Status: My first story. All the chapter titles are taken from songs. Please read and comment! Thanks so much! :)
Here I Am, Alive
Even Though She Doesn't Believe in Love, He's Determined to Call Her Bluff
"I just don't get it. Did I do something wrong?" Grace questioned me as she painted her nails. I was sprawled out on her bed while she occupied her computer chair, carefully attempting to make her nails sparkle.
"No, he's just an idiot. I don't know why you haven't seen that yet," I said, hearing my own annoyance in my tone.
"Dani, please," she glared at me. "He's my boyfriend. It would be nice if you got along with him."
"It would be nice if he actually talked to you once in a while." I fired back. "And I do get along with him. Not that he ever bothers to acknowledge my existence when I see him."
"That's just the way he is, you know that." Grace defended. She had managed to fall for the most shy guy in our school, Derek Jacobs, and they had been dating for about four months now. He was a pretty strange kid, considering he barely talked to anyone except Grace, and that in itself was a rare occassion. No calls, no texts, dates once in a blue moon. It drove her asbolutely crazy, and rightfully so.
"I don't care if he's shy. He's your BOYFRIEND. The least he can do is talk to you." I told her. "I don't know how you've been able to stand him for this long."
"I don't have a choice," she answered quietly, thinking I didn't hear her.
"Really, Grace." I said sternly. "Don't start this again. Just don't, okay?"
Grace put down the nail polish and sighed. "I'm just saying."
"You always have a choice. You don't HAVE to be with a nobody who barely speaks to you. You don't HAVE to worry that your boyfriend won't even look your way in the halls. You don't HAVE to-"
"Quit it, Dani!" she exploded so loudly that I sat up on the bed. "Just....stop, okay? It isn't that easy!" she lightly traced her right index finger over her left wrist. I didn't have to look closely to know that she was tracing her scars, which sent a sinking feeling to my gut. "He's all I can get," she went on softly. "He's been the only one that's ever shown ANY interest in me. If I don't be with him, I'll be alone."
"Considering the way he treats you, it's like youre alone already," I mumbled.
She looked back at me, her deep eyes glimmering with the pain I'd seen for entirely too long now.
"I guess that's how it has to be, then. You wouldn't know what it was like."
"Grace, I don't have guys knocking down my door either. I just don't let it control my life like you do." I told her for the millionith time. At this point, I could be semi-harsh with her. I hated when she got all negative and used that dramatic tone with me. It was enough to make me go bonkers, and force me to remember everything from the past year I wanted so desperetely to forget.
Suddenly, she perked up. "Actually, I have plans to change that." she smiled.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"I'm thinking about having you meet my cousin, Dave." she said. "Well, second cousin, but whatever. I think you two would be cute together."
"Grace, I'm not looking for a boyfriend. You know how I feel about guys."
"I know, I know, they only have one thing on their minds. Can you just please do this one thing for me? Please? " she asked. "I want you to be happy. And...I owe you." With one glance at her face, I knew what she meant.
"Fine," I muttered, even though I felt like I had done Grace enough favors to last a lifetime.
"No, he's just an idiot. I don't know why you haven't seen that yet," I said, hearing my own annoyance in my tone.
"Dani, please," she glared at me. "He's my boyfriend. It would be nice if you got along with him."
"It would be nice if he actually talked to you once in a while." I fired back. "And I do get along with him. Not that he ever bothers to acknowledge my existence when I see him."
"That's just the way he is, you know that." Grace defended. She had managed to fall for the most shy guy in our school, Derek Jacobs, and they had been dating for about four months now. He was a pretty strange kid, considering he barely talked to anyone except Grace, and that in itself was a rare occassion. No calls, no texts, dates once in a blue moon. It drove her asbolutely crazy, and rightfully so.
"I don't care if he's shy. He's your BOYFRIEND. The least he can do is talk to you." I told her. "I don't know how you've been able to stand him for this long."
"I don't have a choice," she answered quietly, thinking I didn't hear her.
"Really, Grace." I said sternly. "Don't start this again. Just don't, okay?"
Grace put down the nail polish and sighed. "I'm just saying."
"You always have a choice. You don't HAVE to be with a nobody who barely speaks to you. You don't HAVE to worry that your boyfriend won't even look your way in the halls. You don't HAVE to-"
"Quit it, Dani!" she exploded so loudly that I sat up on the bed. "Just....stop, okay? It isn't that easy!" she lightly traced her right index finger over her left wrist. I didn't have to look closely to know that she was tracing her scars, which sent a sinking feeling to my gut. "He's all I can get," she went on softly. "He's been the only one that's ever shown ANY interest in me. If I don't be with him, I'll be alone."
"Considering the way he treats you, it's like youre alone already," I mumbled.
She looked back at me, her deep eyes glimmering with the pain I'd seen for entirely too long now.
"I guess that's how it has to be, then. You wouldn't know what it was like."
"Grace, I don't have guys knocking down my door either. I just don't let it control my life like you do." I told her for the millionith time. At this point, I could be semi-harsh with her. I hated when she got all negative and used that dramatic tone with me. It was enough to make me go bonkers, and force me to remember everything from the past year I wanted so desperetely to forget.
Suddenly, she perked up. "Actually, I have plans to change that." she smiled.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"I'm thinking about having you meet my cousin, Dave." she said. "Well, second cousin, but whatever. I think you two would be cute together."
"Grace, I'm not looking for a boyfriend. You know how I feel about guys."
"I know, I know, they only have one thing on their minds. Can you just please do this one thing for me? Please? " she asked. "I want you to be happy. And...I owe you." With one glance at her face, I knew what she meant.
"Fine," I muttered, even though I felt like I had done Grace enough favors to last a lifetime.