Falling into the Badboy

Five

Derek stayed with us for the rest of the weekend, and he and I barely even talked. He blames me for that picture, and I blame him for making me noticed.

Of course people are going to look and question me. I'm the new girl and I started halfway through the school year. Everyone already has their friend groups, so yeah, I'm going to stick out. I just wish Derek could see that.

Brian hasn't tried reaching out to me, I don't blame him, plus I'm kind of glad. It's not fair for me to involve him in this. He deserves better than what I could ever try and give him.

When Derek leaves it still hurts but I stand at my bedroom window as he gets in the car, but right before he does he looks up at the window and sees me. As a single tear falls down my face I put one hand on the glass and he gets in the car driving away. He didn't even say goodbye.

I turn away from the window and pull out an album from my desk. I flip through it looking at some old family photos smiling at certain ones when I reach the back I look through the pictures of Derek and me, he's my family too so of course, he goes in this album.

I set it beside me on my bed and stand as I walk downstairs and into the kitchen. Alyssa my ten-year-old cousin is sitting at the counter doing her homework. I walk over and sit across from her grabbing some fruit from the centerpiece.

"What are you working on?" I ask her.

She looks up at me and smiles, "social studies homework." I smile with her and take the pencil from her hand.

"How about we get out of here. Go somewhere fun." I raise my eyebrows and her smile widens.

"Like where?" She asks.

I don't even really know, I haven't actually thought this through the whole way. "I have an idea," I say, and grab her hand pulling her out of the kitchen. I take her as we go outside and start down the sidewalk, I look over and notice how much Alyssa reminds me of my sister Sarah.

I take Alyssa to the playground at the school, we run around and play on the swings seeing who could go the highest. Laughing we both jump off the swings as we fly into the mulch seeing who landed the farthest Alyssa and I argued, but she ended up winning.

I smile and grab her hand as we walk towards the sidewalk. The playground at the school is across the street from a cemetery my smile falters as I glance across the headstones thinking of the three back home.

I'm drawn out of my thoughts by the noise of car honking. I look over and notice that Alyssa is still holding my hand, but her attention is on the person in the car. I look to the car and see that it's Melanie, "hey Grace. Did you have fun at my party Saturday night?" She laughs. "Cause I know Brian did." Before I can say anything she blasts the radio and drives off down the street.

I look to Alyssa confused as to what Melanie was getting at, but then I guess it wouldn't matter how confused I am because that's when I remember that Brian disappeared at the party on Saturday.

Realizing he had gone off with Melanie after bringing me to a party was very disturbing. I look to Alyssa, "let's go home." I smile and pull her hand as we head down the street back to the house.

I didn't want to go to school tomorrow but I guess that's why Mondays are considered the worst day of the week. I have to face Brian after our little fight on Saturday. I need to just end whatever it is going on between us now before it's too late. I don't deserve to be happy after what I did, the pain that I have caused.

Later that night I sit on my bed and pull my phone out, no new calls or texts. I look through my emails and shut my phone off laying it on the table. Grabbing my homework I pull out some books from my bag before trying to calm my thoughts and rethink everything that's going on. I just want to finish this school year. That's just my first priority right now, graduate from high school, then go to the Academy become an agent just like Derek, and after that catch the son of a bitch that killed my family.