killer, gbd (EDITING)

12

Susan and Ken head back to bed shortly after we clean up the kitchen. The night is still young, but they claimed to be early risers.

"So," I say, leaning up against the kitchen island. Grayson leans up next to me, examining my face. "Are you sleeping with me in that bed upstairs?" My brow quirks upward, and his eyes catch it.

"It was the plan, but it is entirely up to you," He smiles.

I nod, smiling back at him. "Yep, that's fine. I just wanted to know the plan." Grayson looks down at his feet, grinning. But a spark lights behind his eyes and he looks to the front door.

"I'll be right back okay?" Grayson says, already a foot out the door. With my brows tighten, I nod for him to do what he must. To this, he smiles and runs down the porch, letting the screen door slam behind him.

Confused, I rub my eyes and head back up the stairs, hoping I can retrace my steps to the bedroom. But it proves to be an easy task.

I sit on the bed, listening to the peepers and crickets outside my window. Nearly falling asleep sitting up, I move to tuck myself in, but Grayson comes flying into the room.

Not expecting that entrance, I gasp and flinch away from him. Embarrassed and almost mad, I put a hand over my forehead. "Jesus Christ Grayson you can't-" I am cut off when he takes a step towards me and shushes me. His index finger stuck in the air in front of me.

"Come with me, be quiet." The smile on his face is mischievous and wild, his eyes are lively. From the scare and anticipation, my heart starts to beat faster in my chest. He ducks back out the door, but is light enough not to be heard. By the time I round the corner I find him half way down the stairs. Following suit, I walk carefully, but quickly, down the stairs.

With all of the lights in the house turned off, I keep my eyes wide to see. I clap a hand over my mouth when my hip connects with the corner of a table. Grayson hold the screen door for me, and I walk out rubbing my hip.

Smiling at me, he quietly shuts the door. Looking up at the house, I know now that we are out of earshot.

"Grayson, where are we–" His shush is more harsh this time, and his index finger taps my lips once. "Oh stop with the-" He shushes me again, this time much more dramatically, but the light of the moon exposes his excited smile.

His hand reaches out to mine, intertwining my fingers through his. "Come on," He whispers, nodding with his head in the same direction he then pulls me in. A giddy feeling fills my stomach as we run full speed across the dewy grass, nothing separating us from the earth.

A childish excitement awakens my heart, making me feel things that are unfamiliar to me. Excitement without worry that something will spoil it. Fun without guilt. But these are not things that the night sky is making me feel. It's not the grass beneath my feet or the wind in my air. It is Grayson, he is making me feel, like I never have before.

The path before us is unlaid, but Grayson knows it well. He leads me across the yard and our destination comes into view, but at a full sprint it is hard to fully take in.

We get close enough and Grayson frees my hand. He, instead, fills his hand with the back of his t-shirt. He pulls it over his head and I slow to a walk, watching with a dropped jaw as he throws his shirt into the grass. "Come on!" He says, laughing wildly as runs.

I pick up my jaw and run after him, only slowing when I make it to the deck. Grayson's hands go to his waist band and he is forced to slow down at he hops, one leg at a time, out of his shorts. Unable to control this feeling of joy radiating from within me, I laugh with him, without restraint.