Gotta Get Out (a five seconds of summer story)

Chapter 18

We walk in and I take my usual seat next to Luke and Grace sits on the other side of me. “You all remember Grace?” I say as she waves at them. I have been trying really hard not to say y’all and so far I think I’m doing pretty well. The boys give her their greetings and lunch carries on. “So Grace you are in our grade right?” Calum asks opening up his yogurt. “Yeah, but I usually hang with the older kids” she says looking a Michael out of the corner of her eye. “What are we not cool enough for you?” Calum says teasing her. “No I’m just not cool enough for you” she says flattering him in a joking way. The boys make a few comments here and there. “So you take yoga with Kaylee” Luke says starting the conversation up again. “Yeah, I just started right after spring break and have been doing it all through this summer” She replies scanning the lunch table. “Soon enough you will move up and I will be all alone in the newbie class” I say adding a fake cry at the end. “Well then you better go home and practice girlfriend because this chick waits for no one.” She says sassily. I find it ironic that she says she waits for no one when she is still hung up on Michael after two months of silence. “I could join you in yoga it can’t be that hard” Calum says striking his stupid yoga pose. “See” he says trying to convince us. We all laugh and lunch carries on in the same manor. After lunch Grace pulls me aside to talk. “That wasn’t so bad was it? I think they like you” I say pleased with how lunch went. “Yeah everybody except Michael. He didn’t say a single word to me the entire lunch.” She says as emotion fills her face. Usually she is so confident and sure of everything and to see her so vulnerable is just plain awkward. And sad, that too. “The Grace I know wouldn’t wait around for any guy. Now you march your pretty little booty over there to talk to him first or move on, but Grace Conway does not wait on any boy.” I say giving her one of those slap in the face pep talks. “Yes ma’am” she says in a soldier like voice while giving me a salute. “Now” I whisper pointing her towards him. Perfect timing he is all alone. She gives me a shy smile and I give her a thumbs up as she makes her way towards him. It would be so cute if two of my best friends dated.

          After school Grace and I went to grab cokes at the McDonalds across the street from the school. It was a quick trip because I was eager to get to Luke’s house. Grace’s parents had been harping on her about how she needed to take life more seriously and that she needs to be helping around the house more. They had just fired their house keeper because she stole some of her mother’s jewelry so her parents have been a little swamped with house work. “Grace I’m coming over to your house later this week to help out with your chores and there is nothing you can do to stop me.” I say before taking a sip of my diet coke. I hate it when people judge me for getting a diet coke. They always think that I think that I’m fat. I don’t think I’m fat. I just drink diet coke so I don’t become fat, and because it tastes sweeter. “Kaylee you really don’t have to. Besides you have homework and your own chores to do. Like when was the last time you did laundry?” she says protesting. “Well that is why I have a lot of clothes so I don’t have to do laundry.” I say kind of snarky. We both laugh and she tells me I’m crazy and that I own twice as much clothing as she does. I bet she is right, but she has a nice car and a pool in her backyard. “So what did you say when you talked to Michael?” I ask because I’ve been dying to know. “Well I said ‘Hey Michael’ and he said ‘Hey’ then I said ‘So how have you been? It feels like it has been forever since we talked’ and he was like ‘Good, just playing some music and stuff. How have you been?’ and I told him that I was doing well and that I have been bored out of my mind recently. Then the bell rang and that is pretty much it.” She said casually. I sighed hoping for something a bit juicier. “I know” she sighed. We both looked at each other then started busting out laughing. “Well I have to go” I said looking down at my phone. I’m late for band rehearsal, well actually movie night but whatever. We hug and she leaves as I buy myself a cheeseburger before leaving.