State of Grace (Complete)

Putting the Ass in Assignment

Ch. 21

"Why is he being such a jerk?" I ask Chris, for probably the tenth time. We are laying on his bed watching a movie.

"I don't know, Grace, why don't you ask him?"

"I can't, I don't think I did anything wrong."

"It doesn't really matter anyway, he's going to have to talk to you since you got paired up for the English assignment."

"Don't remind me."

"It's due in a week, so you'd better get going."

"I've been waiting for him to do something, at least acknowledge we are supposed to work together."

"I think he acknowledged that already, didn't he?" Chris is referring to when the teacher pulled names out of a hat, making partners. When he pulled out mine and Ian's, Ian let out an audible 'shit,' causing the class to laugh, making me feel like dirt.

"Yeah. Whatever. I've got to get started on this whether he likes it or not."

"No time like the present. I'm sure he's in his room, I can feel him brooding from here."

Our movie is done, so I haul myself off the bed and go to knock on Ian's door.

"What?" he yells from behind his door.

"We need to do our English assignment, Ian." I feel like an idiot, yelling through his door, which is probably why he's doing it.

"It's not due until next week." he yells, his voice raising.

"Exactly. It's due next week, we need to do it and we haven't even started yet." I just want to get it finished. I've got other assignments to do, but none of the other ones rely on Ian acting like a decent person.

"Get the stick out of your ass, Grace." I'm ready to barge in, but don't have to, because Steve has come up the stairs, hearing our exchange from the living room.

"Ian get out here and work on your project. I know you don't care about your grades, but that's no reason for you to sabotage Grace." he says, firmly. I look at Steve thankfully, and Ian begrudgingly comes out.

"Fine, lets just get this over with."

"Ian be nice." Steve warns.

Ian turns to me with a huge fake smile. "What would you like to do Grace?" His voice is full of false politeness.

"How about a prezzi?" I suggest.

"Great. Shall I get my computer and we can work in the dining room?"

We work together, side by side for the next hour. After a little more of his false friendliness, Ian actually becomes a lot more human as the time goes on.

'Want a drink?" he asks, getting up.

"Sure."

He comes back a minute later with lemonade for the both of us. Mine with three ice cubes, his with none, just like we both like.

"Thanks, Ian," I smile at him as I take my drink, and he gives me a real smile back.

"Grace, I'm sorry, you know. I know it was shitty thing to do—have a party and not invite you. Although, most of the people there weren't invited."

"Yeah, but you knew I wouldn't come unless I was."

"You're right. But Jillian didn't want you there and she was pretty persuasive," he says with a funny look on his face.

"Whatever. I'm sure it was worth it." I say, trying not to sound disgusted.

"No, it really wasn't."

"No, I suppose it wasn't since you're with...who, Tiffany? Britney? now."

"Amanda, actually. Keep up, Grace, the ladies love me," he grins.

"Yeah, this is a conversation I want to have." I am getting exasperated.

"Grace, I'm sorry about your dad... And your mom. I know things have been bad before, I just see how fantastic you are and can't imagine how anyone could treat you that way." Ian's voice tapers off towards the end, like he's said too much, and I sit numbly, trying to digest what he's said.

"You think I'm fantastic?" I ask quietly.

"Of course I do." His voice is all soft and gentle and my heart flutters.

"Oh." I'm not really sure what to say.

Then he gets up and leaves, and I finish the rest of the presentation myself.

By the end of the school year, things are back into some sort of a rhythm. Chris has joined a band, sort of, the music is kind of like math in his mind. Chris plays the bass guitar and there are some other guys from his grade in the band, too. Mostly they play cheesy cover songs badly and talk about being better than they are. It's nice to see Chris doing something he enjoys with a decent group of guys.

Ian has covered himself in academic glory, passing everything but not getting higher than low sixties in every class. I don't get it at all, he's so smart yet is completely messing up on purpose. He gets suspended twice for fighting and once more for making out in the halls. After the English project he doesn't ignore me exactly, I mean he acknowledges my existence, but he doesn't seem happy I exist.

I have lined up a job as a counsellor in training at a local camp. It's not really a job, because they aren't paying me, but I don't have to pay to go there either, plus I get volunteer hours. Every time I go swimming with my campers, it reminds me of when the twins taught me to swim, and it makes me nostalgic for when things were easier. So many times when I was younger I was wishing to grow up, be as cool as Maggie, but now that I'm here, I just want to go back.