Only Her

Part 7

I'm looking at the menu, everything's so expensive, "How can you afford this?" I ask, "Your parents must be loaded."

"Nah," He says, "It's just me and my Mum and she's a Junior school piano teacher, I do make pretty good money though."

"How?" I ask.

"I own a gym," He says, "A boxing one, I'm also really good at boxing and fighting."

I blink and say, "You own a gym?"

"Yeah," He says, "It's not very big and I host a class for teens who have bad home lives or at risk of getting into gangs and illegal stuff like that. It's the main reason I opened the gym."

"That's so cool," I say, "What gave you that idea?"

"Well I bought the place for a bargain, Ryder and Noah helped me put it together but I own the place. Once I had it I thought about selling it and making a profit, but then I thought about making a place to train, I mean I'd just been working out in the garage. I don't have the best Dad to say the least, but I definately could have used a place to go when we were young." He says.

I nod and say, "Well I think that's sweet, but how much money do you make from fighting and boxing?"

"Depending on how I go it's usually like 100,000 a year." He says, my mouth drops open and he asks, "What?"

"Seriously Greyson? You're gonna be a millionaire before you're 30." I say.

"What about you?" He asks, "What are you good at?"

I smile and say, "This sounds dorky and like I'm a 70 year old woman but I love knitting," He smirks at me and I add, "That's not all of it, I like running and I like painting."

"What're your grades like?" He asks.

I shrug and say, "Pretty good, usually b's, you?"

"Oh I'm inches off failing but that doesn't bother me." He says shrugging, "So what're your plans for after high school?"

"I'll probably go to a local college, not community though, I want to stay near home then I want to start painting, properly." I say.

"And knitting professionally?" He asks, "You know I've gotta see some of this knitting now, maybe you can make me a scarf."

"Oh I will," I say playfully serious, "You've been warned, you're gonna have to wear it all the time, rain or shine and it will be very colourful."

"I look forward to it." he says smiling.

"So what's your plan for after high school?" I ask.

He thinks for a second then says, "Well I'm gonna start boxing and fighting more and I want to expand my troubled youth boxing program."

"College?" I ask.

He laughs and says, "I don't think I'd get in even if I wanted to, anyways what are you going to eat?"

I narrow my eyes at the menu, "Maybe the spaghetti bolognaise."

"Really?" He asks, "You don't want anything fancy?"

"Well it has my favourite cheese on it, Pecorino." I say smiling at him.

He chuckles and says, "You're a funny girl."

The waiter comes over and Greyson orders, "Two spaghetti bolognaise please." 

"Fantastic," The waiter says, "Would you like any drinks with that?"

"Two sprites please." He says.

The waiter nods and takes out menus I give him a look asking why he ordered the same as me, the waiter returns with our sprite. 

"So tell me Greyson," I say taking a sip of my sprite, "Did you get sick?"

He laughs and says, "No, I told you I wouldn't."

"Well if you do I have no sympathy." I say.

"Really?" He asks not believing me.

"Well I'd make you soup and make sure you were resting but no, I would not feel bad for you." I say.

He smirks and says, "It takes a lot of skill to cook and look after someone while not feeling bad for them."

"Well lucky I have that skill." I say smiling at him. 

"Very lucky." He says teasing me, "You have a pretty picture perfect family you know, any secret drama? Black sheep?"

I shrug and say, "Not really, I mean Dad and his parents were refugees but that was a long time ago. On Mum's side she only ever knew her Dad but not really any drama in my immediate family," I shrug and say, "Oh, well actually my Mum's sister slapped her last christmas, but that was because Mum said she couldn't date a 20 year old guy as a 50 year old woman."

He chuckles and says, "This is some serious drama."

I laugh and say, "Well you asked, not really a lot happens in my family, my parents are happy, I have that relationship with my siblings where I'd give them my kidney without a second thought but won't get up off the couch to get them the remote."

He smiles and says, "That's sweet." 

Soon enough the waiter returns with our food.