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Chapter Twenty Four

"Would you bring me the sewing box in my cuboard please?" Mum asked from her sewing chair in the living room.

I agreed and slipped into her closet. It was a small closet, long, but wide enough just for her outfits to hang without brushing the door. I brushed past proper buisness suits, colourless flower prints. I stubbed my toe on something, gave a little yelp. Bending down, I picked up the sewing box. It was a dark wood, with a quilted pattern on the front. As I turned to leave, my hand ran against a silky texture.

The dress was far too small to fit my mother now, it was a teenager's dress. A cascade of deep red silk flowed to the floor. The top was bunched together, two beaded straps hung down over the dress, earthy brown beads and small shimmering silver ones that would grace the wearer's shoulders.

"Alice!" I snapped out of my thoughts as my mother's voice pierced the quiet. I dashed down the steps, handed her the sewing box at the bottom.

"Mum?" She looked up from the repair she was doing to a pair of black pants. "Who's dress is that in your closet? The red one?"

She smiled ruefully. "It was my prom dress."

I smiled back and rushed upstairs, thoughts of my mother, young, smiling, free of this burden, this pressure that held her shoulders tense, the red silk flowing down her legs, a handsome young man at her side.

Before I know it the dress was gently resting in my arms, and I was carrying it carefully up to my room on the third floor. I pulled off my jeans and t-shirt, undo a zip at the side of the gown. I hadn't brushed my hair for a few hours, it hung loose and slightly puffed around my shoulders. I stepped delicately into the dress, easing it around my body.

I thought quietly of Jimmy, a teenager, wearing a tux, greeting his girl. I straightened, maneuvered my arms into the beaded strap. My chest didn't quite fill out the front, but there was a gentle curve around my hips that the fabric subtly accented. The silk didn't shimmer, but it glowed where the light hit it.

My body slowly roatating, my thoughts wandered to Grey. I thought of his hair, his hands, his deep green eyes that looked straight into places I didn't know existed. It came like the fire that flares as a match is lit, I love him, I love him, and he is, and I am, and I want us to be together, I want feel those stong arms around me. Those full lips pressed against mine, and my body is aching, aching with this thing I didn't know exsisted.

I hugged myself. I wistfully slipped off the dress, touched the fabric lightly, changed back into my clothes. I wondered if Jimmy would have ever felt this way about a girl. And I realized, I understood, that Jimmy may or may not have felt like this if he were here, yet even though he isn't, I feel this way about Grey, and I love him, and I love him, and I love him.

Whoops!

Just wanted to say a quick sorry that Chapter Twenty Two and Twenty Three are switched, that's my fault.

Chapter Twenty Two

Dr. Fortin smiled and slowly removed the cast. She ran a finger down Mohawk's back. I looked at our little frog and I thought of how I loved that little guy, the stripe down his back, the way he let us pet him.

Grey smiled at me. I ignored my blushing cheeks as Dr. Fortin handed me the frog. I kissed his head gently. The cold, slightly clammy flesh sent small goosebumps up my spine, but I kissed the frog anyway before raising my hands up to eye level.

"Hey hot shot! You got your cast off little one," I cooed.

Chapter Twenty Three

I smiled sweetly at Blair and my mother. "I won't go anywhere, I promise," I pleaded as I fingered the phone in my pocket. I needed to get out of here, even if it was just for a minute. These people were frustrating me, I needed, craved, another person to talk to, just for a minute.

"You be back in five minutes or else." My mother glared mildly at me.

I slipped out of the door and into the restrooms, locking myself into one of the stalls. I leaned up against the wall and dialed Grey's number. It rang once, twice. Pick up. Please, I willed into the phone, I need you. His answering machine asked me to please leave a message after the tone. I didn't.

I strode back into Blair's office. They both smiled at me. "So Alice, how does it make you feel when your father misses dinner or an event important to you?" I had a burning desire to ask how much this quiz was worth, but I bit my tongue.

~

When I looked around the classroom before presentations, I had to admit that our project was one of the best. The poster was colourful and bright, the well-taken photos of Mohawk adding a nice touch.

I smiled at Grey. He smiled back. Alice! I yelled at myself as my stomach flipped, this is Grey you're looking at. I commented weakly on how well our project had turned out, how hard we had worked on it.

Looking at the project, I thought fondly of Mohawk, the brown stripe down his back, the little spot on his face. I felt the clammy way his skin was when you kissed his back .

Ms. Ven looked up at Grey at I, "Your turn to present Miss Hayes and Mr. Fortin."

Chapter Twenty One

I ran a finger along Mohawk's back, cooed and smiled before placing him back in his page. Grey looked up from the project and asked me how the family counseling went.

"Horrible thank you."

"Will it get better?"

"Yes, I think it will." I closed the frog's cage and smiled at Grey. He smiled back, one of those soft, warm smiles. I felt the blood rising to my cheeks and turned away, confused. I gingerly ran a finger along the side of my face. I couldn't honestly like a boy, like like him.

He stood up, putting away a pair of scissors as he did so. I pushed away any romantic feelings I had and walked him down the steps and out the door. The sun had set went I waved goodbye.

I went back upstairs, said goodnight to my mother and brushed my teeth. My father was still at work.

I snuggled, smiling, comfortable, into the thick duvet. The warm swallowed me, and I let myself fall into the bed, into the lure of the blankets, the Closing my eyes, the cozy moment of climbing into bed overwhelmed me. Smiling to myself, I tried to push away the thought of Grey's smile. I couldn't.

I went to sleep that night thinking about a boy different from the one I had spent many years dreaming about.