Once Upon a Time (new! And excepting!)

[spookskingcal]

Alex grinned at her. "Bye, Gram!" he hollered to the owner of the resturant. He earned several annoyed glares from some people. He chuckled quietly and walked out of the door, arm and arm with Grace. "See, I like to annoy all of 'em. They just come here for food and gossip. None of 'em appreciate Gram at all." He leaned against his bike after releasing Grace. "This Big-Shot Corporate Resturanteer is trying to by Gram's diner. This guy owns almost all of the food places in the city, except Gram's. She won't let him get it. She says when she's gone, the diner is mine." He shrugged slightly. "I live with Gram. My biological father bailed before I was born. Ma died last year with cancer." He pushed his hair from his face. "I'm really worried about Gram, Grace. I dunno what to do, cause the Coporate guy is starting to threaten Gram. He's promised to hurt her by hurting me. His son goes to our school. His name is Payeton. The big ape is our Line Backer."

[lucee]

Grace frowned as she listened to him talk, her eyes trained on his face as she stood across from him. As he finished her eyes switched to looking at the ground. "I... him?" She spluttered, her disgust audible in her voice. "That idiot?" she had vivid memories of him, most of which were not pleasant. "That's just stupid. I mean, how.. Is that legal?" Grace looked up at him, frowning hard.

[spookskingcal]

Green eyes glared at cracked conreate. "Yeah. Him." Arms crossed his chest as he shook his head angrily. "I really don't know, Grace. I haven't told Gram about anything that Payeton has done to me." Alex pulled up his sleeve, bunching it up at the edge of his shoulder. "He thinks it's fun to use me as a punching bag," he explained, glaring at the ugly purple bruises that covered his arm.

[lucee]

Grace stayed silent for a while, her eyes focused on his arm. She chewed on her bottom lip and frowned hard. "...I wouldn't... Don't tell her about it." She said finally, her voice quiet and gentle. "You don't want to worry her. You should stand up to him, though. Or something. I don't know." She turned away and looked at the ground.

[spookskingcal]

The corners of his lips turned down and his green eyes were hard. "I don't and I won't. She's too old to be worrying about me." He tugged the sleeve down and shoved his hands inro his pockets. The air of confidence and joking he had earlier had completely disappeared. Now, it seemed as if he had given up.

[lucee]

Grace sighed as she listened to him, hiking her bag higher up her shoulder and looking up at him from under her dark eyelashes. "...sorry," She mumbled after a pause. "If I offended you or something." The subject of Payeton was making her feel uneasy, and she kept rubbing her side absentmindedly.

[spookskingcal]

Alex moved his gaze to Grace. His green eyes softened in color, turning a light moss color. "You ddin't offened me," he said softly. "When I said that I won't and don't. I meant that I won't fight Payeton. That's what he wants." He bumped Grace with his hip. "And besides, if I wanted to, I could take that big ape down. I just don't want to start something that would make Gram loose the Diner. Payeton's father would sue Gram for everything if I hit his precious boy. So, that's why I do nothing." A small smile lit his lips. "Though, just because I do nothing, doesn't mean other people won't." Alex sat on his bike and stared at Grace. "Do you know Kameron?"

[lucee]

Grace listened to him as she continued to rub her side, smiling slightly as he finished and shaking her head. "No, I don't...?" She replied, looking at him with her head tilted slightly to one side. Her phone buzzed loudly in her pocket, shattering the silence, but she ignored it and quickly pressed a button to hang up on the caller.

[spookskingcal]

Alex chuckled quietly. "You know, that could have been important. And, I wouldn't have cared if you answered it." He smiled slightly. A butterfly flitted past Grace and landed on Alex's nose. He froze for a second. The butterfly batted its wings and flew off. He sighed softly. "Kameron is the kid who has bright blue hair. Anyway, he's like my brother. He says that he's going to beat up Payeton."

[lucee]

"It was probably nothing." Grace said quickly- too quickly. She bit her lip and looked away, cheeks tinged red. "Yeah, I've seen him around." She slid her phone out of her pocket and checked who had called her, eyes momentarily widening before she wiped away the expression and placed on a smile. It was sort of forced.