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10. Story time

Luke

Luke was standing near the lockers where he'd learned from one of his friends was Grace's locker. He wanted to know what was in that book his parents had left behind for them. Knowing Grace, she'd probably started reading the thing late in the night. 

Students walked past him giving him weird looks because this was not where he usually hung out. His place was always in class sitting with his friends joking about things. Luke Walker didn't stand in the hallways waiting for someone. But then Grace was practically his cousin so she wasn't just anybody. 

A girl walked up to him with a shocked face. She was about a foot shorter than him and her shoulder length hair framed her face in a cute way. Cleo Parker. Wasn't she the one who always hung out with Grace? 

"Hey." He greeted her. 

"Hi." She still looked at him like he was an alien. 

"Aren't you friends with Grace? I was looking for her." Luke said. 

"G-Grace?" She sputtered. "As in Grace Smith? Are you sure we're talking about the same Grace?" She asked. 

"Yeah. Grace Smith." Luke answered unsurely as he looked at Cleo. The girl was so shocked that she probably wasn't even breathing. 

"How do you know Grace?" She asked. 

"We met yesterday. I wanted to ask her about something. Have you seen her?" Luke asked. 

"So let me get this straight." She folded her arms across her chest and jutted her chin forwards. "Luke Walker wants to meet my best friend Grace Smith who he met yesterday and now still wants to talk to her?" She asked. 

"Are you okay? Like are you having problems understanding what I'm saying? Do I have to repeat everything to you twice?" Luke asked. This girl was still not giving him answers. 

"Huh. I should be the one asking you stuff buddy but I don't really know what's going on here." She snapped at him. "And no, I haven't met her. She's probably late and will show up directly in class." She looked around nervously and then shouldered her bag and walked away slowly. 

That went well. Clearly the girl needed meds. So Grace was late. He'd catch her in class. The bell rung. Everyone around him started to shut their lockers and head to their own classes. Luke sighed. 

First class was Math. Oh great.

Luke walked to the back of the class and took his seat opening his book. The class had filled up except for two seats beside him. The teacher entered the class and right behind him Cleo and Grace showed up. Both of them were whispering animatedly. 

Eyes wide, arms flaying around them, they looked like they were arguing about something. The girls looked around the classroom and then seemed to realize that the only two seats available were at the back of the class. 

They quickly hurried to their seats and then sat down. Grace was right beside him. 

"Did you tell Cleo that we met yesterday and became friends?" She whispered to him. 

"Yea I did." Luke answered. 

"Why!" She cried softly.

"What else was I supposed to say?" Luke whispered back. 

"Why the hell did you want to meet me in the first place?" She asked him. 

"I wanted to know about the book." Luke answered innocently. 

"So you couldn't wait until after school to tell me? Or sent me text?" She glared at him. 

Oh yea. Why hadn't he texted her instead. Oh wait. He didn't have her number!