Find My Way Back || g.d.

[ 29 ]

Grayson's POV

We sat on the rocks for a good hour or so after our conversation before we started walking home, it wasn't that far a walk. But if it was, we wouldn't have realized it. We were having a deep conversation.

"I remember when we were playing family, while we were in like kindergarten, we both agreed that if neither one of us is married by the age of 23, we would get married to each other." I chuckled.

"No. You said that. I told you I was never going to marry you because you were ugly." she laughed, "but here we are today. A little over 10 years later. Dating. You thought about your future so far ahead. Crazy. Can you believe we've known each other for almost 16 years?"

"We talked about this when we first started dating. I told you I still wanna do the whole 'not married by 23' thing and you said I was dumb."

"I mean..."

"I still want to marry you." I blurted out.

"You do?"

"Since the third year of our relationship, I thought to myself, 'This is the girl of my dreams. She makes me happy. She's the one I want and am going to marry.'"

"You're crazy." she chuckled.

"Am I?"

"Yes."

"Crazy for you." I winked.

"That's it. I'm breaking up with you."

"I'm going to marry you. Just watch."

"Whatever." she rolled her eyes.

I paused, "what went through your head after I asked you to be my girlfriend?"

"I thought, 'is this a joke? I don't wanna be fooled. I've been hurt too many times.' But I said yes because I trust you, I thought I'd give it a chance."

I kissed her.

"You could've had any girl you wanted, why me?"

"I actually had a crush on you since like fifth grade. Then everything started escalating which led me to eventually asking you out and yeah."

"Doesn't actually answer my question. But okay."

"I wanted to date you because we had/have a different bond. We were basically already dating but nothing was official, no feelings were confessed. Other girls didn't have the same effect on me. They'd walk over from time to time and try to seduce me and it made me uncomfortable. You understood me in a way that no one else, not even my own brother, did. That one time Travis broke up with you for someone else and said he didn't have the same feelings as before, when he really just cheated on you, I thought to myself, 'I could be there for her 10x better than I can now. She deserves better.' and all that cheesy shit."

"Really?"

I nodded.

"There would be times where you fell asleep while we were watching movies, laying down on the couch. You'd hold me and I rubbed your arm." she said.

"You do that anytime we end up laying together. I'm not complaining though."

"Anyway. I thought to myself, 'he's out of your league. What are you doing?' I loved–and still love– you so much. I was genuinely so petrified at the thought of losing you. Every time you said, 'we need to talk', I was always thinking, 'okay Malia. Brace yourself. You'll be fine. It's gonna be okay.' Ethan would take notice sometimes–"

"And I didn't?" I interrupted her.

"You literally never did. But Ethan would say that you care about me too much to just let me slip out of your fingers."

"But I did."

"That's in the past now. Let's move forward."

Malia's POV

"The fact that we broke up over the phone is ridiculous." Grayson shook his head.

"Travis dmed me after we broke up and was like: 'hey are you okay? I heard about the breakup.' We didn't even tell anyone. I don't understand how he knew."

"What'd you say?"

"I just said I didn't wanna talk about it and he said he's here for me blah blah blah."

"Oh."

"Wait. Are you mad?"

"Why would I be?"

"Your mood took a complete 180° as soon as I mentioned Travis."

"We weren't together so I have no right to be."

"Grayson."

"I just feel that it's weird how we breakup and he suddenly slides into your dms."

"Maybe he wanted to check in on me or something."

"It's just sketchy." he shrugged.

I stood in front of him.

"Listen to me. He and I are long over. You don't have to worry about him. The same way I don't have to worry about Crystal. Okay? I got my eyes on you and only you."

He pulled me in for a hug.

"You don't know how much I love you."

"I love you most."