With Grayson's sudden absence from her life, Mia tries her hardest to carry on as normal; to continue as though she had never met the man who turned her world upside down in only a short amount of time.
With the help of her best friend Hailey, and...
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Treating myself and Grayson to a break away to New York is probably one of the most expensive yet one of the best ideas I think I've had. Grayson is always the one treating us, and although my student-apprentice wage barely covers anything in this city, it's about time I pushed the boat out for Grayson.
I've always been good with money though. My savings account has been building up since I had my first job at a local coffee shop, and so taking a chunk out in order for myself and Grayson to spend some quality time away seems more than worth it.
"Okay, flights are going to be pretty expensive, but I think we can find a good offer as long as you and lover boy don't mind flying economy." Hailey eyes are dancing with excitement as she flicks her index finger up and down her laptop touchpad.
I nod. "It's fine with me. I've never flown VIP. In fact, I've never flown anywhere."
Then I suddenly wonder what Grayson would think. He has all the money he could ever need. Would he want to fly first class?
No. I can't think about that. I just need to think about the trip. Grayson won't care if we flew on a beaten up, thousand year old helicopter if it meant spending some time away with me, right?
"Okay, so flights with Virgin," Hailey says, tossing a tendril of her golden hair behind her shoulder as we sit eagerly at the kitchen table. "You can put a deposit down today and the rest you pay later."
"There's no later," I say. "I want to go next month."
Hailey's eyebrows raise. "I mean, I know it's Grayson's birthday and all but you're not giving much notice. Will he be able to get it off work? Both works?"
I shrug, ignoring Hailey's sarcasm. "It's Grayson, right?"
Hailey giggles, her tongue between her teeth. "Of course. It's Grayson."
Feeling all sorts of giddy, I let out a small squeal when our flights and accommodation are booked and paid for. With Hailey's help, I managed to find a cute little apartment in Manhattan, a stones throw away from Central Park.
It'll be nice though. Amazing, even. It'll make up for the weekend in the Lake District and I'll be able to show Grayson how much our relationship means to me. How much he means to me.
I know he wouldn't want me spending my money on it, and that he would have wanted to be the one to take me away, but what kind of a girlfriend would I be if I couldn't make up for all the incredible things he's done for me? I owe him this and more. I owe it to him to prove how serious I am about our future. Now more than ever.
***
The lecture theatre feels oddly unfamiliar as I take a seat towards the back, preparing my notes for an hour of business planning and strategic analysis. I've been so caught up with my personal feelings lately that my work and studies have taken a slight hit.
