Dabbling In Sweetness

Chapter 10

The days went by quicker than I expected and Friday afternoon had fast approached. I walked behind Grayson as he guided us through the parking lot. I held tightly to my backpack straps, wishing Gina, Link, and Matt were with us. Over this past week, they had made me feel a part of their group while Grayson still treated me like an outsider. I saw them more often and even sat with them during lunch. Lynett had been mad at me for hanging with them so she had been icing me out, but I didn't care because I was really enjoying their company. Grayson never sat with us; he would either be in the bleachers with the rest of the football group making out with Sienna or somewhere I never knew. I didn't mind, especially since every time he saw me he would pretend I didn't exist or proceed to tease me about something and the subject always landed on Abacus. Class with them was easier since they both seemed to ignore their existence after glaring at each other the first few seconds of class, it also helped we only had that class twice a week. I had tried switching seats but the teacher was adamant about everyone staying where they were, giving me no out.

I stop in my tracks with wide eyes as I see Grayson remove the pedal from a motorcycle. I immediately turn around and start walking toward the building. "Strawberry," I hear the faint sound of his voice as he calls out to me. I respond by sprinting.

"Strawberry," I feel a hand on mine and am turned around to hit his chest, "why are you running."

I backed up a bit and spoke, "You knew I was coming with you after school today, didn't you?"

"I did."

"Then why would you bring a motorcycle without thinking about me?"

"But I did think about you. Look-" he points to the seat where two helmets laid, one was black while the other resembled a strawberry. I rolled my eyes.

"I am not getting on that," I tell him and turn around from him again. It was futile because he quickly turned me around again.

With an evil twinkle in his eyes, he asks, "are you scared?"

"Oh. It's not that. It's the fact that I don't trust the driver."

He releases my hand and puts it where his heart should be, faking hurt with a blank expression and says, "that hurts. Really, it does."

Ignoring him, I continue, "I've been in a car with 4 doors and coverage that you have driven, and that barely went well."

"Oh come on Strawberry, I'm a good driver. I can't prove it if you don't let me-" he says and grabs the helmet meant for me. He waves it in front of me to where I huff and begrudgingly take it. He gives me a smile of approval and puts on his.

"I still want the right to get off at any moment I feel my life being threatened."

Grayson rolls his eyes and turns it on. I look at the seat and curse my luck, I would be really close to Grayson. I mount the motorcycle and grab the back handle to hold myself. He drops the motorcycle with a kickback that sends my hands forward and to hold onto his jacket and my face buried on his back. "Ahem," I hear him says and look up. "I can't drive when you're holding onto my jacket." I let go and he proceeds to lift it up, but not looking at me as I take the hint and grab the sides of his shirt. Unexpectedly, Grayson grabs my hands and moves them around his waist, clamoring them together. I can feel my cheeks redden at the action when he adds, "Feel safe?"

At his words, I scoot back a little but leave my hands securely around him. If anything happened, he would be going down with me. He reeves the engine again and I unconsciously tighten my hands. I hear his chuckle and loosen my grip again as we zoom out of the parking lot. The streets are bustling but all I can hear is the noise of the motorcycle. It sounded so peaceful that I lay my head on his back for a closer feel and am met with a similar comforting vibration all around his body. I could close my eyes and fall asleep but instead, I stay in a trance-like position as I watch our surroundings blur out of existence. My sleepy eyes widen slightly as I watch the clear contrast between the regular neighborhood to the rich one. We passed by a street where the houses had stopped for a second but when they resumed, they were bigger and more grandeur, each one getting more elaborate as we passed by them.

I could make out Sienna's house first by the fact that LeRoy was in bold letters outside of their mansion on the stone built mailbox. I could see Sienna with a group of girls in her purple convertible, hood down that allowed her to sit in the center while the rest of the girls surrounded her, listening intently to her story. Her eyes lock with mine as we pass by them. I instinctively turned away from her gaze, knowing we were passing by Abacus' house next. I always knew they lived next to each other even if they were a few miles apart. When I knew we were out of Sienna's gaze, I turned around to catch the equally huge mansion of Abacus with his last name in equally bold letters in the mailbox. I expected Grayson to be the same and was shocked at how much bigger than the other two he was. Sienna's and Abacus' mansions were impressive but Graysons seemed a bit more. I released my hold on him and looked over the gate, making out the mansion in the center of rolls of bushes, looking like a maze.

He stopped at the gate and pressed a button where a voice came through, "This is the Archer estate."

"It's me," Grayson responds to which there is a buzz and the gates start opening to the inside. Grayson drives in and stops his motorcycle in front of round stone stairs that lead to a golden colored set of doors. The door is opened by an old man in a black suit.

"Thanks Willium," Grayson says as he sets the brakes on the motorcycle. I get off and follow Grayson with wide eyes, my astonishment growing in awe at everything we pass. The inside was more elaborate than the outside. It was filled with paintings and simple yet elegant pieces. We passed by countless rooms before reaching a set of stairs that went in a circle up to more rooms.

When we reach the top of the banister, I look down and says, "This place is-"

"Stuffy?" Grayson interjects.

"I was going to say huge."

Grayson gives me a sly smile and winks, "Oh-it is." I narrow my eyes in confusion to which he laughs off and continues walking. "Through here Strawberry." He points at a room and disappears. I go into the gray room, and look around it. A king size bed in the center held by oak wood, a giant window overlooking the land where I could see a fountain. He had book shelves with no books but small antiques and car collectibles. There were trophies from football and some from boxing. On the wall there were drawings of different things, but on top of his desk was one of all his friends huddled together. Next to it, was the picture that inspired the drawing.

I set my stuff down on the table as Grayson comes back with another chair. I point at the drawing, "who drew that?"

"Link," is all he says and takes a seat in the chair.

"I'm assuming the picture was Matt," I tell him and sit down as well.

"Yup, all hung up by Gina who has nothing better to do than mess with my stuff."

I can't help but laugh at his comment and see as he smiles a small one but a smile nonetheless. "I don't see any pictures of you and your girlfriend though-'' I say as I give the room a once over, noting there were no family pictures either.

"Girlfriend? Who? Sienna?" Grayson says as he unpacks his book. He shakes his head as I nod mine. "She's not my girlfriend Strawberry."

"She's not?" I say in confusion.

He leans on his chair and smiles, "why? Did you want a shot with me?"

I roll my eyes and open his textbook, "I'm good. I just thought you guys looked good together, especially since you guys are always together."

"Yeah- well, looks can be deceiving."

"What is that supposed to mean?" He's about to respond when there's a knock on the door. Willium is at the door, holding a platter of crackers and cheese.

"I brought these for you guys to snack on," he says and sets the plate in the center.

"Thank you," we both say as he walks out. I'm about to ask him to decipher his cryptic message again when he scoots forward and grabs his pen.

"Should we start?"

I nod my head and begin the tutoring session.

>>>>

They finally started tutoring, I wonder what else will happen. I'm uploading another chapter after this one since I've been gone for a bit. 

I got to ask, anyone into kpop or kdramas??