Frenemies

03

I'm walking home when I hear a car pull up next to me. I had to walk today because my car is in the garage, after it malfunctioned on me this morning causing me to curse a few times. I take off my headphones and turn to the side to see Grayson. I manage to not roll my eyes and say,"What do you want?"

Grayson pulls the car over and says,"Get in. We are going to the same place after all."

"Your house right?", I ask. Our teacher assigned us a history project and while we could've worked on it during our free period, we wanted to save our energy for later. School is draining so using the one extra period to socilaize with friends makes the day better. Makes us actually come to school.

"No, your house", he says gesturing me to get in.

"Why not your house?", I cross my hands over my chest. I'm not sure why we hadn't discussed this before, I was already on my way to his house. If he hadn't pulled up next to me now, I would've walked all the way to his house for no reason. "My parents are home."

"Because", he says and stops talking to think for a second,"It'll be better for you to be more comfortable at your own house."

I nod, not wanting to stand out here in the cold and argue, and walk over to the door. I'm about to pull the handle when I see Grayson leaning over to open it from the inside. I step back and the door opens. I get in, throwing my backpack at my feet.

"My address is 12-"

"I've been at your house before", he says cutting me off. I turn to him with a incredulous look,"So what? You memorized it. That's stalker moves."

"Yes and not because I've been to your house more times than I would've liked."

"Whatever, drive."

Grayson just stares at me with a blank look and I stare right back. Sensing that I've not getting what his silent look is about, he shakes his head. I hear him sigh and he reaches over to me. He moves my hair off my shoulder, I freeze at his touch, but he only pulls the seat belt over me.

"Oh", I breathe when his arm is no longer around me.

"And you say you are smarter", Grayson says with a smirk and puts the car in drive. I slap his shoulder and he tsks at me.

"Now do you want my first meeting with your parents to be in the hospital room?", he says not looking at me but ahead at the road.

"Shut up", I say pulling the headphones back on my ear and turning toward the window. Grayson's car is surprisingly messy. I wouldn't have pegged Grayson as a messy person as he evidently irons his jeans.

♡•♡•♡••♡

"Jules, you're home", my mom greets me with open arms. I laugh as I walk into her arms, letting her touch comfort me. When I pull away, my mom has her attention on Grayson already, who has an unfamiliar look in his eye.

"This is Grayson", I say stepping away from him and into my house. I hold the door open for both of them to step in.

"And you must be-"

"Julie's partner on the project", Grayson says, finishing the sentence for her and offering his hand for her to shake.

"I was going to say boyfriend", my mom says, shaking Graysons hand. My cheeks heat up and when I look up at Grayson, I see that his ears are tinted a tiny bit of pink.

"Mom, that's not, what", I say tripping over my words. I look at Oliver for help but he doesn't get a chance to respond.

"Jules bought her boyfriend home?", a voice booms from the dining room and I slap my forehead. I watch as my dad walks into the room and sizes up Grayson. Grayson is just an inch taller than my dad, but even then my father evidently intimidates him. Oliver's shoulders bunch down and his eyes soften.

"Dad, stop. We aren't dating", I manage to say. Grayson seems to want to leave my house and I agree with him. I'd leave with him.

"Oh", both my parents say at the same time.

"You have a lovely house, Mr. And Mrs. Miller", Grayson says with perfect adequateness and I roll my eyes.

"We have a project due tomorrow so we'll just head upstairs to finish it", I say to my parents. I leave Grayson in the living room and go to the kitchen to grab popcorn. I grab a few bags and walk back to the living room.

"Grayson, let's go", I say pointing to the set of stairs with my chin. Grayson says his goodbyes to my parents and follows me up the stairs. Once we get to my room, I swear he lets out a breath.

I drop my backpack on the floor and throw a bag of skinny pop at him. He catches it effortlessly and says,"your parents seem nice."

"And they definitely didn't embarrass me", I say with playful annoyance. "You? My boyfriend. I would've thought they knew I had better taste."

Grayson shakes his head,"I think they were nice. Sorry, I haven't been around parents in a while."

"Your parents?", I say pointing out the obvious. He puts a hand in his hair and says,"Right yeah."

"You're too proper", I say setting my popcorn down, and walking toward my closet and grabbing a change of clothes. I head to the bathroom and change into comfy shorts and a tank top. I put my hair up in a bun and walk out the room. When I step back in my room, I still see Grayson in the exact same spot by my door. It dawns on me now that Grayson is in my room.

When he used to come over for asisgned projects, we would work in the living room. But with my parents home and obviosly sensing romance, it would be awkward downstairs.

I walk toward my backpack and pull out the stuff we would need. When I stand up, I find Grayson's eyes on my shirt. I find that it had riled up a few inches and pulled it down, raising my eyebrow at him.

Grayson clears his throat and finds himself a seat on my desk chair. I sit my stuff down on the table and take a spot on my bed. The bed is close enough to the table for me to reach the desk. I pull out the folders for the research paper we did in class.

"Okay, we don't have much to do. Let's get started."

♡•♡•♡○♡

What we thought would take only half an hour took about three. My hair had fallen from its bun and I re-tie it. I laugh looking at Grayson who looks exhausted,"Can you believe that took us so long?"

"Yeah because you liked to disagree- shit what time is it?", he says searching his pockets frantically for what I assume to be his phone.

"It's almost seven o'clock", I say shrugging.

"Oh no", he says grabbing his stuff and stuffing it in his backpack. He stressfully runs a hand through his hair and practically out of my room. I follow after him, my steps rushed to meet his. My parents are in the dining room when we walk past and they stop us.

"Grayson, are you leaving? You should stay for dinner", my mom says smiling. I can smell the spaghetti they make at least once a week.

"No thank you", he says polietly and then looks at me. He doesn't have the same playful look in his eye as he did right before we finished the project. "I really have to go."

"Where?", I say confused to what could be so important that he is practically running out of my house.

"Dinner at home. With my family", he looks at my mother and adds,"Extended family."

He says a small goodbye and rushes out of my house. I watch as he quickly starts his car and drives off without wasting a minute. As I stand there by the door, I wonder about what family could be so important as to have him practically fly home.