Fractured from the Fall

That Makes Two of Us

There was a loud knock on the bedroom door and Lily was so startled that she nearly fell out of bed. A panic surged through her. Was it Ford? Oh crap, Lily thought to herself, I look like shit.

"Girls? You dressed?" A deep voice came from the other side of the door. It was her father. Lily let out a sigh of relief.

"Just a minute dad," Lily said trying to find some clothes to throw on.

"Well hurry up," he responded. "Grant's at the front door."

The panic was back, along with the feeling that she might throw up. Lily couldn't tell if it was the hangover or her guilt over what had happened the previous night, although she wasn't even exactly sure what had happened. Maybe it had been nothing. Maybe she was drunk and remembered things incorrectly. Regardless, she knew she couldn't hang out with Grant right now until she got her head on straight.

She found a pair of jeans on the floor, grabbed a T-shirt from the closet and gave herself a quick glance in the mirror. She turned around to leave but found herself frozen in place, unsure and unprepared for what awaited her on the other side of the door.

"Violet!" she said suddenly.

"Yeeeees," Violet sister responded, suspicious of her sister's sudden and unusual excitement over her presence. Usually it was the opposite: annoyance and irritation.

"You should come with me."

"What? Why would I do that?"

"To say hi to Grant. You don't want to be rude." Even as she said the words she realized how ridiculous they sounded.

"Since when do you care about being rude?"

"Come on, we had fun last night, right?"

She was reaching.

"Speak for yourself," Violet said. Daylight had brought back the harsh reality that she was still, and would always be, Lily's nerdy little sister. One night wouldn't change that and she wasn't sure she wanted it to.

"Look, I didn't want to say anything, but I think Grant needs some extra help with his math before the big game. He can't screw up his test this week before Homecoming."

Lily couldn't believe the lies that were rolling off her tongue. She felt frazzled and confused and it was all because of stupid Ford Jameson and his ridiculously cute dimples and insanely beautiful eyes. Ugh.

"Okay, fine," Violet reluctantly gave in. Lily knew she couldn't say no to someone in need of academic help.

The two girls made their way out of the bedroom and down the hall to where Grant stood patiently waiting. Lily immediately felt a pang of guilt in the pit of her stomach.

"Hey Babe!" Grant said as Lily approached. Lily's father made a grunt from his chair in the living room, both indicating his disapproval of Grant's pet name and also making it known that he was listening.

"How you feeling?" Grant said quieter, hoping her father couldn't hear every word they were saying.

"Not great," she said and she held her hand to her throat. "Actually I think I might be coming down with something." Lily eyed her sister who was about to open her mouth to speak until Lily gave her the stare of death to which Violet rolled her eyes.

"Oh no, really? I was hoping I could take you out to breakfast to make up for missing the concert last night." He leaned in towards her and wrapped his arm around her waist to pull her closer. Her father made another loud grunt and for once Lily was grateful for his overbearing fatherly ways.