The Truth

Chapter 2

I woke up the next morning smelling toast. My mom was making breakfast? Usually she just grabs a granola bar and waits to wake me up by blaming me for something else I didn't do. I really wanted that toast but Jessie's mom was making pancakes and I promised her I would have breakfast at her place instead of wheat thins like I always do.

"Where do you think you're going?" My mom asked me.

"To school." I said plainly.

"This early?" School didn't start for another hour.

"What do you mean? School starts in 10 minutes." I lied.

"Ok, well bye." She rolled her eyes at me and went back to her toast. Just when I was about to leave she stopped me in my tracks. "By the way, I'm having a lady with her family over tonight for dinner. The Williams I think their name is. She has a daughter named Jessica. Maybe you can actually have a friend. She's probably think you're too weird though so I wouldn't get my hopes up." She smirked. Jessie's family was coming over tonight. That meant her mom would see my situation. Of course, my mom will put on an act like we're one big happy family but her mom will already know me.

"Ok. Don't get too drunk." I mumbled.

"What was that?!"

"Nothing. Bye." I said and shut the door behind me.

"Jessica!" I yelled and grabbed her the second I saw her.

"Woah! Slow down there racer. What's up?" She asked.

"You're....family...coming...over...to...my...house...tonight." I said between pants.

"What?!" She screamed and I had to cover her mouth. "What do you mean?"

"Our moms apparently work with each other and she wanted to have her over for dinner. How am I supposed to pull this off?! Your mom knows me and then my mom will blame me for not telling her about your family and then I'll get yelled at again after you leave and I don't know what to do." I said all in one breath.

"Grace. Breath. How about at the dinner tonight, I make my mom invite you over for a sleepover tonight. My mom would be totally cool with it since its not a school night and then we can go to the big football game tonight! Besides, its not like your mom would say no in front of my family."

"I guess that could work. Thanks Jessie." I hugged her and we walked to first hour math together.

"So." Jessie said as we were just getting our lunch, "got any guys you're crushing on?" She winked at me and I turned a light shade of pink.

"Ha! Yeah right." I said. Right as I said that, I wasn't looking where I was going and ran into a guy named Brandon. My lunch was all over his shirt.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!" I said.

"Its cool. I'll just use a shirt from my gym loc-" He cut himself off when he looked at me. There was something about those hazel eyes that really got me. "Sorry, you just have...really pretty eyes." He said.

I blushed a light shade of pink again and didn't know what to say. No guy has ever complimented me in any way, but he could just be acting nice for me. "Thanks, you have really nice eyes too." What that the best I could come up with?!

"You're..Grace, right?" He asked me.

"Yeah, and you're Brandon..?" I said as if I didn't know.

"Yep that's me!" He said with a smile.

"I'm really sorry about your shirt."

"Its ok. I'm more sorry that I'm wearing your lunch!" He said and I gave a little laugh. "Here, have my sandwich." He offered me.

"Oh, thanks." I said, surprised. "I would offer you my shirt but I kinda need it." I joked and he laughed.

"Well, I'll see you around Grace." He smiled and walked off towards the gym locker room.

"Oh. My. Gosh. He was totally flirting with you." Jessie said.

"Yeah. Right." Even though I wanted it to be true.

-doorbell ringing-

"Just like we rehearsed. Remember. And don't screw this up!" My mom scolded me.

I nodded and waited for this to be the longest dinner ever.

"Oh hi!" I heard my mom say. "Grace! Come in here and greet our guests!" She said a bit too sternly.

"Coming mother!" I said sarcastically.

"Grace?! You live here?! Well this is a great coincidence!" Jessie's mom said.

"You know each other?" My mom asked, not happy with it. More like not happy with me.

"Well of course! She's Jessie's best friend! They get along so great. I can't believe I'm finally meeting you!" She said to my mom.

"Yeah, me too." My mom said. After Jessie's family went into the dining room, she grabbed me by the ear and started to scold me. "How could you have a best friend behind my back?!" She whispered very loudly.

"Sorry." That was all I could say.

"Yeah, you better me! You have no idea what I'm going to do to you tonight! That's why you leave early and are always sneaking out huh?! Well, not anymore. I'm going to make sure Jessie sees the real you and will never want to be seen with you ever again. Your father.." She trailed off.

"Good talk." I said and left. Luckily, she didn't snatch me behind again.

"Oh, Rachel. I was just going to ask you if Grace would want to stay over tonight?" Jessie's mom asked.

"Oh, um.." My mom hesitated.

"Oh come on! It will be nice for the girls!" She said.

"Um, ok. But just this once." She lamely joked.

Jessie winked at me and I was so happy that our plan worked. Maybe my mom would get drunk later tonight and forget to scream at me for this. Or maybe not. Either way, I was going to the football game tonight and actually having some freedom. If I ever felt like I needed some comforting, I could always bring my scissors. I was going to try to not cut tonight but you never know.

"It worked!" Jessie told me when we got to her house.

"I know!" I smiled.

"And you know..Brandon's going to be there." She winked.

I was probably as red as an apple but I didn't care. I was just hoping that we would really hit it off.

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Hey guys! I really hope you liked this chapter. I'm really enjoying writing this story so we'll see where it goes! Any predictions? Will Grace and Brandon really hit it off? Or will she find out he has a girlfriend? Who knows! Keep reading to see what comes next! :)