Irreplacable

Irreplacable: Chapter 1

"Grace, can you stop?" My best friend yelled, preceding a fit of giggles as I tickled his stomach until he caught his foot and flopped onto the ground.

"No, thanks!" I screamed at him as I crouched next to Jack, who was currently curled up in a ball.

Jack Caspian and I have known each other forever. Literally. Forever. Our mother's, who didn't even know each other at the time, were in the same hospital at the same time. Giving birth to two kids that would soon become inseparable on May 6 seventeen years ago.

Jack and I both have the same birthday, although he never lets me forget that he was born three hours earlier.

We grew up together, living across the street from each other and going to the same schools.

I went to almost all of Jack's sports games until he turned nine and started traveling for games. He went to every art show I had ever been in.

Jack Caspian was my best friend.

Always has been, always will be.

I really don't understand what makes him want to be friends with boring old Grace Parker.

You see, I'm Grace Parker.

Blonde hair, blue eyes, girly-girl, art lover.

Pretty basic, right?

Jack was not basic.

Or maybe he was.

I don't know.

He was this big sports kid.

Loves every sport in history, I think.

Except maybe curling. I don't think he's too fond of the little brushes used for the ice.

Anyways, Jack has brown flyaway hair and an ever present smile. Sure, he has big ears, but his bright blue eyes make him look...I don't know. If I said good-looking, he'd never let me forget it.

Jack has thing for me, don't ask me why. It all started a while back...somewhere around eighth grade, I think.

Its a long story, but I think we have time.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

"Jack, I don't think you understand. Bailey Rogers is the cutest thing. Ever."

My best friend rolled his eyes at me. He slid down the side of the bed and landed sitting next to me.

Mimicking my girly tone, he said,

"If only he knew I existed!"

Then, after shaking his head, he added,

"Get a grip, Gracie. Bailey is an idiot and you're never going to go out with him. I won't let you."

I sighed.

"You don't control anything about me. I can do whatever I want with whomever I want whenever I want."

He looked at me, right in the eye, for a few minutes. He had really nice eyes. Blue and sparkly, always sparkly. He seemed like the happiest kid in the world.

"Gracie? Gracie? Did you hear me?"

"Oh, sorry, Jack. What did you say?"

"I said...uh..."

"Jack?"

"Oh, yeah. I said that the whole relationship thing kind of involves two people. You know, its not like a one person job. You have to have both people on board."

"I guess you're right. But I bet I could get Bailey to like me."

"I guess."

"I'll just have to look real pretty all the time and maybe stop being myself a little bit. I'm weird, you know, Jack."

"Gracie, are you an idiot?"

"An idiot? Hey, thanks."

"No, I'm serious. Why on Earth would you change anything about yourself for some kid whose name you're not even going to remember in five years?"

"Why wouldn't I remember my husband's name?"

"I swear, Gracie..."

"Why are you getting so worked up about this, anyways? I've had a crush on someone before."

"Yeah, but you weren't going to change anything about yourself."

"I don't like myself, Jack."

"Gracie, if you..." he paused to release a big long sigh. "Gracie, you don't know what's going through anyone's head. Bailey's, mine...you barely even know what's going through your own head. You're fourteen. Give yourself some time."

"Your head? What are you talking about?"

I grew excited and scooted closer to him.

"Does Jack have a crush?" I asked him, holding the last syllable.

"Geez, Gracie. Get a life. Its not like you don't already know."

I paused. I didn't remember him every saying anything about having a crush on anyone. I knew he was straight (not that it mattered) because of some of things he talked about or how he worded things. I don't even remember him ever mentioning a girl. Ever. Besides me, of course.

"Am I supposed to know?"

"I'm pretty sure the people in China know."

"What?"

"Gracie..."

"What, Jack? I thought we told each other everything!"

"We do!! At least everything BUT this...I didn't want it to ruin anything."

"Oh, Jack, do you like Hannah?"

I asked, staring him down to make him tell me the truth about my best girl friend

"What? No!"

"Jack..."

"Gracie..."

"Jack, come on."

"Gracie...I might like you."

"Jack..."

"I'm sorry, Grace." he said as he got up and ran out of his own room and into the bathroom. But that didn't bother me. What bothered me was that he called me Grace. He never called me Grace. Ever. He hasn't for years. He was the only one I let call me Gracie.