** REWRITING ** Tidal Wave

Chapter Fourteen

I don't know how long Grayson held me for. It could've been minutes, it could've been hours. All I knew is that when his arms let go, I missed their warmth.

"Sorry I messed up your shirt," I sniffled. He looked down to where the residue of my tears had been. And some of my snot.

He laughed. "It's ok. I only have one rule."

"And what what that be?"

"Only uncommitted girls can slime up my shirt." My eyes narrowed. I was suddenly furious.

"Then can committed guys have their shirts slimed up by uncommitted girls?" I huffed, "Wow, Gray, way to be sexist." I stood up fuming.

He held his hands up in surrender. "Woah, wait. I'm not following."

"Do you think I'm stupid, Grayson?" My voice cracked. My eyes burned with tears to come.

His expression softened. "Of course not, Ellie," he sighed, "you're one of the smartest people I--"

I didn't let him finish. "Cut the crap, Grayson." He look bewildered. Like he didn't know I thought snottily. "Why would you invite me over here, then kiss me, when you're still together with Alyssa?" I made a move to the door. He had no excuse to get out of this one.

"But I'm not!" he screamed desperately. I stopped in my tracks.

"What do you mean?" I said, with my back turned away from him, hiding my roller coaster of emotions.

"I mean, I broke up with her that first day. The first day with you." I was frozen. I tried to comprehend what he had just said. He had broken up with Alyssa. For me.

Part of me was enthusiastic. The other part had its doubts. I spun around. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?" I demanded. I didn't know which side was right.

Grayson ran a hand through his hair. He looked frustrated too."Well, I don't know. It wasn't like you were avoiding me or anything."

The kid had a point. I sat back down on the couch, making sure to keep a precautionary foot between us. His posture immediately relaxed. He glanced sideways at me. "Also, Ellie, I wanted you to come to me. I didn't know if...if you liked me back yet and I didn't want to ruin our friendship."

My heart melted. But then it froze. "You did the right thing, Grayson."

"So we're good?"

I offered him a small smile. "We're good."

He grinned. "Good." He reached to pull me back into his lap. My hand shot out to stop him.

"What?" he asked, clearly confused.

"If if we're good..." I swallowed. "It still means we can't do this." I made a gesture connecting the two of us.

His hands dropped back into his lap and his eyes avoided mine. "Why did you change your mind?"

I hesitated. "I never changed my mind."

"Do you not..not want me?" He looked pained to ask.

"No, no." His expression didn't change. I knew he thought I was lying."I really do want you," I whispered, "I really do." I grabbed his hands, coaxing him out of his little cave.

His eyes snapped up to met mine. Chocolate bliss. "Then why can't we be together?"

It was a good question. One that I wasn't sure the answer of. He squeezed my hands. "Grayson, I... I don't think I can handle a boyfriend right now. Especially one that can.." Choose the right words, Ellie I told myself. "...distract me so easily."

Grayson just nodded, looking down at our clasped hands. His completely covered mine. I know he could feel the fire that I felt. The fire that always drew me towards him.

"Maybe later we can..." I trailed off leaving it to his imagination,"after I figure stuff out with my father. But right now I just really need a friend."

He pulled his eyes up to meet mine. "If that's what you want..."

"That's what I want."

He smiled sadly in return. "Math?" he asked.

I nodded. "Math."

Grayson

Ellie left later that night. I had offered to drive her home but Jason said he could. He lived a few doors down from me. I asked him why he would all the way across town. He shrugged and said he had to get something from the store anyway. I doubted it.

I watched from my room as they walked out to his car. His arm was slung around her shoulder. My insides burned with jealously. He opened the door for her as she laughed. I could only imagine how beautiful it sounded. I stared out the window as they pulled away. I didn't turn away until I knew she was safe at home. That was fifteen minutes later.

I flopped down on the couch and looked up into the night sky. The stars were scattered across the veil of dark blue. It was beautiful.

It looked like her eyes. I clenched my fists. Why does everything have to remind me of her?

I needed to distract myself. I trudged downstairs and into the living room. My mom sat there, her legs crossed and her Tory Burch reading glasses on the tip of her nose.

"Mom?" I asked.

"Grayson!" she said excitedly,"Come sit!" She patted the room next to her on the couch. "Tell me everything!"

I could only sigh. Her eyes widened. "You...you and Ellie aren't..."

I shook my head. "No."

"I'm so sorry, honey. I don't know how she could've passed up on a prize like you," she said, rubbing my back.

"That's... that's not exactly what happened."

"Then what did?"

I squeezed my eyes shut. "I think she likes. I know she likes me. But..."

"But what?"

"She doesn't want to be with me."

My mom was in disbelief. "Did she say why?"

"She said that she couldn't be with someone who distracts her so much. She needs to focus on her dad."

Her eyes widened. "Is that all she said?"

My shoulders slumped. "Yes." She got up frantically. "What?" I asked nervously.

"Cheryl and I thought it was a possibility but we never..never..."

"Never what?" I asked, frustrated.

"Never knew she was there." There. Oh. There.

As it turns out, Ellie was a very important person to the suicide case of Mr. James Parker.

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Hey guys! Hope you liked this chapter! Please revote for Chapter Twelve because it got deleted! It would mean a lot, thanks!