The Bucket List

“Hey Grace, thank you so much for yesterday” Faith greeted her as she opened the door, white flour dusting her cheeks and her shirt, the smell of brownies hitting Grace like a wall as she walked further into the house. “You remember where the living room is right? I’ll be just a second”

After helping Faith out of her situation yesterday, she had promised to bake Grace brownie’s in return and a cheesy movie, Grace nodded in reply to Faith’s question heading down the corridor and into the designated sitting delicately on the couch until her host came back.

Faith returned, balancing a plate heaped with brownie’s and two glasses of coke shutting the door with her foot before turning the light off with her elbow placing the item’s on the table before collapsing on the couch, remote in hand.

“You ready to get our fatty on?” Faith asked as Grace nodded chuckling as she tucked her feet beneath her, Faith’s feet landing in her lap as she stretched out across the couch, pressing play on the TV.

An hour later after nearly eating all the brownies and one and a half bottle’s of coke they were both laughing while watching ‘A Cinderella Story’.

“DINER GIRL! DINER GIRL! DINER GIRL! DINER GIRL!” they both chanted along to the TV, watching as Hilary Duff broke down in tears before running away.

“Stop crying Duff, we all know you get Chad in the end!” Faith roared at the TV, her mouth full of brownie causing her to splutter crumbs all over the floor, Grace rolled her eyes not even bothering to tell her about manners and not speaking with her mouth full.

“Faith, what are you doing?” Morgan called, bursting through the living room door before bounding over to the garage, his smile widening when he saw Grace sat on the crouch “Hey Gracie” he said turning to look at her, sending her a wave.

“We’re watching a film Morg, why?” Faith asked, her eyes still trained on the TV where it showed Hilary pining after Chad.

“Nate kicked me out of our room, he’s got a girl over and said I was cramping his style, the girl on the other hand seemed to like me and called me cute, but Nate’s being a bumbucket” Morgan explained pouting as he crossed his arms over his chest, shuffling from foot to foot.

“You can join us if you like but i don’t think this would be your kind of movie, and before you even try to eat a brownie they are Grace’s you need to ask her if you are allowed one” Faith replied in a bored tone, lifting her feet up to allow him to sit down, which he did excitedly bounding on the couch squeezing himself between Faith and Grace, turning to beam at them both before Faith dropped her feet, allowing to trap Morgan on the couch before the ended on Grace’s legs.

Grace picked up the plate containing the last few brownie’s offering it to Morgan who took one, thanking her politely before turning to the TV waiting for Faith to press play.

“Aww how sweet is Chad ”I’m sorry you had to wait for rain’, you see Morgan take note’s because this is the correct way to treat a girl” Faith blubbered, wiping tears from her eyes as the credit’s played on the screen, the younger boy however didn’t look startled by the sight of his sister crying on the couch which led Grace to believe that this usual occurrence.

“Do you want to hang out, maybe tick another thing off your list?”

Grace bit her lip, re-reading the text once more replying with a simple “yes” wondering if anything would be mentioned or said.

“Garrett Nickelsen?” Faith stated more than questioned, an eyebrow raised as she eyed the brunette who nodded sheepishly, her phone vibrating in her hands once more.

“Let me guess, he wants to steal you away for the rest of the day?” Faith questioned as Grace just nodded, Faith rolling her eyes as a result “It’s a good thing I love the boy, I’ll go wrap your brownies in some foil” Faith sighed, stretching as she stood up from the couch turning to pick up the brownie’s before heading out the room.

“Morgan I think Ben’s ready to take you to the comic book store” Faith told her youngest brother, ruffling his hair as she pulled him into a hug, handing Grace her brownie’s which she slipped into her bag, thanking the blonde.

“I think I’m off Fay, but if you need me at any time to talk just let me know” she said pulling the blonde into a tight hug before sending the sibling’s a smile, walking out the house before heading down the road.

It was a nice walk to Garrett’s, her headphones fit snug in her ears as she sang softly to The Fray on the short journey, when she rounded the corner she could see him sat on his porch, sun glasses perched on his nose as he leaned back basking in the late afternoon sun.

“Hey” he called, smiling at her as she just grinned turning to head up his drive as he stood up, heading down to meet her, pulling her into a tight hug, before leading her to the car.

“Hey, “ she replied beaming up at him “I stole a coffee mug yesterday” she explained clapping her hands. Garrett chuckled saying that he would bail her out of jail if they arrested her as they set off.

Grace was nervous, for one she didn’t know where Garrett was taking her, for another she didn’t know if she was dressed appropriately, wearing a floral dress a leather belt knotted at her waist.

“Just a little longer Grace, trust me this will all be worth it” Garrett stated, a warm smile on his face, his eyes twinkling at her, Grace turned away at her mouth pulling onto a smile as blush erupted onto her face.

Ever since the night at the carnival she had felt nervous around Garrett, for one she didn’t want to complicate their friendship...or this arrangement. After all who would want to start dating a sick girl that had her days numbered? Another reason was the fact that she knew he didn’t like her back, he was only being sweet helping her fulfill her wishes. Letting it be him that she had kissed at the top of the Ferris wheel instead of Kennedy, letting her wish be just as sweet as she always wanted it to be.

Garrett continued to drive, the sun setting low in the orange and pink sky, the beauty causing Grace’s breath to catch in her throat as she wondered how many more sunset she would be able to see.

“We’re here” Garrett murmured, undoing his belt and getting out of the car, walking around the hood before opening Grace’s door for her, causing another bout of blush to grace her cheeks.

Grace climbed out glancing at her surrounding, wondering why exactly she was here as Garrett locked her car. He turned to smile at her, lacing his hands in hers in a way that felt so familiar to her.

“Garrett what’s going on?” Grace asked as they turned a corner, before they stopped, him opening a door and allowing her to go in before him.

The room was dimly lit, filled with round tables with a single rose in a wine bottle in the centre. There was a handful of people sat down, more stood at the bar placing their orders causing Grace’s eyebrows to furrow.

“We’re here for your list” he replied not giving her any other information as he led her to a corner table, pulling the seat out for her and pushing it under as she sat down, sending her a warm smile as he kissed her forehead mumbling that he would be back in a few minutes.

Grace watched him leave his denim jacket and shirt and tie combo causing him to stand out from the crowd. The confusion deepened as she saw him at the bar, talking to the girl behind it, shooting her a smile as she laughed, looking over at Grace for a moment, before continuing the conversation. This only caused Grace to feel more uncomfortable wondering why Garrett had brought her with him while he was trying to pick up girls.

She shook her head reverting her gaze to the table, lifting a hand to trace her finger tips over the “Sarah 4 Stevie I.D.S.T” etching made on the cool wooden surface.

Grace sat for another fifteen minutes or so reading the messages that were carved onto the table surface in an attempt to try and not make her think about Garrett.

Her head snapped up as the lights began to dim, a spotlight now turned to a small make shift stage in one of the corners. Grace’s eyes furrowed as she noticed the girl Garrett had been talking to had made away over to the microphone beginning to adjust it before speaking.

“Alright y’all, it’s Wednesday night at Betty’s Bangers and you know what that means?” She began, pausing as the people at the bar cheered; the girl laughed her face lighting up as she pushed a golden lock behind her ear before continuing “well we’ve got your sign up so first up is our own Shayne”

She left the stage as a middle aged man took her place, a cowboy hat crammed down on his head, his belly protruding out and nearly knowing the microphone stand over.

As soon as the music began Shane got into the motion, rocking along to the music his hand firmly gripped around the stand, a country song her dad sang around the house played around the room.

A hand fell on her shoulder causing her to jump slightly only for her to see Garrett, a glass of coke in his hand which she accepted exchanging a polite thank you as she continued to watch Shane.

The crowd really got into the performance by singing along with him, a few began to line dance in the small dance floor space in front of him, soon enough however the song began to end people clapping and cheering loudly as he took a bow before heading back to his seat.

The girl came back, clapping along with the crowd until she reached the microphone the crowd cheering to be entertained “Thank you Shane for another spectacular performance” she giggled as everyone else laughed as Shane stood up to take another bow “But now we have a newbie at Betty’s, please welcome Grace” she finished smiling into the crowd as Grace froze into her seat.

“Garrett, what the hell is going on?” She hissed, turning to face him as he shrugged taking another sip of his drink mumbling something about ‘how it is on the list’ before pushing her to the stage.

Grace stumbled, finally regaining her balance as she nervously made her way to the girl not sure if Garrett had already picked a song for her. The girl stepped towards Grace and away from the microphone.

“What song would you like sweetie?” she asked shooting Grace a warm smile as she stuttered out a title the bartender confirming that she had it, heading to the bar leaving Grace to stand awkwardly by the microphone. Seconds later the intro began to pump through the bar, the men at the bar whooping as it began to progress.

“Love is like a bomb, baby come on get it on, livin’ like a lover with a radar phone, Lookin' like a tramp, like a video vamp. Demolition woman, can I be your man?” Grace stuttered out the nerves getting the better of her, one she got the first line over with she began to get comfortable and felt in control.

“C’mon take a bottle, shake it up. Break the bubble, break it up. Pour some sugar on me, ooh, in the name of love. Pour some sugar on me, ooh, c’mon fire me up; pour your sugar on me. I’m hot sticky sweet from my head to my feet yeah” As she got more confident she moved in front of the microphone beginning to dance causing the men to cheer more some coming down to dance with her.

Grace turned to look at Garrett’s direction to see that he was smiling, laughing as he winked at her.

“You gotta squeeze a little, squeeze a little, Tease a little more, Easy operator come a knockin' on my door, Sometime, anytime, sugar me sweet, Little miss innocent sugar me, yeah, yeah, Give a little more” one man no older than 21 approached Grace, two tattoo sleeves running down his arm as he grabbed her hand turning her around to dance with him, Grace obliged rocking her hips with his before pushing him away with a small pout playing on his lips. The final notes playing out as Grace blushed scurrying off the stage as the crowd cheered; sheepishly she sat at the table as Garrett pulled her into a hug.

“See Gracie, I knew you could do it, I have faith in you” he mumbled into her ear as he smiled at her.