Safe Hands

45. Don't Give Up

Julian trudged into the house with Russell right behind him, their usual casual stroll but this time no words were said. The weight of the day pressed heavily on Julian's chest, each step feeling like a burden. He dropped his bag by the front door, its dull thud echoing through the silent house. The moment he was inside, he headed straight for Grayson's room, his heart pounding with anxiety and frustration. He needed to talk to him, to find out what Grayson was thinking, or if he was thinking at all about the mess they were in. Expulsion was a death sentence for Grayson's future, and Julian wasn't ready to give up.

He reached Grayson's door, pausing for a moment, his hand hovering over the knob. Taking a deep breath, he pushed it open, expecting to find Grayson in his usual brooding silence. Instead, the room was empty. The faint scent of cologne and the sight of an unmade bed were the only indicators that someone had been there recently. As Julian stepped further inside, the door swung shut behind him with a soft thud.

Julian whirled around, startled, and there was Grayson, leaning against the door with his arms crossed, a smirk playing on his lips. "What do you want, bleached face?" he sneered, pushing himself off the door and walking over to his desk. He ignored Julian's startled expression, casually flicking through some papers before reducing a window on his laptop.

Julian frowned, the insult rolling off him like water off a duck's back. He was used to it by now. "I'm not a bleached face," he retorted, trying to sound more confident than he felt. "How did you know I was coming?"

Grayson didn't bother looking up, his focus remaining on the laptop screen. He didn't answer, letting the silence hang heavy in the air. The silence bore weight and little understanding.

Julian sat down on the edge of Grayson's bed, feeling the soft mattress sink under his weight. His eyes darted around the room, taking in the posters on the walls, the scattered books, and the general chaos that reflected Grayson's inner turmoil. The silence was becoming unbearable.

"How was your day?" Julian finally asked, his voice quiet, almost timid not wanting to get to the point.

Grayson shrugged, his fingers tapping away at the keyboard. "It almost felt like freedom," he muttered, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Julian hesitated, gnawing on his lower lip. He wasn't sure how to bring up what was really bothering him, but he knew he had to. The words tumbled out before he could stop them. "There's a high chance you're going to be expelled."

Grayson paused, his fingers freezing mid-tap. But instead of the anger or fear Julian expected, Grayson simply sighed, as if he had been waiting for this moment all along. "I always knew I wasn't made for school," he replied flatly, his voice void of any emotion.

Julian's heart sank. He had hoped for some fight, some spark that showed Grayson cared about his future, but there was nothing. Just indifference. "Grayson, it's bad for your record. You could—"

"I don't care," Grayson interrupted, finally turning to face him. His gray eyes were cold, almost lifeless. "I've never cared about my record. It's just a piece of paper."

"But Miles is getting off with it," Julian pressed, trying to make Grayson see how unfair it all was. "He's not going to face any consequences, and you're just... okay with that?"

Grayson's jaw tightened. He looked away, staring at the wall as if it held the answers he couldn't find within himself. "It's fine. I'm ready to take the blame. I was the one who caused the trouble, the bad kid with a bad record, the insensitive one, and I don't regret a thing."

Julian's frustration boiled over. "Why do you keep pretending like you don't care?" he snapped, his voice louder than he intended. "Why are you always acting like nothing matters? It's like you're trying to push everyone away!"