Third Wheel | EDITING

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

The ride was exhilarating but the kiss had me speechless. It was out of nowhere.

"What the hell was that?" I asked Gray as we get off the ride, watching as he walks over to the photo stand. He pays for something on the way out and before he replies he turns and holds up two keychains.

"That was this." He says, placing one of the keyrings in my hand.

Examining it closer, the acrylic sealed picture was the one of the roller coaster earlier.

The kiss, to be exact.

"What is this?" I ask him, my voice getting faint.

He smiled before shrugging and pulling me in line for the next ride, "Put it on the lanyard you brought."

"But then people would see it," I stated, staring at the side of his head as he laughs.

"Who cares, it doesn't matter. " He shrugs before telling a story about his sister.

The story itself was nothing more then the last time he was here with his sister yet had a hint of sadness to it which he seemed to seal almost completely.

"Where's your keychain?" I ask him, finally coming up with an idea.

He chuckles, pulling out his lanyard which held a little football charm, what I think are house keys, a small scanner of his student I.D, and the keychain from earlier.

I smiled before holding out my hand. Grayson's curiosity peaks as he hand over the lanyard, jokingly wary as he tries to figure out if I'm going to make a run for it or not.

"When did you already put it on there?" I asked, digging through my bag to find something.

He breaks into a smile before turning to face me completely, a move that I think turned me into a lobster.

"When you were asking about it." He shrugged, "Good memories deserve to be treasured." 

As he talked, an idea popped up into my head and I reached into my bag to find what I was looking for.

A sharpie.

"—wait, what are you doing?" He asks as we step along with the line. There was at least another 10-minute wait, so I smiled to myself.

I uncapped the permanent marker, which I had in my bag because it was an ideal writing tool that schools just had to stupidly ban.

Carefully, I wrote on the acrylic, blowing on it so that the ink wouldn't smudge.

'Gray x Mae'

He smiled at the writing as he took it back and opened up his hand.

"Give me the marker and your keychain." He ordered, gesturing to his impatient hand and I obliged warily and handed him the two.

"Make sure you put this on your lanyard too then." He reminded and I shrugged once more.

Quickly, Grayson scribbled the message he had said earlier.

'Good memories deserve to be treasured.'

I smiled at him as he handed me back the chain and the sharpie after signing 'Gray' and I reached into my bag to pull out my lanyard and hook it on as well.

"There," I said, tugging on the keychain to reassure its secureness.

Contrary to what I had assumed Grayson would be like, he was the complete opposite. 

Cheesy, corny, cringy, and adorable. 

All of which I was sure he pulled in front of other girls as well. 

"—My my, aren't you two a cute couple. Reminds me of me and Jim back when we went to the carnival years ago." An old lady told us, reminiscing on her old times.

Neither I nor Grayson made a motion to deny the lady, who was lost in her thoughts. She was standing next to a girl around our age, staring at her phone, rapidly texting.

"But of course, good memories only last for as long as you wish to keep them." She tells us sighing, "It's been a couple of years since Jim decided to let go of his memories and pass away. But of course, you don't want to hear that."

I quickly make a move to deny her, telling her that I was grateful she even said anything.

"Cherish the love you have now, forever seems to be so short for some of us." She tells us.

Grayson smiles and thanked the lady for the advice and continued to talk to her, still not revealing that we were far from a couple.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! Grandma, strangers don't want to listen to you all the time." The girl beside her finally pipes up. Her grandmother, I suppose, rolls her eyes and smacks her arm before scolding her about being too attached to her phone.

"I'm sorry for my grand—" The brunette begins before quieting and looking back and forth from the two of us in shock. "Are you...Grayson Christensen?" She asks, playing with her fingers.

It was then that I realized the real impact that his name made. Of course she knew who he was, he was the quote on quote, 'best quarterback in the state'. Everyone was excited to see where the stunning Clearwater Colt commit as he pursued football. Especially since our town lived and breathed football.

"Yea, I guess I am." He smiles before rubbing the back of his head. The girl attempts to make small talk with him, oblivious to my existence.

Surprisingly, he was nice about it. No smart comments about how good looking he was, no basking in his glory. It was if the Gray who constantly joked had changed, smiling and laughing along.

The school's golden boy. All smiles, no problems. The town's future and sweetheart. That happened to be the one standing next to me.

As the line moves closer to the front, I feel myself listening to their conversation about his football career and school. The brunette laughs along, hitting his arm every once in a while, for sure to just carry the title of 'I touched Grayson Christensen'. Her grandma laughs along as well, complementing his athletic career and wishing him a successful future.

All through this though, he stays humble and replies with his a smile and an act of thankfulness.

Before I realize it, his hand is on my lower back and he smiles at the two and reminds them that we are almost at the front.

The brunette, who I learned is named Melody, follows her gaze to his hand before furrowing her eyebrows.

"I didn't know you had a girlfriend." She says, almost as if it was a question she was waiting for an answer to.

Still, Grayson makes no move to remove his hand and replies.

"She's a friend of mines, maybe more who knows. Am I right?" He jokes, which causes the Grandma to jump with joy and the girl to cower back a scowl.

"Oh, young love is so sweet! You got yourself a fine man here." The old lady tells me before turning to Grayson, "And you got yourself such a beautiful girl. Hold on to her."

I smile and thank her as we enter the next ride's entrance. Turning to Grayson as the two of us strap in, he smiles and shrugs.

What in the puffing pebbles just happened?

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So, here's this chapter :) I hope you guys enjoy it! If everything goes to plan, I want to upload 3 chapters on the first day of the New Year, January 1st. So, I apologize to my Aussie babes who are waiting for 3 chapters on the 2nd. Anyways, this chapter will be up at 12 AM on exactly December 31st! This is so that you guys know that we have 24 hours to reach our goal of 1,000 reads before the first day of 2018 ends! Hopefully, you guys can pull through and make my day! I love you guys :) Please vote, comment, share, and enjoy!

-Anne

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Updated: 12•31•17
Edited: 10•12•20