Frenemies

09

It is weird seeing Grayson at school the next day after having spent the previous day with him, we have never spent time outisde of school willingly.  The atmosphere around us has changed, and it's weird knowing how much I know about him. How much I know about his family.

It's also weird knowing that Grayson is a physical touch kind of guy. He has hugged me two times without feeling anything like I have or else he wouldn't have made the first move. He has playfully pulled me into his lap. To Grayson, physical touch is something that comes naturally to him, so why am I dwelling on it? 

"So are you and Grayson a thing?"Katie says this to me in class. After the last class and having to sit next to him, it's nice to sit somewhere away from him. Not because sitting beside him is a chore, but because interacting with him is confusing me.   I tuck in a piece of my hair that I blow dried this morning,"Ew no, why?" 

"Because you have been spending all this time with him?", she says in a duh tone and I look away from her and toward Grayson who is talking to the guy next to him. I study the way he is with his friends as opposed to his family.

With his siblings, he is more guarded and observant. With the guy next to him, he is more free. I wonder how long he has been taking care of his siblings.

He senses me looking though and glances at me, his eyes finding mine. I quickly look away and turn to my friend,"I think that with us graduating next year, we decided to play nice with each other." 

"Yes, that's a good thing. But I'm wondering if you guys could be more. You spent time with his family and that's as personal as you can get." 

"I babysat them", I throw in and she shakes her head. She glances over at Grayson who is still looking at me. I stick my tongue out at him and he sticks up the middle finger in return. I laugh at our playful interaction and he smiles, his eyes twinkling.

Katie leans in toward me,"That boy's definitely in love with you." 

"Right", I say to her. Grayson not hating me is something I could wrap my head around, but liking me? That's a definite no.

Katie rolls her eyes and starts writing on her paper,"You're throwing a good thing away, Jules. Good man." 

"Ew, why don't you go date him?" 

Katie looks at me and then back at Grayson, who looks up at Katie and gives her a polite smile. She turns back to me,"Because he doesn't look at me like that." 

"As opposed to what?" 

"To how he looks at you", she says with a bright smile and I groan hoping she will end the conversation there. She does fortunately.

•••••

As predicted, Grayson finds me after class and walks with me. "So what were you guys talking about?" 

"Oh you know how pretty the sunset was today and how blue water is in the ocean", I say playfully. Grayson nudges his arm into my shoulder and says,"How blue?" I look into his eyes and a smirk plays on my lip. 

"Very pale blue, but even still so bright." 

"Tell me more", he says intensly, leaning toward me and staring at me. I slap his arm playfully and say,"I'm kidding. We were talking about how we graduate so soon." 

"Right", he says looking into my eyes but I only turn around and walk faster. He catches up to me and says,"Stacie felt better this morning." I'm glad he changed the conversation. 

"She did?"

"Yeah, she came down for breakfast for the first time in a few days and she asked me to thank you for the things you gave her."