HIS FAVORITE GINGER ✓

THIRTY-EIGHT.

...when you decide you'll be mine, you can come inside...

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Alejandro

"What am I doing?" I exhaled loudly, slamming my head on the counter.

I can't bear this emotional turmoil any longer. I've never been so desperate in my life. Grayson Jackson is going to be the end of me.

This isn't even sensible. Why would I ever think of going to give him lunch when he clearly works in fucking Burger King?

Defeated, I withdrew the Mac n Cheese from the plastic bag and sat myself down to my own woeful treat.

My eyebrows fell off upon taking the first spoon of my garbage that tasted like buttered sponge. I'm the worst cook on earth. I'm not Ambrose. I'm even grateful I didn't poison Grayson. He will probably eat it anyways since it's his best food.

Still, I hate myself for being so useless and pathetic when it comes to Grayson. These feelings are messing me up. Living with him aggravated them and it's killing me. I don't even think I have the energy to pour my troubled soul to anyone without passing out. Yes, my diabetes has been riled up too, and it's wilder this time.

My phone vibrated in my pocket for a while and I contemplated whether to check it. Thank heavens I removed the ringtone and left it on vibrate. Nowadays, the suddenness of the sound kills me. I know, weird right? I guess it's not only diabetes but hypertension and probably high blood pressure too.

Haha, I'm so dead.

Turns out it was a text from Kara saying she was at the carnival with Nolan. I had somewhere else in mind to go so I didn't bother to reply.

Plopping into my car seat and popping a bubblegum in my mouth, I flexed my arm muscles on the steering wheel, absorbing the warmth from the furry cover.

Casting a forlorn glance at the mansion that towered regally and solitary with an irksome aura of serenity setting it afire, I let out another sigh.

Taylor and Freya were off on another business trip, Ambrose was at school, Grayson was going to California tomorrow.

Is this how loneliness feels like?

I drifted out of the iron gates and parked the car, cursing myself as I went back to close them. I even got a blister on my right thumb when the lock failed to work. Everything on earth seemed to turn against me.

Blasting Trey Songz at the peak of the volume somewhat motivated me as I gazed at the door of the restaurant.

Grayson, being the stubborn goat I know, insisted on resuming his work at Burger King and wouldn't spend a dime of Taylor's money. Not that he can survive being independent anyways but angst had its way of swallowing teenagers whole.

"Hello."

"Welcome to Burger King, what can I get you?" Her countenance could've been mistaken for someone who recently spent three whole hours in Mr. Richter's boring-as-fuck Ethics class and to top it all, she looked like the emo-est human I've ever seen.

Her mascara and overall eyeliner made her eyes look like blackholes and her face could have simply been a pin cushion with the disgusting amount of piercings fucking it. I tend to avoid these gothic kids because they give me serious heebie-jeebies.

"Oh, no. Mehh I ain't hungry." I chuckled awkwardly while she tilted her head in confusion. "I'm here to see someone who works here."

"Really?"