No Twins Next Door

Chapter 11

"Mia?" Ethan and Grayson said in sync as they entered the house. They looked in the kitchen: not there. The living room: not there. The basement: not there. The bathrooms: not there. They stood outside her bedroom door.

Cautiously, they opened the door and looked around the room. She wasn't there, but the window was open. They walked towards the widow and looked out onto the roof. Mia was sat on the porch roof.

"Mia?" Grayson said. She turned to look at them sharply. He smiled at her. "Do you mind if we join?" Mia turned back to look at the street. Ethan and Grayson climbed through her window and joined her on the roof.

"This brings back memories," Ethan said, breaking the silence. "This is how we first started talking. Gray and I climbed through your window while everyone else was banging on your door. That's how it all started".

"You remember how we met?" Mia asked him. "It was 6 years ago".

"And?" He asked her. "I like to remember how I meet my best friends". Mia smiled at him before continuing to stare at the street. They sat in silence for a while until Mia spoke up.

"I think I should go back to New York," she admitted.

"What?!" Ethan and Grayson asked in shock.

"I did say that, if anything happened, I would go back home," she told them.

"But you are home," Grayson said.

Mia shook her head. "No, I'm not. I have never felt at home here. I've always felt out of place wherever I go, until I went to New York. I met Lexi and I felt like I belonged somewhere. I felt at home. I don't belong here. I never have".

"No," Grayson protested. "You can't leave! You belong here! In New Jersey, with us! With your family! Please! You can't leave your family again! You can't leave us! You can't leave me!" Mia looked at him to see that he looked heartbroken.

"I promise to visit," she said before climbing through her window.

Grayson followed her while Ethan stayed on the roof. "Mia! Wait!" He called after her as she left the house. He grabbed her wrist and turn her to face him. "Please, don't leave. I lost you once. And I'm scared to lose you again. Please," he pleaded.

Mia looked at him sadly. "I'm sorry, Gray," she apologised. "I have to leave. I have been depressed for the majority of my life. I deserve to be happy, and I'm not happy here. I've tried, honestly. But I can't be happy in a place that has so many bad memories".

She began to walk away again, but Grayson grabbed her arm. She turned to look at him. he looked at her with a pleading look. "Mia, please," he said, on the verge of tears. "You belong here. We need you here. I need you here. I need you".

Mia looked at him with sadness in her eyes. "Gray-".

She was cut off by Grayson kissing her. She was shocked at his actions. Before she could respond, he pulled away. "I love you, Mia," he said as he looked lovingly into her eyes. "I always have, ever since we met. I was just too afraid to tell you. And when I found those tweets from your account, it broke my heart. And I regret not believing you. I have probably ruined my only chance of being with you. If I could change the past, I would. Maybe then I would have a chance to be with you. Maybe things would be different".

He sighed. "I have tried to get you to miss everything about New Jersey so, maybe, you would stay forever. But I can see that you're not happy here. And all I want is for you to be happy," he said and sighed. "Go to New York, go home. I wish you the best". He smiled at her before walking back into the house.

Mia watched him leave before walking back to her hotel. She was thinking about everything he had said. About the way he looked at her, the way he spoke to her, the way her held her. The way his lips felt against hers.

She packed her belongings and called for a taxi to take her to New York. She sat in the back seats and stared out the window as she watched everything zoomed past her window the kicker the taxi drove.

It wasn't long until they came to a sign that said: Leaving New Jersey, come back soon. Mia closed her eyes and listened to music to pass the time. She couldn't stop thinking about Grayson. Was everything he said true?

As they were driving closer to New York, and further from New Jersey, Mia had a realisation. She jolted up and demanded the driver to turn back. The driver was confused, but obliged. The taxi driver turned around and began to drive back to New Jersey.

Mia told him the address where she wanted him to drop her off. She was staring out the window, eager to get there. It felt like eternity before the taxi arrived at the bottom of the street. Mia opened her purse and pulled out some money. When the taxi stopped, she paid the driver and grabbed her bags.

She looked at the house in front of her and saw the Dolans leaving. She smiled as she left her bags on the pavement and ran towards them. "Grayson!" She yelled as she got closer. He stopped and looked at her.

"Mia?" He asked, confused.

She smiled as she got closer to him. Once she was in front of him, she smashed her lips against his. It shocked him, and the Dolans, but he soon kissed back. He smiled into the kiss as he pulled her closer to him. Mia pulled away and smiled at him.

"I love you too," she said, causing Grayson to smile.