𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 • 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯

twenty

Grayson walks downstairs after being called by his parents. As he steps down the staircase he thinks about his family's move across the country and how much he hated it at first.

Everything changed once he met Ethan, the troubled boy who sat in his fathers office every week. Most people would be scared of him but he never was. Ethan isn't as troubled as people think, all he really needed was someone like Grayson to come into his life, he needed someone he could love, someone he could give all the love he hid deep inside himself to.

That someone was Grayson, who mistakingly walked into one of his sessions out of pure curiosity. He doesn't know Ethan thought he looked like someone who walked right out of his dreams. He doesn't know Ethan
occasionally had to pinch himself to believe he was real and somehow agreeing to date him. He doesn't know any of that but what he does know is Ethan cares about him. His actions leave more impact than any of his words can.

He smiles at the thought before stepping into the kitchen. His parent's sit across from each other at the dining table, it's the first time he's seen them together since they broke it off. He sits down at the end of the table, watching them flip through stacks of paper.

His dad talked to him the day after his mom did, he brought him into his office before leaving and explained his side to the best of his ability.

Not that he needed to. Grayson was intent on resenting him for what he did to his mom, and their family.

"We need to call the realtor and set up an appointment." Lisa says interrupting his thoughts.

He listens to his parents talk about their finances and how much money they invested into the house. After a while of hearing them calculate numbers, costs and prices his dad leaves. He gives Grayson a warm hug and Lisa a polite goodbye before going to a temporary hotel.

Once he shuts the front door silence fills the house, Grayson furrows his eyebrows while trying to piece together what their conversation meant and why they wanted him to bear listen to it.

Lisa sighs and takes off her reading glasses setting them down besides her. She drops her face into her hands, making her stress apparent. Grayson stands up and walks to her bringing her in to a comforting hug.

"What are we going to do with dad gone?" He mumbles against her shoulder.

"And what were you guys talking about? Money for child support? College? Is he buying a new house?" He rambles trying to understand.

"No hun, none of that." Lisa tiredly laughs. He sits next to her as she closes her eyes and runs a hand through her hair.

"We're selling the house."

Grayson's eyes widen in disbelief, he stares at his mom somehow hoping he misheard her. He feels like his heart is hanging on a thin, weak string that can get cut in half at any time.

"W-What do you mean?"

"We're moving back to New Jersey hun. Thankfully our old house hasn't been sold yet so we came up with a deal to get it back."

Snip. There his heart goes.

"I'll get a job, and you'll enroll in your old school. It'll be just like the old times, how it was before all of this." She explains with a sad smile before ruffling his hair.

"Just like you wanted.... this move will feel like it never happened."

He stares off in shock. Yes, he whined about the move but he never thought they'd go back, he never thought this day would come.