Picture Perfect ✔️ [Slowly Editing]

4:"Blinded by beauty" (1.29.20)

If you see a typo, please correct me NICELY. thank you:))

Throughout the week, more and more people have confronted me about what happened earlier this week. But Lance hasn't even been spotted in the hall near his locker. Brody says he's avoiding us because he scared him off.
And for once, maybe Brody was right.
Maybe.
You're just too petty to admit it, Grace.
That was true. No way was I going to let Mr. Self-Centered know he was right.
I'd like to think I scared Lance off. I was the one who got in his face, so I felt worthy of the credit.
"Tomorrow is Friday, Grace, and you know what that means?" Willa shouts gleefully in my ear as all of us except for Brody - Lord knows where he goes in the mornings - walk through the hallway.
"SHOPPING!" Cora and Willa shout in unison.
"Calm down, woman," Alexander says and lazily slings an arm over her shoulders.
Willa giggles. "Don't you tell me to calm down - you started humiliating all of us with your terrible dancing yesterday and who stopped you? That's right, not me."
Alex ruffles her hair. causing She smacks him in the chest and wriggles out of his grip, a small smile playing on her lips.
"Shopping?" I repeat, an eyebrow quirked. Why would we go shopping?
"Yeah, but Cora can't take too long this time because we can't miss the game tonight." Anden chimes in, giving Cora a guilty glare.
Cora throws her hands up in exasperation. "It's not my fault! I like clothes! They call my name, and I can't resist it!" She puts her face in her hands, a grin peeking through her fingers.
All of us laugh, and all of a sudden, Brody's voice is heard among the loud chatter. "It's game day!" He yells, causing the entire hallway to erupt with cheers and screams.
I, for one, do not understand a thing about football. I just didn't see the point in it. Brody comes up and walks alongside me, his face lit up with excitement.
The only other thing that gets him this excited is probably girls.
"Ouch, Gracie, you're hurting my ego," Brody pouts, putting a hand over his large chest in mock heartbreak.
I roll my eyes. "I'm sure that I am," I mumble, opening my locker, almost 'accidentally' hitting Brody in the chest with it.
If only he was shorter, it could've possibly hit him in the face...
"Ah, but you are, Noodle." He replied
"Oh my God, please stop talking," I say, "I just ate breakfast and I kinda wanna keep it down." Shutting my locker with one hand and carrying my books with the other, I begin my journey to first period.
"Excuse me, Miss, but this is a free country." He snickered.
Actually, I'm quite grateful.
And 'Noodle'? Where does that even come from?
"I, for one, like noodles. That's why I called you 'Noodle.'" Brody smirked.
That smirk... I just wanted to smack it off of his stupid face.
My jaw drops in surprise that he could say something that could effect me this much.
"I think I'm blind."
"Blinded by beauty." He laughs, clutching his stomach in the middle of the hallway. I scoff and walk away, trying to find my way to my first period.

---

Seventh period finally ends and I find Brody waiting for me outside of my class. "How did you even know this is my seventh period?" I ask, walking ahead of him, but he easily catches up and matches his strides with mine.
Why is he making the effort?
"Well we're going to the same place, so I figured 'why not?' Also, you owe a certain noodle an apology." He joked.
"You're a noodle," I say, my nose scrunched in disgust.
No way was I apologizing.
"Well then, I guess I just won't save you a seat at the game," he states, waiting for me to reply. His eyes bore into mine, and I'm taken aback by how beautiful they are. Something burned in them, but amusement overtook his breathtaking eyes, making me scowl. I wanted to know what he was hiding behind all of the jokes and sarcastic comments he always makes.
"What makes you think that upsets me?"
Now it was Brody's turn to be surprised. "Are you serious? Any other girl would kill for me to save them a spot!" He practically shouts, gaining even more attention than the usual stares he receives.
"Well, in case you didn't notice, I'm not like the rest of the girls," I reply tersely before walking away. This time he didn't follow.
"You don't say," I hear him mumble to himself right before he's out of earshot, making my cheeks flush.
In class, seated, Brody kicks my seat for the fifth time. I whip my head around to find him smirking at me, his eyes twinkling, as if daring me to say something.
"Miss Vaughn, since I'm positive you've been paying attention, can you tell the class what the sentence on the board means in Spanish?"
"I don't know, I don't know Spanish," I mutter, causing Brody to chuckle. My heart clenched at the sound.
What the—
"Me gustan los fideos pequeños," Brody whispers in my ear. He was so close that I could feel his warm breath fan out over the side of my neck.
I don't even think, I just repeat what he says. "Me gustan los fideos pequeños."
The entire class starts laughing, and Mrs Russo scowls, her face turning red in anger. "Miss Vaughn, you have dete-"
"It's my fault, Mrs Russo, I made her say it," Brody says in all seriousness.
Look who sobered up real quick.
Mrs Russo apologizes to me sincerely, then gives Brody detention before school tomorrow. I decide it's best to wait until class ends before I confronted him.
"Who are you to stand up for me? I can handle my own problems. I am an independent woman and I don't need anyone to take away anything I have. I could've handled detention like the woman I am, you know. Are you sexist? Is this what this is?!" I ramble to Brody as we walk the halls.
Brody offers me his signature smirk. "You done yet?"
"No," I scoff, "and what about your big game today? What will coach say? You better not get in any more trouble. Actually - you deserve it! What did you even tell me to say, anyways?"
Brody haves another laughing fit. He laughs so hard his face turns red and he's clutching his stomach. I roll my eyes.
Real mature, Parker.
"Do you really wanna know? You might hate me after I tell you.. " Brody trails off, sticking his hands in the front pocket of his jeans.
"I already hate you - what do you have to lose?"
"Ouch, Gracie..." Brody's eyebrows knit together in false pain.
"Just tell me!" I exclaim, growing impatient.
Brody's smirk returns before he says, "I like tiny noodles."
I blink. Once. Twice.
No...
"Gracie?-"
"I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" I shout, chasing him down the hall.