he opened his mouth to say something, a car horned outside. I slumped into the couch, mentally running outside and smashing that car into pieces.
“That’s my mom. So, thanks for helping me. I needed this more than you know.”
“Oh I know,” I smiled. “You would have needed a miracle to pass that test.” We stood up and headed toward the front door.
“Well, thanks for the vote of confidence,” he chuckled. I opened the door and he stopped to face me in the doorway.
“Hey, it’s okay. Mrs. Turner is tough.”
“No really. Thanks Grace.”
I felt the heat flush my face and ears, hoping it wouldn’t show. “You’re welcome.”
He smiled and leaned in to give me a hug. My body froze, struggling to keep my composure. My legs could turn into Jell-O at any minute and I could fall to my knees. I hugged him back and took one big whiff of his scent.
He pulled away too soon, and walked down the steps of my porch as I slowly shut the door. Before I could shut it all the way, he yelled out my name.
“Hey Grace!”
I opened the door. The butterflies in my stomach were having a party.
“You look beautiful today!”
I thought my heart had just fallen out of my butt.
He smiled wide, flashing his flawless teeth and turned around to disappear into his mother’s car. I watched them drive down the street and turn at the corner. When I closed the door, I fell back into it, letting every moment of today sink into my mind. And chuckled at the cliché movie moment I was having. Sure, he tortured me today. Sure, my mother tried to sabotage my date. Sure, I fought the battle between food and my stomach. Sure, I made a complete fool out of myself for pretty much asking him out. But I didn’t care. The only thing that mattered to me at that moment was that he reacted. He reacted and it was the reaction that I wanted. It was the reaction that proved that there was something. The reaction that proved he thought about me more than just a study buddy. It was the reaction that meant war.
With that mission accomplished, my next mission was to confront my mother.
My stomach made a loud gurgle and I looked down at it.
Okay, food…then Mom.
Chapter 5
The Threat
I peeled myself away from the front door and the thoughts of Tristen’s sweet smile and headed towards the kitchen. All of the plates were still pretty much full. During our study session, I managed to ingest enough food to hold me over, without convincing Tristen that I was some kind of freak. I paced myself and daintily picked the smallest pieces on the plate. It was tough, but I managed. Now I was beginning to starve again, and I needed some food…now.
I sat down at the dinner table and without any thought, dug into every dish. It was cold and dry, but I could still taste the delicious herbs and spices. Before I knew it, everything was gone and I wanted more.
“Still hungry, Gracie?” Mom walked into the kitchen as if she read my mind. I looked over at her, still pissed from her behavior that afternoon.
I nodded and looked away.
She walked over the refrigerator and before she pulled out the dish covered in aluminum foil, I could smell the roast.
“I knew you would want more.” She uncovered the container and a whiff of tender meat whipped around my head. I needed it...
“Mom, you can just bring that over here. I don’t mind it cold,” I said, trying not to sound anxious. She looked over at me in confusion.
She stared at me for a moment before walking over to the silverware drawer. She pulled out a fork and brought the dish over to the table. I watched every movement, every step she took, anticipating the moment I can savor the glorious pot roast. She set it down in front of me and I dug into it, not able to hold off any longer.
Without a word, she left the room and headed upstairs. Was she mad at me? At the moment, I didn’t really care. Food was more important. But I knew I needed to finish up quickly and go have a talk with her.
When I
“That’s my mom. So, thanks for helping me. I needed this more than you know.”
“Oh I know,” I smiled. “You would have needed a miracle to pass that test.” We stood up and headed toward the front door.
“Well, thanks for the vote of confidence,” he chuckled. I opened the door and he stopped to face me in the doorway.
“Hey, it’s okay. Mrs. Turner is tough.”
“No really. Thanks Grace.”
I felt the heat flush my face and ears, hoping it wouldn’t show. “You’re welcome.”
He smiled and leaned in to give me a hug. My body froze, struggling to keep my composure. My legs could turn into Jell-O at any minute and I could fall to my knees. I hugged him back and took one big whiff of his scent.
He pulled away too soon, and walked down the steps of my porch as I slowly shut the door. Before I could shut it all the way, he yelled out my name.
“Hey Grace!”
I opened the door. The butterflies in my stomach were having a party.
“You look beautiful today!”
I thought my heart had just fallen out of my butt.
He smiled wide, flashing his flawless teeth and turned around to disappear into his mother’s car. I watched them drive down the street and turn at the corner. When I closed the door, I fell back into it, letting every moment of today sink into my mind. And chuckled at the cliché movie moment I was having. Sure, he tortured me today. Sure, my mother tried to sabotage my date. Sure, I fought the battle between food and my stomach. Sure, I made a complete fool out of myself for pretty much asking him out. But I didn’t care. The only thing that mattered to me at that moment was that he reacted. He reacted and it was the reaction that I wanted. It was the reaction that proved that there was something. The reaction that proved he thought about me more than just a study buddy. It was the reaction that meant war.
With that mission accomplished, my next mission was to confront my mother.
My stomach made a loud gurgle and I looked down at it.
Okay, food…then Mom.
Chapter 5
The Threat
I peeled myself away from the front door and the thoughts of Tristen’s sweet smile and headed towards the kitchen. All of the plates were still pretty much full. During our study session, I managed to ingest enough food to hold me over, without convincing Tristen that I was some kind of freak. I paced myself and daintily picked the smallest pieces on the plate. It was tough, but I managed. Now I was beginning to starve again, and I needed some food…now.
I sat down at the dinner table and without any thought, dug into every dish. It was cold and dry, but I could still taste the delicious herbs and spices. Before I knew it, everything was gone and I wanted more.
“Still hungry, Gracie?” Mom walked into the kitchen as if she read my mind. I looked over at her, still pissed from her behavior that afternoon.
I nodded and looked away.
She walked over the refrigerator and before she pulled out the dish covered in aluminum foil, I could smell the roast.
“I knew you would want more.” She uncovered the container and a whiff of tender meat whipped around my head. I needed it...
“Mom, you can just bring that over here. I don’t mind it cold,” I said, trying not to sound anxious. She looked over at me in confusion.
She stared at me for a moment before walking over to the silverware drawer. She pulled out a fork and brought the dish over to the table. I watched every movement, every step she took, anticipating the moment I can savor the glorious pot roast. She set it down in front of me and I dug into it, not able to hold off any longer.
Without a word, she left the room and headed upstairs. Was she mad at me? At the moment, I didn’t really care. Food was more important. But I knew I needed to finish up quickly and go have a talk with her.
When I
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