Page 9 of Grace of Spades
"Well, I can be a bitch but I know the feeling." I chuckle.
She turns up the radio, blasting Dessa from the speakers, as we make our way to school. I remind myself that I better let Ray and Rudy know what's going on or they're going to freak out. I've only ever been out of contact for a couple of days at a time and that's usually because something bad happened. I'll have to do a trip tonight.
Kennedy lets me in on all the latest gossip about people I don't know. Apparently, Addison is a bitch and she's with Chad who's on the Student Council but they both cheat on each other like no tomorrow. Addison and her friends Maddi and Kaley are the Bitch Brigade as titled by Kennedy. Chad and his friends Tyler and Callum are absolute slime balls so it sounds like they're all a match made in hell.
We pull into a parking lot and I finally see the school. It's huge! It doesn't even look like a high school. It looks like Harvard. All red brick and stone archways. It has turrets. And ivy.
Homeless one day and this the next. I am so out of my element.
5
Grace
Kennedy leads me to the administration office. Apparently, they need longer words here to make it seem even more important. It can't just be the Main Office or the Front Office. But I keep my mouth shut and try to go with the flow. I have a feeling I'll be doing that a lot today. Ha! Good luck with that! My mouth always gets me into trouble.
A lady in a crisp black pantsuit with red hair all smoothly twisted up on top of her head gives me a cool smile.
"Hello, you must be Gracelyn." I smile and nod politely. "Here are the books and supplies you will need for your classes. This is your schedule, your handbook, and your map." She hands me a pile of papers and textbooks. The textbooks look brand new. The spines aren't even broken in. My old school had books from the fifties being held together by packing tape and dreams still in circulation.
"Thank you," I say placing them in my bag but keeping out my map and schedule. I look up to see a pleasantly surprised expression on her face.
"You're welcome. Miss Lowell, would you mind showing Miss Jacobs around?" She asks looking at Kennedy.
"On it, Ms. G." She grins looping arms with me and leading me out into the crowded halls. She shows me a giant library with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. It even has a few of those wheeled ladders. I did the Belle spin from Beauty and the Beast. I am notashamed. If ever there was a library specifically made for the spin it is this library.
"You a nerd too?" She asks.
"Unapologetically." I smile.
"Good. We can talk about books and movies together. What are you up to tonight?" She grins.
"I gotta run downtown and maybe hit the gym but that's about it. Oh! And I have to meet my grandparents." I remember.
"I was wondering if you wanted to hang out tonight. Maybe tomorrow?" She asks.
"Well, if you want to slum it with me tonight downtown you can." I smile.
"Okay, sounds good. I take it you have to pick up some stuff from your old place?"
"Nah. I got most of my stuff. I need to let some friends of mine know what's going on or they'll worry." I shrug.
"Got it. Yeah, sounds like a plan." She grins. I'm excited. Ray is going to love her.
It turns out Kennedy is in a few of my classes so we hang out and ignore the looks we're getting until lunch when she shows me to the cafeteria.
We make our way to the line and I pick up a dish of french fries and a soda. I hear an obnoxious gasp from behind me. I turn to see a tall blonde with fake tits. Who has a boob job at seventeen?
"Kennedy, who's your girlfriend?" She sneers. I glance at Kennedy who looks like she wants the floor to swallow her whole.
"Hi, I'm Grace." I smile.
"You're actually her girlfriend?" She gasps loudly attracting attention from the people around us. I shrug noncommittally and keep a sweet smile on my face.
"God, this place has gone to the dogs." She scoffs. "A bunch of fags just walking around like nothing is wrong. Unbelievable." Mysmile loses a bit of its sweetness as I step toward her. I lean in and whisper in her ear.
"It really has gone to the dogs if bitches like you are let out of their pens." I pull back with another sweet smile plastered on my face and watch her sputter with rage. I turn to Kennedy and loop my arm through hers. "C'mon, babe."
"You are my favourite person ever." She whispers.
