Deep Breath | G.Dolan

Stood Up

"Good morning," Grayson said walking past the living room, where I was sitting, and went into the kitchen.

"Morning," I said back and continued to eat my cereal and watch my morning news. I heard the rustling in the refrigerator and turned off the TV to see what he was doing. I walked through the doorway to find him digging through the almost empty fridge. "What are you doing? There's nothing in there."

"I'm looking for my milk," he said standing up and looking over to me, zeroing in on my bowl of cereal.

"There was only a tiny bit left anyway," I said putting it on the table. "If you really want to, I can drain what's left of it into a cup and you can do with it what you wish."

"It's fine, I'll just make some eggs," he said pulling them out of the container.

"You need milk for eggs," I said softly.

"Well shit then!" He said shoving them back into the fridge. "I'll just get something on my way to the warehouse." He put on his jacket and fixed his hair. I just watched him, leaning against the table, until he noticed. "Are you going to be here tonight? We can rent a movie or something," he said zipping up his jacket and then looking up to me for a response.

"I'm going out tonight," I said looking at my hands as I played with them. He scoffed and started to walk past me but I stopped him, grabbing his arm. "Seriously? I can't have other friends without you acting like you hate me?"

"It's not about you having other friends. Have as many friends as you want. He's just probably not the best person for you to be hanging around."

"I don't understand how you can say that about a person you don't even know," I said looking up at him, waiting for a response.

"I just don't have a good feeling about him," he said shrugging.

"Okay...if that's what you want to call it," I said grabbing my bowl and going to the sink.

"Call what exactly?" He said and sounded really mean saying it. Jealousy.

"Nothing," I said shaking it off and started to do the dishes. He stood there for a second then turned around to leave. A few seconds later he came back in.

"I just want you to be safe and I don't think you're safe with him. That's all."

"Fine," I said back and continued to clean.

"I don't know what you did, but it put Gray in a shitty mood all day," Ethan said sitting in my room on the bed while I sat on the floor trying to write an essay.

"I didn't do anything," I said and he gave me a 'seriously?' face. "I didn't! This morning he was giving me tude because I said I was going out with Ian tonight instead of staying here watching a stupid movie with him."

"He doesn't like him," Ethan said looking through my drawers for something to eat and he found my candy stash.

"You don't say," I said back sarcastically. "I honestly don't know why." He laughed.

"You're either stupid, blind, or in denial," he said.

"Well there's no reason for him to be upset. I'm just hanging out with the kid. Nothing else," I said looking back at my computer to try and focus on Shakespeare and his plays that did shit for society.

"Oh really? Because word on the street is that you kissed him," he said giving me a sassy eyebrow raise. "Oh and also tonight you're going on a date, not just a hang out."

"How the hell do you know that?" I thought about it. "He told Kim and Kim told Mike and Mike told you and hopefully not Grayson."

"Grayson already knew. Said you smelled like cigarettes last night and he figured it out."