Dabbling In Sweetness

Chapter 26

 The night took a whole different turn after Grayson left. I heard a small tap on my window followed by a whisper, "Strawberry." I groan in irritation as I move out of my comfortable comforter and head to look out my window. Grayson waves at me with a grin, out of his suit and back to his original clothes, he looked like the Grayson I knew.

"What do you want?" I whisper-yell at him.

"Come down," he tells me, "let's have an adventure."

I narrow my eyes at him as he holds up the duffle bag in his hands. I hold up my hand, signaling 5 minutes, and quickly change out of my pink satin shorts and blouse into a more appropriate attire. I climb down the fence of my room and Grayson looks at me. "Really? All in black?"

"That's what you're wearing," I point out.

He nods his head, "True. Besides, those clothes will serve us greatly."

I followed him to his motorcycle and put on my helmet. As I strap it in, I lean over and ask. "What's the adventure?"

"We're going to spray paint a mural," he tells me.

"You mean we're going to vandalize a wall and I'm not a good artist," I tell him.

He shrugs, "neither am I."

We stood on top of the building of the designated wall, I looked at Grayson and blinked once. "What are we spray painting?"

"School sucks?"

I look at him unhumourous, "that's your big idea?"

He starts strapping harnesses and I watch as he hooks the side of the hook to the wall, securing it tightly before coming to help me with my harness. "I figured we could paint anything you wanted. How about the world and a big Fuck you on the top?"

"Why not just a middle finger?" I told him.

He nods, "I like where you're going with this." He contemplates as he brings out some spray cans, "how about a grave with our dad's initials? A way to celebrate them."

I look at him and nod my head, "I like that idea." So off we set to work. It isn't hard work, but the filling-in is murderous on the spray cans. "Grayson," I say as we spray paint, "I'm sorry about your family."

He shrugs it off, but I know he wants to say more. I wait and sure enough, he speaks. "We used to be close, regardless of all the problems. Mom and me anyway. My dad was always tough on me and my mom always told me how much he cared, and he did. Holidays were sacred. They were filled with tension but sacred." He stops after that.

"Do you usually spend them alone? The holidays."

"Sometimes. Link always insists on bringing me over, but sometimes I'm able to get out of it." He looks at me, "your family is really nice. They made me feel-" he looks for a word and ends it with, "special."

"I'm glad. My mom wasn't lying when she said 'anytime you need someone.'"

"I'll keep it in mind." He takes out his photo and takes a picture of me. I gasp and he laughs. "Now I have some dirt on you, anytime she asks what you're up to."

I lightly punched him, "not funny."

"Where is Abacus this day?"

"Family dinner. I told him I invited you. Even texted him about meeting my parents."

"He hasn't met them? Oh, this must be killing him."

"Shut up. No, he hasn't but soon, maybe."

"What's stopping you?" At his question I looked at him, his eyes trained solely on me. Part of me wants to scream, you. Although the feelings were brief, he made me question them and I didn't think that was fair. "Strawberry?"