Marry Me

Chapter Twelve

Graham

The next couple of days go by like this, I wake up, have a normal day at school, with the exception of me beating up Nick. I don't know why, I've tried to ignore it, but it keeps bothering me. Every time ends up with the same lame punishment.

Anyways, I always attended my football game, which by the way, is turning out to be a little boring. The same plays are run, the same points are scored, I've tried to keep it as consistent as possible.

The only good outcome of this is that I get closer with my dad and brother. I didn't realize until now how much I missed them and our small two story home.

Another thing that's getting old is trying to perfect my first meeting with Lexie. We haven't been able to get it just right and it's gotten frustrating.

Tonight, we had a fight about it. I remember telling her that it was never going to work, that we should just give up. She broke into tears, telling me that she wanted to get out of 2012 so bad. We both knew a little part of her wanted to stay here and I think that's what scared her the most. I feel the same way sometimes and that scares me. Sure, it's been nice to be back with my dad and Charlie and being able to depend on people is nice.

I don't like fending for myself, especially when I don't have contact with my dad. Sometimes, I look at him and all I want to do is apologize. He wouldn't know what for. A little part of me thinks he was hurt by me choosing Lexie over him. After my mom died, him, Charlie, and I were super close. We worked to fill the gap my mother had left in our family and somehow, we made it work.

When I left, that gap probably grew bigger. My dad lived alone because Charlie was away. He never moved out of this house. He could have followed Charlie who was pursuing his NFL career, but he didn't. I asked Charlie why he didn't move out over the phone once and he said that he didn't know.

My fight with Lexie ended like this, I told her to not expect me coming back and she told me that she was fine with it.

That argument has made me on edge. I lay in my bed trying to think about the events of tonight, not being able to fall asleep. I keep on feeling guilty on the way I left things.

"My parents aren't home tonight," I hear Lexie say.

I'm in her old bedroom. It's decorated with her artwork that she, hidden from everyone. Everyone, but me. No one else knew about her talent. I run my hands over her sketches of my face. She took so much time on her amazing work. I always told her that she should show other people, but she refused to. Secretly, I enjoyed being the only one who was allowed to see it.

I turn around and swallow the lump in my throat. There she is. Lexie Montgomery, standing there in her small blue dress that she wore to our picnic date earlier. It was plain. It probably wasn't designer like the rest of her clothes, but that's why I loved it. She wasn't afraid to be herself infront of me, to wear what she wants to wear. She was free from the press and free from the judgement of her snotty private school friends. She was just Lexie. I looked at her up and down. This was the night.

She comes closer to me and wraps her arms around my neck. She brings her head up close, her breath fanning my ear as she whispers, "I'm ready tonight," as if she read my mind.

A bigger lump forms in my throat, but I force it down. This girl, my girl was finally ready.

I wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her close to me and then my hands dip lower, toying with the seam of her dress. Right as I'm about to lift up her dress, I hear a knock.

I jolt awake right before my alarm goes off.

*beep beep beep*

*This is Nico North coming at you live on this beautiful, sunny, Friday morning from 93.9 fm. Get out of bed and face your day. This is Cruise, by rising country music stars, Florida Georgia Line.*

I remember what happened after that. It was Lexie's mom that knocked on the door and I had to climb out of her window and jump from the roof.

I shake off the memories of Lexie that are beginning to cloud my brain. Today is not about her. It's about what I want to do and showing up to her stupid party was definitely not on that list.

I shower and get ready for school. When I walk downstairs, I shove a blueberry muffin, that sits on the counter, into my mouth and I eat it in one bite.

Charlie looks up at me in disgust from his seat at the kitchen table. "Ugh, gross man." He shakes his head, but he's smiling.

"Yeah, Graham. Did I raise you like a pig or a person?" My dad says from behind me.

I smile at him, my mouth still full of muffin. Charlie gets up and slaps me on the back, "I guess he's getting his energy for our game tonight."

Another thing I really don't want to do, go to the football game. I wish I could just skip the whole night.

I shrug at my brother and shove a couple pieces of bacon in my mouth.

Today is the first time since I've been back that I actually felt like a teenager walking through the doors of Edgewater High School. I'm not an adult anymore. I don't have to deal with paying the bills or showing up to work.

I feel so light, so free of any stressful situations, because today is my day.

I walk through the halls like I own the place. I practically do. I'm popular, I play varsity football, and I have the life experience of a twenty one year old and I'm only a sophomore doing it all. Jason catches up with me and smiles that lopsided goofball smile. That smile eventually left his face after he broke his leg.

"You ready for the game tonight?" Jace asks.

"Yeah sure, whatever." I shrug.

"What the hell do you mean, Hoffman? This is your first chance to start tonight. Aren't you excited?"

I don't have the heart to tell him no, so I say, "Yeah sure. I guess I'm just nervous."

He slaps my back, "You'll be okay dude." We walk down the hallway to English.

I take my seat and Jace sits down next to me. We listen to the long, yet interesting lecture on To Kill a Mockingbird. I really enjoy this class and I never realized it when I actually was fifteen.

After class, Shelby comes up to me. "I heard you might be starting in the football game tonight," She says sweetly, showing off her two dimples on her pale skin.

"Yeah, rumor has it." I say.

She touches my arm, "You know, I'm having a party tonight after the game and it would be awesome if you came." She bats her eyelashes that are full of mascara.

"Yeah, sounds fun. Maybe I'll come." I say and I actually mean it this time.

After English class, it's lunch time. I try my best to ignore Nick and that poor kid, but I can't help but glance over in their direction every other minute.

"Graham, are you okay?" Jason waves his hand in front of my face while I was staring at Nick.

I blink a couple of times and I turn my attention back to Jason and the other people at my lunch table. "Yeah I'm fine."

"Okay, so what did she say?" Jason asks.

I stare at him blankly. He rolls his eyes at me, "Shelby, Graham. What did Shelby say to you?"

Jason seems a little too eager at the topic of Shelby, I'd have to ask him about that later. "She asked me to come to her party tonight." I shrug and take a big bite of my sandwich.

"But don't you have work tonight?" Jace asks.

"Whatever." I mumble with my mouth still full of my turkey sub.