Grace Under Pressure (Grace Walker Series Book 1)

Chapter 31:

Thank God it's Friday I thought to myself. This week didn't start off great at all and I just want to get it behind me.

Mrs. Salmon got with me yesterday after class to let me know that Mason in fact would be here Monday. I haven't heard from him in a few days, so I guess I'll have to text him over the weekend, to see what he felt like he needed to readjust going back to school.

Reni and I planned to go to Sherry's after school and grab something to eat and maybe a coffee. Gretchen wanted to tag along, so we decided on a time and got ready for class.

We were actually going to make the chocolate cake from scratch today. Mrs. Salmon told us it would take all of class period, so she gave us passes to come down at lunch and grab a piece.

The girls and I had a more difficult time because we were the only group with 3 instead of the 4 we were supposed to have, and Reni planned out food, she didn't make it. Gretchen and I kind of had to pick up the slack. Measuring this and measuring that. We finally got the cake in the oven and had just enough time to clean our station and the bell rang.

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I met Reni at her locker so we could ride together to Sherry's.

"I told Gretchen I'd give her a ride, because I wanna show off my new wheels to you two." Reni said with a smile.

"Oh cool, did you get it already? You just got ungrounded." I teased.

"Yes", she giggled. "I couldn't take it any longer. Daddy and I went and got it yesterday."

Gretchen walked up a few minutes later and we headed to the parking lot. There it was ,shining like a new diamond. Silver, sleek and best of all, brand new. Reni squealed and ran the rest of the way to her car. Gretchen and I looked at each other and laughed.

"This is so nice, Reni!" Gretchen said

"Hell yeah it is." I added.

Like I mentioned before, my mom's car wasn't that old, but riding in this made you feel on top of the world.

Reni got us to Sherry's in record time. She likes to drive fast. I'm surprised she's never gotten a ticket.

We walked in the door and there were a few kids from school already sitting at the booths they have lined along the walls. We always liked sitting on the bar stools along the front though. We hopped up on the stools, said hi to Sherry and ordered some mozzarella cheese sticks to split and we each got our fraps. Well, Reni and I did. Gretchen takes her coffee black with one pack of sweetener. She doesn't like all the added calories. She likes to keep slim because of cheerleading.

We talked for a while and waved at some of the other kids from school there. The food came out and we heard the bell on the door ring.

I turned around, and there standing in the doorway was Mason, his dad and Olivia, the step monster.

I groaned out loud and turned back around to face the counter.

Reni, trying to figure out what was going on and turned around and seen who it was.

"Why the hell does that woman wear business suits and heels all the time? She doesn't even work!" She exclaimed.

Mason and his parents made there way to a booth, and because of what she said to him about me at LE, I had to turn around and look at her.  What the heck? She was staring daggers at me. What on Earth did I ever do to this woman?

I seen Sherry walk over and take their order, so I took the opportunity to get up and run to the restroom. There were a few women in there so I had to wait for a stall.

A few minutes later, I came out and there stands Mason right in front of me.

"Damn it Mason, you scared the crap out of me." I said after I could get my heart to quit skipping a beat.

He laughed. "Sorry Grace, I just wanted to catch up with you without Olivia's eavesdropping ears around. Can you call or text me this weekend to talk about school?"

"I had planned on it" I said. "I didn't know what all you needed to have-"

I stopped mid-sentence because just then Olivia was standing behind Mason with a thin-lipped smile on her face. He turned around to see why I stopped talking and sighed.

"What?" He asked.

"Instead of standing here talking to her, you need to sit back down at your table and eat this food. Or at least try and figure out how to eat it. I don't know why your father took us here." She said with a snide look on her face. She couldn't take her eyes off me.

"Excuse me, Mason. I'll, uh, see you later." I stammered. She barely gave me enough room between her and the wall, so I had to squeeze between the two. She just clicked her tongue at me and rolled her eyes. What a immature hag!

"Are we finished?" I asked when I walked back up to the counter.

"Yes." Both the girls said at the same time. Gretchen treated us so she paid and we left.

As we were walking out, Reni asked me what happened back there. I gave her a brief rundown. I didn't want to give her all the details about what Olivia had said at LG or the way my mom acted when we were talking about her the other day.  If I had, she would have probably turned back around and caused a scene and I didn't want that for Sherry.

She gave Gretchen a ride back to the school so she could get her car. We said goodbye and she took me home next.

"You wanna do anything this weekend?" I asked.

"Can't, and it sucks too. My first free weekend in a long time and I have to babysit. What are you going to be doing? I can ask Daddy if you can come watch the girls with me." She said.

"I don't know. I'll see." We pulled up to my house.

"Love ya, I'll text you later." she said waving goodbye.

"Love you too! Thanks for the ride home."

I unlocked the door and went inside. The house was dark and quiet.