Starlight (Book 1)

38: Back in Your Good Graces

I stared vacantly through the glass windows of the mall terrace, waiting for Grace. The misty air caused a few droplets of water to roll across my vision, racing to the bottom. A rounded flowerbed in front of the sidewalks had bloomed purple crocus flowers, which peeked through the fading layer of snow.

I chose a seat away from the noise, but that hadn't helped much. A middle-aged woman had come over to borrow an empty chair I wasn't using, and each time I spotted a teenager that looked around my age, the nerves that sparked inside of me were gradually causing my life expectancy to dwindle into nothing.

Grace was late by precisely seventeen minutes. The same age I would be when my birthday came in March. Maybe it was a sign that I should've decided not to come, or maybe I was just overthinking it.

A flurry of emotions had splintered into me, as though I had walked over a bed of hot coals made of bitterness and resentment. I didn't know if I was allowed to feel this way. Part of my truly wanted to connect with Grace on a level deeper than our blood, but I didn't know if I could. I wanted to let her be as late as she pleased, but I didn't know if she'd earned that right.

Another five minutes passed before she arrived. Her hair curled off her shoulders, making it appear much shorter. I chose to straighten my hair this morning, as opposed to leaving it naturally puffy. I wondered if the choice mattered.

"I'm so sorry," Grace said, sounding slightly breathless. "The bus was late. I had to catch a different line and transfer to make it here on time. Have you been waiting long?"

"Not really." I stood up and adjusted my sleeves, if only to give my hands something to do. I could have had a snack, but I didn't think I could manage that without throwing up.

"You see? This is why I need a better phone."
We made our way through the terrace, heading towards the escalator that led to the first floor shops. I stayed quiet, not knowing how to respond. "Where should we go first? I'm sure you know this place better than I do."

I almost chuckled, but I bit my lip just in time. As if. "Well... you should check different stores, compare the prices first."

I led Grace to the first technology store I spotted and continued to let her do the talking. For every employee she spoke to, the heat in my chest spiked. All of my life, I'd always known I was being judged. But the usual suspicious glares I received in public had considerably gone down. Nobody questioned that Grace was related to me in the same way they would have with Kieran and Riley.

Watching her movements as she walked, I was unsure if I was attempting to replicate her expressions or avoid them entirely.

It took us another few tries to find the right phone for Grace. Besides the occasional comment about what colour she should choose or what data plan was best, I didn't touch any other subjects of conversations yet.

"Let's sit down for a moment, take a break," she said, gesturing to a small chocolates shop a few stores down. I nodded, realizing I hadn't eaten since breakfast.

After picking out a few truffles, I took a seat in the corner of the shop, next to the ice cream display. Grace followed a few seconds later, placing her drink down. She was carrying her new phone in her hands, holding it as though as she was afraid it would shatter. It was a reflective gold with a clear protective case.

"Where's the internet on this thing?" she said slowly, tapping various icons with her finger.

"Safari is the internet." I shoved a truffle in my mouth and checked the time. I had about an hour before Jax was supposed to drop by to pick me up. We needed to get serious about practicing.