To Be Graceful: A Willow Falls Fanfic

Chapter Two

Chapter 2

Amanda

The Day before

 Amanda and Leo's 14th Birthday  

"And then Tara told me that David is finally going to meet Angelina later today." I tell Leo over the phone.

"Cool. Are you still mad at me about the whole trip?" Leo says firmly after a few seconds of silence, changing the subject.

I really don't need to think about that one.

"Nah... It's not your fault your parents didn't tell you you're going to Chicago for 10 whole days!"

"Thanks! Really makes me feel better!" He jokes back.

I grunt, and then hang up... I really hope that grunt was enough to indicate that I was hanging up. I don't feel like making Leo feel it's his fault that I didn't know about his family trip earlier. Anyways, I really have to go now. Angelina wants to see us right now. And by us, I mean Tara, David and I. Ray should be here any minute to pick me up anyways.

I'm about to consider leaving on my own when a small old car pulls into my driveway. Ugh... Ray should at least consider getting a new car. The tires on this one look so old, they seem that they're about to pop off. I get in the old vehicle and notice Tara and David in the back seat, sitting quietly. Well, the fact that they're holding hands tells me that I shouldn't worry about their sudden silence.

"Hello, Tara. Hello Bee Boy!" I have been calling David this ever since I've met him, when he zoomed out of that classroom with a yellow and black outfit. "Oh, and it's good to see you too Ray."

"Good day for y'too mate!" Ah... Good ol' Ray. Can't get enough of that pure Australian accent of his.

"Um, I don't mean to get in the way of anything, but you guys are being awfully quiet today." I don't know if saying this made any of the situations worse, if any at all.

They actually surprise me when Tara says, "Yeah, it's just that I'm worried about Grace. We heard something happened down at the shop and it is creeping Grace out. Angelina says nothing's wrong, as usual, but we know that something's up. Right, David?"

"Uh-huh." He nods despite the fact that he has never been involved in a situation with Angelina D'Angelo before.

I stare blankly at them, and then turn my head to face the window, now watching the streets fly by. We soon get off at the alley where Angelina does all of her 'magical' work.

David knocks on the door and says, "I wonder why I wasn't able to see the boxes and all that junk in there before."

Tara and I exchange a quick glance. We both know the answer to that. David was just not ready to know the truth that is Angelina D'Angelo.

Shortly, a tall redheaded girl answers the door and gestures us to follow her inside. Previous store front logo signs decorate one entire wall all saying 'Angelina's Sweet Repeats and Collectibles.' Angelina should really consider cleaning this place out.

"Grace, why are you so quiet today?" I gently ask the girl as she leads us to the back of the store, also known as the 'lair.'

I'm only half expecting an answer so she surprises me when she says, "I'm just not into it nowadays. I'm about to ask her why when Tara reaches out and squeezes my shoulder. I guess she would rather that I don't say anything. She is really getting better at living in this town; it hasn't been long since her family had moved into this mysterious place afterall. In this town, its all go with the flow type of thing, and since two years ago she had a huge involvement with Angelina, she definitely learned that lesson. What good times those were! Tara came up to us to ask for some assistance in these quests that Angelina would send to her, and we would be all delighted to help. And it's the same situation today, except that Tara knows now that anything is possible with Angelina D'Angelo. Like I said, good times...

Once we reach the lair, Grace goes immediately to sit down at her small desk that Angelina set up a few weeks after her intense frozen state, which was apparently all her fault. I guess this is how she is planning to redeem herself. Angelina never gives the whole story. So if we want to know something, we have to find out the answers ourselves. And that's what can get annoying with Angelina sometimes.

Angelina does a little skip when she sees us and runs over to greet us. "It's so lovely to see you all. David, it is absolutely wonderful to finally get to know you even better." The duck-shaped birthmark on her cheek wiggles as she speaks, but today something is distinctively different. Is it just me or is the birthmark bigger?

As much as I'm curious about that, something is bothering me even more. "What happened with Grace?" I whisper, so the not-so-small 11 year old girl doesn't hear me.

"Oh, just a little crack in the self-confidence, that's all," she replies instantly.

David, Tara and I make a silent agreement that this is our cue to leave. We say our goodbyes to both Grace and Angelina and make our way out the door.

A/N: hey guys! it's me again! I had this pre-typed already so that's why i decided to post this today and not tomorrow. But this is all the stuff I have typed already, which means that the next chapters will be coming a little bit delayed (as in wednesday or thursday) since I have to type those up. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter, since I honestly don't know what to think of it right now; I just hope to please all of you wendy mass fans!

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