M4M Grayson Hawthorne x Reader The Inheritance Games

-- Chapter 37 --

ISTG I CAN'T TELL IF MY CRUSH IS INTO ME OR NOT. LIKE SHE TELLS ME SHE LOVES ME (In a platonic way, I think.)... there is no but im just really confused. This sentence is 2 weeks later, so yeah still confused ideas, BUT BUT FOR HALLOWEEN I HUNG OUT WITH MY FRIENDS FRIENDS AND I WAS SCARED BUT WE'RE ALL REALLY COOL TOGETHER. AND ONE OF THEM IS KINDA FINE AND HE'S A GREEN FLAG, BUT MY MOM DOESNT LIKE HIM

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"Why in such a rush, Ave? Did Jameson say something? He did, didn't he? That-"

"He didn't so anything, Y/n." Avery yet still continued to walk at a fast pace once you to arrived at the Hawthrone mansion, while you were just trying to keep up without running. 

"Okay... Then how about slowing down a bit so-"

"Whoa there kid. Where's the fire?" Nash had stopped Avery, which stopped you.

"Avery and Y/n just came from reading a special copy of the will." Alisa answered. It felt a little too fast for an answer of someone who said she 'didn't need to tell her ex things.'

"A special copy of the will." Nash looked between you and Avery. "Would I be correct in assuming this has something to do with the gobbledygook in my letter from the old man?"

You repeated. "gobbledy-what?" while Avery repeated instead. "Your letter."

"Don't worry." Nash said, probably not talking about the word you repeated. "I'm sitting this one out. I told you. I don't want the money."

"The money is not at stake here." Alisa said firmly. "The will-"

"- is ironclad." Nash finished her sentence. "I believe I've heard that a time or two."

Alisa had an even more serious look than she usually did. "You were never good at listening."

"Listen doesn't always mean agree, Lee-lee." 

You looked at both of them,  your eyes darting between them.

"I should go." Alisa turned. "If you two need anything-"

"Call" You and Avery said in sync.

Alisa slammed the front door. You all stared at the door as the echo of it closing rang for a few seconds.

"You guys gonna tell me where you're headed in such a hurry." Nash asked again.

Avery answered. "Jameson asked me to meet him at the solarium."

"And I'm guessing you're going too." Nash then asked you, which you answered with a simple nod. "Got any idea where the solarium is?" He continued. Knowing Nash, he definitely knew where the solarium was, but testing you and Avery didn't hurt anyone. 

"I don't think we even know what a solarium is." Judging by the look on Avery's face, that confirmed neither you nor Avery knew what it was. "but if it isn't something related to outer space, then I'd be disappointed." 

Nash shrugged. "Solariums are overrated." It seemed that everything that happened in a Hawthrone's life was either normal or nothing much. "Tell me, kids, what do you usually do on your birthday?"

"That's a little random, isn't it?" You commented.

"Don't think too much of it."

Avery replied to Nash's strange question. "Eat cake?"

"Every year on our birthdays..." Nash looked into nowhere. "The old man would call us into his study and say the same three words. Invest. Cultivate. Create. He gave us ten thousand dollars to invest. Can you imaging letting an eight year old choose stocks?" Nash snorted. "Then we got to pick a talent or interest to cultivate for the year- a language, a hobby, an art, a sport. No expenses were spared. If you picked piano, a grand piano showed up the next day, private lessons immediately, and by midway through the year, you'd be backstage of the Carnegie Hall, getting tips from the greats."

"That's amazing." Avery said, thinking about all of the trophies in Tobias Hawthrone's office.

You waited a second to fully understand what they got to do for ONE of their birthdays. "Real normal birthday party." You muttered. You weren't surprised they received such gifts for their birthdays, and it just seemed so normal to Nash. The most you got on your birthday before you met Avery was a cookie, and it was your least favorite one too.

"The old man also laid out a challenge every year." His tone seemed less reminiscent than one would assume. "An assignment, something we were expected to create by their next birthday. An invention, a solution, a work of museum quality art. Something." 

That must've been what was going on with all of the items in the office. 

Avery had a different idea of a challenge then you did. "That doesn't sound horrible."

You looked at her. "Sounds pressuring."

Nash just hummed and jerked his head towards a corridor. "C'mon, I'll show you the solarium." He walked off without another word. As you all walked, Nash spoke up again. "Did Jameson tell you about the old man's weekly riddles?" You and Nash glanced at Avery.

"Yeah, he did." Avery said.

"Sometimes at the beginning of the game," Nash began. "the old man would lay out a collection of objects. A fishing hook, a price tag, a glass ballerina, a knife." He shook his head in memory. "And by the time the puzzle was solved, damned if we didn't use all four." Only a small smile appeared on his face. "I was so much older. I had an advantage. Jamie and Gray, they'd team up against me, then double-cross each other right at the end."

Team up? "Why are you telling us this?" The birthday, the riddles, challenges, all of those were only connected to the sons. What did it have to do with Avery?

Not avoiding the question, but not answering it either, Nash only nodded to a door at the end of the hall. "Solarium's the last door on the right."

"Thanks." Avery said for the both of you, already heading towards the door.

"You might think you're playing the game, darlin', but that's not how Jamie sees it." Nash said in an almost warning tone. "We aren't normal. This place isn't normal, and you're not the player, kid. You're the glass ballerina or the knife."

And with that Avery had entered the solarium. You were about to open the closed door until Nash put his hand on your shoulder.

You raised your eyebrow at him.

"Same goes for you, but with Gray. He's got a different approach from Jamie, but they still have the same goal." He said like he was reminding you about their teaming up and double crossing each other.

"Trust me, Gray's not getting to me."

"You better keep your word about that." Nash gave your shoulder a little push, leaving you for your scavenger hunt with Avery.

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So my birthday was yesterday, super cool and shit. That guy I said was fine went bc there was only four ppl (including me) and when we were all hanging out at one of my friends house, he kept on wrestling with me. like putting me over his shoulder and trying to lift me. but here's the thing... he has a crush on this other guy AND IT'S NOT FAIR. I'm crying guys. (guys he's gonna fall for me one day, trust 🤞)

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