Out Loud

Fourteen

-Grayson-

Lexi, Levi, Miranda, and I all sat in my room together, Miranda had called them over after Eli told us about what was going on with the whole Elliot thing. I was sitting at my desk finishing up some homework while they sorted out what was going on.

"Elliot is most likely going to flip out and try to bring you down with her," Levi said, "I wouldn't be surprised if she took some jabs at Jamie too."

"But how I am supposed to get out of this?" Miranda said as she ran her fingers through her hair. Her feathers on her back ruffled a bit as she readjusted on the couch.

"What you need to do is just ignore everything and exclude yourself from all of this," Lexi said, "if you completely distance yourself then nobody will care."

"And what do I do when she comes knocking on my doorstep or confronting me in front of the school?"

"Defend yourself, but don't yell or get fired up," Levi said as he took his phone out of his pocket, "just stay calm, play it cool and let Bel or Ashlie do the yelling."

"We've all got your back," I signed as I joined Levi on the floor in front of the couch.

"This is going to be a hot mess," Miranda laughed.

"When is it not!" Lexi giggled.

-Eli-

"Elle calm down," I said as we drove down the street.

"Calm down Eli! This is going to ruin me!" she practically yelled, "both of us!"

"You'll only make it worse by freaking out like this," I said as I grabbed her hand, "if you play it cool and ignore it everything will be fine. Just say that it wasn't you in the video."

"Everyone knows what I was wearing," Elle snapped, "Miranda posted a picture of me in that dress and the guys flashed a light on us at the party. I was the only one at that house wearing that dress."

"Elle, I promise it will be ok if you just calm down and ignore it."

"No it won't Eli! You don't get it, you never will! I'm calling Miranda and Jamie out tomorrow, if I'm going down they are too!"

"Elliot wait!"

It was too late, she had already stormed out of my car and into her house. I sat there for a moment and just reflected on everything. Well, I might as well warn Miranda. I opened up Instagram and sent her a text.

Eli: got a sec to talk Miranda: what's up

Eli: there's something I need to tell you. Are you free to get a coffee?

Miranda: I'm texting you Grayson's address. Come over.

I pulled out of Elle's driveway and made my way over to Grayson's house. His house was actually a normal sized house, I don't know what I was expecting. A mansion probably. I walked up to the door and waited for someone to answer. A grey jaguar with baby blue spots answered, she was a bit taller than me and her hair was pinned up in a sloppy bun.

"Hello, can I help you?" she said with a smile, she was holding a basket of laundry with one arm.

"I'm one of Miranda's friends, I think at least," I stammered, "she told me to come over."

"Ah yes, they're upstairs in Grayson's room," the lady laughed, "just go up the stairs, it's the second one on the left."

"Thank you, Mrs. Callihan," I said as I walked inside the house.

"Oh please, just call me Natalie," Grayson's mom laughed as she walked down a hallway.

I made my way upstairs and found the crew sitting in a huddle in Grayson's room. Lexi and Miranda were on a couch under a loft bed and Grayson and Levi sat on the floor next to a coffee table.