Chat 18- Police Reports and Promising

Kelly Larson: Scerd, I heard what happened to Connor. I am so sorry.

Gracie Tyler: Please don't talk about it kel... I-I don't know what to think.

Freddy Webster: I'm sure he's fine Gracie.

Gracie Tyler: That's not what I'm worried about.... Could you please excuse me? I've gotta do something...

Kelly Larson: Sure. Go ahead.

GRACIE TYLER HAS LOGGED OFF

Kelly Larson: Red, I think this has done more to her than we think.

Freddy Webster: I know. I talked to my dad, since he works at the police station, and he said that Connor had a long and surprising talk with his parents.

Kelly Larson: Did it go well?

Freddy Webster: Not really, he said. I can understand why Gracie is depressed.

Kelly Larson: Red, she isn't just depressed. She is heartbroken. This is what I warned would happen.... *bites lip to hold back tears* I don't want us to fall apart...

Freddy Webster: Hey Kelfish, *puts arm around shoulder* things will be fine. You just need to stop worrying. Connor and Gracie will work something out. You know that.

Kelly Larson: *sniffs* yeah... okay...

'Meanwhile, in real life....'

Gracie sobbed into her pillow. She was cradled in the fetal position on her bed hugging her pillow tightly. Across the room, her tablet lay on the floor. The conversation with Freddy and Kelly was still going on, but she didn't want to know what they were talking about anymore.

"Connor..." She sobbed. "What did I do wrong...?" She rubbed her face on her pillow. Questions filled her head.

'When did he start? Recently? All his high school years?'

'Did I cause it?'

'Did Rachel force feed him them and he got attached?'

'Is Rachel really telling the truth about not putting the drugs in his locker?'

"Gracie?" Her mother called from outside her closed door. She knocked. "Sweetheart, can I come in?" Gracie sniffled, wiped her eyes then cleared her throat. It still sounded like a frog anyway.

"Yeah."

Her mother opened the door. She wore her button up work shirt and some denim capris. She had been downstairs cleaning the kitchen, but she must have heard Gracie's sobs. She walked over to Gracie and took a seat on the edge of the bed next to her.

"Oh honey, what's wrong?" Gracie's eyes began to tear up just thinking about it. Through sobs and tears, Gracie told her the whole story.

Her being Connor's girlfriend, the confrontation with the principal, the drugs, Connor being led away, and her slamming into Rachel and blaming her. When she was finished, she buried her face in the pillow. Her mother just rubbed her back, trying to figure out what to say.

"Well, I think you should believe him, sweetie," she said. "You would be surprised how much I know about Connor." Gracie sniffled and looked up from her damp pillow.

"W-what do you mean?"

"I mean," her mom began. "I've known Connor's mom since we've moved in. She's talked about her son in such detail, I probably know more about him than you do." She shifted on the bed and put a hand on Gracie's shoulder. "His mom was devastated by the principal's call about the drugs. Connor kept insisting that he didn't have the drugs, but the police are taking a DNA test, just to be sure." She tilted Gracie's head up. "Gracie, he is an honest boy. I know that. He would never do anything involved with those awful substances." Gracie sniffed and wiped her nose with her jacket's sleeve.

"You promise?" She asked. Her mother smiled. She pulled a strand of hair out of Gracie's face and tucked it behind her ear.

"I promise."