And that day was coming even before she knew it as the next couple of days went with relative ease as Grace started her daily physical therapy and occupied the rest of her time with homework or spending time with Elizabeth or Jake if they visited as Max had his first case back in court since all the drama happened so he was busy. Beth was spending her days taking the girls sight seeing the sights and history of Roswell and New Mexico to make up for their lack of education. She tried to forget that a decision would have to be made, but it was coming, and she knew it.
Finally, a day dawned that they didn’t expect how it would end when Grace had her usual physio appointment and Alexandra asked to go with her to keep her company. Grace said sure and asked if Beth minded her driving Alex around because Grace now was back behind the wheel and felt like a teenager for the first time in a few weeks.
“Sure, go ahead. Are you sure you want to go to her appointment? I know they can be boring for the visitors?” Beth asked.
“I am curious,” Alexandra asked. “Carrie wants to go shopping and I am bored with shopping, so I am curious what Grace is going through. If Grace doesn’t mind.”
“Sure, it is fine with me. It will be good to have some company” Grace murmured. “I plan to do some errands along the way…”
“If you want,” Beth said. “I can take Carrie shopping. And maybe we can meet up sometime along the way.”
“Yeah maybe,” Grace nodded as Max watched the three interact and knew things were still tense for his eldest as she dealt with a life she hadn’t known since she was a toddler and added to her was her limitations due to the attack. While Grace was making great progress, and she was getting more of her mobility back she also hated how she had to act like a human and heal normally and not be the alien hybrid she was in terms of how it was aiding her recovery. Max just was glad to have some semblance of family in his home. He realized how much he missed it over the years when it was just himself and Grace.
And yet he also knew it was ticking clock that was going to run out at sometime because one of these days Beth was going to go back to her old life, and he would have to deal with that heartbreak.
“Cool,” Alexandra smiled as she ran upstairs to get changed while Carrie talked non-stop about some gossip she heard.
Grace grabbed her bookbag as Alexandra came downstairs and saw her sister with it. “So, what are we up to?” she asked as she saw her sister work her chair down the ramp that existed and were attached to the front steps.
“My appointment is late this morning today, so I wanted to stop by and see Grandpa and Grandma Parker if you’re game. I also wanted to stop by school and drop off some papers and books at the library.”
“I would love to see the Crashdown,” Alexandra smiled of the eatery that was a lot of fun. “You’re actually wanting to go back to school? I thought you were on independent study for the remainder of term.”
“I am,” Grace said. “But I miss it. And plus, I had some extra papers I did for extra credit and I need to pass them in.”
“Extra credit, wow” Alexandra smiled. “Carrie would hate that.”
“It helps my goals,” Grace smiled as she had her sister help her into the driver seat of the car. “Are you sure you can handle putting that in the trunk,” she asked of the chair because she knew it was heavy. “We can put it in the backseat.”
“No, it’s fine” Alexandra assured her sister.
Once loaded, they were off to the high school. Alexandra felt it was strange to be in the car without her mother or sister. But she loved the comfortable car, and the sightseeing tour that Grace was showing. “When did you get this car?”
“Only a few weeks ago, for my birthday” Grace smiled.
“Wow,” Alexandra said. “It’s cool.”
“Yes, it is, but unfortunately due to the misfortune in this family… I haven’t had much time to test drive it” Grace murmured.
“They say it’s been one thing after another… Is that true?” Alexandra asked as she saw the high school in their view shot.
“It has been one disaster after another” Grace murmured.
“Are we a disaster?” Alexandra asked as Grace turned her head and face Alex and saw the concern on the teenager’s face.
“No, you are part of the better part of what has been going on. I am sorry if you think that but until a couple of a weeks ago, my life was dull. And now it’s a damn movie of the week, and so it’s taking some getting used to.”
“I guess you’re right about that…” Alexandra acknowledged as she thought of her own learning curve that she and Carrie along with their mother had to get used to over the last days. To find a biological father and older sister “It’s a life you only read in the books or one of Maria’s books.”
“I know,” Grace smiled. “I can’t imagine how this will help Aunt Maria’s writing in the coming months as she now has plenty of inspiration to take from” she perked up as they parked, and they saw another car that was instantly familiar.
Nearby Jake was on his cellphone in the front seat as he delayed going into the school building as he had dropped off his sister at Isabel’s boutique as she was working a few hours to help with inventory before she returned to school for her afternoon classes. Jake wasn’t feeling enamored to go into school but knew he couldn’t ditch so he was waiting as he was talking to Duncan who had officially skipped out on their classes.
Looking around he noticed the familiar red convertible nearby and two brunettes in the front seats. The day was looking brighter to him now, “Duncan I will talk to you later…” he said as he hangs up and opened the door while maneuvering his crutches to the ground so he could grab on one to get up as he used the other crutch the close the door.
“Well hello,” Jake smiled as he walked towards Grace’s car.
*
“Hello Jake,” Grace smiled as Alexandra got out of the car and made tracks to get the wheelchair out of the trunk. Jake couldn’t take his eyes of her sister and Alex sensed they something special, and something quite remarkable. Realizing what Alexandra was going to do. Jake maneuvered towards the teen.
“Do you need help? It’s Alexandra, right?”” Jake asked of the younger teenager who looked remarkably like Grace.
“I think I can manage it; especially given you are using crutches yourself…” Alex smiled. “And it’s actually not as difficult to lift.”
“If you say so,” Jake said as he smiled back Grace who was starting to be spotted by fellow students who could only gasp as Alexandra opened the wheelchair, and Grace maneuvered into the chair.
“I am surprised you don’t have a motorized one?” Jake asked. “I did during my brief time.”
“As far I am concerned, I am not going to be in this chair long…” Grace murmured as she saw the glances of other students. Jake noticed too and could only shake his head. “I am surprised you came to the school.”
“I had things to drop off,” Grace cracked.
“You could have asked me, or asked Elizabeth…” Jake said. “So, you didn’t have to experience the gossip hounds here at school” he murmured as he knew what it meant to be in the realm of gossip central and to show up, and in a wheelchair was only going to set off another round of rumors.
“It’s part of reclaiming my life,” Grace said. “I might be stuck at home and unable to come back due to my recovery, but it allows me to get around to show people I am actually alive and not on my death bed which I know was one of the rumors that was flying around the school.”
“Elizabeth has a big mouth,” Jake muttered.
“She likes to gossip herself,” Grace said. “So, she was only telling me what was actually happening here at school. I am fine Jake; I need to start to back to aspects of my life even if I can’t return to all of them yet.”
“I guess,” Jake said unsure.
“I am sure,” Grace said as she had Alex hold her bookbag as they walked and wheeled towards the school building.
“Wow Grace,” Kate Anderson asked as she saw her friend head towards the ramp. Alexandra helped by helping push the chair up the ramp. She knew her sister didn’t have the strength yet for the ramps. “We heard the stories…”
“It’s actually very tame,” Grace lied to her History classmate. “I wish I could come back, but the powers that be want me to concentrate on my recovery. But I had papers to drop off, and books to the library.”
“You’re fine, right?”
“I am peachy,” Grace smiled as they were noticed by more and more students. “I see I have been a popular topic.”
“The fact you had your accident, not long after Jake had his own misfortunate has only added to legend of the stories.”
Grace laughed.
“And then to have Tommy Ellis to disappear…” Daisy Walton asked as she walked up to the small group.
“He didn’t disappear,” Grace lied. “He ran away.”
“We know that is the story, but most don’t believe it,” Daisy commented as Grace saw Camryn in the distance and the senior looked over with shock to see Jake and Grace in a growing group of spectators. She approached.
“The authorities do,” Jake murmured as he knew only too well how it was not only Grace’s misfortune that had been topic number one in gossip central that was West Roswell High. It was the disappearance of Tommy. The authorities had announced the media that he was no longer a missing teen that he had left on his own. Although none of those who really knew the true facts believed it, nor did gossip central.
Alexandra was fascinated by the high school dynamic. It was so different from her private school back home. They had their cliques and gossip, but nothing to the extent that obviously existed at West Roswell. She couldn’t wait to see how high school was, come fall time.
“Which is who we should believe,” Jake added. “Grace has places to go, maybe we should move on.”
“Right,” Kate nodded as she and Daisy and others left as Camryn approached.
“Hello Cam,” Grace smiled.
“Wow Grace I didn’t expect to see you today.” Camryn asked.
“No one did I gather,” Grace cracked. “I wanted to drop off something before I have my physio appointment.”
“So how is it going?” Camryn asked as she saw how Jake was very close to Grace as if he was afraid something might go wrong. Sighing, she concentrated on one in the chair. “How is your recovery going?”
“It’s getting there every day,” Grace murmured.
“I am glad,” Camryn smiled as she noticed Alexandra and was struck by the resemblance between the two teenagers. “So, who is this?” she asked as she referred to the other teenager in their midst as Alexandra was still carrying Grace’s bookbag.
“Oh,”
“This is Alexandra” Grace smiled as she saw her younger sister. “Alexandra, this is Camryn. A friend, and she’s a senior like Jake.”
“Really,” Alexandra asked as she looked at Camryn and Jake and sensed a history between them and wondered if Grace was aware.
“Yup, graduation is approaching” Camryn cracked as she nodded at Jake as she knew the dilemma he was facing. “Right Jake?”
“Unfortunately,” Jake muttered as it was one more reminder that decision day was coming for his future. As much as he couldn’t wait to get of these doors and on to his next chapter, he wasn’t relishing the choices he would have to be made.
“Any acceptances or rejections yet?” Camryn asked.
“Nope,” Jake said a bit too quickly and Camryn caught it.
“Really, everyone seems to have heard from their schools one way or another” Camryn asked as she looked at Grace who became uncomfortable.
“We’re leave you to talk,” Grace said as she wanted to get away from any discussion about where he was going to be come fall time as it was a reminder that it was very likely going to be away from Roswell, and away from them. “Come on Alex, why don’t we get going on what I need to do.”
“Sure,” Alexandra nodded.
“Call me,” Jake said. “I don’t know if you remember those tickets, I got you for your birthday. The concert is Friday night, do you want to still go?”
“Sure,” Grace grabbed on to the diversion. “Yeah I remember, so yeah we’ll talk later” she murmured as she moved on with Alexandra while leaving a hobbling Jake to talk with his former girlfriend.
“Interesting,” Camryn commented as they watched the girls leave as she found Grace and Alexandra eerily similar in many ways that it was creepy.
“Don’t you start Cam,” Jake warned as he didn’t want to hear it from his ex-girlfriend what he might or might not be doing with Grace. “I got the tickets as a birthday present. Just friends, nothing more than that…”
“Only friends my ass,” Camryn murmured but moved onto another topic than her ex boyfriend’s love life.
“Yeah, what…” Jake asked as he hobbled to their first shared class of the day. “I can tell you want to say something to me, so, what is it?”
“So, about university” Camryn asked.
“Ughhh,” Jake murmured. “I don’t know what I would rather you ask than that. I told you I haven’t received any answers yet in terms of what school I am headed to come fall time.”
“And I think you’re lying” Camryn asked. “I know you Jake, and given I know even the lower graded students who are headed for university have gotten word, the idea you haven’t gotten any answers are a little farfetched given I know your grades despite your lousy attendance record would have gotten you into at least one of the schools you applied to.”
“It’s none of your business,” Jake muttered. “We’re through and you are dating Robert, right?”
“I am…” Camryn declared.
“Then wondering where I might be come September is none of your business. If it is, then I should be asking you, if you are you going to go to Michigan, or will you stay with Robert at one of his schools?” Jake asked as he turned around the subject which Camryn noted.
“Come on Jake, you know I am only curious, and I want you to be happy and I know you, you might be going through a lot with Grace and with that injury you have inflicted on yourself but the idea you have received no acceptances or rejections is farfetched. Grace might want to believe it, but I don’t.”
“Fine, I have gotten a few… are you happy?” Jake murmured as he thought of the envelopes and emails waiting his homecoming from the hospital. He had successfully managed to keep them from his parents’ eyes because he didn’t want to debate to start over where he should be going or not going.
“Only if you are,” Camryn asked. “So, what was the news?”
“So, I got into UCLA and NYU” Jake muttered. “Full rides” he murmured thinking of the full scholarships he received to the universities. But nothing even close to Roswell, where Grace was going to be for the next few years or even longer now that she had her mother back in her life. He doubted she would be wanting Yale or Harvard if she had a chance to know her mother and the idea he couldn’t have a fallback that wasn’t miles away annoyed him and now he was going to make the ultimate decision of what he wanted to do come fall time and if he went with his gut feeling than his parents were going to be furious. Grace might even be too.
“Wow, congratulations” Camryn remarked. “Your parents should be happy to know you have a choice.”
“Yeah,” Jake said. “If only they knew.”
“You haven’t told your parents. Why the heck not?”
“Because I don’t know what I want to do yet, and they will only pressure me to make a decision that I don’t want to make.” Jake murmured because as much as his mother groaned about him leaving home come September, he knew she would be thrilled to have the choice of UCLA or New York herself, as he knew one of the regrets his mother had was that she hadn’t been able to go to university. She found her life’s plan the hard way and she wanted all her kids to have the life she didn’t have, and he was so close.
“It’s university and your future Jake,” Camryn remarked. “Why would you hesitate?”
“I am not hesitating,” Jake murmured as they sat down in their mutual class together.
“Yes, you are, and you need to tell me why?”
“Fine, because I don’t even know if I want to go to university next year. I might want to take a year off, and go later…”
“God Jake,” Camryn murmured. “It’s Grace, you don’t want to leave her… And you’re willing up a great education for a girl?”
“It’s my life,” Jake said shutting down the conversation as the teacher came into the room.
“Yes, it is, I just hope you know what you’re doing” Camryn asked as the class began.
*
“So, who is Camryn?” Alexandra asked as a little while later they got back into Grace’s car. They had done the errands Grace had wanted to at the high school and now it was onto her therapy appointment.
“I told you, a classmate of Jake’s” Grace murmured as she worked to get out of the parking lot and headed over to the hospital.
“I sense they are more…” Alexandra asked. She loved the feel of the high school and wished she and her sister could have that when they started high school after years of being in a private school. It felt real to be around normal kids, in everyday clothes and dealing with life’s crisis of the moment. “Are they. Are you jealous?”
“No, I am not jealous” Grace groaned. “Okay, fine, they once dated but broke up. Camryn is dating someone else.”
“Wow,” Alexandra murmured. “And you are not jealous?”
“Of course not. Jake and I are only friends, and while he might be older and about to graduate, we are nothing more than friends and even if we were than I know Jake and Camryn have a past that is indeed in the past because I know she’s happy with her current boyfriend.”
“Are you sure?” Alexandra asked.
“Of course, I am,” Grace said as she murmured under, he breath that she was happy to see the rehab center of the hospital come into their view sight because she didn’t want to talk about what Jake might be to her.
“If you’re sure…” Alexandra teased as they parked and worked on getting Grace to her appointment.