Love Is Real

Chapter 13

"Why didn't Monica want to come?" Mom asks, driving into Nash's driveway. Yup, the dinner day is here.

"She wanted to hang out with Robert at the mall very close to Nash's house." I laugh as I say my thought out loud. "I could've dropped her off, instead of you. But you know, this one person won't buy me one."

"Hey! You said it yourself that you're a mature adult now. Go buy your own!" My mom smiles. "What's his mom's name?"

"Uhhh Mary Ann. Yeah, yeah. She told me when I came over." I tell her, she looks startled.

I ring the doorbell a couple times before Mary answers.

"Hi Grace." She hugs me and looks over to mom. "You must be Grace's mother!"

"Yes, I'm Suzanne. Very nice to meet you!" My mom gives Mary a hug as we step inside.

Hayes is waiting right in front of the couch for my appearance.

"Hey there cutie!" Hayes gives me a hug tighter than the dress that I wore on my date with Nash. I just give up and hug him back.

"What's up little bro?" I ask him, treating him as if we were related. He's actually been acting like a little brother. Sometimes, for example, he has girl problems and he can't go to Nash so he talks to me about it. I help him out, always. He's been pretty nice. Yes, a little bratty, but nice.

"Nothin. Just playing video games. Wanna join?" He asks, making puppy lips.

"I'm good. But I promise we will next time." I tell him. "Where's your brother?"

"Oh. He's getting ready just for you." He makes kissing noises. "It took him sooooo long. You have no idea!"

I decide to go surprise him upstairs.

"Grace?" He smiles, holding on tight to the towel that's wrapped around his stomach down to his legs.

"Oh! Sorry! I just wanted to-" I cup my hand over my mouth in shock for the embarrassment. And for how hot he is looking without his shirt on.

"No. That's okay. I just need to dress up and I'll be right there." He says, chuckling, and heads back to his room. In the meanwhile, I head back downstairs and join Hayes with his game (which I lose on every level). After about 5 minutes, I feel soft lips against my cheek and turn around to find Nash. I did learn that he can hug tighter than his brother.

"You look amazing." He looks down at my dress. My mom wanted me to wear an everyday- dress for thanksgiving. The dress had spaghetti straps and flows down to my knees. It is covered with sunflowers (stupid, I know)

"Thanks. So do you." He releases me from the hug, takes a deep breath and heads over to my mom.

"Hi, you must be Nash! I heard a lot of things about you." I blush as Nash looks back to smile at me.

"Yes I am. And you must be Suzanne." He shakes her hand.

"Yes." My mom says. "Now Nash dear, you seem like a very nice man. But please do not do anything to my daughter."

"Mom!" I whisper-yell at her.

"What?! Just making sure.." Mom says and turns back to Nash.

"Oh. I can't make any promises. I might steal her heart throughout our journey." I smile at that, because he already has.

"Sorry Kyle, my husband, couldn't make it today. He's been pretty busy with work these days." Mary Ann says from the kitchen.

"That's fine. Do you need any help?" Mom and I join her as I set up the table while mom brings the turkey in.

When food is ready, Hayes is the first one to be at the table. We eat until we are very full. After dinner, we watch videos of Nash and Hayes from when they were younger. I swear, Nash was the CUTEST blue eyed baby in the history of blue eyed babies!

After we had left Nash's house at around 7:45 pm, mom and I decide to pick up Monica and Robert from the mall and we do. Mom drops me and Monica off to our dorms, even though school is closed. Robert and mom go back home, which Robert is so bummed about.

...

The loud ringing noise of my phone wakes me up from my sleep. I realize it's Christmas Eve. When my eyes land on the contact that keeps appearing on my phone, I realize it's Nash.

"Hello?" My dreary voice answers.

"Grace please come! Grace please." But the voice on the phone doesn't belong to Nash, it belongs to Hayes. And he's crying.

"Hayes? What happened?" I sit still on the bed, pressing the phone closer up against my ear from fright, as if that will help.

"It's Nash. He's acting all-" he sniffs. "Grace please come." He says, and before he can say anything else, I'm off the phone, heading to the car with Monica.

...

"Just Shut up Hayes! JUST SHUT UP! You don't know what you're talking about!" Is all I can near from the driveway so my feet run faster.

I knock the door as hard and fast as I can when Hayes opens it.

"Thank god!" He wraps his sweaty hands around my pjs and starts to let out every single tear that he has kept in this whole time. I kiss him on the forehead to comfort him, yet I have no idea what's going on.. When he stops crying, he grabs my hand tightly and I walk slowly over to Nash who is lying on the couch covered in tears.

"Nash.." I put my hand on his shoulder and when he looks up, I see my reflection straight in his teary eye.

"Grace." He gets up so quickly that I think he's going to hit me but he hugs me instead.

When he stops, Nash takes me upstairs as Hayes sits on the couch, staring at nothing as if he was shocked..

He starts talking. He talks so fast that I have to have a clear mind to understand. But when he's done, I get the story.

His dad came home many nights after the dinner. When he did he was drunk. I heard something about him mom being mad. Then he said other stuff which I couldn't understand. I heard that his dad had slapped his mom, but he wasn't clear on why. All I know now is that they're divorced...

"Grace. You're the only thing that I love. I'm just done with the rest." Nash says, kissing me with his wet lips, while I stand there silent.. Clueless..

I haven't said I word since I got here..