Shifting Gears

20. Losing and Gaining Friends

"Thank you so much for coming today," Mandy said, smiling at me as I slipped my shoes on. "Gabby's been gabbing up a storm asking when she'd be able to see you again."

I returned her smile tiredly. I felt exhausted, and my migraine wasn't completely gone. But I had still texted Mandy that day asking if we could do Gabby's makeup tutoring session this afternoon. I needed to get out of the house. The previous couple of days had been suffocating with Clay and I tiptoeing around each other, but stuck in the same house because of the rain. Leaving the tension seemed to lift a weight off of my shoulders.

"No problem, I'm glad I came to see her. She's kept up well. She's been practicing and studying."

Mandy beamed, her warm eyes shining with pride for her daughter. "She's been studying so hard. Sometimes I have to make her stop."

I chuckled. I opened my mouth to respond, but I heard a door upstairs slam shut, and my eyes glanced to the stairs, my heartbeat skipping in anticipation.

Sure enough, Greyson tromped down, his shaggy coffee-colored hair covering his eyes. But he lifted his head, stopping abruptly as he saw me.

"I thought you left," he stated simply.

I grit my teeth. His door had been shut the entire time I was tutoring Gabby, I wasn't even sure he was in the house. But no, it looks like he'd just been waiting for me to leave.

He actually was avoiding me.

"Sorry to disappoint," I responded dryly.

"Grey," Mandy interjected, looking curiously between him and me, "where are you going?"

He met his Aunt's eyes, and I saw his jaw tense. "To the garage." With that he continued walking, brushing past me without another look. I felt annoyance swim through me. Looks like he was making good on his promise.

Mandy frowned after him. "Um, is something going on?" Her question was low, and directed toward me.

"No."

My response was short, and left no room for expansion. She watched me carefully, then nodded, withholding the question that was clearly showing in her eyes.

"Okay, well, Grey!" she called out, and I heard Greyson take a deep breath as he paused, his hand on the doorknob. "Walk Cory to her car with an umbrella."

"No, it's fine, I'll be okay," I protested.

"Nonsense, it's pouring. There's one hanging in the mudroom, but make sure you bring it back, Greyson, that's my nice umbrella."

Greyson paused, and I opened my mouth, but let the words die out. Just as my short response before left no room for expansion, her command left no room for contestation. Greyson let his hand fall off the doorknob and it clenched into a fist as he turned to go into what I assumed was the mudroom, a small doorway just next to the bright kitchen.

She smiled at me, then looked up as Greyson approached. He had a deep purple umbrella in his hand as he stepped back to the door without a look toward me, but obviously waiting. I took a deep breath and shouldered my backpack, offering one more tight smile toward Mandy and trudging to the door.

Greyson shoved it open, and we stepped outside. It was damp, and the wind carried the smell of rain against my face coolly. Champ picked his head up from where he laid on the porch, but apparently his nap took precedence over coming to greet us, and he laid back down.

Greyson unlatched the Velcro strip holding the umbrella together, letting it spring open. It was obviously a one-person umbrella. We exchanged quick glances, then I stepped forward under the umbrella that he raised to go over his head also, and we started down the steps.