Grace

Sixteen

"Hi, it's Grace. Can I come over?" Grace says into her phone quietly.

"Yes, yes, sure, of course" He replies, all in a rush, sounding surprised. Grace smiles subtly at his enthusiasm.

"Ok, thanks. See you soon"

Grace throws her phone onto her bed and falls back so she's lying down, groaning.

She needs to figure out what she wants to do with her life, and she needs to get a move on with it.

Running down the stairs, she wraps her snood around her neck and slips on her coat before silently closing her front door shut and making her way to his house.

The cold air hits her face with every step forward she takes. Her cheeks feel sore and her eyes are watering. She pulls the scarf over her mouth and nose, protecting the areas underneath her eyes from the cold.

Ten minutes later she's standing at the doorstep of his house, knocking.

The tall, slightly broad boy answers the door. Their eyes meet, and once again she is completely hypnotised by his eyes. His dark brown orbs, the colour of hot chocolate, with flecks of gold that make them appear to have an inner fire. They never fail to draw her in.

Without thinking, she bursts into tears and clings onto him tightly. He strokes her wind-blown hair. His lips lower to her forehead, which he kisses comfortingly.

"It's okay, it's going to be okay" he mumbles into her hair, closing the door and leading her into his living room.

Twenty minutes later Grace is wrapped in a blanket, tea in one hand and a scrunched up tissue in the other. Her eyes red and swollen.

"So, you're saying that you feel life is pointless?" He questions, confused.

"No. I'm saying that I want to do something with my life. I'm tired of moping around - my brother wouldn't want this. I don't want this. I feel as though I'm just drifting through life, and one day I will regret not doing the things I want to do. What's the point in living a life if you're going to spend it feeling depressed all the time?
My heart has a piece missing from where my brother was, and I need to fill it." She pauses and fixes her eyes onto his. "And you, you have a place in my heart. Whether we like it or not". Her mouth opens slightly, and then closes again as though she can't get the words out. He looks at her encouragingly, wanting to hear what she has to say. "I love you"

As she says this, he reaches for his glass of water, knocking it over in the process.
"Shit" he mutters, grabbing a towel from the radiator and trying to clean the spilt liquid off, but knocking over everything he touches in the process.

Grace lets out a giggle, which increases in volume as he continues to attempt picking everything up. She rises from her seat and crouches down next to him to help him. Both of their heads raise and face each other.

"I-I love you too Grace" he stutters. He has never been so sure of anything in his whole life. This girl is the one girl he will always love, no matter what.