State of
Grace
Chapter
30
It
took Luke two months into the school year to ask Grace out as his
official girlfriend. The pair had ended the summer with spending
the rest of their time together. They went to the county fair
together, the movies, the lake, and drove around some nights.
Many of their free days were spent near the lake, fishing and
learning about each other.
When school started Luke must have noticed some of the attention
other boys gave Grace and he didn’t take it too well. He
never punched anyone else but he’d walk up behind them and
well the rumor about Luke Taylor punching John Holmes must have
spread. Finally May grew tired of watching other boys scurry away
from a menacing looking Luke and a blushing Grace.
“Ask her out!” she whispered to Luke as she passed
him in the hall one October morning. He had been headed to
Grace’s locker where she stood waiting.
“Pardon me?” he asked, confused.
May stopped and turned to face him. “Ask Grace out,”
she said, “Its getting ridiculous even Michael
agrees.” She had pulled his backpack strap from the rushing
crowd and he backtracked to meet them.
“What do I agree with?”
“That Luke should ask Grace out!” said May.
“You’re not going to?” said a voice. Grace had
joined the small party. She was holding her stack of books to her
chest and looked confused and sad. Luke hated to see her sad so
he pulled her over to his side, where she fit just perfectly in
the nook of his shoulder.
“No, of course I would ask you!” said Luke,
reassuringly.
“You would?” said Grace, but it wasn’t a
question. There was a hint of sarcasm in her tone. Luke got the
hint, “I will. Where do you want to go?”
She pushed him away and he laughed and hugged her tight, saying,
“Come on Grace! You know I like you. I don’t have to
ask to know you’re my girl.”
Grace smiled into his shirt and nodded. May would have shouted
something if Michael didn’t cover her mouth with his hand.
He grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the new couple,
rolling his eyes the whole time.
