They Could Never Know (Editing)

Part 6

For the past couple of weeks Grant has been walking me to my classes, we chit chat about our days and what our plans are for that night. Chloe smirks when she sees us, and Katy gives me these huge eyes with a big smile. Today was Friday and it was pep rally day, Grant was scarcer than he normally was. I wasn't concerned, we all had stuff we needed to get together for tonight. When I do see him, his mood is completely dampened, his chin hangs down, shoulders sagging. He's leaned up against my locker keeping his eyes to the floor. "Hey hot shot, you ready for tonight." I smile but it quickly falters when he looks at me. Just below his left eye is bruising and a split runs down the corner of his bottom lip. He smiles, but I can tell it isn't genuine. "What happened Grant." When I ask, my pulse quickens, a sense of protectiveness radiating through my body. I step my body closer to him but he dismisses me with a simple nothing. I knew those marks, and I knew how you would get them. He throws his arm over my shoulders and walks me down to my next class, for now I wouldn't push.

....

The entire rest of the day is spent with me worrying over Grant and Grant keeping his mouth shut. I had a feeling this wasn't the first time this had happened. The pep rally begins and the cheers from the bleachers ignite me. We do our stunts, well they do the stunts, and the team makes their way in, this time Grant wasn't on the stage to speak. Grant is smiling, hollering with his team but I can tell it's empty. After the pep rally the six of us leave together, walking to the diner for our milkshakes. Us three girls sit at our normal booth while the boys head to the counter to order our shakes. Nick slides into his spot next to Katy and Chloe, arm wrapping around Katy. Instead of Liam slipping in next to me, Grant does. Liam lingers next to a table full of underclassman girls, saying things that makes each of them turn the color of tomatoes. He reaches our table and pulls up a chair, two seconds later another chair scrapes across the black and white tiled floor. I look up to find Allison. She sits down next to Liam, hand clutching his forearm as she flips her blonde hair behind her shoulder. We talk about how tonight was going to go and who was going to Liam's after the game. Allison laughs at practically everything Liam says, and I can tell from the shift in his chair, it's not just annoying me. The waitress brings over our drinks, setting strawberry in front of me. "Two straws please." Katy beams, Allison rolls her eyes and mumbles disgusting under her breath. Chloe makes eye contact with me; we both knew what the other was thinking. "So, Grant what happened to your face anyways. Tess getting a little sloppy with that cast?" Allsion asks as she checks her nails. The table is quiet, uncomfortably quiet. Grants fist squeeze shut, I needed to do something to break the silence. Before I can think, I act as if I'm reaching over for a napkin next to Katy and push her drink over. Chocolate shake spills onto Allison. Chloe practically dies in the corner of the booth while I slip out an apology and hold my broken hand up, "Sorry, hand is sloppy."  Allison stands up, making noises similar to a screeching baboon. She stomps away, not a single one of us follows to help her. "I'll buy you a new one." I say as I shrug my shoulders. The rest of the group laughs as soon as they hear the jingle of her exiting the diner. "No need. I should pay you." Katy exclaims. We all shift our attention to Liam; he was the one that brought his baggage along. "What can I say, I was blindsided by the pretty face." A smile creeps across his face. "For a second time, apparently." I say as I throw a wadded-up napkin at him.

....

The stadium roars, I'm lined up with Katy and Chloe on either side of me. Friday nights were my favorite. The music starts, the team floods onto the field. Cheers and names are screamed from the bleachers. Liam, Grant, and Nick enter the field. Liam winks across to Allsion, Nick waves at Katy, and Grant locks eyes with me, a smile plastered to his face. Liam just couldn't help himself could he. Allison giggles from the bleachers which soon fades, as we make eye contact. "That girl honestly has serious problems." Katy says, Chloe and I agree. This was a tougher game than most and we walk away with a loss. As we go to leave, the three of us arms locked, we wait. This was our normal now, waiting for the boys. Liam and Nick come into sight, but I don't see Grant. Liam can tell my eyes are searching, "he'll meet us there, his dad pulled him to the side." Nerves prickle at my skin, for some reason I didn't like that. I had a feeling his dad had a part in why his face looked the way it did. We all get into Liam's car and the music floods my ears. Nick hands back a bottle, I decline. Chloe and Katy go back and forth taking swigs. When we arrive, the girls stop and grab shots. I'm not in a drinking mood, I just want to see Grant. We settle down in chairs outside, they are all deep in a conversation. I can't focus on anything, I keep scanning the crowd looking for him. It's been a while, surely when he got here, he would come to find us. I decide I needed to stretch my legs so I let the group know I'm running inside to use the bathroom and I would be right back. I open the back door and walk into the kitchen. It was trashed, empty cups lay around and my shoe sinks into something pink and sticky on the floor. I grab some of the cups and throw them into the trash, parties were a lot less fun sober. I make my way into the living room, people bumping into me as I walk. I lock eyes on someone in the corner, Mason. He quickly diverts his gaze from mine and moves from the room. Good, I didn't need two broken hands. Settled on the couch, hugging onto a bottle is Grant. Whatever happened to no drinking during the season. Girls are flooded around him each trying to catch his attention, they don't. I walk over to him, his eyes rise meeting mine. I don't say anything I just put my hand out, with no hesitation he grabs hold of it. I walk him out of sight, away from the girls trying to latch onto him in his drunken state. I close the door behind us as we make our way into the same room I ended up in with Mason. Grant flops onto the bed, eyes looking straight into the ceiling. "I don't want to talk." He mumbles. "That's okay, we don't have to." I reply as I pull the bottle from his clenched hand. I lay down next to him on the bed, making sure not to get too close to him. Grant reaches his hand out, tickling the top of mine. I let him take it and we lay there silent. "I hate him." Grant chokes. I turn my head to look at him, "I know the feeling."

.....

We fell asleep like that. Neither one of us spoke anymore, just laid in silence listening to the sounds of each other's breathing. I sit up from the bed and check the time, it was early. I get up and head to the kitchen, it was trashed. A woman in business clothes works around the mess cooking breakfast. She turns to find me, "Good morning, would you like some breakfast?" The resemblance was easy to spot, she must be Liam's mom. "Yes please." I say as my stomach grumbles. I glance into the living room and Chloe is passed out on the couch, I don't see Katy. Liam struts in, "Morning mom, morning Tess." He takes a seat next to me and picks a piece of bacon from my plate. "Liam! I'll get you your own. Leave the poor girls food alone." Liam's mom tsks. He shrugs, "she's used to it." That was the truth, he made it a daily habit to check my lunch tray for anything he might find appealing. The chatter wakes Chloe and she pops next to me, "I feel like death." I slide my water over to her and Liam's mom sets three pills next to it. "Could I actually get some as well please." I ask, stretching out my good hand into a cup. She drops three pills in my hand, and I fill a new glass with water. I walk my way back to the room Grant was still in and give a light knock before entering. He was awake, sitting with his head in his hands. "Here." I say as I stretch the glass to him. I place the pills in his hand, and he throws them back with a gulp of water. "Thanks" He smiles. Another knock comes to the door, "scream if your naked!", Chloe hollers. I open the door for her, amusement flashing across her face. "What's on the agenda for today?" She asks as she bounces onto the bed next to Grant. Liam bursts into the room, "Laser tag!" We laugh as his mom shouts back that we weren't going anywhere till the house was picked up.

....

We pick up the house and then swing by to pick up Katy then Nick. Apparently, there is an amazing arcade that I just had to check out. They weren't kidding though when they said it was huge, there were hundreds of games, laser tag, and bowling. "Alright laser tag first. Teams of two." Liam scans our group. Katy and Nick were locked at the hip so that was an obvious match. I knew better than to have Chloe on the enemies team, she played dirty. I grab Chloe's arm claiming her as my partner. "Alright if you think the two of you can put up a fight against us." Liam points between him and Grant. "I don't think, I know." Chloe says as she turns us away from them, heading towards the laser tag area. "This is going to be easy; you just mesmerize Grant with your body, and I'll take care of Liam." Chloe throws on her gear, she was kind of scary. "Hope you like losing." Liam taunts. I wink, "Good luck boys." Once we are all geared up, we take off into the dark room. Black lights shine above us illuminating the glow-in the dark graffiti covering the walls. Chloe and I stay close, heads on a swivel as we look for our enemies. Chloe points to the right and a head bops down below a half wall. We both nod and begin our ambush. I take left, she takes right. I move slow, evening out my breathing. We both pop around the wall at the same time and shoot. Katy and Nick are in a fit of laughter. They were too busy ogling each other to take this seriously. Not Chloe and I, we wanted to win. Chloe signals to move out and I follow. We are crouched down, moving slowly. As we move through the arena Liam jumps down from above shooting at us, we dive behind a barrier. "Tell them your arm hurts." She smiles, mastermind at work. It doesn't hurt but I knew what she was playing at. Chloe swiftly moves into the darkness and I get my act on. "Ow. My arm." I cry out. Nothing, I needed to ramp up this little charade. I yell out again, this time mimicking crying at the end. Grant rushes around the corner, dropping his gun next to me, he kneels down. "Are you ok?" He asks as he brings my arm forward to examine it. "For this, I'm truly sorry." I say as I bring my gun up, pulling the trigger as it reaches his chest plate, it goes red. Just as that happens Liam rounds the corner but before he can lift his gun Chole shoots his plate from behind, it turns red. "That was devilish." Grant smiles as he helps me to my feet. Chloe jumps up and down cheering, we won. We all move to the small concessions inside, ready for lunch. I order a coke and pepperoni pizza, Grant brings his and my food over to the table. "Liam you should have seen your face when I got you, picture worthy." Chloe teases as Liam sits down with his food. "You cheated," he countered. "It's not my fault your partner is head over heels. In a game of war, you use everything to your advantage." Chloe was very matter of a fact with her statement. Grant glanced in my direction at her head over heels comment which in return caused my cheeks to flood with heat. Liam and Chloe continue going back and forth, Katy is focusing in on whatever Nick is saying, Grant slides closer to me. "Let's hangout tomorrow, just the two of us." He whispers. I nod in agreement and look up to find Chloe smirking at us, to my surprise she doesn't say anything.