Grace.

Chapter 9.

I wish I could tell you that Bebe's situation got better. Well, it sort of did, but a lot happened. We tried our best to make sure that her situation remained a secret from other kids at school. We even went as far as learning from home until Bebe got better and was finally able to go back home and to school.
It was stressful but knowing that Brooke was finally ready to open up and expose Luke gave us some kind of hope to carry on. But even though we tried to some extent, some things were unavoidable. Like Janet and her cheer practice. Homecoming was around the corner and it was imperative that everyone attends practice.
It wasn't a good idea for Bebe to go for it so soon. Her face was still bruised and her lip still busted. It was very apparent that she got beat up. But unfortunately, according to Naomi, Janet didn't want to hear it. It was either Bebe came to practice or she was off the team. Bebe forced the situation even though we decided against it. She just couldn't allow being kicked off the team, and when she arrived after school to practice, everyone's eyes were on her. People gossiping amongst themselves.
Janet couldn't believe her eyes and even after seeing Brooke she still couldn't admit that she was wrong to force her to come to practice even though Mimi tried explaining to her that Brooke wasn't in the position to come to school. She sent Brooke away and told her to come back when she was better. As if that helped! Most kids now knew her biggest, darkest secret.
We took turns in looking after her. After spending a night at my place, she spent the next at Donny's. I hated the way her life had seemingly turned out. It must've been torture having to hide and deal with all that pain. But I was glad whenever she would be with Donna because I knew that they were really, really close.
After Donna picked her up from my house, I waited for Gloria who had asked that we go for a late lunch when she got back from school. I needed that. After the day I had with Bebe and Janet, I needed to unwind a bit.
We went to my favorite restaurant in town. It had the best burgers ever! And I love burgers! Gloria and I hardly got time to spend together so whenever we were available or free, we'd do so.
Lunch was on her and she let me have a glass or two of champagne.
"I know how stressful these past few hours have been," she smiled at me.
"Yeah. It's been a literal nightmare. I needed this. Thank you."
"Of course. Anytime. I just thought it'd be a good idea for us to catch up."
Gloria's "catch up" is code word for "checking if you're still doing as I've told you". It wasn't a bad thing. It was just her keeping tabs on my life and making sure that my head is still screwed on tight. I secretly think that mom is the one who instructs Ria to do so. To check up on me. But she wasn't the only one checking up on me. I had been having a weird feeling that someone was following me.
It started a few days after I came back from holiday. I didn't pay any attention to it. It was probably my mind playing tricks on me.
"What's wrong? You seem agitated." Gloria noticed.
"It's nothing. I'm still on edge from the whole Brooke saga."
"Uh-huh. We're here to relax and have sister time and talk about us. Enough with everyone else. How's school?"
"School's cool." I shrugged.
"Mmm. Nothing exciting? No...guy or girl?" She fished.
"No. Although it would've been nice to have a new guy at school." I dreamed.
"A fresh face, huh? Is that what you're looking for?"
"Different? Yes." I admitted.
"Ah-ha! So you are looking," she winked.
"Come on, you know what I mean!"
"Not entirely. Elaborate," she gestured with her hand, taking a sip of her champagne.
I leaned back into my chair and sighed, "I-it would be nice to fall in love with a complete stranger. You know, someone who's mysterious and...intriguing. Not ordinary and...familiar."
"Someone who doesn't know your story?" She guessed.
"Yes! Someone who doesn't know that I'm Grace Hills, the virgin. The smart kid and all that."
"Good thing you're hoping to find love after college. You'll meet your strange, mysterious guy then," she chuckled.
"Cut it out. Mom's birthday is coming soon," I remembered.
"I know. I'm thinking this year we shouldn't invite a whole lot of people."
"Why not?!"
"Because we hardly get to celebrate her as a family. If you get what I mean."
"So, you want something intimate?"
"Yes, just us...plus Daniel."
"Okay. I don't mind that. So, what did you have in mind?"
"A nice dinner? Some music. Trip down memory lane?"
"Sounds good. How about we take her out to go get her hair and nails done first? You can go with her and then Dad and I and Daniel will stay behind and prepare everything?"
"Mmm, no. I don't trust your cooking. No offense! We all know that mine is better. How about this, you go spend quality time with Mom and I stay behind?"
"Ria..." I sulked.
"Uh-huh, you always want to cling to Papá and pretend like Mom doesn't exist. She misses you. Stop avoiding her."
I wasn't avoiding my mom, I was just so scared of her. She always saw right through me. With dad it was always easier. I could keep a lot in with him around, but with mamá, one look from her and I'd catch myself spilling every detail of my life. She's always been so caring and motherly. I almost always resist the urge to lay on her chest while she brushes my hair like back when I was five.
The last time I was actually that close to her was about when I was nine, then the whole Gloria thing started. I watched as both my parents shifted their focus on to my sister but the only parent that ever came back to me was my dad.
Hence why we're so close him and I.
I don't resent mom for that, I completely understand. And besides, being a daddy's girl has taught me how to be independent from a young age. Books became my escape from reality: the nights when Gloria would have a mental breakdown and my parents wouldn't know what to do except to send me up into my room. But it would always be later in the night when my sister had cried herself to sleep that my dad would come check if I was tucked in and all. Every night.
On the bright side, mom was the one who fueled my obsession on vintage clothing. I'd look at her old pictures with her and fall in love with every single thing she wore back then. I was lucky to still get some of them. Her other clothes either got ruined or stolen at college. She'd always talk to me about her boyfriends and which one she hated the most.
I'm the complete opposite of what she was like when she was my age. The only thing we have in common is the fact that even though she did date, she still saved herself for marriage. Dad is the only guy my mom has ever been with.
She says they never used to get along at first and that she found him annoying but very good looking.
She fell in love with his charm, smile, scent and height. He dressed terribly but for some reason he always had a bunch of girls around him. He was the smartest and the teachers loved him. He'd always try get my mother's attention but she'd always ignore him until one day when he got assigned to tutor her on a module she couldn't quiet understand.
Only then did she find herself wanting to spend more time with him, doing more than just studying. And that's when they went on their first date. He took her to a live performance of one of her favorite musicians. Apparently he made the best romance songs in their time.
My dad was poor growing up and he only told my mom about their situation only months after dating.
She never knew that he was struggling because he always made sure to give her the best gifts and experiences ever. Dad said he'd work extra on weekends for his family and also...his love, Mom.
"Your father was so charming. Being with him was like having your favorite love song on repeat. Same feeling. Same mood. And even though I fell in love with him because of his looks and charm, I stayed in love with him because of his kindness. His humility, the way he cares for his sisters and people in general. Your father has got such a pure heart. Do you know that he still gets me flowers every Sunday and asks me to dance to Arturo Sanchez just like on our first date till today?"

Whenever I'd have a bad day and mom was around, I'd cuddle up next to her and ask her to tell me more about her and dad. The perfect love story. I think my parents are the reason why my standards were so high. And as I sat across from Ria reminiscing about it all, I finally agreed to be the one to take her to the spa.
"Okay. I'll go," I beamed.
"What changed your mind? You finally remembered that she's not bad at all?" Gloria teased.
"No, I suddenly remembered all the moments we shared and how safe and loved she always makes me feel," I confided.
"O-kay." Ria shrugged before continuing with her drink.
"Ria...has Mamá ever told you about her and Dad?" I wondered.
"No, not really. Why?"
"Hmm, just curious."
I'm a hopeless romantic. I love love. And any chance I get to hear or read about it, I take it with both hands. It was a good and bad thing. Mainly because whenever I imagined being in love, it would always be perfect. He would be perfect. Just like mom and dad.
We got back home and I started on my homework, caught up with my friends and then went to take a bath before going downstairs. That night, Daniel was joining us. I sat next to him on the couch watching you know what.
"You should really consider moving in," I whispered to him.
He chuckled, "you'd love that, wouldn't you?"
"She'd love what?" Gloria asked, all the way from the kitchen.
"Nothing!" Daniel and I both quickly said.
Ria eyed us for a second and then continued with what she was doing. I on the other hand stopped to admire how cute my parents were being.
They were sharing a couch across the room and I wondered what it was that they were talking about that got them so giggly. Twenty two years later and they still had stuff to talk and laugh about. From the moment they wake up, to following each other around the house, to driving together to and from work, till bedtime. It really was something to stop and stare at...without being weird of course.
But as happy as it made me, it also got me scared whenever I'd think about what each one of them would do if they ever lost each other. If one of them dies, what would happen to the other? And it was those moments when I'd secretly ask the universe to keep both of them alive, long enough for them to continue loving each other. It was very clear that they still had a lot of love to give. Argh, those two make me weak in the knees.
After dinner, I was the first to call it a night. I figured it would be a good idea to leave the adults to talk. I knew how much Daniel admired my parents as well as their marriage so obviously, they'd wanna have "the talk". The "What's your secret to a successful marriage?" talk.
Me on the other hand, I decided to scroll on social media before lights out. I was curled up so warmly in my bed when a notification popped up on my screen:

Ethan_Levi_Byers liked your post.

What?! I posted that picture days ago! I looked at the time. It was nine forty-five p.m. I don't know about you but, the first thing that came to my mind was the fact that he was probably laying in his bed as well. Scrolling through my page? At this time! Then I quickly thought about how I must've been the tenth girl he's stalked in the past hour. And with that I switched my phone off, rolled over and went to sleep.