Paparazzi//Grayson Hawthorne

Chapter Twenty-Three

Josh drove Xander, Jameson, and me home while John Oren drove Avery to the Hawthorne Foundation.

As we come closer to the gates, I see crowds of people, all of them have cameras, trying to take photos of us in the car as we go through the gates.

I turn more toward Xander in the middle. Even if the windows are tinted, it's still slightly terrifying.

"They can't see us through the windows. They're just taking photos of darkness, really. We're okay," Xander smiles down at me.

"Look, you can even make faces at them. They'll never know," Xander laughs as he leans toward the window over me slightly, poking his tongue out and making faces at the crowd.

This causes me to laugh quietly, a smile sitting on my lips.

I catch Jameson's eyes. He's looking at Xander and me. Xander doesn't see him as he's looking out the window at the crowd of cameras.

Jameson smiles a small smile as we make eye contact. He nods a small nod before looking back at Xander, a smile still sitting on his lips before he turns away once more.

I join Xander in looking out the window, making faces every now and then.

It seems to be hundreds of people, all waiting for something, anything.

I see the person at the front, the person that they seem to be here because of. It feels as though he's staring into my soul as I meet his eyes. Even if he can't see me, he still scares me.

I freeze, it feels like I do, at least, but I'm not frozen. I'm far from frozen. I can feel myself shaking as my head follows him as we drive past. I can't look away.

I feel the chill go up my spine as my chest tightens. I can feel my breath get caught in my throat as my mouth parts slightly.

"Ash? Ash, hey, what's wrong?" I hear Xander ask. He's hesitant to touch my hand but does anyway. His touch is soft.

I can't look away still. My eyes are trained on him, on his smile as we drive past.

I thought he was gone, that I would never see him again, that I didn't have to protect my sisters from him anymore, but here he is, at Hawthorne House, at the gates, staring into my soul.

"Is it that guy? Ash, do you know who that is?" Xander quickly asks, pointing to Drake. He turns my head, so I'm not looking at Drake anymore, so I'm looking at him, so I'm looking Xander in the eyes.

"That," I stutter as my eyes move toward the window again, but Xander stops me, catching my eyes once more.

"Who is it, Ash? You don't have to say anything if you can't yet. You can write it down," Xander quickly says, handing me the pad of paper and pen I had been using earlier.

"Drake, that-that is Drake, Libby's ex," I manage to get out, stuttering the whole time.

I see Xander's facial expression change. It looks as though he went through ten emotions in only a few seconds. His face goes from soft to angry in a split second before returning to soft once more.

"I've got you, Ash, I'm proud of you for speaking, but I've got you. He can't hurt you or your sisters. He can't touch any of you now" Xander's voice is soft. It's genuine as he gently pulls me closer toward him, hugging me.

Jameson is silent the whole time, he doesn't say a word, but I hear a door open before shutting loudly. It causes me to flinch.

"Hey! You are not permitted to be on this property! Either remove yourself, or I will have someone remove you" I hear the yelling just outside the car.