Steal my Heart.

1

Amazing cover by @clarified- , thank you!
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I stare at my reflection in the mirror. A new zit, pink and rounded has poked up on my cheek. I keep staring at it until it seems so ugly, I want to smash its head down. I slowly round my fingers near the pimple and poke it. Gross. I rub it's edges some more. It comes up a little bit further. Just a little more. I press my fingers downwards and the bead pops out.

"Ow. That was painful." I whisper to myself as I hold a tissue to my now pressed down zit, trying to stop the blood flowing from it.

"Jeez Gracie, how many times have I told you not to mess with your pimples?" Vanessa gives me a dirty look and I turn back to look at her standing by the doorway. Her hair is curled at the tips and her make up is on point; not too much, not too less. Her jeans hug her figure and she's wearing a sweatshirt which is perfect for the first day of her sophomore year.

"I hate them. A new one keeps popping up every week." I say in annoyance as she flops down on my bed.

"The more you play with them, the more they pop up." She shrugs.
"Funny how they choose to spring up on my face out of all the cheeks they could have sprouted up on." I whine as I go wash my hands, still somehow managing to stick the tissue paper on to my cheek.

"Whatever. By the way, did you check out Simon's new Youtube video? He's looking so adorbs!" She coos and I roll my eyes, packing my bag.

Vanessa Hyde, my sister, is the complete opposite of what I am. Pretty, outgoing and popular. She is the sunshine while I am a drab cloud floating somewhere around her. That doesn't mean I don't worry about her. She keeps crushing on random guys and what is worse is the fact that they actually give her attention. She's young and naive. This Simon guy for example, he is a junior from my school and plays in the band. I don't have any problem with him but how can Vanessa start liking him after not even talking to the guy once? She insists that he's an 'artist'. Well.

I remove the tissue from my face. The pimple has somehow stopped bleeding and I sigh in relief.
"I'm not sure adorbs is a word Van. Also, no, I don't watch that guy's videos." I say and stare at my reflection. I'm not gorgeous or beautiful, but I'm not even ugly. I think I'm average, with okay features and some light acne on my skin. I stand tall at five feet, nine inches and somehow people have a problem with that as well. They say I'm too tall for a girl and that I won't get a guy since all tall guys like short girls and all short guys have to like short girls. Where does that leave girls like me? Anyways, you don't have to listen to everything people say, it's their work, right?

I look at my hair. By far, it is my best feature. I have silky, thick brown hair down to my waist. It is wavy and I don't have to bother with it at all when I wake up or if I don't wash it for days. I look at my black jeans and creme white top. I pair it with a black jacket and shrug my shoulders. Tying my hair up in a messy bun, I'm good to go.

"Well you shouldn't even look at him. He's so hot, you'll fall in love with him too." Vanessa sighs and I smile.
"It's not looks I fall for Van." I say and she throws a wrapper of the candy she was eating at me.

"Yeah right. By the way, I totally forgot what I was going to tell you. Mom is calling us down for breakfast." She says as she walks away, high heels clicking on the wooden floor. I clean up my messy room and pick up the wrappers Vanessa left on the floor. I shut the door and start moving towards the kitchen.

My house is a long, ranch style apartment. Mine and Vanessa's rooms are at one end while my parents' room is at the other. In the middle is the living room along with the kitchen and washrooms. I walk down the corridor to enter the kitchen and almost immediately, a strong fragrance of blueberry hits my nostrils. I see my mom standing near the stove, flipping pancakes that can only be described as heavenly. I hug her from behind and feel her warmth as she smiles.

"Ready for your first day, Grace?" She looks at me and I shrug with a smile.
"As ready as I can be."
She laughs and hands over a plate of pancakes to me.
My mother, she is a very beautiful woman. Elegant and graceful, she is a someone I want to look like when I grow up. I, however, resemble my dad more while Vanessa is a striking copy of mom.

I take the pancakes and sit down at the table. Pouring blueberry sauce all over it until it is completely wet, I cut the pancake with the fork and just when I'm about to put the piece into my mouth, Vanessa inserts her head in between and takes the bite.

"What was that Vanessa?" I narrow my eyes at her.
"Pancake in blueberry sauce." She replies with a straight face.
"I know that idiot. Take your own." I say to her and start eating my breakfast before she starts hogging some more.

"I'm dieting. I was just taking one bite because it was looking so tasty and also because it is always fun to irritate you." She smiles slyly and I make a dirty face at her.

"Vanessa what is this dear? You're already stick-thin, you don't need to starve." Mum shakes her head as she sits on the table along with us.

"Mum I'm doing gymnastics. It is different." Vanessa says as she mixes her oats with milk.
"Don't tell me you're trying out for that cheering team." Mum says and Vanessa shifts in her seat as I smirk.

"I might try..." She trails off and mum looks up at her.
"No Vanessa, you're not going to apply for that team. Have you looked at the outfits? Ridiculous! Extremely short and funny, the skirt keeps flying around. And the boys, they keep trying to get inside them." Mum rants and I laugh, choking on my pancake while Vanessa glares at me.

Red faced, she looks at mom. "It isn't what it seems like mum! Let me try, I might not even get in." She says innocently and mum just arches an eyebrow at her.
"Okay, let me atleast be a substitute?" Vanessa pleads and mum wipes her lips before saying anything.

"Try for the dance team. It's the same thing, technically. There's a higher chance of you getting in the other team actually. Discussion over." She says as she pours out a glass of juice for both of us.

"Yes Van. The dance team offers more opportunities anyways. And they're close to the band too." I add and her eyes light up.
"Nice. I'll apply for the dance team then." She rubs her hands and I wink at mom.

"When is dad coming?" I ask her and she sighs, a faraway look in her eyes.
"It might take a few weeks, a few months, you know how it is. Nothing is finalised." She says and I nod in understanding

While we are living here in Seattle, dad has his business base in Singapore. He stays there nine months of the year but he often surprises us with turning up for a few days in between. In all honesty, I miss him. I had the perfect, close-knit family and that made up for my lack of friends. That was another reason why I avoided troubling or asking my mother for much, it is difficult to bring up two teenage daughters all alone. But she's doing a pretty good job. She hasn't recieved any complaints about her daughters from an outsider. Not that it would matter anyways. She trusts us and if there's one thing I'm proud of, it is my upbringing.

As I wash my plate, I recieve a text from my best and only friend.

Mel💞🎀: Are you ready? Meet me at school, we'll collect our schedules together. Love you babe.

I give her a quick 'okay' text and pick my bag up from the chair.
"Grace wait for me. We'll leave together!" Vanessa says while still eating her oats.

"I have to meet Melissa ten minutes before class." I say and bolt for the door before Vanessa can talk to me any further. I kiss my mother on the cheek and wearing my sandals, I rush out.

Kicking my Vespa to life, I wear my helmet and head for school, the wind hitting my face.