Not Another High School Love Story

7. A Price Worth Paying

Monday takes forever to come, but when it finally arrives I can't think of a time I've been more happy to go back to school. Spending the entire weekend alone in my room, with nothing to do, was torture, even if it did help me get ahead on the yearbook. The worst part wasn't even the boredom though, it was the complete isolation. I can't stand going more than a few hours without my phone, and I can't stand not knowing what's going on with my friends. Now my phone is safely back in my pocket as I wait for the bus, but I know I'll have to hand it over again when I get home. At least I have a little time to spend with it. I didn't end up going through with my plan to steal it back from my dad, which was probably for the best anyway. It caught me off guard when I'd heard him talking to Ms. Montgomery, and I ended up just going back to my room.

Dinner with dad was awkward after that, especially since I had to pretend like I don't know anything. I wish he would tell me so I can be mad at him, but apparently he's been keeping this secret for a while. He's always been private like that, but I have no problem spilling his secrets, and I can barely hold it in. The bus appears and I get on, telling the driver good morning before I turn to spot Grace waiting for me in our usual seat. We give each other the same exasperated look as I hurry to sit beside her, but before I can share my news she's already venting.

"My parents wouldn't stop yelling at me the whole weekend. My mom kept crying, it was a mess—they even made me sleep with my door open. I'm telling you, watch, I'll get home today and they'll have taken it off the hinges. Needless to say, I'm grounded for the rest of my life." She rolls her eyes, reaching into her backpack to retrieve her water bottle before taking a drink. "What about you?"

"Pretty much the same, my dad basically accused me of trying to fuck up his campaign. I don't know why he always makes it about him, he's such an asshole sometimes." I accept the bottle from her when she offers and take a sip. "That's not all though, I found out he's been less than honest with me. Guess who he's dating."

"Who?"

"Ms. Montgomery."

"Shut the fuck up, you're always lying." Grace finds it just as impossible and laughs, but I shake my head to tell her I'm serious. She's leery, understandably, but after a second she exclaims. "Holy shit, no way! That's so gross, how did they even meet?"

"Beats me, but that's my thought exactly. I guess they don't want me to know, but I overheard them talking and now I don't know how I'm supposed to look at either of them the same." It feels better to have it off my chest, even if I am still mortified.

"God, now I can't stop picturing them having sex."

"Dude, what the hell? No one said anything about them having sex!"

"Don't act like you weren't thinking it." She laughs again, and I bury my face in my backpack as I join her. "Well I guess that's one good thing that came out of all this, at least you know now."

"I'm not exactly sure I'd call that a good thing." I give her a quizzical look and a skeptical grin. We giggle inappropriately about it some more, and then things start to settle. That's one of the reasons I love Grace, she can make me feel better about almost anything. An entire weekend of torture gets wiped away in a few minutes, and I appreciate her more than ever. "Is it weird to say that I missed you?"

"I'd be worried if you didn't. Get used to it though, my mom thinks you're a bad influence now, it'll probably be a while before she gets over it." Grace clicks her tongue. "She doesn't like Brent too much either. You talk to him yet?"

"No, I texted him, but he hasn't replied." As if to emphasize my answer I hold up my phone. That was the first thing I'd done this morning, and I haven't stopped checking my messages since. "I'm worried about him."