Chapter 2
Jaime and I grew up together–literally, wearing matching diapers as toddlers.
Our families lived right across the hall from each other. When my mom and his were both pregnant, they used to joke about arranging our marriage before we were even born.
Ever since I could walk, I was always trailing after him.
When we started middle school, a few girls in my class constantly picked
on me.
They’d hide my homework, splash ink on my skirt, and purposely hit me with balls during gym.
The worst of them all was the class president, Bethany Lenner.
She once tossed my carefully crafted art project into the trash and laughed. “It’s so ugly anyway, the teacher wouldn’t even bother looking at it.”
With tears in my eyes, I went to the homeroom teacher.
She just patted my head and said, “Bethany’s the class president. She’s only trying to motivate you to do better.”
That night at dinner, I tried to hold back my tears as I ate.
My dad noticed something was wrong. He slammed his fork down, ready to march to school and set things straight.
10000
Chapter 2
Just then, Jaime’s father came by to invite my dad out fishing. When he heard what happened, he turned and yelled into the living room, “Jaime! Starting tomorrow, you’re walking Gracie to school!”
The next afternoon after class, Jaime kicked open the back door of our classroom.
He grabbed Bethany by the collar with one hand, dragged her up to the front, and in front of the whole class, demanded coldly, “You’re the one bullying Gracie?”
At 14, he was already a head taller than most teachers, and his glare could make even the toughest kids from the vocational school next door
cry.
Bethany shook like a leaf, and her little gang of friends fell completely
silent.
This book had been added on your bookshelf.
board wir an eraser, sending a
Before he left, Jaime tapped cloud of chalk dust into the morning sunlight.
“Listen up–Gracie’s under my protection.”
After that, no one dared mess with me again. And I stuck to Jaime like glue.
When he played basketball, I’d sit on the sidelines hugging his jacket. When he went to the internet café with his buddies, I’d perch on a little. stool nearby, doing my homework.
Can you
Jaime was always frowning and trying to shoo me away. “Gracie, please stop following me everywhere? My friends keep making fun of me
because of you.”
But I never cared.
Chapter 2
I’d swing my ponytail and press an ice–cold Coke to the back of his sunburned neck. “Jaime, drinks are on me today!”
Day after day, year after year, his gruff scolding slowly turned into helpless sighs.
At our college orientation party, I danced in a white dress.
When I came offstage, I saw him clutching my jacket, eyes darting everywhere, a suspicious blush coloring his cheeks.
“Have you stared long enough?” I teased, poking his chest.
He panicked and dropped his phone, fumbling three times before he finally picked it up. “W–Who was looking at you? I was watching the
emcee…
Later, at New Year’s dinner, our families started teasing, “Why not just make the engagement official for these two?”
Jaime didn’t say a word–he
just dropped some food on my plate.
I ducked my head, stifling a laugh.
That idiot–his ears were so red, they looked like they might bleed.
“I’m in!” I announced, raising my sauce–covered hand. “Jaime doesn’t mind, right?”
Jaime just smiled, took my hand, and carefully wiped it clean.
But fate had other plans for us the year we graduated.
68.18%
