State of Grace (Complete)

Left Behind

Ch 27

At school in January, Chris, Carmine and I eat lunch together and it's cute how much they seem to care about each other. Kyle and a few other people say hi to me know when we pass in the halls, which is a nice development since the party, I'm getting to know more people and it's nice. Another not so wonderful development is Ian and Kim hanging off of each other everywhere; he waits for her outside of her classes, even the history class she and I have together. He makes a point of ignoring me whenever I leave the room before Kim, although sometimes I catch him looking at me when I am packing up my stuff and it really bothers me. When Kim and I get stuck into a group together, I am all business and she smirks at me.

"What's your problem, Grace?" she asks as I focus on our task.

"I don't have a problem, Kim, we just need to get this article done."

"You're just mad because I stole your boyfriend."

"Ian's not my boyfriend, and he never has been. We're friends and have been since I was four."

"Just so long as you remember he's mine."

"Don't worry, Kim, you're welcome to him."

"Just stay away from him."

"Kim, I've said I will, and I will, besides, if he's yours, you shouldn't have anything to worry about, right?"

That comment seems to do the trick, and we work together, an uneasy truce, to finish our assignment.

Something has to be horribly wrong.

It's Valentine's Day and I am clutching my three flowers student council delivered to me in homeroom and I have my backpack in the other hand. The flowers, one from Chris, one from Carmine, and one from Kyle were a nice surprise, I wasn't expecting any. It seems that I am great at attracting platonic male friends. Getting off the bus, I see my dad's car in the driveway.

"What's going on?" I ask running in the house. It's not normal for a Tuesday afternoon. This is prime teaching time for my dad.

"Why don't you ask your father, you love him so much," my mom's tone is burns like acid and dripping with venom.

"Daddy?" I turn to him, confused.

"I'm sorry, Sweetpea, but I'm moving."

"Where are you going Daddy? Why are you leaving?" I don't get it. Daddy doesn't just leave, I mean he goes away, but he always comes back.

"I'm moving closer to campus," he says, not meeting my eyes.

"Why?"

My mom interjects, "Because he can't keep it in his pants."

"What?"

"He's fucking a grad student. He's lucky he doesn't lose his job," she explains.

"Wait, is this Elizabeth, the one you're always talking about?" I have a sneaking suspicion. Her name has been so prevalent in our breakfast conversations lately, it's almost insidious.

"It doesn't matter who it is, Honeybun," he tries to placate me, but doesn't deny the affair.

"Of course it doesn't matter. It's not the first time, is it?" Mom steps up pointing at him. I ignore her comment and focus on the who and what of now.

"No, you don't get to call me Honeybun after screwing someone who's only eight years older than me. I mean she's only twenty-three." I am disgusted.

"Twenty-four, actually, and this has no bearing on the issue. Your mother has asked me to go, so I am going."

"Bloody right you're leaving," she spits at him.