our attention back to the TV. I was satisfied with our talk, but still saddened. I couldn't blame the kids for the way they acted, but I could blame their parents. So much hate over college football. It was ridiculous.
A few hours later, we all decided to go for ice cream. Grace was dying to ride in Roxy's car, so it was the perfect opportunity. Roxy drove and I let Grace ride up front. The back seat wasn't as small as I thought it would be.
“ Oh my god!” Grace squealed as she looked around the car. “It's so beautiful.”
I couldn't help but laugh. “Grace, it's just a car.”
She gasped. “It is not just a car. It is my dream car. One day, I will have a car like this. Except mine will be yellow... or red. I haven't decided yet.”
“ I like orange,” Aaron said, proudly. “It Auburn's colors.”
“ I'd rather go to Florida,” she admitted. “It's warmer, and the guys are hotter. I'm so over Alabama guys.”
“ She's just mad cause Chad dumped her for Jennifer,” Aaron rolled his eyes. I couldn't help but laugh. He had to learn that from Grace. “And Chad is going to Auburn. She doesn't want to go anywhere near him.”
“ He didn't dump me for her!”
“ Wait, so you're basing your college decision around a guy?” I asked.
She sighed. “I was in love with him, and he cheated on me. I don't think I'll ever recover. This is going to affect every relationship I have for the rest of my life. Seeing him around my college campus certainly isn't going to help me recover. The damage is irreversible.”
“ You have 3 years of high school left. Between now and then, lots of boys will come and go,” Roxy said. I could tell she was trying not to laugh at how dramatic Grace was. “You have to do what's best for you.”
“ I hope not too many,” I added. “But Roxy is right. Heartbreak is part of life. You'll probably break some hearts yourself.”
Grace seemed happy. “You know what, you're right. I just have to break their heart before they break mine.”
“ That's not what I meant.”
“ How many hearts did you break?” Grace asked Roxy.
“ I've actually never had a boyfriend,” she admitted.
As she confessed this, I'm pretty sure everybody in the car was looking at her with their mouths open. Grace was the one to speak. “Seriously? But you're... hot...”
Roxy's cheeks were turning red. She quickly turned the subject away from her. “What about you, Aiden? How many hearts have you broken?”
“ None,” I answered quickly.
Grace laughed. “Pu-lease. He broke so many hearts that they almost renamed the town Heartbreak, Alabama.”
“I went through a... stage... for a little while.” I gave Grace a look that said shut up, or I will hurt you.
“ But don't worry, he won't break your heart,” Grace told her. “He likes you too much to do that.”
The car fell into an awkward silence. I silently plotted my revenge for Grace.
“Well, I'm going to go to Auburn and play football just like you,” Aaron said proudly. And just like that, the awkwardness was gone. I'd have to thank him later.
EIGHT
ROXY
I was sad to leave Aiden's house on Sunday night, and I could tell that he too didn't want to leave. I had a lot of fun hanging out with his family. Before leaving, Grace gave me a hug. I liked her. She was the little sister that I never had. Sure, she was a little crazy, but she was fun.
“ I love your family,” I told him as we drove out of Shady Grove Trailer Park .
“ They love you, too. Especially Grace,” he smiled. “I'm really glad you could come with me.”
“ Me too.” I meant it. “It was a lot of fun.” I wanted so badly to ask Aiden why he invited me. I thought after my panic attack Friday night that he would never speak to me again. I was glad that I was wrong. “So, why did you invite me?” I finally asked. My voice was shakier than I thought it would be. So much for being brave.
“ I...” he cut off. I could see the look of uncertainty on
A few hours later, we all decided to go for ice cream. Grace was dying to ride in Roxy's car, so it was the perfect opportunity. Roxy drove and I let Grace ride up front. The back seat wasn't as small as I thought it would be.
“ Oh my god!” Grace squealed as she looked around the car. “It's so beautiful.”
I couldn't help but laugh. “Grace, it's just a car.”
She gasped. “It is not just a car. It is my dream car. One day, I will have a car like this. Except mine will be yellow... or red. I haven't decided yet.”
“ I like orange,” Aaron said, proudly. “It Auburn's colors.”
“ I'd rather go to Florida,” she admitted. “It's warmer, and the guys are hotter. I'm so over Alabama guys.”
“ She's just mad cause Chad dumped her for Jennifer,” Aaron rolled his eyes. I couldn't help but laugh. He had to learn that from Grace. “And Chad is going to Auburn. She doesn't want to go anywhere near him.”
“ He didn't dump me for her!”
“ Wait, so you're basing your college decision around a guy?” I asked.
She sighed. “I was in love with him, and he cheated on me. I don't think I'll ever recover. This is going to affect every relationship I have for the rest of my life. Seeing him around my college campus certainly isn't going to help me recover. The damage is irreversible.”
“ You have 3 years of high school left. Between now and then, lots of boys will come and go,” Roxy said. I could tell she was trying not to laugh at how dramatic Grace was. “You have to do what's best for you.”
“ I hope not too many,” I added. “But Roxy is right. Heartbreak is part of life. You'll probably break some hearts yourself.”
Grace seemed happy. “You know what, you're right. I just have to break their heart before they break mine.”
“ That's not what I meant.”
“ How many hearts did you break?” Grace asked Roxy.
“ I've actually never had a boyfriend,” she admitted.
As she confessed this, I'm pretty sure everybody in the car was looking at her with their mouths open. Grace was the one to speak. “Seriously? But you're... hot...”
Roxy's cheeks were turning red. She quickly turned the subject away from her. “What about you, Aiden? How many hearts have you broken?”
“ None,” I answered quickly.
Grace laughed. “Pu-lease. He broke so many hearts that they almost renamed the town Heartbreak, Alabama.”
“I went through a... stage... for a little while.” I gave Grace a look that said shut up, or I will hurt you.
“ But don't worry, he won't break your heart,” Grace told her. “He likes you too much to do that.”
The car fell into an awkward silence. I silently plotted my revenge for Grace.
“Well, I'm going to go to Auburn and play football just like you,” Aaron said proudly. And just like that, the awkwardness was gone. I'd have to thank him later.
EIGHT
ROXY
I was sad to leave Aiden's house on Sunday night, and I could tell that he too didn't want to leave. I had a lot of fun hanging out with his family. Before leaving, Grace gave me a hug. I liked her. She was the little sister that I never had. Sure, she was a little crazy, but she was fun.
“ I love your family,” I told him as we drove out of Shady Grove Trailer Park .
“ They love you, too. Especially Grace,” he smiled. “I'm really glad you could come with me.”
“ Me too.” I meant it. “It was a lot of fun.” I wanted so badly to ask Aiden why he invited me. I thought after my panic attack Friday night that he would never speak to me again. I was glad that I was wrong. “So, why did you invite me?” I finally asked. My voice was shakier than I thought it would be. So much for being brave.
“ I...” he cut off. I could see the look of uncertainty on
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