Her Mysterious Ways

Chapter 18: Truthsgiving

Then she slapped me. Hard.

"What the..?" I stepped back and touched where she hit me. It was hot, and so was she. 'Damnit' I thought to myself. This girl just slapped you and now you're calling her hot? Pathetic.

"I'm not that easy, Cole. You should know that by now." She hissed, turning and walking away. Damn, that girl could hit.

"Andy, wait up!" I yelled to her back, running over to her like a little boy chasing a butterfly.

"You know what? You can't pull that..." she looked over at Gracie, then back at me with fury in her eyes, "stuff with me. Never do that again. Got it?"

"Yes Andy. Sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I guess I'm just high on hormones, you know?" My eyes met the floor. What a stupid boy I was. Trying to kiss a girl that I liked. Very stupid indeed.

"I get it, but never, ever try that again. Gracie is tired and needs to go to bed. I suggest you take her there." Her blue eyes were illuminated by the faint glow of the lights in the lobby as she turned back into the wonderful Andy I knew and liked.

"Yeah. She looks so tired." I laughed and pointed to her and Fig playing 'I've got your nose!'

"Seriously though. She needs to go to bed." She said coldly.

"I know. I should probably get her home. Your house is on the way to mine. Maybe we could walk together?" I looked at her, hoping for a good answer. At least I could smooth things over on the way home.

"Why not? It's better than walking alone in the middle of Bangor, Maine in the dark." She sarcastically told me and walked over to the group of people talking to Whitley, Juliette, and Callum. I followed, looking at Gracie and Fig, who seeming to have so much fun.

"Cole and Gracie and I need to get home. Gracie's tired and I don't want to walk home alone, so yeah. I'll see you guys soon." She told Whitley, Juliette, and Callum. They all looked at each other with a smug smile on their faces and then looked at us, making me wonder what was going on in their weird brains.

"Well, bye guys! We'll see you soon!" Whitley smiled broadly and waved. She was so odd.

"See you." I smiled back and gave a small wave. Andy and I turned to go get Gracie when Whitley yelled.

"JUST DON'T DO IT IN FRONT OF THE KID!"

"HA-HA. VERY FUNNY. GOOD DAY." Andy spat sarcastically. Then she walked briskly over to Gracie and Fig, leaving me a few steps behind.

"C'mon Gracie, we have to go home." She told my sister plainly with a glint of bitterness in her voice.

"Wow, be the mother much." I teased. Then Andy gave me a look that told me I better shut up or I would get slapped again.

"Cole, do we really have to go?" Gracie whined, looking up at me with her big green eyes.

"Yes," I managed to get out without melting, "we have to leave."

Her smile drooped as she reluctantly shuffled toward me. Then Fig, being the child whisperer he was, said something that cheered her up.

"Hey kiddo, we'll see each other soon. Then we can read that book that I was talking about." He winked, smiled and waved. He was also an odd duck. You would think with looks like that he would only care about himself and his hair, but he was actually nice. Odd indeed.

"Okay!" She giggled and took my hand.

"Wait, you read?" I asked, bewildered. This guy was full of surprises.