Sparkles

Chapter 2; Confusion

Grace's POV

I scroll through my Facebook Newsfeed liking practically everyone's statuses. Yep. That's just the type of nice person I am.

I'm about to like another status when Ryan hits a bump on the road which causes me to send a friend request to a suggested friend.

"RYAN!"

He looks startled. "Huh? What? What happened? What did I do?" I roll my eyes.

"Pay attention to the road please. Wanna live to see Nick at the waterpark, okay?"

He sighed. "Sure."

I looked up at him. He was about a head and a half taller than me. His expression was unreadable, which was weird. But I let it go.

School had just ended and we were headed to our friend Madison's house because she hadn't come to school today. All day I was praying she didn't get kidnapped or something. It's really weird for her not to come to school.

Ryan parked us in front of her house. We both got out the car and walked up to her door silently. I rung the bell and looked over at Ryan. He had his hands in his pocket and was looking at some roses in Madison's garden. He looked kind of uneasy which also made him look awkward. Actually, standing here with him was awkward.

"Hey." I said as I poked him. He looked down at me, expression still unreadable. "Your creeping me out." I stated. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah?"

"....yeah."

I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Your hiding something."

"No."

"Yes."

"I'm not."

"You are to. Spill your beans."

He sighs and rubs him eyes. "Grace, I-"

He was cut off when Madison opened the door. "Hey, you guys actually came to make sure I didn't die or something."

I hug her. "Yeah well, it was weird to not have you at school."

We walk in. Madison's house is always up to date. It actually looks kind of futuristic. Everything is probably made out of the shiniest material on the planet.

She started laughing hysterically. I look at her as if she's gone insane. "What's so funny?" I ask.

She wipes her tears and says, "You are probably the only person I went to school today."

I look at her confused. "No, almost everyone was there. Just a few absents. What makes you say that?"

"Today was ditch day, stupid!" She laughs some more.

"No. No, it wasn't. That's next week." Ryan says from behind me. I almost forgot he was there.

Her expression becomes lost. "Oh..... really? Wow, I'm such an idiot." She says as she walks behind Ryan to close the door.

We hear the house phone ring and she excuses herself to answer it. "Probably my Mom." She mumbles as she walks into the next room.

I make myself at home and take a seat on the couch. I look over at Ryan who is still awkwardly standing there. I pat the cushion, signaling him to sit beside me.

He silently obeyed. He just say there. I studied him deeply. I could finally get some kind of expression. But I didn't know how to completely nail it. It was the kind of expression that made you want to just hug them endlessly and comfort him. Because truthfully, he looked highly uncomfortable.

"What is up with you Ryan?" I ask.

"Nothing." He says and puts on a really sarcastic grin.

"Stop lying. Your being so quiet and still and your creeping me out. I can't help you if your being so stubborn."

"Who said I needed your help?" He stated with a bit of coldness.

"I'm just saying, you can come to me Ryan. I'm your best friend and your mine. We can always see right through each other and understand." I say trying to be sincere.

He laughed harshly. "Grace, your not always easy to talk to. And no, we can't always see through each other and understand. You would never understand. Granted, you are my best friend but-"

"But what Ryan?" Now I'm starting to get irritated. Here I am just trying to be a good friend and he's totally turning against me!

"You won't understand."

"How would you know? I don't even know what your problem is!"

"Who said I have a problem?!"

"You couldn't make it anymore obvious!"

Now we were both yelling. "Can Madison even here us?" I wonder.

"I.... you.... ugh." He stands from the couch and walks toward the door.

"Where are you going?" I say.

He pauses while having the door handle in his hand. "Home."

"But your my ride." I whine.

"Take the bus." He says without a thought. Then he leaves. I'm in totally shock. Did he really just say that?

You know how a few seconds ago He was the confusing one? Well, I'm left here, completely confused on what just happened.

"Well I know one thing," I say as I head for the door. "I'm not taking the bus." But just as Ryan did, I stopped at the knob.

"Isn't this what he wants?" I think. "For me to come running after him. Begging him for a ride?"

I turn and look at my reflection in the living room mirror. I just stare, which turns into a smirk.

"Ha, I'm not going to give him that satisfaction." And with a flip of my hair I exit Madison's house.