crush | g.d. ✓

f o u r t e e n - E.M.

1 MONTH LATER

"Gray," I said to him. We were lying on the couch, me in his arms. "Yes, beautiful?" He asked. I rested my head on his chest.

"Has Madison sent you anything yet? Like pictures or messages asking to meet up? Because she told me she has," I said. He furrowed his brows and shook his head. "Nothing yet," He replied.

I sat up quickly. "Yet?" I questioned. He shut his eyes and shook his head again.

"I didn't say that like I was expecting something, Em. I mean if she ever does, I'll tell you," He says. I smiled and swung a leg over his lap, straddling him.

"Do you want to get lunch?" I ask him. A smile grows on his face and he nods. "Let me just finish this up," He says before kissing me passionately.

-

"So you're telling me that she had been coming onto him the entire time?" Grayson asked. I nodded my head rapidly.

"Yes! She was just using me to get with him! I mean, not for the entire duration of our friendship but for the last few months of it!" I tell him.

He leans back in his chair. "Wow," He mutters.

"I'm glad you're not friends with her anymore. She seems toxic," He said before taking a sip of his cola.

I tilted my head and shrugged. "She was. Now that I realize it, I'm better off without her. Did you have any toxic friends growing up?" I ask.

He sighs. "Ethan and I were bullied a lot in school. Some people would even take pictures of us and make fun of us. But ever since we started YouTube it pushed them into the past, you know? It's like we have to focus on the future now, not on them," He said.

I grabbed his hand and held it underneath the table.

"See, this is why I fell in love with you. Not just because of your great looks or taste for life, but because of the amazing guy you are beneath all that," I tell him.

-

Grayson and I had watched a movie after we came home. We were lying on the couch. I kissed him then buried my head in between his neck and his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around me tightly and we lay there in silence until we hear a knock on the door. We both look at each other in confusion and get up.

Grayson walks over to the door and I lean against the doorframe, anxiously. Grayson had his phone in his hand, and the minute he opened the door he dropped it.

"Ethan!"

My heart fluttered as Grayson yelled out his name. He was back!

Grayson pulled Ethan into a long and meaningful hug and I hugged him as well. "Why were you gone for so long?" He asked Ethan. He looked down and shrugged. "Whenever I walked the city streets it just reminded me of the accident and I couldn't live with that anymore, and Ariana saw the struggle and suggested we go on vacation," He said.

Grayson nodded in understanding, as this was the first time he actually got information other than "he was traumatized." He actually got closure.

"But why for so long? And where's Ariana?" I asked.

He pointed down the hall. "She's getting her stuff from the car. We didn't plan on going for so long, though. When she brought up the thought of going back, I just couldn't handle it," He said.

"...and that's why I decided that I want to move back to Los Angeles."