Fall From Grace

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

I've got a huge pit in my stomach when I wake up the next day for class, as well as a huge headache. But, I have to ignore it and go to class.

That doesn't stop me from refreshing the news all day to see if anything about the scene from last night. I may have been drunk, but not black out drunk. I know that the Sterlings guy said he'd handle it.

But did he not call the cops?

"Dude, put your phone down." Vivian groans at dinner.

She cooked for once, stir fry.

"Sorry, just I..." I put it down and close my mouth. If I tell her she'll think I'm crazy. I think I'm crazy already. Maybe I was blackout drunk, and dreamt it all up.

"Thank you for whatever you said to Calvin last night." She says. "He and I, we had the most amazing night after we left, thank to you."

At least one of us did...

"I'm glad." I smile at her, stabbing a string bean.

"And we got amazing pictures. I want to print some of them to hang up, also to add to a portfolio. Maybe I can make a side biz out of it."

"Maybe."

I let Vivian talk about whatever throughout dinner, anxious to hit refresh on the news pages again. I'm thinking more and more that maybe I did in fact make it up.

"And Cami gave me the official, unofficial bid! Isn't that amazing?"

"Mhm."

Vivian can obviously tell I'm off but blames it on exhaustion and we call it an early night. But I can't fall asleep.

Sterlings guy... who was he?

I'm in a field, grey everywhere. I'm drowning.

There is no water to be seen, yet my lungs feel full of it.

I can't hear anything properly, there is a buzzing there.

"GRACE! MY GRACE!"

For some reason I feel desperate to reply but I can't. I have no voice.

"GRAAAACCCCC-"

My alarm wakes me up for Friday class and for the first time ever, I really don't feel like going. Instead, I want to go into town. Maybe it'll make me feel better about anything. I'm not sure why I feel bad, but I do.

The dream continued the pit in my stomach that I woke up with yesterday. I leave Vivian a note that I won't be around for lunch, and grab my book and tote. The bus is on time, and I get into town with no real plan of what I want to do. I feel aimless and oddly find comfort in that.

It's getting increasingly colder, and I've had to bundle up more. Fall is ending, which means the hordes of snow we always get are soon approaching. Lotus College is in a very cold region, and snowfall is a permanent state during the winter.

As I walk down the streets, looking for something, the wind blows sharp cold air, stinging my nose. I really need to find a place to sit because it is brisk out today.

I enter the first coffee shop I pass and order a cappuccino. Might as well hole up here and hit refresh on my phone.... Maybe even read my book. The place is very cute, there are books and pictures everywhere. It is all victorian style with warm colors and mixed match furniture.

A waiter comes to take my order for food but I'm not paying attention because behind him, I could swear is Calliope, the woman who gave me this book.