The Falling of Love Read Online Free Page A

on his face. “First of all, no! That’s the man’s job. Second, as if you ever would, Grace. You’ve got to be the shyest kid I have ever met!”
    “I’m not a kid, James,” she says, abruptly.
    “Oh yes, that’s right, you’re seventeen.” He laughs. “Girls should never make the first move. Now, you know I wanna know about this boy you like.”
    “It’s just Ian.” Grace says, attempting to hide how strong her feelings really are.

 
 
 
    Another boring lesson in math has Grace uninterested in the teacher’s lesson. She constantly finds herself staring at Ian and fantasizing about him asking her on a date. Again, she can feel his gaze burning through her and again, when she dares to look, he is not staring at her. Instead, he stares at Christina Perkins. Grace’s heart drops to her stomach and a lump forms in her throat. Christina Perkins! Are you freaking kidding me? If flames could come out of a person’s ears, Grace would have fire coming from hers. In that instant, her heart breaks.
    At lunch that day, Grace is more quiet than usual. Brandon and Michelle are going on about some new band they like, and Ian intently listens to them, while Grace tries to ignore everyone.
    Ian elbows her. “What’s wrong, Gracie?”
    She looks at him, her eyes filled with sorrow, and says nothing.
    “Hey, seriously, what’s wrong?”
    Grace notices that Ian’s words immediately grab Michelle’s attention. She gets up, grabs Grace’s arm, and leads her to the girls’ bathroom.
    “Okay, what’s up?” Michelle asks, in a concerned voice.
    Grace just looks at her emotionless. The only words she can get out are, “Christina Perkins! He likes her!”
    “No way! That skank? No way! She’s a total dirty slut! She’s not even pretty! How can you even see what she looks like through all that damn hooker makeup?”
    “Just stop, Missy,” Grace says, as she takes a deep breath. “If he likes her, he likes her. I just don’t get it.”
    Michelle calms down, helps Grace fix her hair, and they head back to the cafeteria.
    When they arrive back at their usual table, Brandon is sitting alone. Grace searches the cafeteria and spots Ian sitting at a table with Christina. She takes one look at this and runs out.
    Outside she finds herself at the old oak tree and slumps down against it. She is holding back her tears with all her might. Not one to express emotions, Grace hates crying. She always tries suppressing her feelings in front of others, so she doesn't appear weak, but she is having a harder time than normal keeping it together.
    “Hey.” Ian’s soft voice startles her. He sits next to her and elbows her. “What’s wrong, Gracie?”
    Looking at him, she is unable to disguise that he has broken her heart into a million pieces. She wants to rip his head off. “Nothing! Can you just leave me alone?”
    Ian looks surprised at how cold she is to him. “No, Gracie, I won’t. You’re my friend, and something is bothering you and I wanna help.”
    Grace huffs, and under her breath says, “Friend.”
    The expression on his face changes as his mouth sweeps up into a smile. Grabbing her by the chin he draws her face to his so that he is looking directly into her eyes. He smiles at her, and she gives him a dirty look. Suddenly he kisses her. She is stunned. Unable to move. She cannot think. She is convinced that her heart is going to beat out of her chest. Her natural reaction is to kiss him back. This is only her third kiss in her seventeen years of life, and so far, it is the winner for the best kiss.
    “Why were you sitting with Christina?” she asks, still feeling the effects of his kiss.
    “She called me over to ask me a math question. Is that what got your panties in a wad?”
    “Well—”
    “I don’t like her, Grace.”

Chapter 2

 
    That Friday night, Grace nervously puts on her lip gloss as she checks herself over in her bathroom mirror. She looks down at her hands, and they are