The Bucket List

The park was Grace’s favourite place in the whole world, it didn’t matter what state she was in, what park or in what weather as long as she found one she felt happy like a weigh had lifted off of her heart.

She slipped off her flip flops letting her toe’s brush gently against the warm soft sand as she swung slowly in the breeze, a small gracing her face as she shut her eyes allowing herself to be happy in this moment.

With a sigh she stood up, slipping her shoes back on before walking across the park, enjoying the warm sun on her bare shoulders, the long green grass tickling her legs.

She didn’t know where she was heading but she enjoyed the feeling of being free, ever since she was little she wished she could have been a bird, to stretch out her wings and fly away leaving all her pain and troubles behind her but she knew that even if she could leave she wouldn’t be able to stand leaving her family behind her, leaving Russ behind.

She took a seat on the grassy hill, shutting her eyes as she took everything in that had happened to her in the last few weeks and everything that was to come. That was when it hit her. Literally.

Her eyes flew open as her hand jumped to her head, now cradling her temple above her left eyebrow, the runaway baseball laying in -front of her.

“Look I’m really sorry, i didn’t mean to hurt you” a voice began, panic clear in his little voice as it began to pick up tempo and volume “my brother was playing with me and i didn’t mean to hit it that hard. I didn’t mean to make you cry, please say you not crying. Oh no. He’s going to kill me. Mums going to kill me. You’re going to kill me. Please understand I’m really sorry” Grace opened her eyes, immediately shutting her right one again instead using her left one to squint at the pasty face in front of her, instantly she recognized him.

“Morgan it’s fine, really” she mumbled through gritted teeth, sending him a small smile.

“Oh no. Grace! Why did it have to be you?! Now Faith is going to kill me she’s going to shove my Superman comic down the toilet!” his eyes widening upon recognizing her.

“Breathe!” she laughed, her eyes moving from her head as she motioned for the boy to sit down, he does but he still had worry etched onto his face. “Honestly Morgan I’m fine! Look both eyes are working, I’m still breathing and I can even lick my nose” she said showing him as he laughed automatically regaining colour in his cheeks.

“Morgan!” a voice called behind her, pain swept through her head as she tried to turn it to see who was approaching her, "What are you doing?!” the voice scolded coming to stop by Grace, she squinted trying to catch their face out of their peripheral vision.

“It’s fine really, a complete accident” Grace explained flashing him a smile, but wincing as pain shot through her head again.

“Shit, Grace! Morgan, Faith is going to kill you when she finds out” Ben stressed out, ruffling a hand through his hair as he glanced down at the younger boy unsure on what to do next.

“Seriously its fine, look!” Grace explained standing up and taking a step forward brushing her hair out of her face “I can walk and I can see, Faith doesn’t need to find out” Grace continued turning back to face the two, hands on her hip as she squinted at them.

“Come on Morgan it’s time to go” Ben sighed putting a hand on his little brothers shoulder as he turned to look at Grace biting his lip as he thought about what to do next. “You didn’t drive here did you?” he added as Grace shook her head but stopped gripping her head as the pain soared through her head again.

“Come on Grace, I’ll take you where you need to go” Ben decided leaning down to pick up her bag “and this gives Morgan a chance to think of a way to make it up to you” he added shooting his brother a stern look as he led them to the car park.

“Thank you” Grace mumbled softly trailing behind the brothers as they led her to the bright red pick-up truck, “But you don’t have to, I can walk” she added her voice even softer than before causing Ben to have strain his ears to hear it.

“Don’t be silly you’re my friend so of course I will give you a lift” he replied rolling his eyes as he opened the back door for Morgan to jump in before getting in the driver’s seat.

Grace climbed in, pulling her phone out of her bag and reading the text to find out where she needed to go before awkwardly putting her seat belt on.

“Relax okay, I’m a good driver” Ben chuckled as Morgan just laughed in the back seat leaning forward so he was able to squeeze his head between their seats.

“So Grace how are you?” He asked beaming up at the older girl who just smiled.

“I’m good Morgan and let me just say you really know how to knock a girl off her feet” She chuckled as he bit his lip before realizing she was joking and smiled back.

“So where do you need to go?” Ben asked as Grace read the instructions off the text message he simply nodded and began to take her there.

Ten minutes or so later the pulled up, Morgan still animatedly telling Grace about his new comic and everything that was happening in it. Grace just smiled about to open her car door before it had opened for her, Ben stood on the other side smiling at her.

“Ben stopping flirting with her, Faith say’s she’s Garrett’s girlfriend” Morgan chirped from the back seat as Grace flushed words of protest stumbling from her mouth.

“I’ll see you later” Ben laughed leaning down to hug her before moving to open the door for Morgan to climb out who rugby tackled Grace in a hug before climbing into the front seat and waving excitedly at her.

Grace waved back before slinking into the dinner, her eyes squinting before she spotted not only her cousin but also the rest of their friends sat at a large booth.

She smiled, heading towards them waving awkwardly as they all moved around to let her squeeze into the free seat between Grace and Faith who were giving the younger girl an odd look.

“What was that?” Bailey hissed, leaning closer to Grace once conversation had resumed around the table.

“What was what?” Grace asked raising her eyebrow slightly as Faith mimicked Bailey’s action causing Grace to feel uncomfortable under their gaze.

“My brother dropping you off! Aren’t you meant to be all hot for Garrett?” Faith chipped in, leaning closer so that only her and Bailey could hear her voice. Piper raised an eyebrow at the scene, leaning across the table so she could hear what was going on in front of her.

“Why is it a big deal? Garrett and I are friends as are Ben and I” Grace began as the other three girls snorted, rolling their eyes in a disbelieving manner. Grace lifted a hand to brush her hair out of her eyes, securing it into a pony tails as she let out a sigh of disbelief.

“What happened to your head? Did my brother hit you?! I’m going to kill him” Faith gasped, lifting a hand to turn Grace’s head towards her so she could get a better look at the bump on her forehead that was already swelling to the size of a baby’s fist.

Faith’s outburst caused more people to turn and stare, curious to find out what was going on. Grace’s cheeks flushed as she saw Garrett’s eyes linger at the bump on her head.

“No he didn’t hit me! I was walking through the park and a baseball hit me on the head. Morgan came across to apologize and Ben offered me a lift home. That’s all that happened.” Grace burst out, smiling her thanks to Pat who had gone and ordered her a drink and burger placing them in front of her.

Piper giggled, childishly pointing at Grace before drawing a love heart in the air and then pointing at Garrett. Grace rolled her eyes, before looking down at her plate and smirking as an idea formed in her mind.

She picked up a fry, dipping it in bbq sauce before taking a bite before grabbing a handful and giving them a hearty dip in the sauce smirking at Piper before she threw her arm back and flung them at the girl.

Piper dodged last minute, the fries sliding down a different face as the bbq sauce dripping onto their bright white v-neck.

“Oh my, John I’m so sorry” Grace cried, covering her mouth as he turned to look at her, before grabbing a handful of noodles and flinging them so fast that she only just moved causing them to splattered on Bailey’s top, some noodles hung on her shoulders like a scarf.
John smiled across to his girlfriend, as she glared picking up a handful of her chili and flinging it across the table chuckling to herself as it struck Garrett covering his face and part of his hair.

After that it all kicked off, Pat flinging ice cream at people as he screeched like a monkey, Jared sprinkling onions and pickles from the top over his burger over his girlfriends head as she retaliated by dipping her fingers into her thick blueberry milk shake smearing it across his face.

Kennedy was in his element, using his spoon like a sling shot to fling beans across the table, aiming to get them down Piper’s top or anyone’s top for that matter.

Grace giggled watching it all play out in front of her, Garrett climbed out of the booth, as Bailey sprinkled Cheese into Grace’s hair while Piper smeared Grace’s face with soup and Chili, Faith’s milkshake being flung across the table splattering on every surface.

“C’mon” Garrett called from behind Grace, offering her his hand so she could climb over the back, the pair running into the little corridor that led to the bathrooms, Grace giggling at Garrett’s appearance.

“Hey there calm down” Garrett chuckled, placing an arm around Grace as she carried on giggling lifting her hand to brush some bean’s form his hair.

He just grinned down to her, swiping a finger across her cheek before placing it in his mouth “Wow you taste good Gray” causing her to laugh even more than before, the pair collapsing to the ground in hysterics.