Surrounding Grace

8-Jacey (Making it)

Jacey looked at her reflection and tilted her head examining the bandages on her ribs.  She pulled the dressing back and exposed her bruised skin.  As much as she wanted to make the league, she hated the physical toll it all was taking on her body.  She jumped at the sound of the knock on the door and put her shirt down. 

“Come in!”  She screamed at the door.

“Hey girlie!  We are all at the pool waiting for you.  What are you doing in here?” Grace asked bouncing on the bed looking at her best friend admiringly.

“Close the door.” Jacey said quietly as she started to lift her shirt to show Grace the bruises she’d acquired. Grace rushed over to the door to shut it.

“What’s going on?” She whispered.  Jacey lifted her shirt and removed the bandage to show Grace. “Oh shit, Jace!  What the fuck happened to you?” Jacey ran over and covered Grace’s Mouth.

“Shut up! Reyna will hear you!” Jacey removed her hand slowly. “I can’t keep hiding my body from her.  What am I going to do?” Jacey asked Grace with desperation in her eyes.

“I don’t know, Jace, but if Reyna finds out she is not going to let you try out.  What the hell have you been doing over there?” Grace asked.

“To be honest, Grace, I had no idea the girls were this rough. I thought I’d just get out there and play some ball and that would be it. I forgot this is a competition.  These girls want this spot just as bad as I do and they are out for blood.  Really, Grace, I want this so bad.” Jacey looked up at the ceiling trying to fight back tears. 

KNOCK KNOCK!  “Is everybody decent?”  Reyna said jokingly opening the door. “What are ya’ll doing in here?”

“Nothing, I was just about to sing Grace the song I was working on.”  Jacey lied. 

“Oh girl, it is beautiful.  Sing it, babe!”  Reyna said excited.

“Okay, Okay!” Jacey said through a laugh. She cleared her throat and started to sing her ballad as Grace and Reyna looked on.   Jacey loved to sing and could do it very well.  Reyna insisted that she pursue a singing career and Jacey refused saying her voice wasn’t that good.  But no matter how much she disagreed with Reyna’s views on her voice, she continued to write songs for her.  In fact, she even made Reyna two CD’s that she played every opportunity she got.

“-and that’s why I love you…ooooooo…”  Jacey finished the song.  Grace wiped her eyes.

“Oh my God, Jace.  You’ve done it again!”  Grace said as she jumped into her arms.  “You are amazing!”

“Isn’t she though?” Reyna beamed as she squeezed Jacey.  Jacey seethed at the pain.

“FUCK!” Jacey yelled. Reyna and Grace jumped. Jacey looked down so she would not look at Reyna when she lied. She lifted her foot and grabbed it. “I stubbed my toe on this damn bed!”  Jacey lied as she hopped up and down leaning to relieve the pain caused by Reyna’s squeeze.

“Aww, babe, I’m sorry.” Reyna cooed.  “Want me to kiss it?”

“Nah, let’s hit the pool.” Jacey continued. “I’m gonna go to the bathroom, I’ll meet ya’ll out there.”

“Okay.” Reyna replied kissing Jacey before she and Grace walked out of the door.

Jacey walked to the bathroom and sat on the edge of the tub and started to cry.  She didn’t know how long she was going to be able to keep this up.