A New Beginning
After the transplant and graduation, Grace found a new lease on life, thanks partially to her friendship with Jonah, but mostly because of her chipper friend, Zoe, who never ceased to amaze her. Once plans started to be made, Grace came to a decision. “I want to travel,” She announces during the joint graduation party Ms. Cardinal had put on for herself and Zoe once the former had felt well enough.
“Travel?” Her mother asks, brows raised at her daughter who is smiling despite the slight discomfort of being put in the center of attention. “What kind of travel?”
“I-I want to see the world, I have ten good years and I want to make the best of them mom, I won’t stay gone forever, I just want to see what’s out there. I want to do something with the time I have,” Grace explains, biting her lip as she friends and family all watch her.
“I think that’s a great idea,” Zoe speaks up, breaking the silence as usual, drawing some of the attention away from the older girl. “Seeing the world...it can change a lot of things.”
Grace throws her friend a grateful smile, her chest warming at the bright grin she gets in return. “I just want to start living my life, I’m tired of letting my disease control what I do.”
Ms. Cardinal nods a bit, before getting up to move toward the gift table. “I was going to wait until you two started opening presents, however, this is special,” She says as she hands over a card to each of the girls. “Granted it was supposed to be for dorm supplies, but that should be enough to help Grace get kick started on her travels and Zoe, you can do whatever you want with it.”
Grace opens the card with clumsy fingers, nearly dropping it a few times before she can open it, finding a check for three thousand dollars in between the leaflets. She turns toward Zoe out of habit and finds the same, both girls shocked out of their minds.
“Mom, how can you even afford this?” Grace asks despite herself, knowing they’ve been living paycheck to paycheck for years.
“I have my ways, don’t you worry,” She replies, winking at her youngest daughter. “Now, why don’t we finish eating and then we can go from there, yeah?”
Grace knew this wasn’t the end of talking about her plans, but it felt nice knowing her mom at least supported it, even if it may be half-hearted. once everyone had returned to their meals, Grace found herself plopping down next to Zoe, who had just got done hugging Ms. Cardinal.
“Gosh, Melody is just...so amazing, you’re so lucky to have her as a mom,” Zoe murmurs, leaning into the older girl with that warm smile Grace had come to love. “My mom didn’t even bother to show up...but there was a deposit in my account, as usual but it was a lot bigger than I thought so...”
Grace tilts her head as Zoe slide the check from Melody into her lap, her hand lingering there a moment longer than necessary before its withdrawn. “Zo, what are you doing?”
“Consuela deposited ten grand into my account this morning, I don’t need this, as much as I appreciate what you and your mother have done for me since...everything, I can’t take this,” Zoe rushes out, frowning slightly when Grace pulls away to look at her. “Besides, you need it more than I do...for when you leave.”
“Hey, I’m not just disappearing, I promise, I’ll send postcards and emails and letters, I’m not leaving you,” Grace assures the younger girl, reaching to take one of Zoe’s hands in her own. “Besides, I was...well I was going to ask if you wanted to go with me.”
Zoe blinks a few times, brows furrowing as she takes in this information, ignoring the immense pleasure that blooms in her chest at the thought of her and Grace on the road, or backpacking or just being together. “I-I dunno, Grace, I’ve never really been anywhere but here...”
The excuse tumbles from her lips, stinging like acid as she tries to squash the feelings she has for the older girl. She never really stopped feeling for Grace, not after their last kiss or Rasha...or even the transplant, if anything it served only to cement the way she felt about her friend. There were days where living together was painful for Zoe. If they spent months...years together, just the two of them, she isn’t sure she’ll be able to contain it. The last thing she wants to do is scare Grace off again.
“You don’t have to make a decision now, but please...think about it,” Grace murmurs, pressing Melody’s check into Zoe’s hand. “If you decide that you don’t want to go then by all means give that back, but until then, keep it.”
Zoe nods, looking down at the paper until Grace makes an excuse to leave. There’s a heaviness in her chest and she’s not sure what to do about it.
A few weeks go by before Zoe realizes her time to make a decision is upon her, Grace had already started packing up her car, intent on making across the united states before she went across the pond to Europe. Zoe sits on Grace’s bed, fidgeting as all the memories these sheets hold come rushing back to her, settling in her chest like a brick.
“Oh, there you are, mom said you headed out this morning,” Grace smiles as she moves to sit next to girl, shoulders brushing together. “You okay?”
Zoe nods slowly as she pulls a small wrapped package out of her pocket, handing it to the older girl. “Here, I got this for you,” She murmurs softly, pulling her knees up to her chest as Grace unwraps the small gift.
“Frak yes,” Grace chuckles softly, her fingers tracing over the keychain. “You got me a Battlestar Galactica key chain?”
“I figured it was a pretty good way to give you my answer, nerdy and cute,” Zoe grins, resting her cheek against one of her knees. “I may not be entirely sure about leaving this place, it’s been home, crazy and fucked up, but home all the same, however, I am sure that I don’t want you out there alone and…I don’t know what I’d do without you, so.”
The smile that spreads across Grace’s face is enough to tell her she’s done well, but the way the other girl launches at her with open arms has her flailing. “Jeeze, pin me down, great reward for a nerdy gift,” Zoe teases despite herself, chuckling at the blush that stains tanned cheeks.
“Shut up, weirdo,” Grace replies, that grin still plastered across her face. “I can’t believe this, I get to travel all over the world with my best friend!” She bounces a little, before rolling off of the brunette, shaking her head a bit.
Zoe has to take a slow breath to calm her thrumming heart before she rolls to her side, propping her head up to look at her friend. There was something comforting about the air between them, how is buzzed pleasantly despite the sadness that they’ve shared in their past. Grace was her best friend, feelings or no feelings, she would follow this girl to the ends of the earth.