Along The Line

Chapter 3

Grace-Maris Evans

As the days after my little incident passed by, my friends were treating me like an invalid. It was just a simple nose bleed with odd symptoms, nothing major. Any move I make, Mimi, Jack or Jeremy was there – ah! When I cough, there! When I sneeze, there! At lunch, it was the worst! Mimi takes me to the canteen. I stand to go buy my food; NO! they all object. Mimi gets up to go pick my food. Sometimes she asks me what I want and other times she acts like my nutritionist and gets me what she thinks I want – the nerve! Jack stays with me incase something happens – what are the odds. Jeremy goes with her and I see him pay. I offer to pay because it's my food after all, but noo... I appreciate what they are doing, I really do but it gets really annoying after some time. "When am I going to be allowed to live normally again docs?" I asked once we were all seated. "When we feel you are safe." Jack said. "Who am I? Nikita? Running away from division?" Jeremy chuckled at my response. "You watch too much movies." Mimi whined. "Which makes me the amazing person I am today." I winked at her. We finished our food and continued the day.

After school, I went to the car park and found the people I was looking for. "Mimi I can't go with you. I've got to stay behind and finish up a few things." I announced when I got to them. "Okay then I'll stay. When you finish then we'll go." "No. You have that meeting with your family, I can't let you be late." She was about to speak again when she got interrupted. "We can stay with her." Jeremy said. Here I was thinking he and Jack were deep in their conversation. "You can trust us Muriel. Grace is safe." Jack assured Mimi. "Fine." She finally gave up. "But if I find one scratch on her, you guys are finished. Understood?" She turned to me and gave me a hug and left. I watched as she drove away. I don't know how long I stood there for, watching her go but I was snapped back to reality. "Aren't you going to finish your thing?" Jack asked. "What?" He pointed at the school building. "Oh yeah, let's go. By the way why did you guys offer to stay? You don't even know what I'm staying behind to do." I asked as we walked through the school. "I guess we'll have to find out, won't we Gracie?" There goes that name again.

"Paint! Paint? Grace really? Paint?" "What is your problem Jack?" I chuckled. "Where do you think all the posters you see around the school come from? An artsy fairy?" "No – I just...ughh! I hate paint and painting." He said frustrated. "You know it's not our fault what happened to you happened right?" Jeremy asked. "Shut up Jer." Jack retorted. Jeremy made a low sound like a growl and I swear it sent chills down my spine – strange. Time passed and at a point Jack left. Something about his mum needing him for something or so. That guy is a mummy's boy but he would never admit it. So now it was Jeremy and I. I was left with a few more posters for some clubs that needed it soon. If that incident with the nose bleed hadn't happened I probably wouldn't have so much on my hands. "The posters I get to see around are great. Always wondered who made them." Jeremy said, breaking the silence. "And now your wondering mind can rest." I peeked up at him and he was already smiling at me. "What's up with you?" I asked. "What do you mean?" He came closer to sit on the table beside me, still with a smile on. I shook my head. "You keep smiling, much more than when we are in the open and stuff." By then I had put my brush down went to the cupboard to take out a bottle of dark coloured glitter. I struggled to get it because it was in the top shelf and well, I am short. Suddenly someone picks me up giving me a better chance at reaching the bottle of glitter. When my feet touched the floor I turned to look at him still trying to wrap my mind on what just happened. But he just stood there, calm with a ghost smile. What at all is up with him? "Because, it's you Gracie."

By the time I was done with everything, it was 6pm. While working the security guard came by, nearly locking us in the room – whew! Now that was a close call. As soon as we stepped out, I got hit with a rush of cold air. "Are you cold?" "Yes, but let's go. I'll warm up in the car." I took a step forward but he stopped me. "No here." He handed me the cardigan that rested on his arm. I looked at him figuring out that we were not going to move until I took the cardigan. "Thanks." This would be the second time Jeremy has drove me home. I should really get a car. When we arrived at my house, we both alighted. "Thank you once again, for staying behind with me." He shrugged. "It's nothing. I had fun." He waved goodbye, just about to enter his car when Mimi showed up. "Maria! Oh thank God. I almost drove down there. Why did you keep so long anyways?" She frowned as she came and gave me a hug. Then she turned to Jeremy. "I hope nothing happened and you took care of her?" She arched an eyebrow causing a chuckle to escape my mouth. "Relax Mimi, I'm fine." I responded instead. "Yes, I see that. Maybe a little too fine..." She squinted her eyes at both Jeremy and I. I slapped her arm. "Don't go crazy on me now!" She looked at me then back at Jeremy. "Drive safe Mills. Goodnight." "Good night Muriel." He nodded and drove off. "Well something definitely happened." Mimi said as we walked back into my house. "But no need to say, I'll find out myself." She flipped her hair and cat-walked up the stairs. I have a crazy best friend. "Mum, I'm home." I yelled as I walked into the kitchen. "Alright dear. There's food in the oven." She responded from the study. Something was off about her response. She sounded exhausted and drained. I took my food and went up to my room. As soon as I entered, Mimi shut her laptop, like she was hiding something. "Okay...who was that and what are you hiding? Confess now! Confess!" I interrogated her. She slipped the laptop behind her and in a low tone she responded, "I confess nothing." I put my food on the table and moved slowly towards her. "Is that so...We shall see..." I kept moving, circling her. "Is that a challenge?" She asked. "I don't know, you tell me." I squinted my eyes at her. "Fine." She said. "Fine." I said back. There was a brief pause then we burst out in laughter.

After eating, I went to the bathroomto take a shower. I was tying my hair when Mimi walked in. "Whose cardigan ison the bed?" She asked. "It's Jeremy's." I responded. She wasn't sayinganything else so I looked at her. "Nothing is going on?" She asked. I chuckledat her. 'Mimi I was cold and he gave it to me, that's all. So relax, okay?There's nothing more to it." I shook my head as she walked out leaving me alonein the bathroom.