Twisted Reality: The Grace and Katie Project
Episode Two: Grace and Katie?
...written by Mr. TVM
Copyright © 2009
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters created by Ed Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz and are copyrighted to them, with exception of the original characters that are credited to me. I am borrowing their incredible creation to tell this story. So any reposting or archiving without written permission is an infringement on the copyright of this series. In other words You damn well better ask before you steal it.
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Summary: In the ALL NEW 2nd episode of 'Twisted Reality: The Grace and Katie Project', the Mr. Dimitri inspired invite to see 'Wylan Keller and the Alley Cats' takes a twist when Grace takes over the point of view. Detailing her feelings on Katie and the proposed 'Wylan Keller and the Alley Cats' concert invite. All of this though takes a back seat, temporarily, when Grace is confronted by a mysterious girl who seems to delight in spreading rumors on Grace's new friend. Will this change how Grace feels about her 'date' with Katie?"
Rating: PG-13
Added On: 05/11/09
Starring: Katie Singer (Mischa Barton), Grace Manning (Julia Whelan), Sarah Grasser (Sarah Lind), Jessie Sammler (Evan Rachel Wood),
Guests Stars: Tad Pincus (James Lafferty), Wylan Keller (Band Leader)
Grace says...
It's weird how one moment in your life, or in this case a series of moments, can give you so much hope and even a little desire. The moment I speak of for me occurred earlier in the day. See I've been crushing on this girl, names Katie Singer, forever. So today just before drama class I got a chance to actually talk to her. Cori Tyler and Joanna Christianson, her two goofy friends, were wrestling and knocked her down and I helped her up. She's so adorable in a way no one I've ever known.
The big moment was later though, when she actually asked me out. Well, not so much on a date, but she asked me to a concert downtown. I could almost jump out of my skin in excitement. I know I shouldn't like her, she's a girl and from rumors kinda wild. But she just draws me to her. Like the wind through a tree it just has no way to resist and if she even gives me a hint of a chance tonight I'm gonna take it. Screw what everyone thinks, I'm going for it. Speaking of what people think, one of the 'people' is my nosey step-sister Jessie.
"What's got you so goofy happy?" Jessie asked me as she walked up from down the hall and spotted me leaned against my locker daydreaming about Katie. Her boyfriend Tad loafing behind her.
"Nothing" I said as I closed my locker.
"I bet she's got a date with Katie" Tad commented as Jessie looked to him, I froze as he explained about exactly what had gone on earlier in Mr. Dimitri's drama class.
"So you dreaming about Katie Singer huh Grace?" Jessie asked with a knowing smile.
"Back off Jessie" I said, "Me and Katie are just friends."
"Hey, if you like her it's cool with me" Jessie said as she touched my arm. "Go for it."
"Yeah lesbians are hot" Tad said as I glared at him.
"Shut up" Jessie said as she looked back at him.
"I got class I'll see ya after school" I said as I walked off and left Jessie standing there with her idiot boyfriend. What exactly does she see in that male version of a blond airhead? He's dumber than rock dust and serves no purpose other than an occasional stupid joke that might be funny. Most of the time he's just embarrassing and can be mean too. She could so do better than him.
A few hours later...and back at my locker...
"Are you Grace Manning?" A girl with glaring eyes asked me as I stood at my locker putting books in. "Are you?"
"Yeah, who wants to know?" I asked as she sort of half-smiled and uttered the words that I never thought I'd hear in reference to me.
"Damn, you're hot" She said with a smile and I swear she wanted to flirt with me before her eyes went cold again.
"Excuse me?" I asked in stunned disbelieve. I would eventually be able to convince myself that she indeed never said it. One of my many hidden talents.
"Nothing, are you going out with Katie Singer tonight?" She asked in a rushed tone.
"We're sort of, kinda friends, so yeah" I said as she seemed to now be mad as hell. "She invited me to see some band at a club downtown."
"Do you know she's gay?" She asked me with a victorious smile and I nearly fainted. I mean I had heard rumors about her sexuality, which to be honest is kinda what drew me to begin crushing on her in the first place. But no one had actually confirmed those wonderful rumors until this point and this girl seemed to think this was some kinda of horrible thing that would drive me away from Katie. I feel sorry for her and her warped delusions, but this only made me wanna go more than ever. Course I'd never in a million years tell her that.
"No, I didn't" I said calmly as my heart raced and I made mental notes for tonight on how to subtly let Katie know I was very much interested.
"Well if I was you I'd stay away from her" She said, "You don't wanna end up being involved in that cycle of rumors with her."
"You know what? You're right" I said as I closed my locker and walked off before stopping and seeing her smiling victoriously as I turned back. "You get some kinda kick out of fuckin with her?"
"Huh?"
"You heard me" I said, "You're smiling like you just got what you wanted."
"Whatever" She said as she turned and walked off and I caught a name finally. It was on her back pack, a tag that read, "Sarah Grasser."
"Sarah Grasser?" I asked myself, "Where have I heard that before?"
I studied on that question for the rest of the day until it just started bugging the heck out of me as to why I couldn't figure it out. I knew I had heard that name in the past and the more I studied on it the more I got frustrated as to why I couldn't figure it out. I missed most of the last class of the day, day dreaming, so to speak. Mercifully school finally wrapped and I made my escape, while waiting for Jessie in the parking lot, I again spotted her coming out of the school. This time she stopped and looked at me for a long moment, not a menacing stare just a simple smile on her face and in that moment I found myself melting slightly in her gaze. My eyes locked on hers, I felt drawn to her in that moment, but couldn't bring myself to walk the few yards that would have brought me to her. I swear I think she was going through the same thing as she seemed to flinch in my direction as the moment faded and she walked off in the opposite direction. Damn, that girl has haunting eyes I thought as I blushed and smiled as I turned and almost fainted when I saw Katie standing behind me.
"My ex giving you the stare down routine?" Katie asked and for a long moment I had no idea what she was talking about. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks, she was talking about Sarah, that was her ex-girlfriend, and the other name in those rumors that floated earlier in the year about a lesbian couple. "Some charmer she is huh?"
"Yeah, amazing eyes" I said as I covered my mouth and hoped she hadn't heard that. "I mean, she could really make you feel...things with her eyes."
"I guess" Katie said, "Wait now that I think about it, you weren't exactly giving her a dirty look when I walked up."
"I don't believe in hating people I don't know, like you" I said as Katie gave me that adorable smile that I loved. "I heard a lot of things about you and it didn't stop me from going out with you."
"Huh?" She asked and stepped back. "You mean tonight is a date or did you mean like going out as friends?"
"I have such a big mouth" I said as she laughed and leaned back against the car, our shoulders now touching. "You know I'm gay, right?"
"Yeah, I do, your charming ex confronted me today and seemed to like the fact that she told me that" I said.
"That's Sarah, you cross her and she can be evil" Katie said, "So if you want, you can back out now."
"I'm driving" I said as I showed her the car keys. "If I can get the car, cross your fingers."
"Seriously?" She asked with a smile.
"Yeah, you obviously took a big chance on asking me and I'm not gonna just run away from this, cause you're being gay is not the surprise you think it is" I said as she grinned. "I was honestly looking forward to tonight."
"So you're comfortable with me being gay?" She asked.
"More than you know" I said as smiled and asked, "Pick me up around...?"
"6:30 or 7, that OK?" I asked.
"That's more than great" She said as my heart literally starting beating faster with just one glance at that simple smile.
"See ya tonight?" She asked.
"7, and please be ready" I said as she giggled and ran off to catch the bus.
"KATIE!" I screamed as she stopped and looked back and as everyone in creation saw me now blushing as I ran to talk to the school lesbian.
"What?" She asked with a smirk as she met me a few feet away.
"You didn't tell me where you live" I said as she laughed.
"Might help huh?" She said as she touched my hand casually and I felt a lightning bolt shoot straight through my body.
"How about you just ride with me and Jessie?" I asked as she seemed taken aback by the invite.
"If you have enough room" She said as I turned and made sure she was following me. Spotting Jessie and her more than annoying current boyfriend, Tad "King Dork" Pincus chattering away by the back of the car. I noticed Tad giggle something to Jessie as he pointed at me or was it Katie and that pissed me off. But I bit my tongue as I informed them of what was going on. They crawled into the back and Katie took shot gun as we pulled out and I noticed again that Tad was pointing to the front seat and he, and my sometimes irritating step-sister, were again rolling in laughter. I looked to the passengers seat and saw Katie looking awfully uncomfortable and it suddenly dawned on me. I was Katie's "new friend", as Jessie would say while quoting with her fingers and automatically making me an outcast in their eyes. Stopping at the red light just before we turned onto our street, I saw them do it again and I swear I lost it. I turned the car off and unsnapped my seat belt as I looked back with fire in my eyes and barked, "Knock it off."
"What?" Tad asked as he and Jessie tried to stifle giggles.
"You point to the front seat one more time with that finger and follow it with a laugh and you will walk home and you can take her with you" I said as the smiles left their face.
"You can't do that" Jessie said. "This is my dad's car."
"Correction, this is my mom's car, and you're dad wouldn't think it was funny if I told him what you two hyena's were laughing about" I said and before she or "King Dork" could reply I pushed on, "You ever think some people might not be blind and stupid? I don't appreciate you two making my friend uncomfortable for your own damn amusement. Now, I'm serious, knock it off or you can walk home."
"What..ever" Jessie said as she and Tad seemed to take me seriously and didn't offer another peep till we got to the house and they quickly exited as I turned off the car and sat there still fuming.
"How did you know she was talking about me?" Katie asked.
"Cause I know Tad" I said as I smiled at her. "Jessie's really nice unless she hangs out with him and then she's so irritating I just wanna smack her."
"Well this does happen sometimes" She said, "It comes with being my friend."
"That doesn't bother me, but Jessie's crap does" I said, "They didn't care that it might hurt your feelings it was all good fun."
I was honestly surprised I had done that. But I had done it, and it seemed to me to set the tone for the upcoming night. Katie seemed much more at ease around me after that. Fortunately, Mom didn't need the car and I headed out about 6:30 to pick up Katie. Still unsure in my own mind if this was a real date or if she just wanted a friend. Just because she's gay, and admittedly so I might add, didn't mean she'd necessarily be into me, like I was with her. The real point was, I liked her more every time we talked and I kinda got the feeling she did like me. After all, she did ask me to go with her, and she was making an effort to look her best. She was standing nervously on the porch as I pulled up, she smiled and checked her hair one more time in the mirror by the front post. Wearing jeans and black t-shirt with a leather jacket. She looked...hot.
"You coming?" I asked as I got out and leaned across the hood on the drivers side as she blushed and smiled as she came down the walk and through the fence. "You look great."
"Thank you" She said nervously as we climbed in. "You look nice too."
"Thank you" I said as I pulled away from the curb. "So is this band any good?"
"Wylan can play the hell of a guitar" Katie said. "The Alley Cats are all girls, and fun to look at?"
"Sure you won't be drooling?" I had to ask as she laughed and said with a very charming smile, "Now Grace, why would I make eyes at them when I got the prettiest girl in Chicago on my arm?"
"Huh?" I asked as she grinned and nudged me and I nearly fainted when I realized she was completely serious. Or so I thought, and hoped. "Be serious."
"I would but I might make you uncomfortable" She said as I looked at her in that moment I no longer cared what people thought. I just wanted her to like me and wanted her to know I liked her. But I didn't know how to say it and make it seem natural and not all goofy and embarrassing for me and her. So as I battled my brain for the right way to tell her, the moment sort of passed. "I'd never do that, make you uncomfortable."
"Maybe it wouldn't be so bad" I said. "I sorta stay in my safe little world too much."
"You keep hanging out with me you won't" Katie said. "That whole safe little world thing is no fun."
"I don't wanna do anything crazy."
"No, no, listen..." She said as she touched my hand on the steering wheel and quickly moved it away. "My idea of a nice night is dinner and a movie, or staying in and watching TV with the girl I'm with. Not parties or drugs or booze."
"Good to know" I said and of course we arrived at the club way to soon for my tastes. Katie got out and met me by the front of the car. Both of us sorta lost in a long moment as no words came out and it was just us looking at the other. "Tickets?"
"Of course" She said as if she had forgotten and dug them out of her jeans pocket. Smiling as she showed them to me. "I got a little money if you wanna soda or something."
"That's not fair, you paid for the tickets and all" I said, "I'll buy you a soda."
"Oh yeah that'll make us even" She said as I blushed and she laughed. "I just want you to have fun tonight."
"And why would you want me to have fun?" I asked in my best flirty voice.
"You're gonna make me say something that's gonna make you uncomfortable" She said as she looked down. "I think it's kinda obvious why I'm here."
"Yeah you like the Alley Cats, you said that" I said as her head shot up and saw me smiling. She blushed this time and turned to walk inside as I followed after her and linked my arm with hers. And as is always the case in the life of Grace Brooks Manning, some girl had to come out the door just as we reached the front and gave us a weird look. I froze for a moment and was about to pull away and pretend that I wasn't really with Katie, but not this time, I hugged her arm and made a small show out of it no less. She grinned as she handed the tickets to the doorman and we headed inside.
Well, she was right and Wylan Keller was one heck of a guitar player. And yeah the Alley Cats were easy on the eyes, and yes I did notice OK? Moving on, the music was Blues Rock, I think, and it just makes you wanna get up and dance to be honest with you. Which Katie seemed all ready to do a few times but without an invite she resisted. Finally the music stopped one more time and the dance floor cleared out as Wylan said over the cheers of the crowd, "Hey, thanks for coming guys, this is the last song of the night and if you wanna dance here's your last opportunity."
"Looks fun" Katie said over the cheers of the crowd. "You think?"
"Are you gonna ask me to dance or not?" I asked as she smiled and stood as she offered me her hand and I took it and we made our way to the floor. Some people giving us weird looks for a moment as the first chords of the last song played and Wylan and his Alley Cats began a long slow song that so perfectly fit the mood. It was incredible. Katie pulled me into her arms and I grinned as she smiled at me and I knew then she liked me or so I thought. "What are you smiling about?"
"I'm dancing with you" She said with a smile. One which I shyly returned. "It finally feels like I'm with someone who kinda maybe...likes me?"
"You wish" I said as she grinned, leaned close and I swear I thought she was gonna kiss, but instead she pressed her cheek to mine and we danced for a long moment in silence as the music played. Too soon, way too soon the music stopped and we parted as our eyes met again and to my shock, Katie leaned in and kissed my cheek and grinned. Me blushing and loving her attention on me like this but saying in a playful tone, "Don't do that again."
"If you didn't like it you'd already have smacked me" She said as she gave me a challenging smile.
"Kiss me on the lips and I will smack you" I said with a finger point as Katie smiled confidently and stepped closer as the crowd began to clear out somewhat. She smiled and I found myself suddenly eye to eye with the girl I'd had a crush on forever. She leaned in and tested my reaction, a bit of a flinch on my part but not moving away as I was froze in place. Hoping she would kiss me in the worst way and a moment after that thought had filtered out of my mind and there it was. She kissed me on the lips and so perfectly. A sweet soft first kiss. She only held it for a moment before she pulled away and touched her forehead to mine as I relaxed and smiled.
"Gonna smack me now?" She asked with a grin as I blushed. "Or let me do it again?"
"That was nice" I said softly, "Slow?"
"No worries, I'm harmless" She said as she took my hand and for the first time laced her fingers with mine. I was about a second away from kissing her myself before my damn phone began vibrating inside of my jeans. I took a deep breath and smiled apologetically as I pulled away reluctantly and fished it out of my jeans. Seeing it was from home I figured it might be important. "You won't be able to get any reception inside, you better head on out. I'mma make a pitt stop first."
"OK, hurry" I said as I headed for the door and getting outside, I opened my phone and found the caller had already hung up.
My attention though was diverted a moment later and I couldn't believe who I saw standing in front of a car a few feet away.
"Hey" Sarah said with an obvious tint to her smile and I swear she looked at me like I was the only girl in the world to her. Her eyes seemed to be glued on me, not that I minded, damn, girl has...well I said that before and it's still true. I was about to turn and head back inside when Sarah stopped me by the arm, "Wait."
"What are you doing here?" I asked as she stepped back.
"I wanted to see you" She said as I stepped back myself in disbelief.
"Me?" I asked, "Why?"
"You..."
"Let me guess" I said as I cut her off. "You wanna flirt with me so Katie will get mad at me and come back to you, I know the story OK?"
"So you do" She said as she again stopped me this time with a gentle touch that sent electricity up my arm. "You can't deny what happened earlier in the parking lot. That was something, you weren't giving me a dirty look, you were making eyes at me."
"No I wasn't" I lied as she grinned and said. "Yes you were. You like girls don't you?"
"Shit" I said as I covered my mouth in shock and she grinned.
"So it is true" She said as she moved closer and touched my stomach ever so gently. Weird thing is I noticed how she was almost exactly my height in that moment and how amazing her eyes looked up close. "And I think you are so hot."
"Me?" I asked as she giggled and nodded her head and before I could say something she went on, "This is not about Katie..."
"Huh?" I asked as she leaned forward and hesitated, biting her bottom lip nervously, to see if I was gonna pull away. Which I couldn't have done in that moment even if I had wanted to. I was seriously stuck in her gaze. She knew that I believe, and truth be told she might have been locked in mine. I'm totally not sure, but I know what happened next was a "oh my god" screaming inside my head type moment. She smiled and tilted her head a bit and made me react. Meaning, I instinctively leaned towards her and a moment later, she kissed me softly.
To be Continued....
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