State Of Grace

Chapter 14 - The Best Day

Stood in the yard, wearing party hats, were the Tucker kids, Elle, Ethan, Amy, Sarah and her parents, and Jason. When she realized what was happening, she thought she'd be flooded with bad memories, but that didn't happen, instead, she was overcome with gratitude.

"Are you surprised?" Jason took Gracie's hands and led her out in front of everyone. The last time this many people were staring at her was at the party, but this time the guests weren't judging her or whispering about her, they were there to celebrate her.

"Yeah," Gracie said quietly, any louder she would have burst into tears. She felt a love unlike anything she'd ever known, she couldn't believe she had people who liked and cared about her enough to do all of that.

Colored festoon lights were strung from branch to branch on the trees, casting a rainbow of lights on the ground. The kitchen table had been moved onto the deck, adorned with party food and a birthday cake. What she was most grateful for was all of her friends, but someone was missing, the one person she wanted to see most.

"Thank you," she said, trying not to cry.

Jason stepped forward and took her hands, "Do you like it?"

"You didn't have to do this for me," Gracie was overwhelmed in the best way, she let a few tears out.

"Your family helped. You're not mad are you?" Jason asked, "I knew it was a risk, but birthdays are supposed to be fun, and you seemed like you could do with a little cheering up today," he reached out and wiped away her tears.

"No, I'm not mad. I love it, thank you," she kissed him on the cheek, still ridden with guilt.

Riley was snapping photos of the two of them while everyone watched. She pictured herself in the images, living a lie in front of everyone she cared about. Gracie did her best to immerse herself in the party, the music pounded and her friends and foster family danced under the lights, Gracie saw an opportunity to have a moment alone. She went into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of cold water when Sarah walked in.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she chugged half of her water within a few seconds, "I mean I'm not fine. Nothing's ever fine," Gracie took a deep breath but the tears started streaming again.

"Hey, let's go talk upstairs," Sarah took her best friend's hand and led her up to her bedroom.

She'd been avoiding Sarah's messages for a while, she had no idea how to tell her about the Rachel/Jason situation. But when they sat down upstairs, Gracie was more than ready to tell her best friend. She needed guidance, and maybe she needed someone to hold her accountable for what she was doing because she was in too much denial to do that for herself.

Sarah gave Gracie a few minutes to gather herself before asking, "What's going on?"

She sighed, frustrated with herself, "Things are good here with the Tuckers, but you know, there's other stuff too," finding the words to explain was the real challenge.

"Is it to do with that Jason guy? Is he your boyfriend?" Normally Sarah loved boy talk, but she could tell that her friend was going through something, after all, she knew that Gracie had kissed Rachel, and it must have been so confusing after everything her father did.

"Okay, I have to tell you something," Gracie prepared herself. She had meant to come out to her best friend a while ago, but they got into an accident moments after Gracie started to say it, and after that, her life only got more complicated. But she couldn't put it off any longer, "I'm gay. Like not bi or pan or anything like that. I'm gay. I like girls and only girls. Maybe I feel something for Jason, but I don't think it's in the way I'm supposed to. Or... not supposed to, just like the way that I like girls. A girl."