Have Faith In Me

“I’m going to miss you sis. You better come visit more often.” Gavin said as he wrapped his arms tightly around his little sister.

“I already told you, I will.” She mumbled into his neck.

“You better.”

She laughed and looked up at her older brother.

“I love you Gavin.”

He smiled and kissed his sister’s forehead.

“I love you too. Take care of Callie. You know she gets crazy.” He said

“Hey I heard that!” she said loudly making everyone laugh. Grace let go of Gavin and walked over to Carter. She pulled him to her and squeezed him tightly.

“I wish you were coming with us.” She said sadly.

“I’ll be home in a few weeks. You’ll see me then.” Carter said laughing as he ruffled Grace’s hair. She glared at him as he laughed and kissed her cheek.

Grace then walked over to Eddie who held his arms open. She walked into them and laid her head against his chest.

“I’m so glad I got to meet and spend time with you this summer Gracie. You’re a beautiful, loving girl.” He said. Grace blushed but smiled lightly.

“Thank you. I’m glad I got to spend time with you. I’ve seen how happy you make my dad and I love you for it. You two are perfect for each other.” Grace said smiling.

Eddie smiled and hugged her again. “You don’t know how much that means to me.”

“Just take care of my dad, alright?”

“I will. I promise you.” Eddie said as he let go of her. Finally Grace turned to her dad she walked slowly over to him and threw her arms around his neck. She tried hard to keep her tears back but as he hugged her back they fell from her eyes.

“Don’t cry sweetheart.” Matthew mumbled into her hair.

Grace chuckled weakly and shook her head. “I’m acting like such a girl.”

“There is nothing wrong with that. Its okay to show emotion.” Matthew said rubbing her back.

“I know.” Grace said sniffling. “I’m gonna miss you dad. I’m gonna miss you so much.”

“I’m going to miss you too, baby. But don’t be sad. Eddie and I are coming out for Thanksgiving and Christmas, remember?” he said

“Yeah I know. I told you I’m just acting like a girl.” Grace said laughing lightly.

“Promise me you’ll be careful on the road and take care of yourself when you get home.”

“I will dad.”

Matthew kissed his daughter’s forehead again before letting her go. Grace watched as Callie gave her dad a quick hug. They walked her to the door and Grace grabbed the bag of food her dad had bought for her and Callie.

“Gracie make sure you take pictures on the way home and send them to me. I know you’re going to take some.” Carter said knowingly.

“I’ll make sure to send you some.” She said with a smile.

Grace opened the door and her and Callie walked out as everyone else crowded around the door.

“Call me the first time you stop. I don’t care what time it.” Matthew said as he watched the two girls walk down the stairs.

“Okay dad.” She said smiling. “I love you all.”

“We love you Gracie!” Gavin and Carter said in high pitched voices making everyone laugh, Grace watched them all wave and walk into the house as she unlocked her car doors.

“G I’m so excited! I can’t wait to get to New York.” She said looking at her friend.

“Yeah I can’t either.” Grace said opening her trunk.

“Let’s get this show on the road.” Callie said before getting into the car.

Grace sighed to herself and looked down the road.

“Yeah. Let’s.”

~~~~~~

He had sped to her father's house when he got the call from his brother. The call that made his heart drop to his stomach. When he pulled up to the house he saw her. She was putting all of her things in the trunk of her car. He quickly jumped out of his car and walked swiftly up the driveway. He saw her look at him blankly and then turn back to her trunk fixing the bags inside. His hear was racing a mile a minute as he approached her. He already knew what she was doing but he couldn’t think of anything to say.

"What are you doing?" he asked hesitantly.

"I'm going home." She said simply.

"Why? Baby I know I-" he began before the girl in front of him roughly shut her trunk and turned to glare at him.

"Don't fucking baby me. How can you stand here and look me in the eyes knowing what you did? You're unbelievable." she said heading to the driver side of her car.

"Gracie, I'm sorry. How many times do I-"

"You're sorry? You're sorry?! I'm the laughing stock of this fucking town because of you! You and your damn brother and your friends!" she said throwing her hands in the air.

"It was a stupid mistake. No one is laughing at you. If anything they hate me for hurting you. If you just give me time I can fix this.....I can fix us." he said grabbing her hands. She immediately pulled them from his grip and pushed them deep into her hoodie.

"You made a fool of me. You were supposed to be my boyfriend and they were supposed to be my friends but you guys were just playing me the entire time." she said softly looking defeated.

"You broke your promise." she said turning to get into her car.

"Gracie! Please don't leave! I love you." He said desperately grabbing her wrist to prevent her from leaving.

When she looked back at him he saw the tears fall from the beautiful green eyes he had come to love and it killed him. He was in this situation because a stupid decision he had made. All of this was his fault. Grace deserved better then him. But he was willing to become a better man if she stayed. He just didn't want to lose her. She pulled her wrist from his grip and looked down at the ground.

"Goodbye Mike."

She moved to get in her car but Mike jumped in front of her. He pushed her away from the car and lightly grabbed her face.

“G, listen to me. I love you. I love you so much. You don’t understand how much you mean to me. I know I fucked everything up but I want to make everything better. I don’t want you to leave me. I want you to stay here…with me. Just give me another chance. Please?” Mike begged.

Grace looked into Mike’s eyes and tears came to her eyes when she saw the sincerity flowing through them. She wanted to wrap her arms around him, tell him everything would okay and kiss his lips that she missed so much. But she didn’t. She was scared. Scared to give Mike another chance. She had done such a good job at protecting her heart that she was willing to walk away from possible happiness. As much as she knew it would kill her to tell Mike no, she was going to and the longer it took her to speak the sadder his eyes got. His hands fell from her face and his eyes moved to the ground.

“Just let me go Mike.”

“I can’t Grace. I love you. I can’t just let you go.” He said looking at her with a defeated look.
Grace knew that was she was about to say would break him. She didn’t mean it and she had no intention of ever saying it but Mike wasn’t giving up. This was the only way.

“Well I don’t love you anymore.” She said simply

Mike’s eyes flew to hers and she swore she saw them water before looking away.

“W-what?”

“I don’t love you anymore Mike. So just let me go.” Grace said as she walked around Mike and to her car door. She sniffed as tears fell down her face. Her heart hurt from telling Mike that lie. She had done the same thing, he did. The one thing she swore against. But it was to protect herself from getting hurt again. She was standing by it.

“I’m always going to love you.”

Grace’s body froze as she opened the door. Mike took this as his time to finish talking.

“I love you and I know you still love me too. You can’t lie to me.” He said seriously.

She looked back at him with the most serious face she’s ever made and spoke.

“I’m not lying.”

She immediately got into the car and slammed the door shut. She started the car and pulled out of the driveway. Grace felt a knot in her throat as she passed Mike and saw tears falling down his face. She drove away and saw Mike standing in the street through her rear view mirror. Her strength broke and she finally started crying. Callie consoled her friend as best she could from the passenger seat.

“Grace, you still love Mike. Don’t do this. Let’s go back.” Callie said rubbing Grace’s back.

“N-no.” Grace said roughly wiping her tears away.

“Grace-“

“No Callie. I’m not going back. I just want to forget about him, okay? I’m fine.” Grace said seriously as she turned back to the road. Callie sat back in her seat and looked at her friend. She knew it was nothing she could do so she looked out of the window as Grace drove. Grace turned on the radio and the soothing voice of Ryan Adams flowed from her speakers. California had broken her and she was ready to get away and that’s exactly what she was doing.

New York, here I come.