Fallen From Grace

by Heather D'Agostino

  “Is this more weekend attire?” Grace asked boldly.

  “Yeah,” Justin chuckled. “This is…I just got out of bed and somebody called me asking me to hurry, attire.”

  “Sorry about that,” Grace’s face flamed again. “I’m just glad you could come.”

  “It’s no problem…really…I’m glad you called,” Justin turned so his back was to Grace and leaned over to grab the pile of wet towels.

  While he stood there gathering them, Grace took the time to truly admire him. He was wearing a pair of black mesh shorts that hung low. His lean upper torso was covered in a white undershirt that was currently wet and plastered to his body. His sandy brown hair was messy, and sticking up in every direction. Something was missing, though, and she couldn’t quiet place it.

  “Which way to the laundry?” Justin called bringing her out of her daze.

  “Second door on the left,” Grace called. “I’ll get you a towel and you can clean yourself up, too.”

  “Sounds good,” he nodded.

  After stuffing the wet towels into the washer, Justin grabbed the last remaining dry one, and escaped into the hall bath. Hannah finally emerged from her room after that, grinning in satisfaction.

  “What took you so long, and what are you so happy about?” Grace rolled her eyes.

  “You…do you see how you’re acting? It’s the old you, at least part of her. I missed this Grace,” Hannah wrapped her friend in a hug. “Give these to Justin, he can wear them until his dry,” she handed Grace a pair of shorts. “They’re Matt’s, I don’t have a shirt though.”

  “Hey thanks…it’s better than nothing, right?” Grace grinned as she took the shorts from Hannah’s hands.

  Grace made her way back down the hall and knocked on the bathroom door, “I have some dry shorts for you, Justin.”

  Justin opened the door, surprising both Hannah and Grace. He was standing there in nothing but a towel. Grace’s mouth went dry as her eyes scanned down his body. His rippled chest and washboard abs were staring right at her. Hannah giggled and bumped her in the back bringing her out of her daze.

  “Here,” she handed him the shorts. “We’ll be in the living room.”

  “Alright, I’ll be out in a minute,” he grinned.

  As Justin pulled the shorts on, he silently thanked whatever karma was doing for him. He’d been waiting for a chance to be part of Grace’s life outside of school, and the universe seemed to agree with him. Grace looked so cute standing there in her sleep shorts and sweatshirt. The fact that she seemed enamored by him didn’t go unnoticed, either.

  When he walked out into the living room, the girls were sitting on the couch talking. As he stepped into the room, the floor squeaked announcing his presence.

  “Thanks for all your help,” Hannah sighed as she slumped back. “I’ll fix you some breakfast in a minute.”

  “It’s not a problem,” Justin waved his hand in the air.

  “I couldn’t figure it out until now,” Grace suddenly announced.

  “What?” both Hannah and Justin answered.

  “What’s different,” Grace shrugged. “You’re not wearing your glasses.”

  “I left in a hurry,” he cocked his head to the side. “You’re lucky I had clothes on. You called me when I was still in bed,” he teased. “Besides…I can see without them, just not good enough to drive. I walked here.”

  “Oh,” Grace nodded and blushed yet again as she took in a shirtless Justin.

  Justin moved to sit down next to Grace as Hannah stood to go cook something for breakfast. Once she had rounded the corner, leaving Grace and Justin alone, he turned and smiled at her. Grace scanned the bare chest next to her, and then averted her eyes. She couldn’t believe herself. What was wrong with her? She never ogled guys so openly.

  “See something you like?” Justin teased.

  “Uh,” Grace darted her eyes around the room trying to look at anything other than him.

  “I was a swimmer in high school,” he chuckled as he watched her face redden even more. “That’s why I have such a fabulous body.”

  “Puullllease,” Grace groaned.

  “You can deny it all you want, but I know you were staring,” he leaned in next to her almost touching, but leaving a sliver of space between them.

  Grace could feel the heat of his body next to her, and it made her shiver. Not in fear so much as something else. Something she couldn’t quite place…was it desire?

  Justin’s smile widened as he watched the tremor run up her body. He leaned in and whispered, “Am I making you nervous?”

  “No…not at all,” she stammered.

  “It’s ready,” Hannah called from the kitchen unknowingly breaking up some of the most powerful sexual tension Grace had felt in years.

  “Coming,” Grace called as she popped up off the couch and took several deep breaths trying to calm herself.

  Justin smirked as he watched her stumble her way into the kitchen. He found a small amount of satisfaction that he was affecting her the same way she affected him. Now all he needed to do was get her to admit it.

  A date was in order…yep a date was the next step.

  Chapter 10

  “So, who knew he looked like that under all those clothes?” Hannah nudged Grace in the side as they walked across campus.

  “Huh?” Grace’s head snapped up in her friend’s direction.

  “Are you even listening to me?” Hannah sighed.

  “Yeah, sorry,” Grace shook her head as if she were clearing it.

  “What’s going on? You seem distracted today,” Hannah pulled them to a stop in front of the law library.

  “It’s nothing really. I just…I like him, and I guess I don’t really know how to deal with that,” Grace hung her head and toed the ground.

  “That’s not a bad thing,” Hannah smiled softly. “He likes you…it’s obvious.”

  “Yeah…well, I haven’t heard anything from him since he fixed the sink five days ago. He hasn’t shown up to study, or call me, or anything,” Grace mumbled dejectedly.

  “He’s probably busy,” Hannah shrugged. “Just give it time. It’s a good thing that this is going slow.”

  “Yeah…you’re right,” Grace offered a weak smile. “I’ll see you later,” she turned and walked up the steps, disappearing into the library.

  ooooooooo

  “I assume you haven’t had any more mishaps in the kitchen since I haven’t heard from you lately,” Justin smirked as he tossed a folder onto the table.

  Grace’s head shot up, and a grin spread across her face, “No…they hired a new handyman.”

  “You didn’t like the old one?” Justin countered.

  “Nah, he was ok, but this new one is so much better,” Grace giggled and blushed.

  She couldn’t believe she was flirting like this. What had gotten into her? Justin watched her cheeks turn a lovely shade of pink as he observed her trying to shrink down under the table. She seemed so nervous, but he liked this side of her. It was like he’d finally broken through the outer layer of whatever was keeping them apart.

  “So, I was thinking…” Justin stumbled over his words.

  “That could be dangerous,” Grace quipped.

  “Oh stop,” he nudged her under the table with his toe. “I was thinking that maybe you might want to... I don’t know... like maybe…”

  “What?” Grace huffed. “Spit it out.”

  “Do you like movies?” Justin decided to try another tactic.

  He didn’t know what was wrong with him. He never got nervous around girls like this. Grace brought out the fifteen year old version of himself that was worried about being turned down. He sat there waiting for her to answer as he glanced around and pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger.

  “Sure,” Grace shrugged, and smiled at his awkwardness. “Who doesn’t?”

  “Well…there’s a new theatre that just opened up down the street from my place. I was thinking a
bout catching a movie tomorrow night. I was wondering if you might want to come along?” he huffed as he slumped back in his seat.

  That sounded so lame, he thought to himself. What was wrong with him? He was twenty five, he shouldn’t be having such a hard time asking out a girl.

  “Umm,” Grace stammered as she glanced around avoiding eye contact.

  “It wouldn’t be a date…unless you want it to be,” he trailed off to almost a whisper.

  Grace swallowed and looked down into her lap as she twisted her fingers together, “Do I get to pick the movie?”

  Justin’s head snapped to her direction, “Sure…if you want to.”

  “It can be a date, then,” she giggled. “As long as I get to pick the movie, it can be a date.”

  “Sounds good,” Justin gave her a wink, and then proceeded to dive into his work.

  The casual observer would have never known the excitement that was flowing through the two of them as they sat there deep in thought. Both Grace and Justin were so good at hiding it that one would think they were actually studying. Books were strewn all over the table, papers stacked in neat piles, and both heads were buried in their respective books. No one would know that deep down both were giddy with anticipation. Both were so wrapped up in what the next night could hold that they failed to realize they had an audience.

  From behind one of the stacks in the library, Riley James stood observing his best friend awkwardly ask out the girl he’d only heard about. As he watched the two of them skirt around each other, he began to sense something familiar about this girl. He wasn’t sure if it was the way she talked, or the way she carried herself, but there was something familiar, and he just couldn’t place it. Something he would later realize when he met her face-to-face for the second time.

  ooooooooo

  “So, what do you want to see?” Justin glanced to the side as they walked along the street.

  He’d picked Grace up at her apartment, but it was such a nice evening the two had decided to walk to the theatre.

  “I don’t know…” she glanced up at him. “What kind of movies do you like?”

  “I thought you were picking? We don’t have to see something that I like. I’m just happy to be going with you,” he smiled down at her. “But since you asked…I like action flicks.”

  “So you would enjoy the new Die Hard movie then, or the newest Fast and Furious,” she shrugged and tried to act nonchalant.

  “Sure,” he grinned at her. He could see she was fighting hard to hold back her giddiness. “Either of those sound good, but I thought you were going to pick something that you liked?”

  “I am,” she grinned. “But I just wanted to know for the future.”

  “You’re such a tease,” he poked her in the side.

  Without even realizing it, Grace tensed, and stopped walking. You’re such a tease, echoed in her head. Her face paled, and she began to second guess this whole date thing. Justin stopped and glanced behind himself where Grace was now rooted to the sidewalk.

  “What’s wrong?” he scrunched his brow as he took in her shocked appearance.

  Grace shook her head, “Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.”

  “What?” Justin gasped.

  “I just…I don’t want…” Grace’s face twisted as she thought about how she would explain this.

  “Did I do something wrong?” Justin walked to her and lifted her chin to look at him. “Hey…what is it?” he begged.

  “I’m not a tease,” she mumbled, almost too quiet for Justin to hear.

  Justin’s face fell as he took in her worried expression, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “I just…I don’t want you to think…” she trailed off.

  “I don’t think anything. It was a slip, an honest mistake. I’m sorry. I know you’re a nice girl, Grace. I don’t think anything bad about you,” he offered her a soft smile as he released her chin and reached for her hand. “Come on…you’ve got a movie to choose.”

  Grace nodded and released a breath. She could do this. He didn’t mean anything by what he’d said. He didn’t know her history. He didn’t know why she had reacted the way she did. She knew deep down that if he had known, he never would have said it.

  ooooooooo

  When they approached the theatre, Grace looked up in wonderment. This was not your typical movie theatre. Instead of being a random building, it was set between several other stores. Only the front was visible. There was an oversized marquee overhead with small white lights lining it. It looked like one of the signs you’d see down near the Broadway theatres. The names of the movies graced the board in large black lettering announcing the times and ratings. To the right side of the main door was a ticket office. It had the cute little speaker in the window for the ticket sales girl. Behind the glass, the girl selling the tickets was in a uniform, complete with a pillbox style hat. This brand new theatre was right out of the nineteen fifties. You would never know that it was new.

  “Two for…” Justin glanced over at Grace. “What are we seeing?”

  “The new Fast and Furious,” Grace giggled as Justin’s face spread into a grin.

  “You heard the lady,” Justin handed the ticket girl a wad of cash.

  “Enjoy the show,” she smiled back as she handed him the tickets.

  Once inside, Justin led them over to the snack counter, and began scanning the menu listing the combos.

  “What can I get you?” a young guy stopped in front of them.

  “Large popcorn and soda…” he glanced over at Grace. “Do you want diet?”

  “Doesn’t matter,” she giggled. “What’s a few extra calories?”

  “You’re my kinda girl,” he grinned.

  “Do you want butter on that?” the guy asked.

  “Yeah, drown it,” Justin and Grace answered at the same time and then both erupted into laughter.

  “You know…you can upsize the combo and get any candy on the bottom shelf for two dollars more?” the sales guy was pulling out all the stops.

  “You want candy?” Justin glanced at Grace, waiting to see what she’d pick. He was amazed at how much they seemed to have in common already.

  “Um, the Raisinets?” Grace answered as if it was a question.

  “You,” Justin tossed his arm around her shoulders loosely and smiled, “are the woman of my dreams.”

  “Really?” Grace joked.

  “You like the same things I do. Why do you think it’s impossible for me to not notice that?” he grinned at her as he paid for their snacks, grabbed a stack of napkins, and began leading her into the theatre.

  Once they were seated, Grace grabbed the candy and began popping pieces into her mouth. She wasn’t real sure what to do with her hands, and Justin had gotten quiet.

  He popped a piece of popcorn into his mouth and gave her a sideways glance, shaking his head.

  “What?” she mumbled around a piece of chocolate.

  “I’m just surprised by your movie choice,” he chuckled. “Every time I think I’ve got you figured out, you blow my mind again.”

  “Because I picked a movie you might like?” she glanced at him out of the corner or her eye as she tried not to grin.

  Justin rolled his eyes as he shifted in his seat. He gave her a look that said “well duh” without even uttering a word.

  “I get to see Vin Diesel with his shirt off, and you get to see cars racing. It’s a win/win situation,” she shrugged as if to say “well duh” right back to him.

  Justin shook his head as he settled back in his seat, “I’m glad you agreed to come.”

  Before she could answer back, the theatre began to darken as the previews started to flash up on the screen. As the movie progressed, Grace slowly shifted closer and closer to Justin. Both seemed to be hyperaware of where the other was and not sure how to communicate what they wanted. Justin always had the sense that Grace was afraid of him. He had no idea why and thought maybe she just lacked experience i
n the dating world. Every once in a while she would surprise him, though, with an action or something she would say. It confused the hell out of him, but he was in so deep now he knew he couldn’t give up on her if he tried.

  Grace slid further to her left until she was pressed right up on Justin’s side. When a loud explosion echoed through the theatre, she jumped and pressed into him harder. Deciding to take a chance, Justin lifted his right arm and wrapped it around her, effectively pulling her into his side tighter. When she didn’t flinch, but instead burrowed further into his side, he relaxed and began skimming his fingers along her shoulder. Grace tensed at first, but then sighed when she felt the strong muscles of Justin’s chest press against her. When another loud bang rippled through the theatre, she turned her face into his chest, and gripped his shirt in her fist.

  Justin chuckled lightly as he whispered into her ear, “I guess it’s good we didn’t see something scary, huh?”

  Grace was secretly wondering if he liked the fact that she was pressed against him so tightly. She was thankful for the darkened theatre because at the moment she was sure that she was blushing.

  When she didn’t answer him, Justin added, “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I kinda like this.”

  Grace grinned at his admission. They both seemed to be emboldened with the darkness surrounding them.

  “Me, too,” she whispered as she turned her head away from him.

  Justin wanted to kiss her so bad his entire body was on fire. She seemed so timid earlier and here she was admitting to him that she liked what he was doing. He couldn’t figure her out. He was always so on point in the court room. Always one step ahead of the defense. But when he was spending time with Grace, he always felt like he was one step behind. She was a case he couldn’t seem to crack. His confidence wavered every time he was with her, and he seemed to be always second guessing himself.

  Deciding to take the plunge and stop overthinking things, he shifted slightly and reached to tug her chin in his direction. Grace knew what was coming, she knew he wanted to kiss her. It was in his body language, in his eyes, and in his strained voice when he would whisper something in her ear. She wondered how it would change things between them if she let him. Would he think differently of her? Would he think she was easy? Was she sending him a message? He’s one of the good guys. He puts the bad guys in jail. Hannah’s words rang loud and clear through Grace’s head.