Saving Grace

[Section Three]

I rolled over in my bed to look at my alarm clock.  It was almost two o’ clock in the afternoon.  I got dressed and ran downstairs, but nobody was home.  I walked into the kitchen to grab something to eat, and found a note taped to the refrigerator.

‘Grace,

I forgot to remind you last night about your father and I’s trip.  We dropped Michael off at Grandma’s, but you wouldn’t wake up so we decided you could just stay here and watch yourself.  Left you some money in an envelope on the counter. See you Tuesday!

          Love, Mom and Dad’

I glanced around the kitchen, and then got a bowl of cereal.  When I reached into the cereal cabinet to put the box back, it hit my wrist on something.  I immediately remembered the cuts.  I drew my arm back quickly to the sharp pain, wincing as I did. 

I looked at my arm, realizing that the cuts were longer and deeper than I had realized when I’d made the cuts.  I glanced around the room nervously, though I knew that there was nobody else there. 

I reached for the envelope on the counter that Mom had left for the weekend.  ‘150 dollars?!?’ I thought, ‘What does she think I do when she’s gone?’

I left the envelope on the counter and walked out the door with the money in my pocket, along with what I’d saved from my summer babysitting jobs and my keys in the other.  I had saved a fair amount.  I’m not generally a big spender; I’ve never seen a point in buying extravagant things.  It wasn’t like I had any friends that would know the difference anyways. 

I started my car, an old Subaru, and thought for a moment about where I would want to go.  “Fuck,” I said out loud to myself, “it doesn’t even matter.  Nobody is asking and nobody cares.” 

I backed out of the driveway and took a left.  It was the opposite direction from the school, mall, and any other place people from school might be.  Before I realized it, I crossed out of city lines, even drove through to the edge of the next town.  ‘For seventeen, I do an awful lot of avoiding people and running. I’m a damn coward.’  I thought.  I do a lot of thinking when I’m alone.

Something in me pulled me into a mall parking lot.  I didn’t know the town, I didn’t know anybody here, and I almost never went shopping.  But for some reason, there I was in that mall parking lot. 

I sat for a few minutes, thinking to myself, muttering under my breath, relaxing, and trying to decide what to do for a while.  I was in a deep thought about - well, that isn’t important.  I jumped in surprise when somebody tapped on the passenger side window.

It was a rather nice looking guy.  He appeared to be close to my age, tall, with dark hair and eyes, nice skin and build.  I rolled the windows down.

“Hi. Can I help you with something?” I asked as politely, trying to smile.

“Are you going in?” He responded.

“I haven’t decided yet.. Why?”

“Well,” he started to answer, “My ride left.  I’ve got money, could I maybe get a ride?”

“Uhm...” I started moving things out of the passenger seat. “Well, I don’t see why not.”

I drove while we sat in silence until I had driven for around five minutes. 

“I uh.. I’m not going very far. Just a couple of miles. Pine street,” The person in my passenger seat said.

“To be honest,” I started, “I don’t even know what town I’m in. You’re going to have to tell me how to get there. I just pulled out of the driveway and started driving, and this is where I ended up. I guess it’s not that far, I can’t have driven very long. Anyways,” I realized I was merely rambling, “tell me about yourself.”

“Uhm… My name is Nick Taylor. I have two sisters and a brother, I grew up right here in this town with my dad. Mom left when I was younger. I’m nineteen,” Nick glanced over at me, and after a short pause said, “Your turn.”  

I thought for a moment to decide what, exactly I wanted to tell him and how much. “Well, I’m Grace Andrews.  I have one brother, younger; Michael, love the kid to death.” There were long pauses between my sentences and Nick slipped directions in during the pauses. “I’m a senior at Southeast High, seventeen. I, uh, I don’t know. I don’t have many friends there. Alicia, that’s about it… But it’s whatever, I guess. Anyways, we’re here, I think…”

“Yeah. Yeah, this is it. Home,” he said.

There was a long pause.  Nick didn’t get out of my car.  I didn’t urge him out.  Neither of us said anything for a moment; we simply sat there in silence.

“You can come in if you want.  I’m not doing anything.  I don’t think anybody is home.  One of my friends might be here, but that’s it.  You wanna hang out?” Nick welcomed. 

I turned the key and shut off the engine.  I moved my hand to the handle of the door, and again I paused. Multiple thoughts ran through my mind, and they were all completely different thoughts.  I opened the door, and Nick led me inside.