𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐲𝐬 ✧ 𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐜

chapter eight.

the next morning, i wasnt sure which was longer. the list of chores jackie and cole had to do, or mrs walters pile of pancakes.

though, because im such an early riser, danny and i had first dips on the chocolate chip pile.

"so you werent at this party yesterday?" mrs walter asked me as she poured me a cup of orange juice, and i shook my head.

"no," i bit into my second pancake, "i didnt even know jackie was."

then i remembered.

her heading out to her car after our meeting.
me advising her to do something fun, for herself.
and cole, last night, saying that he had forced jackie to go yesterday.

jackie must have ran into them in the parking lot, and decided to tag along.

"i hope this isnt one more way added to your list of crossing boundaries lately," she looked at me with cautious eyes, "but how is jackie doing? with everything."

"as good as can be expected," i swallowed, "she is really a great student. dedicated, passionate, organized." i smiled up at her, "i think she's going to be just fine here." jackie stumbled down the stairs, and we both looked over at her, "as long as she stays focused."

mrs walter let a breath out, and thanked me again.

jackie came over to join us all, and mr walter screamed for cole, and the two were given their lists of duties for the day. even through seeing him glance over, i made it my mission to not look at cole.

i was done with it. even fantasizing the idea that cole was a decent person had been proved useless after last night. i wouldnt let myself fantasizing anything else. cole effect or not.

and i wasnt just mad about my own track record, either, but for jackie's.

which i was. as her advisor, i saw these boys as ones who were only adding drama and trouble to her life, distractions to her track to princeton, and just overall bad influences.

so i was going to display good character. and resume my life of staying far away from them as possible.

i would be there for jackie, which meant some involvement with the walter's, yes. shunning them completely would only mean more tension with my relationship with jackie, which would not be a good record for my GoPP.

but friendship was an extra step i couldn't risk.

jackie had gotten started outside, and danny went to his room. i still felt a being on the other side of the room, but stopped myself from looking up, just in case if it was cole.

"come on, harper gray," cole's voice proved me right, jumping me out of my thoughts, "let me drive you home."

"i drove here," i said, stabbing my last bite with my fork, "remember?"

he just leaned against the counter next to me, "well then, at least let me walk you out."

i swallowed thickly, and tried to calm the rage in my chest so it didnt all come flooding out.

as if acting as my knight in shining armor, grace walked through the doors of the walter house. i almost gasped in glee, but called out her name instead.