Dabbling In Sweetness

Chapter 34

I trail behind the two boys as they reach the balcony. I can't help but admire the stars shining brightly, illuminating both of their features as if they were in a movie. I didn't make a move, wanting to know what they were discussing. Grayson is the first to speak, "what do you want Kennedy?" The irritation in his voice is crystal clear, making sure Abacus didn't miss it.

"I want you to stop messing with my girlfriend."

Grayson lights a cigarette as if without a care in the world, leaning against the smooth balcony. "Stop causing a scene and let's get back to my mother's ball."

"As soon as you promise to stop messing with my girlfriend," Abacus then turns him around and grabs him by his jacket's collar. Grayson is leaning against the balcony, cigarette still in hand and a smirk.

He blows the smoke in Graysons face and says, "make me." Abacus is clenching and unclenching his fist, trying hard to not hit Grayson. I can see the internal turmoil going on in his head through his brown eyes. "Just admit it already, you were using Amelia to hurt me."

Abacus shakes his head and crouches down, "No. I wouldn't do that."

"Yes you would Kennedy. You think I'm a fuck up, but you're just as fucked up as me. We let two perfectly sweet girls get caught up in our own drama and bring them down because of it. I did that with Sienna and you're doing that with Amelia."

"That's not true."

"Really?" Grayson says flabbergasted. "When are you going to just admit it?"

Abacus stands up, "I wanted to hurt you. I did, but I care about her."

"I care about her too," Grayson says softly. I can feel an involuntary smile make its way to my face.

"She wouldn't forgive me if she knew," Abacus says, lost in his own thoughts, and then points at Grayson, "you never did."

"You ruined my life, how could I forgive you?" Grayson's words come out harsh and with no mercy.

"I didn't mean to," Abacus says.

"That doesn't make anything better. My dad died believing something that wasn't true. I can never change that."

Abacus yells and hits the balcony. "Then what do you want me to do?" he yells, "do you want me to go downstairs and get a microphone? Announce to everyone how I got you kicked out by planting steroids in your bag." He has lost control and sits on the edge, placing his head in between his legs. "I can't believe I did that," he says through tears.

Grayson shows no mercy as he responds emotionlessly, "I can't believe it either." He sits down next to him with a grunt and continues smoking.

"You have to understand Grayson, my dad, he wasn't in a good place," Abacus says pitifully. Grayson looks at him with no hint of giving anything away. Abacus takes the chance to talk. "Freshman year, I was the best until you showed up with your own dad always wanting to make sure you were better. You had a higher connection with your dad's money, the school loved you."

"Football was never about money and you knew that."

"I know, but my dad didn't. You had Sienna with you, and that only made him madder. If I couldn't be with her, I should have at least pulled my weight and done better at football and beat you. He started training me harder, but when it wasn't enough, he started making me take steroids." Grayson just shakes his head. "I refused for as long as I could, but then, the day you got the quarterback position, he was so mad and went ballistic when I refused them again." We both narrow our eyes at him as Abacus looks out into an abyss, cold and heartless as he must have felt at that moment. "He left me badly bruised that day when I went to Sienna, she cried as she patched me up. I swore her to secrecy and she never told, hasn't."