Through Lies and Heartache (4 page)

I’m always told to stay away from him
but we were best friends at one point, I just miss him heaving a
sigh, “Hey Liam.” Pulling back enough that I look up into his
pretty green eyes and I can’t help but smile. With a smile on his
face shaking his head he laughs, “How did you know it was me?” I
finally start to pull away at the same time someone clears their
throat. Looking for the sound I about choke when I find an angry
looking Ryan. I try to smile softly as I say “Hey Ry.” It was
probably more of a grimace.

Chapter Six

Ryan

A
s
I head to my
locker when I find Gracie in
Liam’s arms, I don’t want to be angry but I know who Liam is. I
don’t want Gracie to ever find out, If she knew she may not want
him in her life, on the other had she may not care. She would
probably be happy just to have him back in her life but the ties
that he has would almost be worse for her then her own father. I
won’t let him dismantle everything her father has done to keep her
safe. With cutting himself out of her life, which also means I need
to step back. If I don’t he’s going see how close we’ve become over
this summer. What she truly means to me.

“
Gracie go to your next
class.” I tell her in a hard cold voice. I know I’ve never used
that tone of voice on her but I need her far away now, and the
kinder I am the longer it will take. “Ryan all Liam did was keep me
from falling on my face! So don’t be an ass to him for keeping me
from getting hurt.” I can see the sly smile trying to peak out as
she asks.

“
You wouldn’t want me hurt
now would you Ryan.”

Pulling my eyes from Liam turning my
sharp gaze to her and I hear the sharp intake of her breath and I
tell her the truth “No Gracie I don’t want you hurt, but I do not
want his hands on you. Now Gracie please go to your next class.”
With a huff she looks at him “Thank you for keeping me from looking
like a fool and for not being an ass to me. I’ll see you later
Liam.” Then she turns her anger on me. “Good bye Ryan. I have a
ride home so don’t wait for me.”

With that she is gone. Turning back to
Liam “You need to stay away from her, she’s too sweet to have her
eyes opened to this world, least of all by you.” With a sigh he
leans back and starts in “Why Ryan, did I find a soft spot, or
should I call it a warm spot. Hmm maybe even a weak spot.” I
stiffen. I force myself to loosen up and I smirk “You wish Liam,
she’s just a friend much like you were and yes I care for her like
I used to care for you. I hope you remember what she used to mean
to you and don’t hurt her. Take this as my one warning Liam. Stay
away from her.” I turn and walk away leaving no room for
argument.

Heading to Gracie’s locker. When I see
her there’s a look of complete and utter pain on her face, causing
me to stop in my tracks. I need to talk to her. She needs to know
that I’m trying to protect her. Slowly I start towards her. “Gracie
please let me explain.” She rolls her eyes.

“
No Ryan I’m going to class
we’re done talking. It’s always the same with you I’m protecting
you, I’m keeping you from getting hurt. Well time for a news flash,
all this so called protecting, it does nothing but causing me pain.
So for today I want… No I need you to step back and let me be. I’ll
find a ride home and when I’m ready to see you, I’ll call you, so
just let it go and leave me be.”

“
Damn it. We have a lot of
things to talk about, let me take you home and hear me out after
that I’ll let you go and leave you be, give me this, that’s all I
ask. Please Gracie.”

“
OK Ryan, you can tell me on
the way to my house but not another word until then do you
understand?” I smile at her and nod my head yes but little does she
know we have all but one class together for the rest of the day. As
she turns to leave I have to ask “Gracie are you sure you don’t
want me to say another word the whole day?” With a small sigh she
says “Please Ryan if we have to have words about anything today not
one word about anything that’s happened today, no feelings, nothing
personal, just school. Think you can manage that?” My smile is
getting bigger because she really has no clue what’s in store for
the rest of the day.

“
I’ll leave you alone until
you tell me to talk.” She turns around and sees my smile now she’s
trying to fight the smile as she shakes her head and
says,

“
I think that is the best
idea you’ve had all day. Now shouldn’t you be getting to
class?”

“
Oh I’m going to class, see
you soon Piccolina.”

“
Talk to you after school
Ryan.”

I watch her leave and I know she’s
going to be pissed when she catches me in the rest of her classes.
With that thought I can’t help but smirk, she’s going to think I
planned it, I honestly didn’t but her and my fathers may have had
something to do with it, but that won’t ever get out.

Chapter Seven

Gracie

I
’m
headed to Government, my
last class before
lunch and all I can think about is the anger in Ryan’s eyes when
Liam had his arms around me. I don’t get it, something as innocent
as Liam keeping me from falling, pisses him off. I can’t think
about this now, shaking my head, I take a seat in the far row near
the back by the window. I’m staring out the window when I hear
someone take the seat behind me, but I’m still so pissed off about
Ryan so I pay no attention to whomever took the seat behind me. I
hear Mrs. Adams shut the door and start taking role but I’m still
not really paying attention. I’m forced out of my daze when I hear
Mrs. Adams call Ryan DeLuca and hear his voice right behind me.
Snapping my head around, so fast I may get whiplash. All I can say
is “What the fuck” but thankfully it barley comes out as a whisper
and when he looks at me and smirks but doesn’t say a
word,

“
Oh for the love… Why me?” I
say as I look to the ceiling.

I turn around because I can’t believe
he’s in this class. I zone back out until I feel someone kick my
chair with a curse under my breath I look up and hear Mrs. Adams
call my name “Here” I say and go back to looking out the window. I
hear her talking about what we’re going to be doing this semester
but I’m not really paying attention. When I feel a tap on my
shoulder I turn to look at Ryan, I don’t say a word just cock my
right brow at him and when he doesn’t say anything I snap, “What do
you want Ryan?” When he still doesn’t say anything I finally sigh,
“Ok Ryan, this is probably school related what can I do for you?”
After a minute of just staring at me he finally answers me. “Did
you not hear her say that we all have a group project for the
semester?” Shaking my head at him because I really didn’t hear
anything she said. I can see the corner of his mouth turning up
like he wants to smile. “So who’s your partner?” He flashes a
beaming smile at me, shaking my head back and forth no, no way.
“You are Piccolina.”

Well shit there goes not talking to him
for the class. “Well I guess we’ll be talking today, won’t we?” we
discuss what our project options are and how we’ll go about taking
time to do this along with the other class project we were paired
up on. I’m putting my bag over my shoulder when I feel a slight tug
on my back pack when I look back, I see that Aurora has slid
between Ryan and I, “I’m so happy to see you Rori! I’ve missed
you!” I squeal throwing my arms around my best friend.

“
I’ve missed you too! Two
weeks seem like forever!”

“
How is your
gram?”

“
Well she got to go home,
after a week in the hospital where they pumped her full of
antibiotics for pneumonia, which is much better. So they let her go
home a few days ago.”

“
I’m so glad to hear that.
When did you get home and why didn’t you call me?”

“
Well it was after eleven
when I got home, I was pretty sure that you were
asleep.”

“
I actually wasn’t but I’ll
let it slide this once.” I feel another tug on my backpack, Rori
has a sly grin on her face. I turning to look at who pulled at my
bag, I’m shocked to see Liam with a little grin on his
face.

“
Hey Liam, How’s your day
going?”

“
Good I saw you two in here
on my way to lunch, thought I would come and say hi. What do you
two say you, want to join me for lunch?”

Rori and I both say “Sure” at the same
time. With that we turn to head over to the cafeteria, when I walk
in I see Ryan sitting at a table, scowling when he sees Liam walk
in on right behind me, his scowl deepens as Liam put his hand on my
lower back leading me away from Ryan. Liam gets his lunch and sense
Rori and I bring our own. We decide to take a table outside in the
nice warm sun. Lunch is almost over when I catch a movement on the
side of the school, turning to look I see two of Ryan’s fighter
buddies talking as if they are waiting for something to happen.
Just as I start to scan the courtyard for Ryan, Liam snaps his
fingers in front of my face trying to grab my attention.

“
What Liam?”

“
Where did you go
Gracie?”

“
Nowhere. I’m going to throw
away my trash, want me to throw anything away for you?” Rori hands
me her little brown bag of trash while Liam just watches me and
shakes his head no. Walking to the trash can that happens to be
next to Ryan’s friends, when Ryan comes out of nowhere and cuts me
off “Where are you going Gracie?” as I lift the two bags that are
trash in front of his face. He cocks a brow at me and steps away
from me allowing me to pass just as Beni and Richie step forward
with a sigh I stop turning to look at Ryan “What do you want Ryan?”
he just looks at me never saying anything so finally Beni steps
forward, “Gracie you shouldn’t be hanging out with Liam, he’s
trouble. It’s not safe.” This causes me to laugh, causing them to
scowl. I’m finally able to get ahold of myself and just look at
him.

“
Really Ryan? You want to
tell me, who’s good and who’s bad for me to hang out with? Maybe
you should take a look in the mirror and stop coming over and
talking to me. I know you do shady shit, so what makes your shady
any different than anyone else? What makes you special?” With that
I throw the trash away and turn around and walk away.

I hear Rori and Liam say something as I
grab my bag, but I keep walking and head to my locker. I don’t have
a book for Econ, so I just grab a new notebook and head to class
with Mrs. Cooper. I pay no attention to who’s around me, I just go
to class, I don’t pay attention to who’s in this class or what’s
going on in class and before I know it the bell rings. Next I have
P.E. so I don’t even bother going to my locker just head to the
locker rooms.

When I get there Rori’s there. I’m
excited that we finally have a class together

“
Hey Rori.”

“
Hey what happened
earlier?”

“
Nothing, just Ryan being an
over baring ass hat.”

“
Did you bring your gym
clothes?”

“
No, I forgot.”

“
Well you’re in luck I
grabbed two shorts and two shirts.”

“
Ha, leave it to you to
bring double.”

“
Well I knew you would
forget.”

“
Whatever! You always do
this! You’re almost always over prepared.”

Taking the shirt and shorts and walking
to the locker next to hers I pull my backpack off and my hoodie.
When I look at Rori she shakes her head and asks “Do you have a
lock for you locker?” I hang my head with a smile on my face, I
can’t help it she knows me all too well. With a laugh I look at her
and shake my head no “If I didn’t bring my gym clothes what makes
you think I remembered my lock?” The look she gives me makes me
take a step back like she might smack me…

“
Ok smart ass you want to
put your stuff in my locker?”

“
Are you going to smack me
if I get close to you?”

She finally lets out a laugh and shakes
her head no and turns back to her locker. I scoot closer to her to
hang my backpack up and I bump hips with her and making us both
fall into a fit of giggles. “Rori I really missed you, I feel like
you were gone forever.” She lets out a sigh “I know me too, but I
am glad I got to spend that time with Grams, even if she was in the
hospital most of the time… you know her she made it fun, though I’m
not sure that her nurses would agree that it was fun.” We both fall
into more giggles as we change. We finished getting ready and
headed into the gym. Walking into the gym I see Liam and Ryan
talking to each other so I loop my arm through Rori’s and head in
the other direction. That’s not something I want to get in the
middle of, not now… Maybe not ever. After about five minutes of
sitting on the bleachers Rori finally can’t take the silence “What
the hell was that about?”

“
What are you talking
about?”

“
Oh bull, you know exactly
what I’m talking about. Why did it look like Ryan and Liam were
about to fight each other?”

I let out a big sigh as I watch the
two. They aren’t arguing any more but they both look really pissed
off.