Chapter 5

Chapter 05

When we got back to our apartment, I was too mad at Chris to say anything to him so I just walked into my room and sank into my bed. I stared at the ceiling as memories of the evening replayed in my head.

Chris had really outdone himself. What the hell was he thinking, picking that fight? I know the man was an asshole but he obviously provoked him first.

Never in my life had I felt so useless.

I felt so pathetic; so weak. I felt like a helpless little girl when the bastard pushed me to the floor and I simply couldn't do anything. And to top it all off, that was when Dean intervened and hit him like he was some sort of savior to me, like I couldn't defend myself, like I was some helpless little piece of dog shit and he was my superman there to sweep me off my fucking feet.

Oh please.

I could have handled that motherfucker all on my own.

That was when my conscience hit me.

Dean wasn't trying to make me feel helpless or anything, he was just trying to help and I shoved it up his ass. He was even trying to help Chris and I made him feel like shit. And to top it all off, I left him in the middle of the huge mess Chris had made in the first place, with the angry man with a bloody nose. I spoke to him so rudely. I was just so angry at the moment.

Maybe Dean was right, maybe I am ungrateful.

"Ugh!" I groaned frustratedly into my pillow. "I am such a bitch." The words came out muffled.

* * * *

I woke up to the sound of my blaring alarm clock. I groaned as I got up, running a hand through my hair. I made my way into the bathroom, picked up a rubber band and tied my hair up in a messy bun. I brushed my teeth and stripped out of my clothes. I stepped under the shower and turned it on, feeling the warm water run down my back.

When I was done dressing up, I threw my books into my bag. I looked for my purse all over my room but couldn't find it.

"Well, fuck." I muttered, running a hand through my blonde hair.

I left my purse at that bar yesterday. It had my phone, my student ID, my credit card, my house keys, my driver's license and most of my important shit.

I let out a frustrated sound when I hung my bag over my shoulder and walked out of my room, closing the door behind me.

Seeing that I was already too late to worry about that, I made a mental note to swing by the bar after school. I hoped it was still there.

I walked into the kitchen to grab a granola bar and a juice box from the fridge. Once done, I made my way to the front door when I heard Chris speak;

"Hey, Grace?"

I turned back, "Yes?"

"Can we talk?" He asked.

"I've got class." I simply said.

My hand was already on the doorknob when he said, "I'm sorry G, I just don't wanna fight with you."

"It's okay, Chris. I'm not mad anymore." I shrugged as I turned back to face him.

Chris launched for me and squeezed me in a bear hug.

I chuckled, "It's okay. Okay there buddy, let go of me."

"I don't know what came over me yesterday. I guess I just wanted to prove that I'm not just some gay whimp." He stuffed his hand in his pocket.

"How many times do I have to tell you that you're not?" I leaned on the door. "Don't you have class this morning?"

He shrugged, "I'd skip this one out."

"Okay, suit yourself. I'll be going now, bye." I opened the door and got out.

"Bye babe!" I heard Chris shout.

I got into my car and drove off to school.

The rest of the day rolled by fast and my last class had just finished. I was walking out of the building and to my car when I heard a familiar voice call out to me.

"Hey, Grace!"

I turned back to see Dean jogging over to me, "Dean?!"

He stopped in front of me, smiling, "Hey."

"Hey." I pushed some hair behind my ear. "Uh, w-what are you doing here?"

"You left your purse at the bar yesterday." He showed me my purse in his hand, handing it over to me.

I let out a breath of relief.

"Thank you." I unzipped it, looking through it.

"It's still intact from yesterday." He grinned.

"Yeah, I see that." I bit my lip. "How'd you know I'd be here?"

"Your schedule's in your purse." He explained.

"You've been waiting for me to finish class?" I asked him, although I already knew the answer.

He shrugged and chuckled.

"Thanks though."

"Two 'thank you's in less than ten minutes. Today is my lucky day, then." He smiled.

I rolled my eyes at him.

I was still surprised at how he was standing here in front of me. He came all the way here just to find me and give me my purse back after I treated him like complete garbage yesterday. If anything, I thought he'd want nothing to do with me.

I looked up at him to see him gazing intensely elsewhere, then a smile crept into his lips. I followed his line of vision to see what he was looking at, then I couldn't help but chuckle a little.

The ice cream stand.

He looked at me and smiled, "You want ice cream?"

I bit my lip and nodded, "Yes!"

I tried not to sound too excited but I guess I did a bad job since he smirked at me.

"Come on," he cupped the small of my back as both of walked together to the ice cream stand.

"Good day. What would you like?" The man asked us.

I bit my lip excitedly and said, "Strawberry chocolate chip."

"What about you, sir?"

"Uh, just plain chocolate." Dean told him.

I looked at him funny.

"What?" He chuckled at me.

"Plain chocolate? That's pretty boring." I bit on my lip.

"Since when is ice cream boring? It's what I like."

"Here you go." The man handed us two ice cream cones.

"Thank you." Dean said to him as he paid for them, took the cones and handed me mine. "Walk with me?"

"Sure." I nodded as I took out the ice cream and bit into it.

"That your favorite? Strawberry chocolate chip?" He asked me with ice cream in his mouth.

"Mm hmm." I nodded, enjoying the feel in my mouth.

It was silent for a while. We took our ice creams in silence, listening to the distant sound of the environment.

"Um, Dean, look I'm really sorry for yesterday, I don't know why I acted that way. I-I'm not like that, I'm not a bitch I swear--"

"Grace, it's okay. You were pissed, I get it." He said. "I didn't take it personal."

"I-I mean you were so right, I am so ungrateful." I sighed.

He laughed softly, "I won't say ungrateful. You know what I think? I think that, for some reason, you don't like people fighting your battles for you."

He was right.

He was completely correct.

I just stared at him with ice cream in my mouth.

"That's all I've figured out for now. I'll read you out later for sure." He smirked.

"You really thought you could take that guy out?" Dean asked.

"Sure, I could've. I wasn't afraid of him." I shrugged.

He turned his body to face me squarely, "You weren't afraid of him, yes. But could you take him out?"

"Maybe." I pressed my lips together.

He laughed softly.

"Why'd you help us anyway?" I asked him.

"Geez, I don't know Grace, don't you think I'd have been such an asshole not to?" He fired back. "And like what the fuck, he pushed you, like how dare he?!" He exclaimed dramatically.

"Don't make such a huge deal out of it. He was just a fat piece of shit." I said. "What happened when we left anyway?"

"What do you think happened? Poor guy walked away in shame with a bloody nose to take care of." He answered me.

"Guess you did hit him hard." I said, impressed.

He didn't say anything, so I looked at him to see him gazing intensely at my lips.

"Um, Dean? Eyes up here?!" I snapped my fingers in his face.

He chuckled, "No, uh, it's just-you've got a little something on your--"

"What's that?" I tried to rub it off.

"May I?" He smiled at me.

I nodded.

He placed his fingers below my jaw and his thumb brushed past my lower lip. I inhaled a light breath as he rubbed his thumb against my lip.

"There." He pulled his hand away from my lip and looked at his fingers. "Chocolate chip."

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. I bit my lip when he stuck his finger in his mouth.

"Ew."

"Not bad." He smiled.

His smile was so beautiful.

"Wanna play 20 questions?" He asked.

"Yeah, okay." I replied."So uh, do you have siblings?"

"Yeah. My older sister, Dora and my little sister, Bethany."

"You love them?" I asked him as I brought my feet to the bench and hugged my knees to my chest.

"I mean they're pain in the asses, but yeah. I love them. They'd never know though." He chuckled. "What about you? Got any siblings?"

"Yeah, just my little brother Tommy." I answered him.

"You love him?"

"Yeah, I do." I answered him. "I'm just happy I'm not an only child."

"When's your birthday?" He asked.

"November 6th. When's yours?"

"June 5th. Favorite color?"

"Blue. Favorite movie?"

"The Hitman's Bodyguard. Something you're scared of?"

"Ladybugs." I told him.

"Ladybugs?" He laughed.

"Hey! Don't laugh. They're really creepy, okay?"

"What's creepy about ladybugs? They're small and cute and harmless."

"What about you? What are you scared of?" I looked at him.

"I'm not telling." He shook his head.

"Come on, don't be such a vagina. I told you mine."

"I don't just like having people know what can be used against me."

"Ugh, just shut up and tell me!"

"Fine. I'm scared of goats." He told me.

I stifled a laughter, "You're scared of goats. What the fuck, you're scared of goats?!"

"And you're scared of ladybugs, what's more embarrassing?"

"You're scared of goats. Ha!" I pointed at him.

"Shh, shut up." He shushed me. "There's a really sad and emotional story to it."

"Oh, yeah?" I held back a laugh. "What's that?"

"I was just 6." He began like he was narrating over a tragic flashback. "My mom took me to a petting zoo, very big pretty petting zoo with pretty adorable animals to pet. So I was petting this horse, right? That's when I saw this girl I was crushing on, Sandy McNessy. She was petting a goat, so I'm like wow she's really into goats. So, I wanted to impress her, you know? I walked up to a goat, this really black and white goat and started showing it all of my love and affection but the goat didn't seem to like me much. She looked at me then and just giggled. I wanted to walk up and talk to her but I tripped and supported myself with the goat but I stabbed its butt with my cotton candy stick. That fucking goat chased me around that petting zoo, I was so scared that I peed myself. All the kids laughed, especially Sandy." He pouted. "So yeah, I hate goats, and I'm also scared of them too."

I looked at him and for the first time in a really long time, I laughed.

I really laughed.

"Oh my God! I just pictured the whole thing in my head right now! That must have been so bad!"

Dean wasn't saying anything so I looked up at him. He was watching me. For some reason, he was just gazing intently at me.

I broke my laughter slowly, "Hello? Earth to Dean?"

"S-Sorry. It's just that, uh, you should do that more often." He smiled. "Laugh, I mean."

"I'd keep that in mind. Just keep telling me really embarrassing goat stories." I bit my lip.

"I was fucking 6!" He laughed.

"What a wonderful reason to pee yourself in a--"

"Hey Dean!" A high pitched voice cut me off.

I looked up to see a brunette. She was tall, skinny, pretty and was dressed to show off her pretty body.

"Oh hey, Heather." Dean waved.

"What are you doing here? I didn't see you in class today." She pouted.

"Yeah, I had something to do today." He looked at me.

I bit my lip.

Heather looked at me, then back at Dean, "Who is she?"

"Oh, sorry. Grace, meet Heather. Heather, my friend Grace." Dean introduced us.

"Hi." She smiled at me.

I simply waved.

Heather sat on the bench, squeezing herself between Dean and I.

"So Dean, how bout you take me back to your place?" She placed her hand on his chest.

"Well, actually uh--" he looked at me.

I shook my head and mouthed, "Go ahead."

"Heather, I was actually already--" he tried to speak.

"Come on, baby, when was the last time we had fun?" She licked her lips.

"Okayyy." I stood up. "Dean, I'd be heading home now."

"But, Grace--" Dean started but Heather was quick to cut him off.

"Okay Grace, bye. It was really nice meeting you." She said, not even looking at me.

"Yeah, sure." I bit my lip and nodded. I looked at Dean and mouthed, "Have fun."

I turned back and walked away from both of them, smiling to myself. I walked back to my car and hopped in after opening my car door. I started driving off and when I drove past the bench Dean and I were on, I saw him and Heather making out.

I chuckled to myself, how classic.

It wasn't long before I pulled up in my driveway. I got down from my car and saw Chris' car parked in the garage which meant he was probably still home. I made my way into the house and took off my jacket and hung it on the coat rack.

"Chris! I'm home!" I shouted, walking to the kitchen.

I saw Chris standing there, leaning on the counter, "You're late."

I looked at my watch, "Its 6:43 PM."

"Whatever, you know what I mean. You're later than usual." He smirked at me. "Where were you?"

"I was with Dean." I walked up to the refrigerator, taking out a bottle of water.

"You bitch!" He squealed. "I want the detes."

I almost choked, "Oh, not like that. We were just talking."

"Just talking, aye?" He wiggled his eyebrows.

"Um, yeah." I drank from the bottle and placed it down on the counter.

"How's he doing?" He answered.

"He's okay." I told him. "And no, he's not mad about yesterday."

"He's such a great guy. Do you think he's bi?"

I made a disgusted face, "I don't think so."

"So, you had a good time? Talking to him, that is."

"Yeah, I had fun." I answered truthfully. "I'm gonna hit the showers, when I get out maybe we'll watch a movie or something."

"Okay."

* * * *

When I got out of the shower, I threw on a huge batman shirt and booty shorts. I was passing a brush through my damp hair when I heard my phone ring on my bed. I sat on my bed and looked at the caller ID, it was an unknown number.

I picked it, "Hello?"

"Hey you!" I heard a deep familiar voice.

"Dean?" I asked, although I already knew it was him.

"This is he." I felt him smile.

"You stole my number yesterday." I said as a matter of fact.

"That is correct." He said.

"You could've just asked me for it like a normal person." I said to him.

"Yeah, but how fun is that?"

I scoffed, "Idiot."

"Look, I'm sorry for how today turned out." He apologized.

"Are you kidding me? I had much more fun today than I've had in a long time." I told him honestly.

"Is that so? Is this because of my goat story?" He asked, chuckling.

"Yeah, pretty much." I bit my lip. "Thanks for getting me my purse."

"Sure, no problem."

"Hey, I'm really sorry for ditching you and shit."

"Nah, don't be." I shrugged.

"Well, you know if--" he was interrupted by a female voice in the background.

"Dean, baby, get off the phone and come give me a back rub!"

"Coming, Heather!" He shouted back.

"Still having fun, I guess." I chuckled.

"Yeah." He laughed shyly. "Well, I might call you later."

"Sure, whatever." I shrugged lightly. "Goodnight Dean."

"Goodnight Chip." He said back.

"Chip?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Dream of ladybugs." He said as he hung up.

I put the phone down still trying to figure out what that was about.

Then it hit me.

Chocolate Chip.

________

Thanks for reading!

~Chris xx.