Walking into her first period classroom, the way the conversation stopped gave her another clue that something was happening. Approaching her assigned seat slowly; she tried to catch any words in the whispered conversations that had begun again, and wondered about the pained look on Luke Santos' face.
"Take your seat Ms Andrews, you may be on the Homecoming Court but that doesn't mean you are royalty." Ms Fields had appeared from nowhere, and Grace was so shocked by both the teacher's words and her tone that she remained standing.
"I won't ask you again." The sheer hatred in the voice of the older woman had Grace sitting automatically trying to figure out what had just happened. Students were still looking at her, as if waiting for a response but she had nothing for them.
The rest of the class passed in a daze, as she desperately tried to figure out what Maddie's game was. Because this had to be the brainchild of the bully's twisted mind.
As far as she knew there had never been a last minute name added to the homecoming court, and Maddie controlled the list. Sure Grace had made that joke in English class but this was a odd tactic even by the Queen Bee's standards.
Maddie had to know that Grace would never actually go to the dance, so as far as Grace could tell she would just have to spend the week ignoring the stares and whispers of the other students. It wasn't ideal but she was not going to let the bully get any kind of reaction from her.
By lunchtime though, she was ready to run. Being in the spotlight was not for her. Not if it meant fending off unwelcome advances from five different members of the football team, all who wanted the privilege of having her as their date to the dance.
Jack had long ago taught her how to defend herself against wandering hands, which was how she found herself placed in detention for the black eye she had given one idiot, plus the captain, Mark Hammond, was lucky to escape with his pride and joy intact.
The storm that had been brewing all morning was adding to the tension in the school, almost as if there was something oppressive in the air. She had tried to reach Jack, leaving him a message that did nothing to hide the shakiness of her voice. She had already called and left a voice mail for Mimi to say that she would be delayed after school.
The sooner this day was over the better as far as she was concerned. The leering from the majority of male students was making her feel unclean. She tried not to remember how Mark had put his hands on her, and she knew there were probably bruises on her skin. For that reason alone she didn't regret protecting herself.
Then there were the girls who, as the day went on, began to speak louder so that she was forced to hear the lies being said about her. How she was a tease, how she had been offering favors for her grades, and one vile, unrepeatable comment about the true nature of her relationship with Jack.
That one had been made by Maddie of course, in the hearing of Ms Fields and as expected the teacher said nothing, just looked pointedly at Grace, almost daring her to say something. She stayed silent, refusing to give the witches in front of her the satisfaction of seeing how their words had hurt her.
The lights in the room flickered, followed by an almighty clap of thunder, the storm finally letting loose. Flashes of lightning lit up the sky, the light a sharp contrast to the dark rain clouds. Grace wasn't sure how long the storm raged outside, not nearly long enough as far as she was concerned.
It wasn't enough time to contain the maelstrom of emotions that was gathering strength inside her. Acting without thought, she grabbed her bag and coat, walking out of the classroom, ignoring the calls from Ms Fields to stop.
But Grace was done. Exiting the school via a side door, she never even paused to put on her coat, totally focused on getting away from school. With each step she became more aware of the force of the elements stirred up by the storm.
Outside a torrential downpour had begun, and as she moved away from the school; from the staff more concerned about injured players and not the actions that had led to the injuries, she chose to believe that it was raindrops, not tears, that were falling down her cheeks.
As she made her way home, she vowed that she would never let anyone see how much their words that day had hurt. Nor would she allow Maddie, Ms Fields or any of the students and faculty who had been so quick to treat Grace like a pariah, get away with their actions.
How she reached her home safely, she never fully knew. She was vaguely aware of being cold, of the way her clothes were clinging to her skin. There was a buzzing in her ears, but she couldn't concentrate on anything other than the singular thought in her head.
Grace was going to rid the school of the poison that had infected it, and if she couldn't? Then she was going to burn the toxic place to the ground.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
The day felt never ending. The storm continued to batter Silver Glade, the rain a constant, as were the flashes of lightning and thunder that seemed determined to stay. Grace's head felt like it was filled with static, there was a low ringing in her ear and even with layers of clothes and the heat on full blast she could not get warm.
By the time she finally made it home from school, she had been soaked to the skin, and running on fumes. Moving like a robot she stripped off her wet clothes, rubbing a towel roughly over her skin, trying anything to take the deep cold from her body.
Automatically she threw on some pajamas, listening to the rumbles of thunder that passed over the house. As the cold seeped further into her bones, her thoughts were of hiding, of staying away from those who allegedly made up polite society in Silver Glade.
The reality she had been exposed to was very different, less mannerly, more ruthless. Her earlier fiery thoughts of seeking retribution had faded as the cold inside her grew.
She couldn't remember when Mimi had arrived to the house, or any conversation they might have had. It was like her brain had powered down, taking with it her ability to move from the corner of her bedroom, where she had sought refuge from the real world.
Grace knew that Mimi was worried about her, that she had called Jack, but she had been unable to focus on the words being said. She was grateful that Mimi stayed with her, not trying to make conversation, just knowing that she needed the solitude of her thoughts, without being left alone.
Hours passed, and while she had, with some gentle encouragement moved to her bed, Grace still couldn't put her thoughts into words. She was struggling to push back the phantom touches of the footballers, trying to ignore and forget the cruel words from people she had never suspected could be quite so mean.
And she was still so damn cold. And tired. She was filled with a burst of hatred for the worst of the bullies, how they had targeted her deliberately, taking pleasure as they knowingly encouraged others to torment her.
Including a teacher. A so called adult who should know better. Someone, who as far as Grace was concerned, was under a moral and legal obligation to safe guard the students in her care. While she was normally more than willing to give others a chance to explain themselves; to allow people the benefit of the doubt, she was determined that Ms Fields would rue the day that she painted a target on Grace, before taking shots alongside other students.
"Grace? Hey Kiddo can you hear me?" If she didn't know that he was out of town she would have thought that Jack was in her room, talking to her. She had to be dreaming. Or having an out of body experience, if the warmth she suddenly felt was anything to go by. Or dreaming. She had to be dreaming.
"Please my Belle, come back to us." She felt the tears falling at the kindness in imaginary Nate's voice, at her sadness that he wasn't really there when she needed him. Oh how she had needed his strength, his protection.
He had been fighting against the whispers, the lies, and the vindictive teachers for so long and he hadn't broken down. Not like her. She was weak, stupid, ugly. She could still hear the words, the taunts that she had been made to listen to that day.
"Oh my poor Belle, please don't cry." She felt herself being mov
ed, being surrounded by a sense of peace and warmth, and she couldn't help but move closer.
"This is some dream, you feel so real." She whispered to herself, not wanting to break the spell that had weaved itself around her in her sleep.
"I'll be right back Kiddo," Jack's voice grew quiet, but held more than a hint of worry.
"I'll just be snuggling here!" She didn't recognize her own voice, and she refused to think why she sounded so scared, in spite of the flippant words she had spoken.
The longer phantom Nate held her, the warmer she became, the last of the chill from her exposure to the elements draining away.
"You always smell so good."
Something that sounded like a snort of laughter echoed in her dream world, but Grace was soon distracted by the feeling a gentle kiss being placed on the crown of her head. It sparked a memory which she thought was strange as she was already in the middle of a dream. Was it de ja vu? Or maybe it was a lingering side effect of her concussion.
"It's time to wake up my Belle. Jack and Mimi are very worried about you." Dream Nate's voice was so calming, and she wanted to do as he asked.
"I'm so tired." She whispered. "The real world is so mean, don't make me go back. Please." She felt dream Nate take her hand, shivers running through her as he entangled his fingers with hers.
"Can you tell me what happened my Belle?" She really didn't want to think about earlier, didn't want the darkness to invade her safe haven. She couldn't refuse to answer Nate though.
"People mean, hurt me. Teachers too." She could have sworn she heard a growl, and Mimi using words that Grace never would have guessed she would ever know, let alone use.
"Oh my Belle, how I wish you hadn't had to go through that." She slowly became aware of the steady heart beat that she could hear from where she rested in dream Nate's arms.
"That's right my Belle, focus on the rhythm, on my voice and come back to us." As she concentrated, the dream like state she had found herself in faded away, and she realized that she actually was in Nate's arms. That Jack and Mimi stood a little distance away from them, their worry and concern evident on their faces.
Sometime during her break from the real world the storm had grown silent, and for that she was glad. The fuzzy feeling in her head was lessening, the ringing almost gone, the static blessedly absent. She half expected Jack or Mimi to ask her a ton of questions, but really she should have known better.
They waited a few minutes to establish that Grace was back with them, before announcing that dinner would be served in half an hour which should give herself and Nate enough time to get cleaned up.
"Love you Kiddo," Jack said quietly before exiting her room, following his mother downstairs. Grace could tell that her guardian wanted answers, wanted to know whose ass he needed to kick, and that he would want to get that punishment started as soon as possible. Not that she could blame him, and he didn't even know the full story yet.
She became aware of just how close she and Nate were. His back rested against the headboard of her bed, and she was sat sideways across his lap. Her free hand moved, without thought, running over the muscles on his arm, coming to a rest on his jaw.
"Thank you," she said shyly.
When his eyes drifted closed, she couldn't help but notice how long and soft his eyelashes looked. Her thumb swept across his cheek, and she felt the tremor that ran through him. Ever so slowly she leaned forward, kissing his forehead, then both cheeks, and then finally his lips.
"Grace." The way he said her name had her shivering as well. And then all thoughts fled as he kissed her back. The kiss was gentle at first, as if she was delicate and might break. As if she was precious and he still couldn't believe that he was allowed to be so close to her.
"Oh my Belle." His words whispered against her skin, her reply caught up as he resumed the kiss, taking full control. If the previous kiss had been reverent, this was one of hunger and passion.
She moved tentatively, craving more contact, listening to her body, reveling in the sparks that seemed to envelope her. At some unknown sign, Nate slowed the kiss again, bringing them down from their shared high. His breathing was harsh, as if he had been running, and Grace knew that hers was the same.
"My Belle, you are a gift I don't deserve." His words made her blush. She was the lucky one in this situation. Nate looked as if he wanted to argue, but before he had a chance to say anything, Jack called them to the kitchen. Her blush deepened as she realized how long their kissing had lasted.
"I'll let him know you need a few minutes more, my Belle," and with one final lingering kiss Nate helped her to her feet, pushing her towards her en-suite.
The sight that met her in the mirror made her cringe. Her eyes were red and swollen from her earlier crying jag. Her hair was the ultimate bird's nest so she ran a brush through it, trying to get rid of all the knots. Throwing it up in a bun, she quickly washed her face, then moved to her room to grab another set of clean clothes.
Looking around for something warm to wear, she spotted a hoody that had to belong to Nate. Unable to resist the temptation; she put it on, knowing that it would not go unnoticed by any one in the kitchen, but for once she couldn't bring herself to care.
Knowing there was no delaying the conversation, and wanting to hear about how his meeting had gone, she made her way downstairs. Nate was setting the table, while Mimi and Jack were dishing up.
"You're looking a bit brighter now lovely," there was still concern in Mimi's voice and she hated that she had put it there.
"I'm so sorry," she began, only to stop at the look on the older lady's face.
"You have nothing to be sorry for lovely. I'm just glad you are back with us. The rest we will deal with as a family. And before you say anything Nate Henderson, I'm including you as part of the family, so no lip." She knew there was no arguing with Mimi, not when she used that tone, and was glad that Nate knew her grandmother well enough to understand that any argument was futile.
"Ordinarily I would wait until after we have eaten, but I listened to your voicemails Grace, as well as those from that school and I need to know." She couldn't remember a time when Jack had sounded so angry. Then again she recalled the rambling messages she had left, and how she had been when he got home, so his outrage was not misplaced.
"School was crazy. Someone decided to add my name to Homecoming Court, then the footballers decided to ask me out as only they can, and didn't like how I said no. Maddie and that witch Ms Fields were the last straw so I left." She tried to keep her explanation simple, not wanting to downplay anything but also worried about her guardian's blood pressure.
"Detention; according to Principal Carter, was because of the injuries you caused three footballers?" It might have sounded like a question, but she was not fooled. The Principal of the school was going to be dealing with Jack's wrath, and she wanted to be there to see it in person.
He had been completely vile to her, some of the things he had said worse than the footballers, and just the thoughts of being near him again, made her want to vomit.
"Let me handle Hammond," Nate made this request to Jack. Grace wanted to take his hand, and as if he had heard her thoughts, he reached for hers, and she felt a little calmer.
"I will need the names of all the footballers who need to be dealt with, along with any adult who stood by and did nothing." This was Mimi, her voice cold. "I will also deal with Ms Fields."
"I think it's also time to discuss the way that Maddie, in particular, but also Dylan have been treating you Grace." As soon as Nate spoke, she knew that she could no longer deny the truth.
By staying silent for so many years, the students had allowed her control on the school to grow. They had allowed themselves to be complicit, so long as the mean girl's ire wasn't directed at them, no student would stand up for whoever was in her sights.
Sure some were less involved than others in the bullying, just trying to get through school unscathed, but as
Grace had found out earlier, there were plenty of students only too happy to join in with the lies, to jeer and enjoy the suffering of others.
Taking a moment to gather her thoughts, Grace was torn about how much to share with Jack and Mimi. Why was she protecting them still, when it was Maddie who had put her in hospital, and Dylan who had been threatening her ever since. The time had come, to reveal all. Confession was good for the soul, or so she had read somewhere.
"So when I said I had been in an accident at school, what I should have told you was that after Maddie overheard me saying something, she decided to teach me a lesson." The more she spoke, the lighter she felt, no longer carrying the burden of staying silent.
"It will be her word against mine though, everyone left once she began her attack, so no witnesses. And even if there had been, not a single person would say a word to support me. Just like today." She didn't try to hide her bitterness.
"Actually, there is a way to prove what you have told us. I just need to know when the attack happened, I remember the day, so I just need the time." At Grace's questioning look Nate continued. "As if I could forget the day we met."
"Once Nate has the information, and the proof we need, I'll get in touch with the board of education and request an urgent meeting. What I need to know is if you want to go to school tomorrow. I won't force you to stay there if you don't feel safe."
"I'm not letting them win. I'm not giving into fear anymore. Maybe if other students see me being strong it might help them speak out. They can't all be bad, right?"
"There was that young Santos boy, he walked you to my car yesterday." Mimi reminded her of the footballer who had looked out for her.
"Do you mean Luke? He's been friendly to me, seems genuine." Nate said. "He's not like the majority of the sports guys. I don't think he would be too upset if changes were made. I'm guessing you had a run in with that ass of a coach?" He didn't hide his dislike of yet another adult who failed to do their job.
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