Unexpected

| xvi | leave this behind

xvi~ i'm worth more than this closed door

Grayson's head pounds numbly. He is dimly aware of a vibrating feeling that sends little tingling motions through his cheek, which is pressed to a carpeted surface. He tries to pull his hands apart, only to feel them restricted by binds. Suddenly panicking, he struggles harder, only to feel the terrible stinging of rope burn on his wrists. Wincing, he gives up his fight.

His feet are tied together as well, if the weight around his ankles is anything to go by. He holds back a choked sob, only to nearly suffocate on his own saliva; trapped inside his mouth by the cloth gag that digs into his face.

Grayson heavily breathes through his nose, containing his frustration and fear as best as he can. How did I end up here?

He remembers walking out of the Social Service office... He got into his car. He started the engine and checked his mirrors. When adjusting the side mirror, he saw a malicious pair of dark eyes staring at him. And then there was blackness.

Now he is here.

For all that he constantly hears of kidnapping and such on the news, it never occurred to Grayson that such a thing could ever happen to him. And on his birthday, nevertheless. For the first time since waking up, and maybe the first time in his life, a completely selfless thought crosses his mind. He hopes against all hopes that his captor did not overhear him telling the police Erin's address. If anything happened to her... He is not sure that he could bear it.

Once he calms down enough to get a collected guess on where he is, Grayson recognizes the dull smell of oldness and cheese. Of course, he thinks with a touch of amusement, I'm in the trunk of my own car.

The vibrating stops, and he feels the rocking of the car as someone gets out of it, slamming the door and causing a cruel shock to be sent up Grayson's body. He cringes.

The trunk opens suddenly to bright, morning light. The sun glistens off the snow. It must already be the day after his birthday; he missed his own party. He squints, the surprising brightness a little too much for his tired eyes.

There is a silhouette against the white and gold world. Once his eyes adjust, Grayson recognizes the eyes that stared at him before he was kidnapped. They are part of a larger, uglier face, made so by fights that have left the man's nose a crooked mess and his cheeks a weathered palate. His eyes gleam, though, and are small and beady. Wait, Grayson thinks, that's not a man...

It cannot be. He wears a shirt that says 'Stetcal High Class of 1977'. He is barely older than Grayson. What does this boy have against him?

"You don't know who I am," he speaks with a voice that is cold in tone. "I'm Bryce."

Grayson's first thought is, Who?

xvi-xvi-xvi-xvi-xvi

School starts again. Erin continues to avoid everyone. She feels a terrible pang in her heart whenever she makes eye contact with Ian, whose heartbroken face when she looks away is more than she can take. Leala and Rosie always try to fix her with half-hearted smiles, but it is as if they have given up on her. Dan has new track marks up his arms.

Will avoids her gaze just as she tries to avoid him. She wonders why. After the kiss, did she say something to him? Did he do something to her?

Grayson is the worst, with Madie being a close second. Grayson seems to hunt her down, and she can tell that he is getting angry with her. If his anger management is as bad as it was when they were young, she does not want to see that. Every time she catches sight of icy blue eyes and messy, sandy hair, she runs for it.