The Grabber's Daughter (A TBP Fanfic)

Chapter Eight: An After School Walk

After the park trip, the weekend was hard for Melinda. It seemed like her father was looking for any excuse to punish her. And if he wasn't doing that, he was working on something. She didn't know what it was but she had a feeling it was nothing good.

Monday didn't come soon enough. She couldn't wait to finally get out of the house again. She woke up about 20 minutes before the time she normally does on school days. She had quite a few bruises to cover up. They were littered everywhere; her arms, legs, sides, neck, collar bone, and cheek. She cringed at her appearance, she looked like a mess. She did her best not to look too hard at her full appearance, instead just focusing on the bruises.

After she was finished she got changed. It was a little colder today so she put on a long sleeve shirt and a brown sleeveless dress on top, doing her hair the way she always does. She did the rest of her morning routine, heading out into the kitchen. Her dad had left her an apple at her spot at the table, indicating she was allowed to eat it. A tiny, barely noticeable smile graced her face as she picked it up, starting to eat it as she walked out the door.

She was running on time today instead of early. She couldn't help but feel disappointed by that. She enjoyed the early morning talk she had with Robin on Friday. It wasn't unlike the enjoyment she felt when she talked to the other boys, but it somehow felt different in a sense. It was enjoyment mixed in with longing, and she didn't understand why. It was like when her face felt warm when he looked at her, or smiled, or called her 'Mel'; Robin seemed to cause her to feel differently than she ever had before.

She was lost in those thoughts as she walked to math class, trying to decipher what was different about Robin and her friendship with him compared to the others. Melinda couldn't put her finger on it for the life of her. She made her way to her spot in the back of the class on autopilot, and was only shaken out of her thoughts when someone spoke to her.

"Earth to... what was your name again? I wasn't paying attention when Griff was yapping about you," said Vance, who instead of sitting two desks down like usual was sitting next to her. She blinked rapidly for a moment, she was so deep in thought she hadn't even realized she had gotten to the classroom.

"It's... It's Melinda," she said to him. He just gave her a blank look, which made it impossible to know what he was thinking or feeling.

"Sure. Anyway, Griffin won't shut up about you, so thanks for that," Vance grumbled while rolling his eyes. Melinda frowned at his reply. The only reason Griffin would be 'talking about her' was because Vance got detention and she was just doing the right thing by keeping an eye on him. It wasn't her fault that Griffin really liked to talk.

Vance narrowed his eyes at her lack of reply. He didn't say anything for a few moments, and he eventually looked away.

"...Thanks. For looking after him," he mumbled quietly, but Melinda heard him. She gave him a small smile before replying.

"You're welcome. He's a sweet kid, it wasn't any trouble," she replied. It was actually huge trouble for her, but he didn't need to know that. He nodded in reply, and the conversation dropped. He went to go move back down to his regular seat, but gave her a look before he did.

"Griffin really likes you, by the way. I wasn't kidding when I said he wouldn't shut up about you," he said, looking away from her. "He wanted me to ask if you'd walk home with us... him today."

He tried to cover it up, making it seem like it was just Griffin who wanted to spend time with her. But Vance couldn't deny the fact that he was slightly curious about the girl. She had to be something if she was able to keep up with his little brother.

Melinda's eyes widened a bit in surprise, not expecting that at all. Vance was known to be tough as nails and violent, running over anyone who gets in his way. He didn't have friends and never willingly talked to anyone outside a few boys and his brother. But obviously, Vance cared about Griffin a lot, especially if he was willing to ask her, a nobody who just watched her brother for a half an hour, to walk home with the both of them.