Frenemies

24

I drive back to Grayson's house and walk up the stairs and knock on the front door. This time it gives me deja vu but when I turn on the doorknob, the door opens. I cringe at the fact that we left the door open, where anybody would've been able to just walk in.

"Grayson", I shout walking through his house. I search the downstairs, walking from room to room until I decide to head upstairs. I'm still calling his name when I find his bedroom door closed. Heaving a sigh, I open the door to find him in bed under the covers. 

"Grayson", I shout heading to his bed. "You better have a good reason for abandoning your siblings", I shout as I yank the covers off of him. I find him in bed, shirtless, his eyes closed and I can tell he is passed out. 

"Don't tell me you were drinking", I say annoyed, pinching the bridge of my nose. He stirs in his sleeep and I poke his chest, finding it hot under my touch. He jerks awake and his eyes find mine, half closed. I repeat my earlier question and he grabs a pillow next to him and covers face with it.

I try not to notice how his muscles on his abdomen move. Instead, I grab the pillow off his face and hold it up, and out of his reach. He groans even louder and goes to bury his face into the pillow underneath his head, but I hold his face and turn him to me. I find that his face is burning hot and my hand goes up to his forehead placing the back of my hand on it. It immediately burns me and I purse my lips up in thinking. 

"Grayson you have a fever", I say and he looks at me, his face morphing into something I can't decipher. In a moment's hesitation, I grab the trash can by his bed and hand it to him. He moves his head down and I try not to cower away at the noise or the smell. He continues and my hand finds its way to his hair his scalp warming my hand up. I try not to notice how good it feels or how I missed it as I move his hair off his forehead and with a last heave, he is done. 

He moves his head back up and I let go of his hair. He stares at me for a second before his face reddens and he covers his face into the pillow. "In that case, you have a something on your mouth", I tease him and he goes to wipe at it under the pillow. I lied but he still does it. I laugh as he groans again, a soft one and it makes me think of the sound he made when we kissed.

This makes me jerk away from him. After a moments silence, I pull myself together. 

I put my hands on my hip and yank the pillow off, he goes to complain, but I also yank of his covers fully releasing a breath when I find that he is wearing pants. 

"Julie", he groans and I shake my head sternly. "You can't feed into the fever, wait right here I'm going to look for a few things." I leave him staring at me dumbfoundedly and head downstairs  to the kitchen. There, I find a washcloth and Tylenol. I also find DayQuil and bring them up to his room. 

"Grayson—", I find him back under his covers and groan at the fact that I'm going to be here for a while. I walk up to his bed and gently take off the cover from his head. He doesn't even look up as I move the hair off his forehead and place the automatic thermometer on top of it. The screen blades a red and I'm surprised to find that it reads: 103.5 

"Holy sh—", I say but am interrupted when Graysons hand comes up to my hand. I move back a little and his hand releases mine. "Gray, get up", I say, nudging him with the thermometer but he doesn't make any sign of hearing me. I walk closer and shake his bare hot shoulder and say,"Gray, get up. You are so sick." 

He stirs a little and when he opens his eyes, I nod encouragingly, if not a little eagerly. The corners of his lips rise up just before he starts to close his eyes again.

I was right, this will take a long time. 

••••

Grayson won't keep his eyes open, but I still continue with what I brought. I place the cold washcloth on his forehead and hope that brings down his temperature. After a few minutes, I retract it and then say,"Gray, come on, one minute you have to take medicine." He doesn't open his eyes and annoyed, I grab a hold of his arm and shake him.