The Blake Girl

Chapter 2

The rest of the school day passed in a blur, my thoughts constantly drifting back to Jameson. There was something about the Hawthorne brothers that intrigued me—especially Jameson, with his intense gaze that seemed to see right through me. It was hard to focus on anything else.

When the final bell rang, I headed to my locker, where Rebecca was already waiting, her usual bright smile in place.

"So, what's on your mind, Julia?" she asked, her tone gentle but curious.

I shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant. "Just thinking about the day."

Rebecca raised an eyebrow. "Does 'the day' include a certain Hawthorne brother by any chance?"

I rolled my eyes, "You're delusional Bec."

Rebecca laughed. "Of course I just imagined the looks he gave you and you gave him. You two are definitely not completely in love"

"First you are crazy" I said joining her in laughing. "Also I thought he likes Emily."

Rebecca's eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief. "Things can change."

"Hey, Becca! Julia!" Emily called, practically bouncing on her feet as she ran over to join us. Rebecca exchanged a nervous look before walking over to her, and I followed.

"How was your first day?" Rebecca asked Emily,

"It was amazing!" Emily replied, her energy contagious. "Grayson showed me around, and I made like a million new friends already."

Grayson's eyes flicked to me as I approached, and he gave me a polite nod. "Julia."

"Grayson," I replied, matching his cool tone. I was surprised he remembered my name we had only talked a couple times at the Laughlin's house.

Emily smiled. "We were thinking of grabbing some ice cream at that new place down the street. Want to come with us?"

Rebecca looked to me, and I shrugged. "Sure why not."

Grayson's gaze softened slightly as he looked at Emily, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "I'll drive."

We all piled into Grayson's car, with  Emily chattering excitedly in the front and Rebecca and I in the back. The ride to the ice cream shop was surprisingly comfortable, the atmosphere filled by Emily's endless stream of conversation. Grayson's attention stayed mostly on the road, but every so often, he'd glance at Emily, his expression softening whenever she laughed.

When we arrived at the ice cream shop, the place was buzzing with students from our school. We found a table outside and ordered our ice cream, the warm breeze making the moment feel almost perfect.

As we sat down, Emily continued her animated conversation with Rebecca, leaving me with Grayson. He wasn't much for small talk, and for a while, we sat in silence. But then, he spoke.

"You and Xander seem close," Grayson said, his tone neutral but probing.

I nodded. "Yeah, we've been friends for a while. He's easy to be around."

Grayson studied me for a moment before nodding. "Xander's a good judge of character."

There was something in his voice that made me think he was testing me, but before I could ask what he meant, Xander and Jameson appeared, each holding a cup of ice cream.

"Look who I found!" Xander announced, dropping into the seat next to me with his signature grin. He was the same as always—playful and carefree.

Jameson took the seat on my other side, his presence instantly commanding attention. "Mind if we join you?"

"Not at all," Emily said, clearly pleased by the surprise appearance.

As they joined our table, I couldn't help but notice the way Grayson's expression tightened slightly, a flicker of something unreadable passing through his eyes before he masked it. Whatever he had been about to say, it was clear that he wasn't going to say it now.

The conversation flowed easily after that, with Xander cracking jokes and Emily's laughter ringing out like a bell. Rebecca smiled quietly, content to listen rather than lead the discussion.

Once we were done, I headed to the bus stop to head home. Grayson had offered to drop me off, but I'd rather avoid the inevitable questions about why I was arriving home late with a boy. The bus ride was a quiet contrast to the lively afternoon, giving me time to think.

When I finally walked through the door of my house, a wave of relief washed over me. At least for now, I didn't have to face my grandfather. I headed straight to my room, feeling a sense of contentment knowing that I wouldn't have to endure any tense conversations tonight.

After changing out of my uniform, I collapsed onto my bed, my eyes drifting to the picture on my bedside table. It was the only photo I had of my family. My mother, with her bright smile that never quite reached her eyes, stood next to a man who might as well have been a ghost for all the role he played in my life. When she left, he vanished too, leaving me in the care of my grandfather—my mother's father. The man who seemed to relish in reminding me just how much I took after her, in all the worst ways.

I sighed, rolling onto my back and staring at the ceiling. I didn't want to think about them tonight. Instead, I let my mind wander back to the Hawthornes, to the day's strange and unexpected twists. I wasn't sure what to make of any of it yet, but one thing was clear: my life was about to get a lot more complicated.