Worlds Collided |g.d.|

Chapter Twenty One

-Jana pov-

"You're a genius Jana!" James exclaimed, holding my hands as we spun around.

"You flatter me." I giggled. "And I was thinking you could act like you came up with the idea, seems on brand."

He squealed. "That's a fabulous idea, actually fab-u-lous." James annunciated the word, smiling as he did so.

"Thanks." We had stopped spinning and I stumbled a bit, a silly grin surely across my face. "Once Emma gets here you guys can start."

"And Ethan."

I spun around toward the new voice, my heart fluttering. "Hey."

Grayson caught my wrist. "Hey."

"So, Uh, where's Ethan?" I used my free hand to push a piece of my hair behind my ear.

"He's..." Grayson's eyes flickered over my shoulder. "Out, he said he wouldn't be long."

"It's okay!" James suddenly rushed forward, throwing his arms never both Grayson and I'd shoulders. "Until they get here the three of us can have quality time!"

I chuckled. "Yeah, popcorn?"

"Ooo yes please, and there's this movie I've been dying to watch!" James grabbed my hand, pulling me toward the kitchen.

As he rambled on I glanced back at Grayson, shrugging and expecting to see a laugh on his face as well, but he just gave me a tight smile, an emotion in his eyes that I couldn't decipher.

I tried to push his strange expression out of my head as James and I danced around the kitchen, grabbing snacks for our impromptu movie night.

It didn't put my mind to ease when Grayson didn't join us, opting to sit alone in his room. Strange. I thought he was good friends with James.

After we got our snacks we crashed on the couch, and James choose a movie claiming "the trailer was so good".

But I couldn't pay attention, not with Grayson occupying my mind.

Thankfully, Ethan came home, looking surprisingly refreshed. He didn't apologize for being late, just saying he had to change. Emma arrived only minutes later, coming over to join James and I on the couch.

She was quiet, unlike how she usually can't shut up. It made me feel even more uneasy. Both of the twins were acting weird and now Emma...

"Okay, let's get this video filmed." Grayson walked in the living room, turning off the TV as he walked past. "It's late and I'm tired."

Emma yawned. "Shouldn't take too long."

"It won't, I have everything set up." I got up, going toward the filming room. "Come on over to let me focus the camera."

The three of them obliged, getting comfortable on the purple couch before Ethan came in the take his seat. I sat behind the camera, carefully adjusting it to focus on the four of them. I hit record, standing up. "It's all ready for you guys."

Grayson smiled. "Thanks Jana. We'll see you in a bit."

I nodded, leaving the room just as they did the intro. I stopped in the middle of the living room, unsure where I should do. It's kinda annoying to listening to them react to their own videos. Maybe I could...

I grabbed my laptop, tiptoeing through the hallway. He wouldn't care, right? And I'll leave once they finish and-

I opened Grayson's bedroom door, closing it behind me. Although I had been in here many times, it was always with him. I hesitantly stepped further inside, looking around.

His room was large, all monochrome colors but it was clean and smelled fresh. One of my favorite things about Grayson was how neat he was. I glanced out the large window, wishing I could wake up to this view every morning.

I was careful to not touch anything, but did run my fingers along the key board keys, making a mental note to ask him to play for me one day. Next, I came upon his desk, the messiest part of his room.

Papers were strewn over the surface, all covered in drawings. I looked closer, he's never mentioned being an artist. But I realized they were prints of some sort, like blueprints. Each drawing was a design for a piece of furniture or even a house.

"Wow," I muttered, running my hands along the straight pencil lines.

I moved on, making another note to ask him about his sudden architect hobby. I walked around the bed, tiptoeing into the closet. I had seen it before but now was a perfect time to explore his clothes.

It smelled perfectly liked Grayson, a clean a fresh smell of his expensive cologne. I noticed how his clothes seemed to be a split between comfortable clothes and active wear and designer clothing.

Like he was being pulling between being two different versions of himself.

I walked out backwards, suddenly feeling cold all over. Instead I went back into the room and flicked on the lamp before taking a seat on his bed. I opened my laptop and found a movie, might as well get comfortable.

***

"Hey...hey Jana walk up babe." A hand gently shook me awake, laughing softly as he did so.

I rolled over, burying my head in a pillow. "No, I'm too tired."

He released another breathy laugh. "You got to get changed honey."

"It's fine." I waved him off.

But now I was awake, but I kept my eyes closed as I listened to Grayson change and brush his teeth. I laid still as he turned the lamp off and slid into bed beside me.

His arm smoothly wrapped around my waist, pulling me into his chest. "I know you're awake." His voice rumbled.

"You woke me up you jerk."

"I wanted to hear your voice."

I chuckled. "Well I do have a pretty nice voice."

"The best." He pressed his lips to my temple. "The video is going to be rough, so we'll help you edit."

"What? It didn't go well?" My eyes opened, finding his already meeting mine.

His nose scrunched. "Not that it didn't go well, it was just..."

"Awkward?"

"Yeah." Grayson sighed, his arms tightening around me. "But it gets easier each time."

"You don't have to work with them you know?" I pointed out, suddenly feeling guilty for making up the whole squad idea.

"No, but I do." He yawned. "God, I'm tired."

"Goodnight Gray."

"Night Jana."