Different | Grayson Dolan

>23<

Grayson's POV

My eyes open to a sharp pain in my head. I groan, holding my hand to my forehead, looking around with one eye open and one closed.

I'm sprawled across a marble floor with shiny confetti spread out around me and puddles of alcohol. I turn my head and see Ethan passed out on a couch beside me with a vodka bottle in his hand.

The pain in my head gets worse and I clutch my head, wincing in pain.

"Morning." Garret greets beside me, holding a glass of water in his hand.

I don't answer, but rub my eyes instead.

"First hangover? Here..." He says, handing me a pill and the glass. "It helps."

I nod a thank you, gulping the water.

I don't remember anything. "What happened?" I ask, leaning on my elbows.

"Well... You said something about ice-cream with a girl but ended up playing beer pong with us."

My eyes widen and chest sinks. I scramble to my feet and search the room for my phone.

"Where's my phone?" I growl, picking up pillows and moving objects over.

"Check your pocket." Garret says nonchalantly.

I pat my pockets furiously before slowing down when I feel something rectangular.

Reaching in, I realize it's my phone and quickly check to see what Brooke's said.

Oh my fuck she must be so pissed off.

Baby, where are you? Are you okay?
Was the first thing she said. She wrote this a while after I was late. After 5.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

She waited that long for me? I never even came. My stomach drops at the thought. I can't imagine the look on her face when she left. When she realized I wasn't coming. When I didn't fucking come.

I scroll down to see if she wrote anything else.

Around 7, I see that she sent 3 more messages.

I'm sorry. I hope you're okay with whatever held you up. Text me soon.

A party?

Okay well. I'll see you on Monday. Bye Gray.

I groan again, shutting my eyes tight. She knows. I mean I expected her to know but... Not like this. She thinks I avoided her. That I left her for a party.

"What happened?" Garret asks behind me.

"You're not my friend, dude." I scowl, in a bad mood already.

"Well sorry." He says in a defensive manner. "Just wanted to check up on you."

I sigh, licking my lips. "I stood my girlfriend up."

He clicks his tongue. "Ouch. Alright well.... You can wake Ethan up...." he says, not being of much help.

I walk over to earth and shake him rapidly. Ethan stirs awake and groans in his sleep too. "What?" He mumble, half asleep.

"I need your keys."

"Why?" He asks, keeping his eyes closed.

I silently curse at him for this being his fault. "I stood Brooke up man. We played beer pong and I-I stood her up...." I reply exasperated .

He turns his back to me in a grunt then turns back to me, handing me the keys.

"Screw you." He murmurs, huffing the pillow his head was on.

I pull the pillow from under his head and smack him on the face with it, making him jump at the loss then Yelp a string of incoherent profanities.

Getting my stuff, I take out my phone and text Brooklyn.

Hey princess.... It's me....

No answer. It's 10 and I don't want to wake her up since she's a heavy sleeper but this is important.

I'm so sorry.... I type, knitting my eyebrows together and the sun bounces off my phone the second I open the front door.

I know I screwed up big time. I didn't mean for it to happen. I saw how late you waited, baby.

This time, she reads the message but doesn't reply. I feel a tiny bit better knowing that she was okay and reading.

Oh who am I kidding. She's not okay. I left her at an ice cream parlour for a date. She stayed there waiting for hours and I didn't even text her to tell her I wasn't coming.

I keep my eyes on the rode, skimming my eyes past each street sign until I see hers.

My car comes to an apricot stop infringe of her house. I take a deep breath and rub my eyes, trying to even my vision.

My door opens and I walk to her door, feeling my legs ache with every step.

Then I'm there. In front of her door. I ring the circular door bell, pressing my thumb into the back of my hand.

About 15 seconds later, I hear the clink of a lock before the door opens inwards.

A small hooded face shows up. Although the figured head is turned downwards, I can tell it's Brooklyn.

"Hi...." I croak keeping my eyes on her.

She doesn't respond but sniffs and brings her sleeve to her face, wiping her cheeks.

We stare at each other in silence before she breaks it.

"I'm not mad...." she quietly says. Her head moves upwards a little. "I'm just....." Brooke inhales. "A party? You left for a party?" This time she looks up at me. Her cheeks are tear stained and eyes are red. "Since when did you even go to parties?" A tear rolls down her cheek. "And drink?"

I shut my eyes and nod in agreement. "You're right...."

Brooke sighs, wiping her eyes with one hand and dropping her other hand to hold mine.

I look down in surprise. I though she....

"I know what you're thinking." She quietly says. "I'm not mad. You're a grown up boy.... Y-You can do w-what you want."

I stop her from finishing and pull her into a hug. "I won't do it again." I whisper, kissing the top of her head.

I hear her exhale in relief and wrap her hands around my neck, easing into it.

She's relieved when I'm the one who messed up.

Gosh, this girl is an oddball. But it's okay. I like her anyways.

Brooke's POV

I wanted to be mad. I fucking wanted to be mad. Wait.... excuse my language. Did us the truth. I wanted to be mad.

Then again, he's busy. He has things to worry about and do that aren't me. I need to stop being clingy.

And I can't lose another person in my life.