Scandal of Grace

36

Chapter Thirty Six

" I don't want to live in the kind of world where we don't look out for each other. Not just the people that are close to us, but anybody who needs a helping hanond. I cant change the way anybody else thinks, or what they choose to do, but I can do my bit." - Charles de lint

*Listen to Piece by piece by Kelly Clarkson for this chapter. ❤*

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I peered at his green eyes illuminated by the sunshine. They seemed ethereal. I felt rainbows emanate from my heart and butterflies in my stomach. Stephen could kill me and I would thank him.

Good thing was he didn't notice.

"Gracie, are you drooling?"

I blanked.

Of course, he noticed. Why else would he be smirking at my confused expression now?

We sat side by side on a bench at the Alladin park. It was a norm now.

"What?" I lifted my hands to wipe any form of spittle from my lips. There was none.

He rolled back his head and laughed. Hard.

"Got Ya!" He said when he regained himself, still smiling. I rolled my eyes at how childish he behaved.

"Stop being petty. You're not all that." I countered.

"Oh really!" He had a mock look on that said : Speak the truth and shame the devil.

"Maybe just a little bit. Just a tiny bit." I gave in, still annoyed that he caught me relishing in his good looks.

"You know, you can get a photograph of me if you want." He shrugged and took another bite of his banana. This boy ate bananas like a monkey. I already lost count of how many bananas he devoured.

"No, I'll pass."

"Your loss."

I guess I was the queen of denial considering how much I badly wanted a picture of him so I could see his silly face everyday.

Stephen on the other hand, could be a bit persuasive.

"Gracie, Just say yes and you'll get a million and one pictures of me plastered on the wall of your room."

I guffawed. "You wish, Stevie."

"Just kidding." Then, he winked.

At that, my heart jumped to my throat and dropped to the pit of my stomach before finding it's rightful place again.

Why did that one act make me feel suddenly powerless? It was not entirely my fault.

He sure had killer looks.

"Hey let's take a walk down the street."

I returned back from my mental aberration and found my mind functioning properly again. "Um. Sure."

He disposed the banana peels while I collected our dogs from where they were playing some few feet away from us and trudged after him.

We kept walking until Stephen stopped in front of a store and faced me. "Let's go here."

"You want to get something?"

"I might."

Inside the store, they sold jewelries, bags, shoes, clothes, toys and so many other stuff. I eyed the first partition I saw labeled 'Female Section'. Stephen turned in that direction.

"This is the female section Steve." I said to him in case he did not notice.

"I'm getting something for a female." He glanced over at me, smiling smugly. But the smile annoyed me.