chapter four, late nights
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Grace felt exhausted by last period.

Her eyelids were heavy, burdened by her mother's echoing voice, repeatedly reminding Grace of her existence.

It echoed within her mind, impacting certain areas more profoundly than others.

She couldn't take it.

Leaning her head in the palm of her hand, she heard the classroom door open.

"Mr. Walter," the teacher said, looking back from the covered smart-board. "Thank you for finally joining us."

Grace's head peeked at the mention of the last name. Slowly, she glanced back towards the classroom door, and her heart dropped.

Cole.

"Please, find a seat," the teacher continued, motioning towards the vacant spots throughout the class. One of them, in particular, happened to be next to Grace.

Oh god.

Oh no.

Cole caught sight of Grace, and a wide grin spread across his face. He strolled between the desks, coming to a stop right beside her.

"Do you mind?" he said, sitting down beside her before she could respond.

"As I was saying..." The teacher went on, but Grace wasn't listening; she was staring at the boy beside her.

His blonde hair was a disheveled mess, with strands poking out in every direction, and his cheeks were flushed.

Grace rolled her eyes but got caught by Cole.

"What?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

She raised her eyebrows in a "are you serious" manner, and he just shook his head.

She rested her head against her hand again, observing the teacher as they went over an assignment on the board.

Cole placed his arm down beside her other one on the desk, their arms slightly touching.

Grace's mind goes blank.

Neither of them move.

"We're kicking off the year with a project," the teacher began, taking a seat at their desk. "You're going to work in pairs and create a presentation on artists in literacy."

Grace swallowed hard.

Oh god.

"Your partners are the people next to you, so get comfortable with them," they added, and Grace could have sworn she felt her heart explode.

She laid her head flat on the desk, covering her face with the base of her arm.

Let this be a dream.

The sound of Cole's laughter filled the air, and Grace slowly peeked up from her arm.

"Am I really that bad?" he asked, putting his head down on the desk beside her.

She locked eyes with him, and he returned the gaze. "Yes," she whispered, and his eyes softened.

Before he could respond, the bell rang, and Grace sat up, beginning to gather her stuff.

"Grace," he uttered her name, and she paused in what she was doing, her back turned to him.

"Let me walk you to your car," he suggested, his voice low and pleading.

Grace turned around, slipping her bag onto her back. "Okay," she responded, her breath short.

"Okay," he repeated slowly, gesturing for Grace to walk first. She began walking, and he matched her pace.

They strolled in silence for a while, side by side. Grace observed people giving them strange glances as they exited the school, but she paid no attention.

Cole cleared his throat. "So," he started, holding the front door for her. "This project."

Grace's heart skipped a beat.

"You can just come over to my house," he suggested, scratching the back of his neck.

"If you want."

Grace paused on the sidewalk, and Cole did the same. She turned to face him, and his eyes were already on her.

She could never get over the way he looked.

So innocently young.

"Are you inviting me over, Walter?" she teased, smirking at his nervous demeanor.

He dug his hands into his jacket pockets, swaying back and forth on his feet. "Yeah," he admitted, smiling. "I guess I am."

She laughed, feeling a bubble of excitement in her stomach.

"I'll be there," she declared, stepping closer to him. His body froze, and his gaze lingered over every part of her.

"But don't get any ideas," she whispered, seizing the proximity to glance at his mouth.

Just for a moment before she walked past him, heading out into the parking lot.

He turns around and tracks her with his gaze, shouting, "Too late," which only adds to Grace's laughter.

She keeps walking deeper into the parking lot, unlocking her car as she approaches.

Her heart still races, skipping every few beats.

One... skip.

Three... skip.

She tossed her bag into the back of her car when Grayson appeared.

"Hey," Grayson greeted, placing his bag in the back as well. He looked up at Grace and noticed her smile. "What's going on with you?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

She shrugged. "Why were you late?"

They both climbed into the car, taking their seats. Grace started the engine as Grayson fastened his seat belt.

"Apparently, Cole was running late, so I was waiting with Alex," he explained, glancing at Grace, who still wore a smile.

"Seriously, what's going on with you?" He persisted, smiling because she was.

Grace shifted the car into reverse and finally glanced over at Grayson. "I made a new friend."

─── 

The car ride to the Walters' house was faster than usual. Maybe it was because of Grace's racing heartbeat, or maybe it was because she couldn't wait to see Cole again.

Whatever the reason, Grace couldn't keep still while knocking on their front door, anticipating a blonde to answer.

When in fact, it was the complete opposite.

"Grace?" Katherine's voice interrupted her thoughts. The door was wide open, and she stood there with a welcoming smile.

"It's great to see you!" Katherine exclaimed, stepping aside to make room for Grace to enter.

As she stepped inside, Katherine closed the door behind her. Grace took a moment to survey the entryway, noticing it was more organized than her previous visit.

She glimpsed a face peeking around a corner, recognizing it as Benny, and gave a casual wave.

Cole mentioned he's always been shy.

"How was your first day of school?" Katherine asked, positioned at the foot of the stairwell.

"It was good," Grace replied, slipping her hands into her jacket pockets. "I met Jackie."

Katherine sighed in relief, leaning against the railing. "Thank goodness, I'm glad she met someone, especially you."

Grace smiled in response.

Footsteps echoed through the house, creaking as someone moved around.

Cole descended the stairwell, clad in sweatpants and a shirt, appearing like he just woke up.

Grace nearly laughed at his appearance.

He paused at the end of the stairwell, smiling when he saw Grace. "You ready?" he asked, nodding his head toward the upstairs.

"Yeah," Grace replied, making her way to the stairwell.

Katherine yelled after them, "Keep your door open!" and Grace burst out laughing while Cole rolled his eyes.

They reached the top of the stairwell, and Grace glanced around. There were dozens of doors, all in a square.

"Hey," Cole said, standing in the doorway of his bedroom. "Over here," he added, smirking.

Grace narrowed her eyes at him, smiling as she followed him into his room.

She had never been in his room before.

Didn't know what to expect.

But when she walked into his room, and spotted sports posters, trophies, books, and a plaid bedding, it was everything she expected.

Taking a seat on his bed, Cole stretched out while Grace explored every corner of his room. Observing her, he saw her tilt her head, examining the books on his shelf.

"My mom got me them," he mentioned, and Grace selected a book with a golden edge and a cursive title: Sense and Sensibility.

"I read it over the summer. She thought it would give me something to do," he added, tracing his bedding lines.

Grace smiled, placing the book back before joining him on the bed.

She dropped her backpack, unzipped it, resisting the allure of the moment.

Resisting getting caught up in him.

Laying out her laptop and other items, she felt Cole's eyes on her, his head resting in his hand.

As she opened her laptop, a strand of hair fell across her face. She started discussing the project, but her words hushed as Cole reached over, sweeping the hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered, tracing the strand down.

Grace's heart skipped a beat.

One... skip.

She stole a glance at him, his blue eyes fixed on her. His lingering touch sparked curiosity about how it might feel elsewhere.

Three more beats passed.

Her gaze descended to his chest, rising and falling faster than before.

"Grace," he whispered, and she met his pleading eyes.

"Cole," she replied, barely audible, her breath caught in her throat.

As he began to lift himself, a loud sound echoed from the hallway, making both Grace and Cole startle. They turned to see Lee doubled over in laughter, skateboard in hand.

"You should've seen your faces," he gasped between laughs.

Grace looked back at Cole, unable to contain her own laughter.

Rolling his eyes, he tossed a nearby pillow down the hallway at Lee, who swiftly disappeared down the hall before it could hit him.

The house quieted, with only the sounds of Cole's deep breaths and Grace's irregular heartbeat.

"So," she remarked while logging into her laptop, "about this project." She glanced at Cole, who was already wearing a smile.

"Jane Austen?" he asked, and Grace couldn't help but melt into his grin.

Into the allure of his dimples.

"Yeah," she said with a gentle smile. "That sounds perfect."

─── 

It was a quarter past eleven when Grace arrived home, her footsteps light as she entered.

Their house had always been quiet, even with her mother alive. The floors carried their weight, adjusting as they walked, and the walls barely creaked, providing a sense of protection.

Grace had learned to appreciate the quiet.

Until she met the Walters.

Now, her body yearned for the creak of the door, or the subtle sway of the house with the wind or movement.

Walking down the hallway, she paused in the kitchen doorway, noticing a figure hunched over the island.

It was her father.

He glanced over at her, his shoulders dropping with a heavy sigh.

"Where have you been?" he asked, rubbing his eyes with his palms.

"At the Walters'," she replied, leaning against the doorframe. "I told you that."

"You didn't tell me you'd be staying this late," he exclaimed, his voice now more stern.

Grace paused, unsure of what to say.

She wasn't sorry for it.

There was a lightness she felt at the Walter's house, something absent for years in her own home. She regretted making him worry, making him question his daughter's choices.

But nothing would alter her feelings toward the Walter family.

Not even her own.

"Nothing?" her father pressed, rising from his chair, always trying to appear larger in arguments.

"I'm sorry," she admitted, playing with the hem of her sleeves. "I should have told you."

He took a step closer. "Look at me when you say that," he demanded, his words carrying a sting that hit Grace like venom.

Her head began to ache, and her mother's voice intruded into the midst of it.

...Apologize to him...

...do you know what he's done for you?...

Grace bit the inside of her cheek, and the taste of metallic rushed onto her tongue.

"Do you know what he's taken from me?" she challenged her mother's voice, who recoiled at the intensity of it.

"Do you?" Grace repeated herself, her mother's voice echoing in the background.

Taking the silence as an opportunity, she glanced up at her father, whose eyes were red and bloodshot.

Sometimes, she couldn't stand him.

—Hated him even.

For the way he grieved. For staying in his bedroom for three months after her mother's passing, leaving Grace to feed him by placing trays of food outside his door.

For never leaving the house, using her mother's death as an excuse to stop living.

Her head hurt, but her heart hurt more.

"I'm sorry," she began, straightening up. "I'm sorry that you stopped living after Mom died and expected us to follow," she finished, and her father took a step back.

His eyes widened, and his mouth stayed shut. She couldn't bear to look at him anymore.

In one swift movement, she turned around and headed down the hallway to her bedroom.

He didn't stop her.

He didn't even move.

And for once, Grace was okay with that.

─── 

━ Authors note!

A cute moment paired with a sad moment.

And, hey, feel free to drop a comment or vote if you enjoyed it. Your feedback keeps me going, and I'll make sure to respond!

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