Chapter 8: Schedule Change

"He actually introduced you to him?" my sister asked me as we drove home. I had explained to her the small argument Phoenix and I got into during lunch about Elliot.

"Yeah," I replied. "Why?"

"I don't know. I guess I just thought he wouldn't do it," Avery shrugged.

"Why not?" I asked.

"He seems very..." my sister trailed as she looked at me with narrowed eyes, "protective of you."

"Protective?" I snorted. "The only thing I need to be protected from is him."

My sister laughed. "You say that now but you'd be surprised by the amount of things out there that can hurt you."

"Yeah, like what?" I asked her.

"Guys," she replied. "They can do a lot more than make you fall in love with them- and sometimes, that's enough pain alone."

"Yeah, don't I know?" I scoffed. "But I don't need Phoenix, or even Leo, protecting me. I can do just fine on my own."

"Look, all I'm saying is that you should appreciate them for what they do for you. Look at what Phoenix did to Aaron," my sister explained.

"Yeah, I know what he did to Aaron; Alice and Cam won't let me forget about it," I sighed.

"You and Phoenix seem to be getting pretty close," my sister informed me. "When he agreed to give you a ride home from homecoming committee, you didn't seem so repulsed."

"I didn't have much time to be repulsed because you were driving off," I retorted. "Speaking of that, why'd you wink?" I asked as she pulled up to the front of the house.

"Wink? What are you talking about?" my sister asked in an amused tone.

"You know what I'm talking about Avery," I retorted as I got out of the car.

"Do I?" she asked. "Wait, how did I wink? Was it like this? Or more like this?" she inquired as she tested out her winks.

"Avery!" I barked. "Why did you wink? Answer my question!"

"Never!" my sister cackled as she ran up the steps to the house, swinging open the door. I stared at the door she disappeared behind and sighed.

+ + +

"Grace," the accented voice sounded in my ears as I stood at my locker the following Thursday. I was about to make my way to the auditorium for homecoming committee but I still had fifteen minutes.

"Hey Elliot," I smiled at him as I whipped around. "How have you been?"

"I've been okay, what about you?" he asked me as he held his binders at his side. His large hazel eyes stared at me and I stared back at him. I've never wished to change my eye color; but I feel like having hazel eyes would make me look a lot better. I look like an alien with my blue eyes and dark brown (practically black) hair.

"I've been good," I replied.

"You are on the homecoming committee, yes?" he asked me, earning a nod in response. "When is it?"

"November 6th," I replied. "Why?"

"I was just curious," he replied. I noticed Phoenix standing a few meters behind him and I smiled at Elliot.

"Speaking of homecoming committee, I should get going. It starts soon," I told him.

"See you later, Grace," he smiled at me as he walked away. Phoenix approached me and furrowed his eyebrows.

"You know, you could've talked for a little while longer. We still have ten minutes," he told me, receiving a shrug in response.

"I would've but it seemed as if we had an audience," I explained, earning a sly smirk in response.

"Did you stop talking because you wanted to have more time with me?" he asked. I looked down the hall, noticing that Elliot was still in the same corridor.

"He's not that far, I can call him back if that will prove anything," I responded. Phoenix chuckled and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"You don't act stupid around him," he blurted.

"What?" I asked.

"Well, around Aaron, you'd stutter and say embarrassing things," Phoenix shrugged. "But you seem...calm around Elliot."

"Because I don't like him," I told Phoenix. He sighed.

"Now I have to find another guy for you to fall in love with," Phoenix replied. "Playing matchmaker is hard work."

"I'd offer to help you find a girl but it doesn't seem like you have much trouble," I mumbled as we passed a group of girls who scanned Phoenix like a price tag. I'm not sure if he noticed. "But you do have trouble sticking to one."

"I haven't liked any of them enough to stick around," he told me. "They all get boring after a while, and I can't deal with boring. There has to be excitement in a relationship."

"I wonder how you're going to be when you get to college," I muttered.

"How often do you wonder about me?" he smirked, earning a sigh in response. He held open the auditorium door for me, getting a single finger response.

+ + +

Valerie seems to be enjoying my torture because she continuously makes us pair into two people groups. Phoenix always makes sure to partner up with me, either by lightly tugging my arm or putting his hands on my shoulders. I never really bothered to choose another partner, mainly because there wasn't anyone else to choose. I would only sigh and wait for further instruction from Valerie.

Phoenix and I have to return to the computer lab and mark down which staff members agreed to chaperone and which ones said maybe. I led the way to the library, seeing as Phoenix was too busy dancing around the hallways like an idiot. I rolled my eyes, though I would occasionally let a chuckle slip and mentally scold myself for it.

"My offer's still on the table by the way," he informed me.

"What offer?" I asked as I settled down at the computer in the back of the lab.

"Homecoming," he replied. I simply gave him a confused look and he sighed, spinning around in his chair. "If you decide you don't want to go with Elliot, I'll go with you." I scoffed and he stopped spinning. "I'm serious."

"Like I'd go with you," I replied.

"Well, you said you don't want to go alone," he continued.

"Yeah, but going with you is as good as going alone. You've got so many friends that I'll only enter with you and leave with you- if that," I responded.

"I won't ditch you," he told me. "When have I ever left you alone? Aren't you always complaining that I annoy you?"

I rolled my eyes and sighed. "Whatever."

"So if things don't work out with Elliot, just know I'm perfectly content with being the last option," he told me as he crossed his legs on the chair. It looked uncomfortable; his long legs seemed cramped. "And I couldn't help but notice-."

I sighed loudly. "You notice everything, don't you?" I grumbled.

"Yes, I do, Grace," he grinned.

"However, you never seem to notice that my name is Gracelyn," I reiterated.

"I have noticed. I just don't care. Like I was saying, you didn't say you didn't want to go with me because you don't like me, but because I'm popular," he pressed as he leaned forward, placing both of his hands on his chin. "Does that mean that you like me?"

"It seems as if you give me more reasons to not like you by the minute," I sighed as I glared at him.

"If I wasn't popular, would you like me?" he asked. "Just out of curiosity."

"No," I told him bluntly.

"Why do you hate me?" he inquired, immediately making me feel bad. I mean, I don't hate the guy...he's just annoying more often than not.

"I don't hate you," I told him. "I just...sometimes have a strong urge to-."

"Kiss me?" he asked with a smirk. I turned and glared at him, feeling like an idiot for the surge of guilt that passed through me a moment ago.

"No, Phoenix. I don't want to kiss you, nor will I ever want to kiss you," I retorted.

"You know, one day you're going to want to kiss me. You're going to want to kiss me so bad but I'm not going to kiss you unless you ask me," he told me.

"Yeah, you've said this a hundred times, but it's never going to apply, because I'm not going to want to kiss you," I told him. "Ever."

"Okay, fine, whatever you say," he responded with his stupid smirk, "Grace."

+ + +

As soon as I arrived home, I went to my room and showered. This time, however, I closed and locked the bathroom door, as well as taking my clothes in there with me. I've been doing that more often recently, mostly because I never know what to expect with Phoenix living two houses down. I exited the bathroom fully dressed with my towel wrapped around my head, not at all surprised when I saw Phoenix lying on my bed. I had heard someone enter my room but I didn't hear anyone leave. However, I was surprised to see my diary in his hands.

Before I could ask what he was doing, he looked at me. "You know, Grace, your descriptions of me are extremely biased."

"I say what I know," I told him as I slowly pulled the towel from my head, patting my hair.

"Are you free on Saturday?" he asked me curiously, earning a scowl in response.

"Not for anything you're hosting," I replied.

"Elliot's going to be there," he furthered. I pursed my lips and placed a hand on my hip.

"What is it?" I asked.

"A party-," he started.

"I thought you didn't approve of me going to parties," I retorted.

"If you'd hear me out and stop cutting me off, I'd appreciate it Grace," he replied with a sarcastic grin.

"Gracelyn," I corrected him.

"Like I was saying before I was rudely interrupted," he shot a playful glare my way, "there is a party on Saturday and I've deemed it as worthy of your presence."

"And why is that?" I scoffed.

"Because the football team will be there and a few of my trusted associates are going to make sure you don't touch any alcohol or other illegal substances that may tempt you, and they're going to make sure that no one bothers you," he grinned at me.

"So basically I'm only going because I'm going to be babysat?" I replied with my hands on my hips.

"Technically yes, but also so you can find out if you're into Elliot," Phoenix answered me.

"While I'm being babysat," I retorted.

"Just forget that little fact for now!" he sighed exasperatedly. "So are you going to go or not?"

"Yeah, fine," I muttered as he stood up. He placed my diary down on my bed.

"Can you not hide that in your drawers? I feel like a creep going through them to find it," he muttered as he tapped my diary.

"That's because you are a creep who goes through my drawers to find my diary," I retorted.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," he muttered. "Oh, yeah, don't forget to invite Elliot."

"You didn't invite him?" I asked as he disappeared from my room, closing the door.

"That's your job!" he called from the hallway.

"You're such a piece of-!" I shouted but was cut off by the opening of my door.

"Language!" he reminded me. I grabbed my pillow from my bed and flung it at the door, listening to his cackling as he closed it.

+ + +

I planned to invite Elliot to the party at the end of the day on Friday, so if he said no, it wouldn't have been awkward to see him for the rest of the day. I was already nervous about having to ask him, but Phoenix only made it worse. Every time he'd pass me in the halls, he'd mutter: "Ask him," "Time's running out," and other things like "Hope he doesn't say no." He just made things ten times worse with his stupid commentary. When I saw Elliot standing at his locker, I immediately wanted to turn around but Phoenix was at the other end of the hallway, tapping at his wrist, where a watch would be if he wore one. I grunted as I turned back to face Elliot, calling his name weakly.

"Hey Elliot!" I greeted, putting on a smile.

"Hello, Grace," he welcomed me with a matching smile, though his didn't look forced like mine.

"So how are you liking it here?" I inquired as I rocked back and forth on the heels of my feet.

"It's a very nice school," he told me as he looked around the hallway.

"I give you six months before you start to hate it," I smiled at him, earning a laugh in response. "So, Elliot, do you have any plans for the weekend?"

He furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head. "Not that I know of, no."

"Well, there's a party tomorrow. One of Phoenix's friends is hosting it. You should come. It'll be fun," I told him, rubbing my sweaty palms along my pants.

He nodded and I wanted to let out a sigh of relief. I already planned out what I'd say if he rejected me, and I probably would've stuttered and looked like an idiot trying to say it from memory. "Sure. Where is this party?"

"Do you have a phone? I can text you the address," I told him.

"Yes, I do," he answered. I handed him my phone and watched him as he made himself a contact.

"I'll text you the address tonight," I smiled.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then, Grace," he nodded. I waved at him before turning to see Phoenix leaning against a locker.

"Was that a number exchange I saw happening?" Phoenix inquired as he began walking alongside me.

"Don't you have football practice?" I asked him.

"Yeah," he responded. "But did you get his number?"

I nodded as I looked at him. "You should probably get to practice."

"You should probably come with me," he insisted.

"Why would I do that?" I scoffed.

"Avery has cheerleading practice. And unless you want to sit there and listen to a bunch of lousy cheers in a hot gym, then I suggest you come with me to the field," he smirked.

"But it's Friday!" I whined. "She never has practice on Fridays!"

"Well, now she does," he retorted.

I groaned again.

+ + +

I managed to get out of school earlier than I had anticipated. Thanks to Avery's last minute schedule change, I thought I was going to have to stay in the gym (because I rejected Phoenix's offer to sit in the stands outside) until 4:30, but I was released at 4:00 with Avery, who was sweating and tired.

"Why'd you have practice today?" I asked her.

"Because we switched our days, I guess," my sister replied. "Now we have practice five days a week- Monday through Thursday, but we get let out a half hour earlier. We only had to go in today so we could get our new schedules."

"Do you think you can give me a ride home on Tuesdays and Wednesdays?" I asked her with wide, hopeful eyes. I completely ignored the fact that she had just told me that I'd be at school until 4 every Friday until cheerleading season is over, whenever that is.

"Doesn't that stupid thing end at 4:30?" she asked me and I nodded. "I'm not going to sit at school for a half hour sweaty and tired. Besides, you have a ride."

"Yeah, Phoenix," I scoffed.

"He's dependable, right?" she asked.

"Yeah, but-," I started.

"Look, I'm not going to sit here for thirty minutes waiting for you when you have a safe, reliable ride," my sister told me. "End of story. Now can we get home so I can shower?"

I groaned and followed her out to the car.