Chapter Text
Nick sat in his room, physic book in his lap as he tried to study. It was a cold winter day, the break was over and he was trying to get back into the swing of things. However, his mind was elsewhere.
Grace was on his mind.
They had gotten into a small argument and she had raced home instead of waiting for him to walk her home.
His mother wanted him to come down during spring break but he didn't want to, Grace thought that he should give her a chance but he didn't want to spend a week with his mother who would probably be too busy working, to spend the day with him. He wants to spend the break with Grace, going to baseball games and playing basketball in his driveway, eating ice cream and watching movies.
Grace argued that he should give her the benefit of the doubt and he pointed out that she didn't know his mother. He had yelled that not life wasn't perfect and no one got lucky to have a witch as a mother.
Grace had grown really quiet and he had watched in horror as her eyes filled with hurt and he watched her flee the library. He had tried to apologize to her but then she ignored him which was fair. He had been lucky that their argument took place in the library in hushed angry whispers. He knew Grace hated the word witch even if that what she was.
Calling Cassie (and Grace) a witch had not been insulting, it was just him wishing that he had a mother who understood him the way Cassie understood everything.
He sighed, he wasn't going to get any studying done thinking about Grace.
He closed his eyes and sighed.
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He doesn't remember dozing off until he feels a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm awake dad."
He opens his eyes and blinks as he finds himself looking at Grace.
Her hair frames her face and her cheeks are red.
"Hey."
He feels embarrassed, his voice is raspy from his nap and Grace's cheeks flush even redder.
"Hey."
She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear.
She reaches for something on his desk and he looks at her.
"Hot chocolate?"
He can't help the smile when he sees that she added sprinkles over his whipped cream.
He reaches for the mug and he feels the warmth sweep int his skin. It's a sharp contrast to how cold it is in the room. He looks at Grace, she's wearing jeans and a long sleeve shirt but she's trembling.
"It's cold in here."
Grace jumps up before he can say anything else, heads to his closet and pulls out a blanket. She throws it over him and she sits on his desk, her hot chocolate in hand.
He looks at her. She's all quiet, fidgeting, not like the confident Grace he is used to and sighs.
"Grace, come here."
He places his mug down and lifts his blanket up and she curls up next to him, placing her mug on the table, and she rests her head on his shoulder and sighs.
They are silent for a while and Nick wonders if she is thinking about their fight. He knows he is.
"Grace, I didn't mean to hurt you. I like the fact that you know things. I like that you know when we will have an exam or when it's going to rain. I like that you know things and it doesn't make you weird. it makes you special. You are a witch Grace Russell, and there's nothing wrong with that and I'm sorry that people make you feel that being a witch is bad but it's not. You are a witch but most importantly, you are my best friend and I love you. "
There is a pause and Nick realizes what he said and he panics.
"When I said that earlier I just meant that I wish my mother understood things the way you and your Mom do..."
Grace shifts and she turns to him and wraps her arm around him, burying her head into his neck.
He takes a deep breath and wraps an arm around her, holding her close.
"I hate fighting with you, Nick."
Her breath tickles his neck and he tightens his arm around her.
"I hate fighting with you, Grace."
They stay in that position and he takes in the smell of her hair and she closes her eyes, feeling warmer than ever.
Finally, she pulls away and she reaches for the physics book and pulls in onto their laps and he groans.
She nudges his shoulder and gives him a smile.
"One hour of studying and then we can do whatever you want."
"Whatever I want?"
He is smiling and Grace's cheeks flush red and he sees her eyes dart to his lips and he is tempted to lean in and kiss her softly. He wonders if she will taste like chocolate.
He is shaken out of his thoughts by Grace's laugh and she looks at him.
"Within reason, I'm drawing the line at anything illegal."
He nods in agreement and then presses a kiss to her cheek.
"Thank you."
She blushes as and tucks some hair behind her ear.
"What are friends for?"
That makes him frown because Grace is so much more than just a friend.
"You are my best friend Grace Russell."
She places her mug in the desk and reaches for his hand, intertwining their fingers.
"And your mine, Nick Radford."
He placed his mug on the windowsill and turns to look at Grace who has her head bent over the textbook, biting her lip absentmindedly.
He won't ever admit it, but he likes it when she tutors him.
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An hour passes, and the mugs are cold and the book is closed and they are sitting in silence, hands clasped tight.
Her head rests in his shoulder and he looks at their hands.
Her hand is so small and he can see the chipped nail polish on her fingers and it makes him smile.
She's his best friend, but she's much more than that.
She's his Grace.
He raises their hands and places a kiss on her knuckles.
She looks at him, eyes wide, a soft smile on her face.
She doesn't say anything but simply squeezes his hand.