Burn for You

33

Serena
"This is Serena, sir."

I scrunched up my eyebrows as I looked up at Grayson and then toward his father, his eyes were low and angry looking. He looked younger than expected with wrinkles scrunched on his forehead and crow's feet enhancing his angered expression. He had dark hair with a long gray strip swooping through his styled hair and a very rich-looking mustache.

"That's not answering my question. Don't play stupid, who is she and why is she in my daughter's seat?"

Grayson glanced down at me, an apologetic look in his eyes. "She's my girlfriend, sir." Grayson cleared his throat as he squeezed my hand harder. His palms were sweaty now and they almost felt clammy.

"You're married, you moron. Why would you have a girlfriend."

I don't like the way he's talking to him.

"Elijah, please. Not at the table, yea?" Grayson's mother spoke up, a slight shake in her otherwise sturdy voice.

"We will talk about this after dinner."

I looked around the table, not one person dared to look over at him, not even Grayson's siblings. Conversations were unfazed and not one person showed even an ounce of concern.

I looked up at Grayson as his hand shivered against my thigh, his fork shivering as he guided it toward his mouth only to chew as slowly as possible.

I have never heard Grayson talk much about his parents or his relationship with his father. I didn't even know he had siblings but from what I'm gathering from that horrible conversation and vivid memories of being verbally and emotionally abused, I can understand why.

For the rest of the dinner Grayson, and his father remained the only ones quiet. I was being distracted by Willow and the brothers who were eager to get to know me, Emilia was very obviously unhappy about the situation.

Despite the pleasant conversation and finding out that Willow is really funny and her brothers were very childish and almost nothing like Grayson, I couldn't feel good about it.

Yes, I was getting to know Grayson's family and I was finding out that they may be great people but Grayson's shaky hands and sweaty palms that couldn't be pried from mine, even if Hercules himself tried, and the lack of interference or rebellion against their father couldn't allow me to believe that everything was fine and that everybody was as great as I think.

After dinner, Grayson tried to leave after his father, mother, and Emilia walked off together.

"I'm not letting you go alone." I held on tightly to Grayson's arm despite his constant attempts to pull me away.

He looked down at me, his sad eyes dark and empty. "Stop it, Serena. I'll be back." He roughly pulled his arm away from me, straightened out his suit, and walked off, leaving me in the middle of the hallway and alone.

I wasn't upset.

I couldn't be. I understood that despite his shaking hands and constant need for non-verbal support, he couldn't admit what was happening and he definitely wasn't going to let anybody see it. Especially not me.

I stayed in that hallway, sitting against the cold white walls lined with pillars and art as I waited for him to come out. It felt like hours and I'm sure it was because by the time Grayson came out and practically ignored my presence, the party was almost cleared out.

"Grayson," I murmured.

I looked toward him, his hands gripping the steering wheel as if he was holding on for dear life. "Grayson," I repeated.

Once again, no response.

"Grayson, at least say something-"

His hands slammed against the steering wheel, the horn honking and the car slightly jerking. "What, Emilia!? What do you want?!"

My eyes widened as I watched his chest go up and down, anger set on his face. His once put-together look was now disheveled and soaked in anger and sadness so strong it almost enveloped me.

"...I'm not her, Grayson. I will never be her..." I looked away from the man in the driver's seat, my heart aching at the thought of him calling me by her name.

Despite my brain telling me his reaction showed he didn't mean it lovingly, my heart still hurts. Maybe it hurts to think that he mistook her for me, maybe it hurts because he's so angry over something she did, or maybe it hurts because despite being with me, he's still thinking of her.

"Shit. I know, I'm sorry, Serena. I know you're not...I'm sorry."

I nodded and tried my best to smile at him even if it was a small one doused in sadness.

"It's ok," I murmured, receiving a sigh back.

The rest of the ride was silent. I'm not sure if I even had anything to say. I don't even remember thinking anything, just staring out at the starlit sky and bright blue moon.

Please remember to vote and comment on the chapter! I double uploaded the chapter because I accidentally said the wrong chapter on tik tok and felt bad, thank you for reading <3