His Saving Grace.

Chapter 24.

"Hey Grace, what's up?" Kyle asked me as he tries to nonchalantly put his arm around my shoulder. I was making my way to the cafeteria when he called out to me. I gave him a small smile, trying not to look uncomfortable at his gesture. He must have noticed my expression because he instantly recoiled his arm and gave me a sheepish smile.

"Sorry," he muttered and I waved him off. "It's fine. It's just weird, you know."

He stopped and gave me a confused look, causing me to stop too and I looked at him over my shoulders. "Why is it weird?"

"Because...," I trailed off, hoping he'd get the hint.

His face fell and he awkwardly coughed. "Oh, right. Hunter," he mumbled with a slight tone of annoyance.

I sighed. I did not want to deal with this at the moment. My mind is still swarmed with thoughts about the fight I had with Hunter yesterday. "Kyle, it's not about Hunter. Can we not talk about this right now?" I asked and tugged him to start walking again.

"Okay. Are you alright?" He asked as he walked in step with me to the cafeteria. "Why wouldn't I be?" I shrugged.

"You spaced out a lot during classes earlier. I was calling you for five minutes and even threw a spitball at you, yet you still didn't notice," he deadpanned.

"Wait, hold up. You threw a spitball at me? Spitball? Spit!" I stopped for the second time and shrieked. Kyle held out his hands in a surrendering gesture and backed away from me slowly.

"Hey, desperate times call for desperate measures," he said and lowered his hands. "What made you so desperate that you couldn't just get my attention like a normal human being." I probably had spit all over my hair, I groaned internally.

"I needed a pencil," he mumbled sheepishly.

"You drenched my head with your saliva because you needed a pencil?" I said as I balled my hands into fists. I know that I'm probably overreacting but didn't he know never to mess with a girl's hair?

"Calm down there, tiger," he said and urged me to continue the journey to the cafeteria. "Aren't you hungry?"

I narrowed my eyes at his attempt to change the subject, but decided to walk because I am hungry. "You're disgusting," I muttered and he chuckled.

Kyle left me after getting his lunch to sit with his own friends so I made my way to our regular spot. "Hey girl, why the long face?" Zoe asked as I sat down next to her with a huff. "Stupid Kyle threw a spitball at me in class and stupider Hunter is ignoring me," I answered and took a bite from my apple, munching on it angrily. The latter reason being the cause of my whole distress.

"Firstly, is stupider even a word? Secondly, ew. Kyle is gross. Thirdly, why is Hunter ignoring you?" She finished off and crossed her arms on her chest.

"Yes, it is. Anyway, Hunter is mad at me because I was being a concerned girlfriend." I grumpily mumbled.

"Wait, what?" She looked at me incredulously and I sighed, letting my shoulders slump. "When the subject of his family was brought up, he became closed off and it worried me, so I asked what was bothering him and he completely snapped at me. Was I wrong in doing that?"

"Absolutely not. You were being a caring girlfriend and he was being a dick. Even if that subject was sensitive to him, he shouldn't have snapped at you for being worried about him," she ranted and I realised that she was right.

"Look, Grace. I'm sorry to say this but you should learn to stand up for yourself. You are his girlfriend and that title gives you the right to ask him such questions. He may have his bipolar moments but he shouldn't be mad at you for caring," she finished off in a soft tone.