The Adopted One (Dolan Twins)

"Stay"

Lena's POV:
It's about 11:00 o'clock by the time we get back to the house. Everyone seems happy to be back but me, I'm terrified. It scares me that the mess I made might still be there.

The twins hurriedly makes their way to the front door. Sean and Lisa aren't to far behind and Cameron stays back with me.

"How are you Lena? Are you okay?" Cameron asks me with a genuinely worried look.

"I'm scared Cam. I can't go to a new school yet. How am I supposed to walk into a new school and fake a smile all day when I can barely do it for twenty minutes in front of you guys?"

"It'll be okay. You don't have to go if you aren't ready."

"Yes I do. If I don't go I'll disappoint you're parents and the twins. I can't upset them anymore than I already have..." I say quietly. I mean every word I say. I mean how am I going to tell them that I can't go, the twins have been so excited.

Cameron is silent and we continue walking. I walk through the front door and I'm hit with an eerie feeling. I don't feel right. The whole house has been put into a funk because of me. And I'm not the only one who feels it. But we all choose to ignore it and not say anything, and it's probably for the best. 

"Is anyone hungry? Thirsty?" Sean asks.
The silence in the room is filled for a couple moments by a few 'no thanks'.

"Can I go to my room?" I blurt out.
"Of course you can sweetie." Lisa say.

I realize she doesn't understand what I mean.
"No.... Can I go to my room?"  I ask slowly and getting the message across. For a few very long moments it seems that no one understands what I mean.

"I took care of it. Don't worry Lena you can go to your room." Grayson says.

I almost choke on my own saliva right then and there. I can't believe Grayson would do that. I look at Ethan and he seems slightly confused. Then realization comes to his face.

I feel myself getting weak and I fight the tears that threaten to make there way out. Grayson did that for me. I can't believe he did that for me. That must've been so hard.

"Grayson-" I try to say thank you but the words don't seem to make there way out. He looks at me and I can tell he knows what I'm trying so hard to say.I practically run up to him and throw my arms around him.

Lisa, Sean, and Cameron are no longer in the room. Just the twins and I.

"Grayson I- I don't think I can th-thank you enough" I get the words out slowly and it hurts to push them over the lump in my throat.

"You don't have to thank me. Ethan helped to you know."

Oh God. Why would they do that to themselves.

I move my head so it's not squished against Grayson's chest. He holds on to me so tightly and I know that I need him. I need Ethan. And I need this.

"Thank you Ethan." I choke out. Grayson let's go of me and I almost fall to my knees. Ethan catches me and I'm stable again.

Grayson walks a step over to us and rubs my back. He gently makes circles in an attempt to comfort me.

"Hey Lena." He says.
"Yeah?" I whisper so quietly that it's barely audible.
"Lena it's okay to break down. It's okay to cry right now."
"And it's okay to not be okay." Ethan say to me.
As they say these words to me I feel tiny water droplets fall from my eyes, down to my nose and land on my lips. I feel my knees give out and I lose all stability that I was giving myself. I fall into Ethan and he holds me up. Grayson and Ethan slowly crouch down and I go down with them.

Grayson is sitting with his back against the wall but Ethan has no support so he gently pushes me into Grayson's lap.  Grayson holds me tightly and Ethan gently runs his fingers through my hair.

"Guys I'm scared" I say through the tears and the choking noises that I make.
"Ethan, J-Justin called me that night and- and I don't remember it. I'm s-so scared." I sob and sob and can hardly get the words out.
"I know. I heard you tell Grayson." Ethan says calmly.

For some reason Ethan already knowing makes it worse.

"Everything hurts. My heart aches. My head is throbbing. My limbs are sore." I say and it's true. Every single bone in me hurts.

"Shhh it's okay." Grayson says. He picks me up in one swift motion and for a second my arms feel like they're on fire. I wince at the pain and let out more sobs.
"Shh shh I'm sorry. It's okay. I'm taking you to your room okay?" Grayson whispers to me. I nod in agreement.
"Ethan come on she needs us." Grayson says quietly but sternly. With that Ethan gets up quickly and runs up to us. Grayson goes up the stairs as quickly as he can with me in his arms.

I nuzzle my head into the crook of his neck and still can't stop crying. We get to my room and Grayson places me on my bed. He climbs over me and lays beside me. Ethan lies on the opposite side.
My hair is stuck to my face and my breathing is jagged.

"I can't go to school tomorrow. I'm not ready."
I finally say.

"Is that what you're worried about." Ethan says seeming a little angry.
"Lena we didn't expect you to go."
And I cry even more.

Grayson pushes the hair from my face and plants a kiss on my forehead.

"I'm gonna go tell mom what's going on." Ethan says as he kisses my cheek.
"I love you and I'll be back in a few."

Ethan walks out the door and closes it behind him. I lay on my side facing Grayson.

"You have no idea how much I need you. How much I need you guys." I say.

"And you have no idea how much I need you." He says quietly into my ear. He pushes the hair from my face again. He wipes the tears from my cheek but more appear seconds later.

He wraps his arms around me and I scoot closer. I continue with my crying that won't seem to stop and I feel myself start to fall into a hopefully peaceful slumber.

I feel a soft pair of lips against mine. A kiss on my cheek comes next. Then a gentle whisper by my ear.

"I love you. Please don't do this again."

I'm almost out when the bed shifts. The weight of Grayson's arm is no longer present. I open my eyes to see him getting off the bed. I grab his arm quickly.
He looks at me with tired eyes.
"Stay"
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