Monday rolled around and I was on cloud nine. The whole weekend had been about myself, my brother I later found out, had been with his new girlfriend all weekend and came back Sunday night. My parents came back this morning just as we were getting ready for school, and my dad thank god, offered to take me to school. I had to text Aries that I didn't need him this morning but he never text me back so I shrugged it off.
When I got to school Grace looked like hell, her hair was a mess, her cloths were all rumpled and her over all mood was sour. Her eyes were sunken in and her body was shaking like she was cold. When I got to her she was surprised to see me, and when I hugged her she sagged in my arms. It surprised me and I froze for a second, the heat that was coming off her was scorching. She was hot, and warmer then her normal temperature, and that surprised me.
"Are you ok? You look like death Grace." I held her at arms length and touched her hair here and there. Even being at arms length I could still feel her warmth, she wasn't as hot as before but Grace was still warm.
She gave me a weak smile and leaned into my hand as I touched her cheek. Sighing heavily I saw her eyes shift for a second from their normal dark brown to a stunning bright gold. I froze for a second but she blinked her eyes and shook her head before looking back at me.
"Yea, I just had a hard weekend. I got sick with the stomach flu and had it coming out of both ends." She laughed but it wasn't her full hearted laugh.
"You sure?" I was focusing on her face trying to see if what I saw before was just the trick of the light or something else. Grace just nodded and smiled at me but couldn't meet my eyes or didn't want to meet my eyes. "If you say so." I whispered to her and she snaked her arm into mine and pulled me forward. The heat she was radiating still there, and made its way to me.
"Come on, were gonna be late and I'm spending the night with you remember?" Her voice perked up and her whole demeaner seemed to change.
"Lead the way Miss Grace." I laughed, and allowed her to drag me into school but before we got up the steps there was a commotion to the right just on the other side of the fence on the street.
The girls around us whispered and giggled but she couldn't see as a crowd started to gather along the fence. Everyone was chattering and pointing, and honestly I was curious as to what they were doing. Curiosity killed the cat I know but I wanted to know what was going on. I released Grace arm as we walked up the few steps. I tried to get a look as I walked up the few steps and stopped when I saw what was happening.
A blue Chevy truck was on the street and Aries was standing outside of it. He was wearing a white button up dress shirt, the 4 bars marking him as a senior clung to his shoulders and his blazer was thrown over his shoulder like he didn't care. His hair was slicked back almost like a greasers would be, and he was laughing.
Laughing with Ellie.
She stood next to him leaning on the side of his truck. Ellie had long slender legs and her skirt was shorter then the normal required length.
I secretly hated her, wait what? Where the hell did that come from?
Seeing her next to Aries made me upset and a little hurt. He had said nothing was going on between the two of them, but here he was laughing and smiling at her. Her...Ellie... The perfect picture of a blonde barbie. Blonde hair, blue green eyes, button nose, peach face and perfect pouting lips. I groaned again and this time my exasperation was kinda loud.
At that moment Aries froze and slowly turned towards my direction almost making me shiver with his gaze. His green eyes were so bright when they found me I had to take a step back. When our eyes meet he gave me that breath taking smile, his teeth were pearl white and he was looking right at me. So was Ellie, she followed Aries line of sight and her gaze landed on mine as well. Both were now looking at me, and I couldn't stand it.
There was that scorching heat again as an arm snaked back around mine. The bell rang twice and broke the spell that was put on the three of us as it signaled it warning of school starting soon. Grace had my arm around hers and pulled me back making my head turn so I wouldn't fall.
"Come one Allie were gonna be late." She kept pulling me up the stairs and threw the double doors.
"Uhu, yea...ok" I turned my head back to where Aries and Ellie stood but Aries was getting back in his car and Ellie was walking towards the gate blowing kisses at him. Seeing her making those gestures at Aries made me slip and almost fall flat on my face if it hadn't been for Grace's hold on me.
She tugged me along with her to our lockers and we grabbed our belongings. My phone vibrated in my pocket and I could only imagen who it was...Aries more likely, but I wasn't going to answer him. He could suffer till the end of the day.
At least that's what I kept telling myself. But in reality I was the one who was suffering the most.
--
I couldn't stand it, the way he was making me feel. All day long it felt as if my phone was burning a whole in my pocket, almost like the devil himself had a hold on me and beckoned for my attention. It was driving me crazy knowing that Aries had texted me and I hadn't texted him back, knowing that he was waiting for my reply back, at least that is what I thought. I hadn't actually checked my phone yet, but I had an idea that it was him almost like this warm ache in my chest. God, damn him I hate him for this.
When our classes were over and the end of school came around, Grace waited for me outside while I grabbed the last few books I needed. My phone vibrated again in my phone but I tried my hardest not to pull it out and look at it, but I couldn't...I wouldn't give him that satisfaction.
When I finished my packing and picked up my book bag I headed straight out the front doors. Ignoring my phone completely as it vibrated consistently in my pocket, damn thing was driving me mad, I wanted to throw it at the wall. I walked out the front door and looked around for Grace, she stood at the end of the block opposite from where I knew Aries would be. I followed along the wall trying to stay as concealed as possible my head was down but I followed along the path.
Grace smiled when she finally saw me, she was looking better by the end of the day, she didn't look as pale as she did when I first saw her this morning. Her face was softer and her cheeks were slightly pink, he hair had more life in it then before, I was grateful she was feeling better. I didn't have a ride so it would be a mile walk to the first bus stop and then a 40 minute bus right and another 2 mile walk. All together it would take us an hour and 20 to get back to my house, where as a car ride would take 40 minutes.
I sighed a little frustrated that I didn't have my license yet but my parent wouldn't get me a car so there was nothing I could do. I was still a Jr in high school, and when I tried to sign up for after school work, my mother neglected to sign the papers. No matter how many times I told her or reminded her she would just throw it away or ignored me.
"Hey, you ready?" Grace's eyes shined when she saw me.
"Yea, lets go." I mumbled, as I bumped my shoulder into hers. She was the only thing that really made my day here at school, she was my best friend and I practically knew everything about her.
We walked out the side grate talking about the projects we had coming up in the next few weeks. School was ending soon and we had 3 finales left and they were due in 2 weeks. We were almost to the bus stop when my phone vibrated again, God damn thing. I pulled it out of my pocket and flipped it see who was calling me.
Aries. He had called 5 times, and I missed 10 of his texts.
"Hello?"
"Where are you?" He sounded upset and somewhere small in my mind I smiled at the thought.
"Why are you asking?" I knew my answer would piss him off but it was all fun. Grace and I had just gotten to the bus stop and we were now sitting, waiting for our bus to arrive. She gave me a lifted brow her silent question as to who I was talking to. I stuck my finger in my mouth and playfully gaged, she giggled.
"Who's with you? Where are you?" Aries was getting more upset by the minute, but honestly I was loving listening to him suffer.
"Why do you want to know?" I teased.
"Alex who is with you?" His voice was raspy and angry now.
"Grace, I'm with Grace. We are at the bus stop. Why?"
"Didn't I tell you I would take you home?" I heard shuffling in the back ground "What bus stop are you at?"
"Why do you care? I'm with grace and we are taking the bus home, to my house I mean. I don't always need you. Your my brothers friend not mine." Grace turned her head listening to my conversation now. She leaned closer but this time I put him on speaker phone.
"I don't want you taking the bus if you don't have too. Honestly I'm a little surprised that we aren't friends, that actually hurts. Now... What bus stop are you at?"
"You don't want me taking the bus? I thought this whole thing was my brothers plan. Now, now Aries did you lie to me? Friends don't lie to one another. Seems like your not my friend, oh look my bus is here. Got to go Aries, bye." I hung up on him before he could say anything more.
"What were you both talking about?" Grace asked me looking up from my phone.
"Aries told me George wanted him to pick me up and drop me off too and from school. But it turns out he lied."
"Well I mean, I would have told you that. George has never been nice to you." Grace stood up and I followed her as we both stood waiting for the bus doors to open. "Does he even know your brother?"
"Apparently not." I snored stepping onto the bus paid my fee and sat down near a window in the middle of the bus. Grace followed me as sat next to me on the isle side. I looked down at my phone, it was 3:40pm we would get to my house by 5pm. Geez it would be a long ride. A small part of me wished to call Aries back just so that he could take me home, but another small part of me wanted to defi him.
Grace put her head on my shoulder and I felt the heat coming from her, her warmth this time wasn't uncomfortable, I actually welcomed her warmth. In her small way she was comforting me, and I knew that. "Maybe he likes you?"
I sat up in my seat now, what the hell was she talking about?
"Me? No you got it all wrong. I barley even know him."
"Doesn't mean he doesn't like you, or stop Aries from liking you." Grace smiled at me before she scrunched her face and stuck her tongue out at me.
I rolled my eyes and scoffed at her. "Sure, well he has Ellie and I don't even like him."
She eyed me for a second before smiling at me "Could have fooled me." She stuck her tongue out at me, then went back to her phone.
I thought about her words for a second. No he couldn't like me, he had Ellie the perfect picture of a woman. Compared to her I was nothing, short stubby, I weighed 180 compared to her, I'm sure she was as thin as a stick 80lbs less than me. I shook my head, Grace was crazy.