is going to be happening that night. She assumes it's about her mum. "Ace, are you ok?" Graham asks as they walk out together.
"I don't know."
"Anything I can help with?"
"I don't know. I am going to go. I'll call you later."
"Ace wait," she turns around as she feels his arms go around her in a hug. Mel, who was getting in the car, stands there in shock.
"Mel get inside, Ace will be getting in a second. Do not tease her about the hug," her mom says.
"But."
"No ifs and or butts."
"Fine," Mel gets in the car just as the hug ends. Ace tries to calm any emotions she has the sense of impending doom that she has.
"How was school Ace," asks Zoe as she gets in the car.
"It was fine."
"What happened at lunch, after you and Graham stopped staring at each other your whole demeanor changed."
"I remembered something."
"Melanie, don't continue."
"Mom."
"No, listen to me, you are not to go on right now," Zoe focuses back on the road as Mel slumps against her seat. Ace gets out her phone and decides to text Graham.
'Graham, I am sorry about today.'
'What is there to be sorry about?'
'I was silent after lunch.'
'Something bothering you?'
'A lot.'
'Want to talk tonight?'
'Maybe, I don't know.'
'We can talk about anything.'
'K.'
"Ace Dear, we are home." She goes straight upstairs to start on her homework.
An hour later her door is opened and in comes Liam jumping on her bed. "Ace, school was amazing today."
"That's great Liam, what did you learn?"
"I can't remember."
"Then how do you know school was amazing?"
"Because I got to play with Adric duh. What about you did you get to play with Graham?"
"We don't have recess Liam. Though since we have every class together we have lunch together."
"It's cool that we made friends the first day we had school."
"You could say it's Ace." Liam laughs at that.
"You haven't said that for 6 months."
"I say my name often."
"Not like that, I missed it."
"Did you also miss the tickle bomb?"
"Yes."
"Then here it comes," she puts her homework to the side and starts to tickle Liam. Zoe comes to check on them.
"What are you doing?"
"Just tickling him, we did this when we could."
"Though, Ace hasn't been able to do it for nearly a year."
"It will happen more often if you want." She tells her little brother.
"Yeahhh," Liam gets off the bed and heads out of the room to go bug Mel.
"You did everything you could to make him happy."
"I did and still will."
"You will not be alone in that, and you will have more people caring about your happiness. Not just in this household either. Tegan and Nyssa."
"Don't forget Graham. You probably saw the hug from this afternoon."
"I did and so did Mel."
"Great, more teasing."
"I told her not right now."
"Thank you."
"I already love you and your brother, you know that."
"I am starting to get used to that." She smiles at Zoe.
"Good, and get used to hearing it."
"I'll try."
"If you need advice on anything and I mean anything, you can ask me."
"Ok?"
"Just for future references. How does pizza sound for dinner?"
"Wicked."
"Want to come help make it?"
"What?"
"We like to make homemade pizza."
"Got it, I'll be down after I change." Zoe goes to Mel's room then Liam's. 10 minutes later Ace comes down leaving her phone in her room.
"Welcome daughter of mine."
"Thank you, father of mine." Before you know it the kitchen is a mess. One of the pizzas is in the oven and Liam is on Harry's back.
"I am the king of this kitchen. Ace is my knight."
"It would be my honor to be your knight." She bows down as Mel quickly hands Liam the broom to knight Ace. Zoe and Harry are glad what is going on with what they are going to have to tell Ace and Mel after dinner. When the timer goes off Harry puts Liam down to get the pizza and puts in his and Zoe's.
After everyone is finished and the kitchen is cleaned up Harry and Zoe share a look that Ace catches. "Li, can you please go get my phone, I am expecting a call from Graham."
"Oooohhhhhhh Graham," he says.
"Yes Graham."
"Can I talk to him when he calls?"
"Maybe."
"Okay," Liam pops up and runs to the stairs.
"No running Liam, and clean up while you are up there," calls Harry.
"What is going on, why did we send Liam out of the room," asks Mel.
"I assume it's about my mother. Has she boarded a plane or something?"
"We don't know, we have made arrangements if she does show up."
"Was it more than abuse?" Mel asks, looking at Ace.
"Mel, my Mum was horrible. I tried to protect Liam my best, but our version of CPS came to check on us after I burned down a building."
"You did what?"
"It was on a dare, and when I got home; Mum was yelling at me. Liam got in the middle as she was about to hit me, she ended up breaking his arm. I ended up knocking her out when the police came with Liam crying in the corner and me trying to calm myself down. Liam told them through tears what happened. We got taken to the hospital. X-Rays, interviews were done, then they asked me about any family. I told them about my Dad who lives in America with his girlfriend and her daughter around my age."
"Wow."
"There is more Ace, but we don't want to give you more trauma, I got your records and until we know you are doing better we don't want to tell you."
"What?"
"Sweetie," Zoe gets off the chair and moves to bring Ace into her arms, "we need to protect you to our best abilities and this is one of the ways. Can you trust us?"
"I guess. Will it affect me later in life?"
"It has a chance."
"In what ways?"
"PTSD."
"Okay? It's not like I probably already don't have it."
"Can we go to why we sent Liam away."
"If Audrey ever shows up you three will go to the neighbors. Sarah Jane has a nephew around your age," Zoe says. Liam comes back down.
"Hello Graham, I am Liam, Ace's little brother."
"It's nice to meet you, is your sister around?"
"She's right here. Do you know?" Ace jumps up and grabs the phone from Liam.
"Hello Graham."
"What was your brother about to tell me?"
"I don't know."
"How are you doing?"
"Ok," Ace moves upstairs and closes her blinds as Graham opens his, both not realizing that they are not far from each other.