[Hidden with a Smile.]

❾

I slipped past a group of people into the cafe Dean told me to meet them in. Truth be told, I wasn't that excited to go out today. I was still mad that Grayson wouldn't tell me if I was his friend, and my mom wasn't back yet. But, I made a promise with Dean that I'd hang out with the group, and I'm not one to go back on my word.

"Azalea! Over here!" I heard Dean exclaim. I looked over to see him waving from a booth, and I jogged over.

"I'm sorry it took so long for me to get here, there were some kittens in the park. I got distracted," I told Dean, looking around for the others "where's everyone else?"

Dean shrugged, laughing a little. "I guess they're running late as well. I told Desiree to call when her and Joey are close, and May told us she wasn't going to make it."

I just nodded, then sat across from him. I felt a slight headache, but I tried to brush it off.

"So, how was your morning?" Dean asked me.

"It was fine, I got distracted by some cats in the park on my way over here, I was naming them all" I told him, smiling slightly as he laughed.

"Really? What names?" He questioned.

"Well, I named one Leonardo DeCatprio, another Katy Purry, and the last one I named-" I was about to finish, but I saw a familiar face serving a table near us. "Oh my gosh Grayson".

"Grayson? That name doesn't really have a cat pun, does it?" Dean replied, chuckling.

"Oh, uh yeah haha, silly me, I guess there can only be so many cat puns in my head" I said, only half focusing on Dean now that I noticed Grayson working in the café. He was even dressed in a worker's button up shirt and khaki slacks, an apron thing around his waist. I mean, I know he's a normal human just like anyone, but I guess I always envisioned him on the weekends riding a motorcycle into an abandoned forest and paint the trees, or maybe on the trees.

But no, here he is in perfect view working at a cute little café even though he really doesn't fit into the atmosphere. I wanted to laugh, but I knew Dean would find it suspicious.

"Ah geez, what's taking our waiter so long?" Dean questioned, looking around.

"Well, why don't you just ask another waiter around us for help, if they're not too busy" I said, of course I said that without thinking exactly which waiters were around us, so of course Dean calls over the one waiter I didn't really want to interact with.

Yep, Grayson.

"Excuse me, do you think you can take our drink orders just for now? I'm not sure where our regular waiter is" Dean told him. He didn't notice me yet, maybe I could duck under the table, or sneak off to the restroom, or maybe blow up the café with my mind before he turns over to me.

"Of course, what would you two li-" Grayson stopped mid sentence as he turned to see me. Oh crap, why didn't I blow up the café?

We made eye contact for a solid 5 seconds before Grayson completely acted as if he didn't know me and continued with the order.

"Sorry, thought I just saw a fly, what would you two like to drink?" Grayson asked us.

"I'll just take a Coke, what about you 'Zale?" Dean asked me, and I could've sworn I heard a noise from Grayson when he heard Dean say my nickname.

"I wouldn't mind a cup of coffee, thanks" I replied, keeping my eyes down towards the menu I was pretending to look through. Grayson wrote down our order, and then smiled softly.

"Alright, I'll have that out for you guys in a minute" Grayson told us, then took one last look in my direction before walking away. I tried not to look so obviously suspicious, but Dean seemed to catch it.

"What's wrong? Did you know that guy?" He asked me. I really wasn't sure if I should tell him the portrait situation, so I lie.

"Nah, he just looked similar to my cousin" I said, smiling.

"Oh, what a coincidence" Dean said, sounding unconvinced but he let it slide.

Dean and I talked about little subjects while we waited for our drinks. When the drinks arrived, it was our regular waiter who came with them. I admittedly felt a bit disappointed that it wasn't Grayson, but I was glad too. I really don't know if we're even friends, so that awkward moment we had before would probably repeat itself since I can't introduce Grayson as "my friend, Grayson" to Dean without knowing if he even likes me as a person.

Maybe he just knows I'm pretty fake, so he's trying to stay only acquaintances with me. I mean, he also knows a bit about why I act the way I do, but really I wouldn't want to be my own friend after learning that my whole bubbly personality is an act to cover up my life.

I sighed, wishing I could focus better on what Dean was discussing instead of thinking about a million things I could worry about later.

After Dean and I ate, we both left the restaurant together, Dean offering to walk me home since I seemed a bit too tired to go around town today. I gave him a small smile and politely declined, telling him I really appreciated the thought though.

We parted ways a few blocks away from my apartment building. I thought about going to the park for a moment, just to clear out my head from everything with my mom, but I decided it was better to go home and relax. I have to head in for work tomorrow, so I should probably get my school work over with.

I walked up the stairs and got to my apartment door, freaking out slightly when I heard rustling inside. I unlocked the door as softly and slowly as I could, peeking in to see my mom had come home. Half of me wanted to run over to her and hug her, thank the world that she hadn't gotten herself screwed up. The other half wanted to turn away from the apartment and run, not bothering seeing her.

I went with something in between. I walked into the apartment, barely catching my mom's attention for a second before she continue searching for something in the kitchen. I stood near the door, only watching her as she got a pain reliever pill bottle from the cabinet. She took one out and swallowed it with a gulp of water.

"Hangover" she muttered to me. The first time she talks to me in years (well, besides that time we were screaming at each other), and that's what she said.

I couldn't stop myself from laughing a bit at that, they weren't cheerful laughs though. They were soft, and sad. Not really a laugh once I think about it, more like a breath.

I went and sat on the couch, not turning to look at her anymore. I could hear her rustling around, and saw her arm reach out to grab her purse. She slung it over her shoulder. I heard the door open. Close. Then silence. She was gone again.

I just sighed, running my finger through my hair and burying my face in my knees. I wasn't going to cry or anything, I was just kinda emotionally drained.

I heard the doorbell ring, and I huffed. Did she forget something? She has her own keys.

I got up and opened it to find Grayson standing outside of the door.

"Uh, hey" I said, confused as to why he was here. We were going to do the painting in the school's art room, there wasn't really a reason for us to meet up anywhere else.

"Hey" Grayson greeted casually as if we had planned this, "thought you weren't really looking well at the café earlier, so I just came to check up on you. Can I come in?"

"Hmm," I pretended to be in thought, "I'm not sure if I should invite someone into my house if I'm not sure if he's even my friend or not."

Grayson sighed, then lifted his arm to reveal the bag in his hand. "I brought cinnamon rolls."

"...okay, you can come in."

・・・
a/n:

hellooo! thank you so much for reading this update. I'm super sorry that I haven't updated this story in so long, my thought process for it just hasn't been that clear. I'm hoping to pay more attention to it though, and hopefully the updates will be more regular.

xoolives. ♡