Grayson's Heart

Chapter Four

I squinted as I opened my eyes, sunshine seeping through my curtains.

I slipped out of bed and stretched slowly. I pulled my hair back in a quick, messy bun and pulled on a pair of high waisted jeans and a cropped Adidas t shirt.

"Morning honey," my dad said when I entered the kitchen. Morning," I said softly.

"You get home alright yesterday? Was the bus okay?"

"I uh actually got a ride..."

He looked up from his newspaper, "oh? From who?"

"A kid at school. He didn't want me taking the bus in a city I didn't know," I said, more than you seemed to I wanted to say.

"He?"

"Yeah, Grayson."

"I don't know how I feel about you getting rides home from people you don't know. Especially boys,” my dad said.

"Because a public bus full of many guys who's names I don't know and I've never seen before in a city I've never been in is so much better. Please, tell me more about where your priorities lie," I said sarcastically.

"Fair point well made,” he said quietly. "Look, I have to go. I'll see you later. Love you," I said walking towards the door.

"Love you too."

On the walk to school my mind drifted to Gray. No! Do not do it Em. He just using you. He's just another Lincoln, using you to win a bet.

I closed my eyes as I remembered what he'd tried to do. I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the terrible memory.

When I got to school I made my way immediately to my locker.

"So I heard that my Gray gave you a ride home yesterday," a high pitched voice said. I sighed and closed my locker to look at the stupid bitch that tripped me yesterday.

"Your Grayson?" I asked with an arched eyebrow. "Oh yes. All mine, he'll learn to accept it soon enough," she said with a smile.

"You can have him you crazy bitch. No one is trying to piss on your territory," I said rolling my eyes and shoving my way past her and her group of idiot friends.

"I'm glad we have an understanding," she called out to me. "Yeah whatever."

I sat down in the seat I had been in yesterday and for some stupid reason a smile stretched across my face when Gray took his seat next to me. "Me and Sara aren't together," he said as soon as he sat down.

"And Sara is....?"

"The girl that verbally attacked you in the hall."

"Ah. Well she seems to think so but I don't see how that would matter to me," I stated coldly.

A sliver of guilt gripped me when I saw the brightness in his gray eyes deflate slightly. "I'm not saying it would I just....I don't know," he stuttered looking down at his hands seemingly fascinated.

"Hey, it's okay. Thank you for telling me," I backtracked. He looked up and smiled.

"If you two are done I'd like to start class," Mrs Petra said looking at us with a hand on her hip. "If you must," Gray said waving his arm out in front of him.

Everyone snickered as she began class.

"Hey do you want to eat lunch with me?" Gray asked when class ended.

"Um, sure I guess," I said seeing Sara out of the corner of my eye.

"Please, I urge you to not get so excited," he said drawing my attention away from bitch nation. "Whatever," I said laughing and slapped his arm. Whoa, that...that's a firm arm.

"So what was your high school like back home?" Gray asked as we sat down with our trays.

I tensed as I memories clouded in.

"Um not much different from here. Very gossipy..."

He nodded along with what I was saying as he licked yogurt off the back of his spoon. Fuck me side ways...

"Emerson? Did you hear me?" He asked waving a hand in front of my face.

"No, sorry I was...distracted."

"Well I asked about your friends," he said smiling. "Oh, well I had a few that I grew up with. There was Shannon, she was really quiet and shy. Then there was Margo. Very loud and outgoing," I said smiling at the memory.

"You sound like you miss them."

"I do. I really do."

"Did you have a boyfriend? Or do you?" He asked a slight flush brushing his cheeks.

"No, definitely not," I said bitterly. "I'm sorry. I get really nosy sometimes," he said between bites of his burger. "It's fine. That's not a bad quality."

"Tell that to my dad. He says it's gonna get me killed one day, but he has seen some shit in his line of work so it's understandable," he said laughing dryly.

"You should use it when you get older," I said thankful the conversation had steered away from me.

"Plan to. I've always thought about joining the CPD. My mom thinks I'd be better off in investigative journalism."

A guy I didn't recognize sat down next to Gray.

"I'm gonna do it," he said to Gray looking nervous as hell. "Yeah? Sure about that Cris." Gray asked smiling. "Yeah, I mean its senior year Gray. What's the worst that could happen?"

"Oh nothing-"

"Exactly."

"-except expulsion. Which means  no more football. Which leads to no college. Which leads to no career and disappointment. Which leads-"

"I get it, I get it. Fuck you man," Cris said laughing. "Okay I might need something cleared up for me. What were you planning?" I asked confused.

"Pigs. Big fucking pigs," Cris said before walking away.

I looked at Gray with wide eyes hoping he had an explanation. "You heard the man. Big fucking pigs," he said with a straight face.

We looked at each other before we both started laughing.

"You want a ride home today?" He asked when we finally could speak again. Say no Em. Say no.
"Yeah, I'd like that," I said instead.

No! Stupid girl!