Saving Grace

Chapter 2

Exdale High School was in full swing as students hustled up and down the front of the school, reuniting with friends that had left over the summer as well as filing in and out of the school to locate their friends or classes.

The sun was out and shining upon the hundreds of kids, some raring to get going for another year of High School. And others dreading to return to the prison known as school. For Drew, it was just another year to get through; only one more to go until he could start taking classes that would actually benefit him in the long run.

Drew did not believe in curriculum but succumbed to them anyways. He didn’t believe in so many different souls being vacuumed into learning the same things like sardines for the mere benefactor of making the teacher’s lives easier. If he wanted to go into the Arts, he saw no need in ever needing to know what kind of soil was under his feet when he was went to the park or how to calculate the hypotenuse.

However, he tried to keep his opinions to himself. Ranting was very unbecoming; even if your opinions were right. At least for the most part.

Wilson, on the other hand, was an open book. He lived for the first day of school, where all the freshman were looking frightfully at the seniors marching past them, car keys in hand as they dismounted from the dirty steps of the yellow school bus. Being a football player put him at the top of the totem pole which was beneficial for Drew. Through association, he was popular enough to make it to some of the important parties and events, but just aloof enough that he could sink into obscurity that no one would notice and bother him.

Well, no one but Wilson.

“Don’t be a pussy, man” he began as they walked through the front doors into the well air-conditioned school atrium. It was a wide, bowl like entry way that immediately led to a staircase leading up to the second floor. Around the corner was a hallway where most of the classes the freshman would be taking could be located. Unfortunately for the seniors, their classes would either be located outside in the portables or up on the second floor. “Join a varsity team before both your mom and I both kick your ass” he smirked, jokingly smacking him on the back. It seemed Wilson had misjudged his strength as Drew missed a step after losing his rhythm from the contact.

“I don’t know man; it’s never really been my thing. I don’t like the unnecessary competition” Drew retorted half-heartedly. He honestly had never given athletics much of a chance. He was perfectly content supporting the athletic teams from the bleachers like the other athletically inept students at Exdale High School.

“It’s probably because you’re a giant wimp” Wilson lashed out jokingly again, reaching the locker he had been designated. Drew shrugged his shoulders as he noticed he was only two lockers down. He quickly made his way inside and scoped out just how much room he would have for his books. Lockers quickly got stuffy as winter rolled around. Winter jacket, boots, and change of shoes. He knew he would have to take advantage of the empty locker and appreciate the room.

“God, I hope someone hot gets the locker between us,” Wilson said, a tad louder then Drew expected. A group of sophomore girls looked disgusted as they made their way by, only to the further enjoyment for Wilson. “I would kill to get someone like Sarah Mitar” he added, winking his eye at Drew. Sarah Mitar was one of the head cheerleaders for the football team and was one of the “friendlier” people around the school. There was always a story of who Sarah had hooked up with the past weekend at the local party. Wilson and Sarah had their own share of “hang out” sessions to last Drew a life time.

Drew was just closing his locker as he stared down the hall way. His jaw momentarily dropped before he caught himself. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. She flowed gracefully down the hallway, catching the ire of all. Her bright blonde hair ran gently down her back as she strutted down the hall way.

His heart beat quickened as she made her way closer and closer to him. Surely, she couldn’t be coming to talk to them. They had never made any encounter other than an awkward, unreturned wave hello in the fourth grade. And now was his chance to make a good first impression. She made it a foot away from Drew, and he still hadn’t looked away from the blonde goddess that was the immortal Grace Hershel.

She looked him up and down, gave him the customary Grace Hershel no teeth smile and turned to the locker. Right smack dab in between Drew McCoy, the socially unknown and Wilson Austin, star linebacker for the Exdale Pirates Varsity Football team.

She took a deep sigh that was almost so inaudible one would think that it didn’t even happen. Drew looked back into his locker, pretending not to be staring daggers at Grace through his peripheral vision. It was his Achilles’ heel, a tragic flaw of attraction towards one Grace Hershel. A woman he had never spoken a single word to.

This was going to a long and interesting year.