Saving Grace

Chapter 3: Trouble

The rest of the day goes smoothly. I meet up with my best friend Halsey in the next class and we rush towards all the rest of our classes together. She's in all of my classes except for economics. When choosing, she clearly stated she didn't want to become suicidal by taking this one. I guess I am a masochist because I thought it won't be as bad as our seniors make it up to be.

Pro tip: always listen to the seniors.

I don't see Jayden again, to my utter relief and disappointment. I'm weirded out by my reaction to him. And shocked at myself for being so flustered by his presence (and his absence but I'm happy in denial land). It's like I've never met a guy before and my hormones went berserk. Granted, he looks like a Greek god, has the perfect hair, smile, those deep dimples and imperfect teeth, that deep husky voice that is so alluring...

Stop it, Grace. Geez.

Halsey snaps her fingers in front of my face. "Earth to Grace", she says, her grey eyes twinkling with humor and a smirk. "What are you thinking about with that dreamy face? Or I'd rather ask, who are you thinking about?"

I shake my thoughts away for the moment, and focus on her words, blinking back into reality. Once her words register, I stick my tongue out at her. She chuckles, holding her hands up in a gesture of surrender.

We're sitting in a local coffee shop named Hit which is quite popular among the whole student body of NYU. It's always packed, with the students shuffling in and out to get their "hit" of caffeine needed to endure the horror that is university.

I look down at my own extra sweet Vanilla Latte, which really is half latte half sugar, and sigh happily. Halsey throws a disgusted look at my drink, saying, "How could you even drink that monstrosity. It can't even be labelled as coffee. Sometimes I wonder why we're even friends", taking a sip of her own sugar free black coffee.

"Hey", I scoot my coffee closer to my chest like a prized possession, "it's not my fault you like coffee as black as your soul", pretending to look offended.

Then we both look at each other for a moment, then start laughing. This couldn't be more inaccurate. Halsey is an uber sweet, kind and compassionate person who has a major bleeding heart. She once ran out of her home in a snowstorm, in her night suit, because she saw a pup out in the cold. Seriously.

We have been neighbours since we lived back in New Jersey, practically living our entire childhood together. We went to the same school, but she went abroad for three years, so she graduated high school from France. Her parents wanted her to have a "new experience", so she was forced to pack and go. She was reluctant to leave me at first, but I convinced her that it'll be good for her. Turns out, I was right. Like always. She loved France.

She came back with a completely new look, her blonde hair grown out of the bob I thought was her permanent hair cut since she was five, cut in the way that complimented her almond shaped grey eyes and soft face structure. She also grew a whopping six inches from her 5'0. All in all, she grew up well.

She always used to be self conscious about her weight before, bordering on chubby. After France, she came back with the perfect willowy figure, her confidence a level up. I was glad to see her shed her self doubt. So I was sad about her leaving, but I was happy for her.

She wasn't here when the accident happened, but she came back as soon as she graduated high school. It was a few months back, and till that point I pretty much had composed myself. Halsey was the one who listened to me cry on the phone everyday, supporting me however she could, even though she was countries apart. I owe her for that. So much.

We both always wanted to go to NYU, me because Helen would've and she and I visited the campus twice with our uncle and we both loved it. Halsey because of her parents. NYU was her parents' alma mater, so it was her goal to go there too.