Page 13 of Fall From Grace

“What?” I looked up at her, still fidgeting with my fingers.

“You wanted to cheer so you can cheer for Noah?” Mom bent down and smiled all goofy in my face.

I smiled and pushed her away by her shoulder. “Mom, stop, no. Not exactly… just got boring last year with him gone all the time because of his sports.”

She nodded. “Come on, let’s go see if he’s still outside.”

He was. They were walking off the field as we walked through the parking lot. Dustin saw us first and tapped Noah’s shoulder. The thought of Dustin running his mouth to everyone made me a little nervous.

Noah raked his hand through his sweaty hair self-consciously before holding it up to tell Dustin to give him a minute. Dustin nodded but watched us the entire time.

He messed with his hair again once he stopped in front of us. Mom looked at me like she expected me to ask him but for some reason, I couldn’t stop thinking about the classroom incident earlier. He looked at me. “Hey, y’all looking for me?” He shook his head quickly. “Did I do something wrong…”

Mom laughed. “Noah, stop worrying.” He finally smiled and relaxed. “We came to see if you wanted to ride home with us, right Grace?” He looked at me again and I smiled.

“Yeah, I just got out of practice too,” I told him.

He messed with his hair again while looking down. “Yeah, let me go tell Dustin.” He took off running. He grabbed his backpack on the bench after telling him, it felt like he was getting the stink-eye from Dustin as he made his way back over to us.

I normally sat in the front seat with Mom on the way home, but I hopped in the back with Noah instead. I caught Mom’s eyes in the rearview mirror, and she was grinning again. I ignored her, though. Noah and I were always together. Why was she acting like things were different?

Noah pulled a water from his backpack and drank half of it. “Do you want a drink?” he offered.

I wasn’t thirsty but I was happy that he offered so I said, “Yeah,” and he handed me the drink. Once I handed it back, he immediately took another drink. His lips lingered for a while before he covered his mouth with his hand. His cheeks looked a little red, and there was something sheepish about his smile as he looked ahead.

“What are you up to Noah?” I asked right away.

He shrugged his shoulders.

He chose not to answer me until we were walking side by side inside the house. He made sure Mom was several feet away before leaning over and whispering into my ear, “You said you didn’t want to kiss me, Priss, but you just gave me an indirect one.”

He tapped his empty water bottled and laughed. He went on ahead of me.

My cheeks were hot. Noah made me feel funny that day.

I guess it wasn’t funny… more like a small burst of warmth spread through me.

Was Noah changing, or was I?

7

Grace age 11

Noah age 12

Grace’s body is changing. I’m always with her, I always notice. She’s tall but I’m taller now. It shouldn’t make me happy but it does. I’m the only guy that’s lucky enough to be close to her. I’m not afraid to hint around that no one’s to mess with her to the other boys in our class. It doesn’t mean that they’ll listen.

I wouldn’t listen if I were in their shoes either.

But my relationship with Grace, no one will ever compare.

I’m only a boy, but I know already with every new moment I spend with Grace, she’s my future. I just have to be someone that can take care of her. I’m my father’s son, instead of teaching me how to be a man, he’s taught me every way not to be.

I can’t give her wings, but I’ll make her heart soar, the moment she lets me.

I’m still waiting… to grow up.

N.P.