Status: Active.
Shiver.
confrontation
"Gracie." I froze when I heard his voice. He was clearly angry. I brushed my bangs over my eye with my fingers and turned to face him.
"Hello Liam," I said quietly. He frowned at me. I dropped my gaze to the ground.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" He asked. I bit my lip, preparing for the rant to follow. "My sister is so upset. Why would you tell her you weren't friends anymore?"
"I didn't," I protested. I could feel him staring at me intently but I didn't look up.
"No, you just avoid her all the time and won't talk to her at school," he snapped. I glanced around. I knew Hunter had classes until five on Wednesday but I still couldn't help being paranoid that he might see me with Liam.
"I've just got a lot on my plate right now," I lied. "You know I still love both of you guys."
"Grace, is everything okay with you?" Liam asked gently. I met his gaze for an instant before looking away. I crossed my arms and pulled my cardigan around my slim body tightly.
"I'm fine," I told him. It was another lie to add to the long list I was telling him. "I'm just tired."
"Are you still sick?" He asked. I sighed and glanced around.
"Oh no," I said quietly. My bus was pulling away from the curb. Liam followed my gaze.
"Didn't you get your license and a shiny new car for your birthday?" He asked. I had indeed received a brand new car from my parents but I'd never taken the driver's test.
"I didn't take the test yet," I confessed. "No one has had time to go down to the DMV with me."
"I would have gladly taken you honey," he offered. I was surprised that he had been so angry with me only minutes earlier and now he was being so kind. "Well since I made you miss your bus let me take you home."
"Um, okay," I agreed reluctantly. I wanted to say no but a few drops of rain had started to fall from the sky. And I did want to spend time with Liam. I was just afraid that Spencer would somehow know about it. I followed Liam to his car as the rain started to really come down. By the time I collapsed into his passenger seat I was nearly soaked. I tried to dry my face with my sleeve but it wasn't very effective.
"What is that?" Liam yelled. I glanced up at him, startled.
"What?" I asked, looking around. He reached for my face and pushed my bangs back. I closed my eyes. My makeup must have come off, revealing the black eye and bruise on my cheek. "Oh, I fell in gym." I tried to sound casual.
"Gracie," Liam choked out my name and I opened my eyes to see tears in his eyes. "Did Hunter do this to you?"
"No, of course not," I said. I didn't think he believed me but he turned on the car instead of pressing the issue. The drive to my house was awkward beyond belief. I was relieved when we pulled into my driveway.
"Hey Grace," Liam said. I turned to look at him, one hand on the door handle. "It's all going to be okay." I nodded and bolted from the car and into the house. I was so exhausted by the day that I lay down on the couch with my wet clothes on and pulled the afghan off the back to spread over me.
"Hello Liam," I said quietly. He frowned at me. I dropped my gaze to the ground.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" He asked. I bit my lip, preparing for the rant to follow. "My sister is so upset. Why would you tell her you weren't friends anymore?"
"I didn't," I protested. I could feel him staring at me intently but I didn't look up.
"No, you just avoid her all the time and won't talk to her at school," he snapped. I glanced around. I knew Hunter had classes until five on Wednesday but I still couldn't help being paranoid that he might see me with Liam.
"I've just got a lot on my plate right now," I lied. "You know I still love both of you guys."
"Grace, is everything okay with you?" Liam asked gently. I met his gaze for an instant before looking away. I crossed my arms and pulled my cardigan around my slim body tightly.
"I'm fine," I told him. It was another lie to add to the long list I was telling him. "I'm just tired."
"Are you still sick?" He asked. I sighed and glanced around.
"Oh no," I said quietly. My bus was pulling away from the curb. Liam followed my gaze.
"Didn't you get your license and a shiny new car for your birthday?" He asked. I had indeed received a brand new car from my parents but I'd never taken the driver's test.
"I didn't take the test yet," I confessed. "No one has had time to go down to the DMV with me."
"I would have gladly taken you honey," he offered. I was surprised that he had been so angry with me only minutes earlier and now he was being so kind. "Well since I made you miss your bus let me take you home."
"Um, okay," I agreed reluctantly. I wanted to say no but a few drops of rain had started to fall from the sky. And I did want to spend time with Liam. I was just afraid that Spencer would somehow know about it. I followed Liam to his car as the rain started to really come down. By the time I collapsed into his passenger seat I was nearly soaked. I tried to dry my face with my sleeve but it wasn't very effective.
"What is that?" Liam yelled. I glanced up at him, startled.
"What?" I asked, looking around. He reached for my face and pushed my bangs back. I closed my eyes. My makeup must have come off, revealing the black eye and bruise on my cheek. "Oh, I fell in gym." I tried to sound casual.
"Gracie," Liam choked out my name and I opened my eyes to see tears in his eyes. "Did Hunter do this to you?"
"No, of course not," I said. I didn't think he believed me but he turned on the car instead of pressing the issue. The drive to my house was awkward beyond belief. I was relieved when we pulled into my driveway.
"Hey Grace," Liam said. I turned to look at him, one hand on the door handle. "It's all going to be okay." I nodded and bolted from the car and into the house. I was so exhausted by the day that I lay down on the couch with my wet clothes on and pulled the afghan off the back to spread over me.