more for us | grayson dolan (book two)

nineteen

My eyes slowly begin to open while a yawn slips past my lips. I furrow my eyebrows once I realize where I am. I'm in my bedroom. Slightly sitting up, I look to the left of me. Grayson is nowhere to be found. Last night, I slept on the couch in the living room to keep an eye on Jake. He threw up multiple times, so I made sure he was close to the bathroom.

After helping him for a few hours, he finally started to calm down. He was completely intoxicated, barely knowing where he was or what he was saying. I silently cried myself to sleep, watching my brother drunkenly toss and turn on the couch across from me.

It brought my mind to a place I didn't like. I felt like a kid again, cleaning up Jake's mess. He was doing so good, and now everything is ruined because of Laura. I can't help but still feel responsible for his sudden downward spiral. I attempted to have a relationship with her, and it got me nowhere. Her husband had no business judging my brother when he knows nothing about him.

"Good morning." Grayson's voice startles me as my eyes latch onto his tall figure standing in the door frame.

"Did you bring me up here last night?" I rub my tired eyes with the back of my hands.

"Of course I did. You looked so uncomfortable, I wanted you to get a few good hours in before class."

"Class." I mutter while rising to my feet. Fuck, I have class in thirty minutes.

"Jake is still sleeping, I think he'll be out for awhile." He slowly nods as I rush into our bathroom to start getting ready.

"I can't believe how drunk he was. I'm talking totally wasted. He hasn't been like that in years." I shake my head in disappointment.

"How do you think he's going to react when he wakes up?" Grayson crosses his arms over his chest as I throw a sweater over my head.

"I have no idea. Can you please keep an eye on him today?"

"Of course. You know I'll set him straight." He nods his head with a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry you have to go through this again."

"I'm used to it." The sad words leave my mouth as I complete my outfit, which consists of a sweater and jeans. I quickly brush my hair and throw my books into my bag. I have no time to put makeup on my face, not that I really give a shit.

"I made you breakfast." My boyfriend grins while motioning toward the door.

"You're seriously the best, Gray." I walk over to him and place a kiss on his cheek before rushing down the stairs.

"I know." I hear his cocky tone say from behind me.

Before I can shoot him a sarcastic comeback, my green orbs latch onto Jake standing at the bottom of the stairs. His eyes are droopy and he's still rocking his bed-head.

"Stella." He grumbles while letting out a sigh. "Holy shit, I am so sorry about last night."

"I don't want to talk about it." I mutter while walking past him.

"I wish I could remember what happened-"

"You got drunk off you ass and showed up at the tattoo shop, trying to give yourself a tattoo." I scoff and continue walking toward the kitchen table.

"Fuck, so that wasn't a dream." He scratches the back of his neck while following me.

"You still smell like liquor." I shake my head in disgust.

"I tried to fight the urge to drink, I really did-"

"You didn't try hard enough." I cut him off again.