Settling Slowly

Chapter 21 - 50 Shades of Grayson

I was still sipping tea when I got to textiles so I hung around near the door until I was finished with it so that there was no chance whatsoever I could spill it all over someone's work. Trouble was it was a huge mug, it held about twice as much as a normal one and by the time I was done I was bursting for the loo since it was my second cup of the morning. Mrs. Kemp wasn't too happy, but let me go.

It was on the way back to the classroom when things got a bit weird. I was walking slowly, for the first time ever delaying my arrival to a textiles class. Most of my material may have been cut out for me, but I wasn't sure how well I was going to fare with a sewing machine. Today already felt like it had lasted forever thanks to Zack's heart to heart and even after lots of tea I needed to clear my head. I leaned on the wall looking out of one of the windows that pointed to the playing field. The snow had been trampled by people having snowball fights and making snowmen which were almost as numerous as the crazy bastards who went out there each lunchtime. As I looked a gap opened out in the clouds and the sun shone right through the window.

Then arms came around my waist and someone kissed my neck. I screamed and jumped around, the Spanish murmuring stopped and Alexander freaking Grayson jumped away from me.

"Grace, come on – Zoey?" he asked incredulously, his eyes wide and jaw slack.

"Yeah! Who the hell did you think it was?" I asked.

"I thought you were –" English stopped, Spanish started and I could only guess that along with his disgusted look swearing was pouring from his mouth.

I looked at him completely horrified, not able so say anything. Until Alexander finally managed English.

"Why the hell did you get a hair cut?" he demanded.

"Because I managed to start the job myself, remember?" I asked loudly, half incredulous, half revolted at what he'd done. I wiped my neck as if that would take away the kiss. "Why the hell did you kiss me? This is not Fifty Shades of Grayson! I have a boyfriend!"

"I thought you were Grace!" he pleaded. "I'm sorry I – Oh god, this is gross."

"Ya think?! Eww." I rubbed my neck some more.

Lexie emerged from the other end of the corridor laughing her head off. I did a double take, she was supposed to be in Spanish class which was the other side of campus. She walked over to us trying to keep her laughter quiet so that she didn't attract too much attention. Not that there were any classrooms down here, but still. This place echoed like an old cathedral.

"That," she declared, "was hilarious."

"Please don't tell Dan," I all but begged.

"Oh god, I forgot about him," Alexander said and paled a little. "You won't tell him will you?"

"Are you kidding me? He'd kill you." She wiped a tear from her face and laughed a little more. "Though if you told him how disgusted Alexander is, he'd probably stop glaring every time he's mentioned."

I supposed she had a point, but if I told Dan he'd rant at Dad and I'd never hear the end of it. No, I was perfectly happy for this to stay between the three of us. Alexander looked pretty happy for it to stay that way too.

"What you doing down this end, Barnes?" he asked.

"Spanish got cancelled. I needed a walk around."

"Well let's walk over to textiles. I might be able to convince Mrs. Kemp let you help me today. Your triple Spanish is at the same time as my triple textiles. We can get loads done," I grinned.