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copyright@2004
Grace doesn’t do well with words, especially the type that would make other people hem and haw or say things like, “Isn’t that just so sweet?” It’s not her thing. She spent years making sure that it wasn’t her thing...so what exactly did Luke Girardi think he was doing? She sighed, trying not to meet his gaze because she knew he was waiting for a response, waiting for her to throw her arms around him and...
She might barf.
Instead, she stated, “Girardi, I don’t do well with overdone declarations.”
“Saying, ‘I love you’ is not an overdone declaration. It’s not like I serenaded you with a ukulele in front of the school.”
Grace glared at him and continued walking down the street. She called over her shoulder, “Because you would die. And there would be no more making out...ever!”
“Grace!” Luke shouted, hurrying to catch up with her. He couldn’t help but wonder why he bothered sometimes. Was he a masochist? He knew she cared about him and wasn’t so much offended by his declaration as freaked out, but she made it so hard to be a part of her life. Test after test.
She stopped abruptly, as though his thoughts had bounced off him and hit her full force, and spun around to face him. She shook her head and replied, “I knew this thing was a mistake.”
“Why? Because then you’d have to admit that you actually had feelings?”
“Shut up, Girardi. It’s just like you to make a big deal out of this stuff.”
“I thought you should know how I felt.”
“I’m a pretty astute girl. I figured it out when you showed up at the anarchist meeting.”
Luke was about to reply, but stopped when Grace’s words sunk in. His face flushed and he stammered, “You knew? But...how...that’s not—“
“Sorry to burst your bubble, but your poker face sucks, Girardi. An infant’s better at bluffing than you,” Grace countered. She glanced at him before focusing on the ground and mumbled, “And maybe I overreacted a little.”
“A little?”
“This thing between us wasn’t supposed to happen.”
“A little?” Luke repeated.
Grace hit him in the arm and said, “I’m sorta glad this--"
"Relationship?"
"Thing," she countered, more to irritate him. She grinned and went on, "This thing did happen and it's not completely unbearable, but talking about it – can we please avoid going the route of Rove and your sister? I don’t want to end up doodling your name in little hearts. I’d have to kill myself.”
Luke cracked a smile and said, “I prefer we avoided that too, actually. I’m not sure I like the idea of dating someone who turns into my sister. That’s a little sick.”
“So we’re cool?” Grace questioned. When Luke nodded, she smiled and leaned in for a kiss. For once, not caring if anyone on the street saw them. Well, not at first.
{Fin}