The Gray Family: Let The Games Begin✔️(Wattpad version)

Awkward

Paxton

So, the current situation stuck me in a house with a guy I like, dating someone else, and there's not a damn thing I can do about it. The only thing I can do is avoid him every chance I get.

Payton took a break from his never-ending cycle of bullshit, which we referred to as his love life. Matthew and Markus stuck around to watch the show, while my twin and I use the term loosely are off flirting with some girl. Okay, he was trying to make time with Britt, but you get the point.

Shaun tried to talk to me, and I avoided him. My brothers and cousins finally persuaded me to speak to him. Man, did it take a lot of convincing on their part? Yeah, I'm stubborn. I'll admit it.

I talked to Shaun. I knocked on his door and turned the handle, only to get a surprise of my own.

"Pax," Shaun said, breaking from his kiss with that guy.

"I'm leaving. You're busy," I said as I left.

"Wait, Paxton!" I heard Shaun yell as I ran down the stairs and out of the house. I needed to get out of there before I do some damage.

Parker stopped Shaun. "What did you do?"

"Travis stop by, and Paxton walked in on us kissing," he answered with a sigh.

"Why would you make out with a guy, knowing the guy you're talking to, came to see you? Are you dumb or something?" Markus asked him.

"Wait. We agreed not to be exclusive, and it's not like Paxton will talk to me," Shaun told them.

"He's got the point," Matthew added as they all looked at him. "Well, he does."

"Get rid of Travis while we deal with little brother," Payton told Shaun. Shaun looked at him. "Look, do this or deal with Patton and Paxton. I'm sure Pax will tell Pat."

"Fine," Shaun said as Payton and Parker left the house to search for me. It took them a minute because they're slow, but they found me. I sat on a bench at some park. I didn't even know where I was. I only knew it was a park and found a seat to sit down on it.

Payton and Parker sat down on each side of me.

"If you're going to lecture me, save it," I told them as I sat there.

"No lectures, but just like numbnuts here, you can't act one way, then turn around and act a different way," Park said as Pay rolled his eyes. "You told Shaun it was best if you weren't exclusive, and you would see what happens. You can't change it on him and leave him hanging. It doesn't work," Park told me.

"I know," I said.

"Then suck it up, buttercup, and deal with it," he added. Payton and I looked at him incredulously. "I'm not sugar; I don't coat shit."

"You're something else, Park," I told him as he shrugged.

"Pax, wait until next year and see how you feel. Go home and date. No one says you have to settle down now. If you both end up together, it'll happen," Pay told me.

"Did you get that out of some romance novel?" Parker asked Payton.

"I don't read romance novels, you tool," Payton informed him.

"Maybe you should. It might help you with your issue with Josie and the Pussycats," Parker retorted.

My brothers were something else, but they were right. For now, I won't worry about Shaun and do my thing. Who knows what will happen next year?

Payton

Park and I talked some sense into Pax. Shaun took off while we were with Pax. They'll get it figured out one day.

The rest of the visit with the twins was okay. They went back home on Sunday. I still needed to figure out what to do about Josie. I didn't have a freaking clue.

I laid in bed, thinking about what I would say to her when I saw her. Since I couldn't sleep, I checked my messages and saw one from the person I was writing back and forth. I read it, and they explained the issue they were having with guys. I told the person who guys aren't perfect and screw up a lot. Sometimes we have to look past the faults to see the good.

I logged off and laid there. How is it I can advise people, but with myself, I'm clueless? I like Josie. She's funny, smart, kind, and has a good heart. I hated seeing her so down on herself, trying to hide the disappointment.

With those thoughts, I drifted off to sleep.

Josie

I got up and got ready, then left the dorm to head to class. I stopped by the coffee shop and re-encountered those girls. They made their comments as someone whispered into my ear to stand up for me. So I did.

"Do you know what?" I asked the girls.

"What?" One asked me.

"No one likes people like you who are nasty and mean. What makes you any better than me? Yeah, you wear makeup, big deal. You dress like you're in middle school, and your attitude sucks. We aren't in high school, and no one cares who you are," I told them as I pushed past them.

Their faces contorted in disgust.

"Run along now, hooker Harriet," the person told them. They waved them off, and the girls turned and left. I ordered my drink. The guy who mistreated me screwed up my drink on purpose. The person leaned towards me and whispered, "Make him redo your drink or ask for a manager. His job is to serve you coffee, not disrespect you."

I nodded and said, "Excuse me."

The guy looked at me.

"This drink isn't what I ordered," I told him.

"So, what?" He shrugged.

"So, either get me my order or get me a manager," I told him as his expression changed as I gave him a look. He went to fix my order and brought it to me. I paid him for the coffee, then said, "And I'm paying for their drink, too." The guy nodded as he went to get the other person's order and brought it to them.

I turned and looked at Markus as he smiled.

"You didn't have to pay for my drink," Markus said.

"Why not? You paid for mine the other day," I said as he smiled.

We walked out of the coffeehouse and walked to the campus while talking.

"Why do you let people do that?" He asked me.

"Do what?" I asked him.

"Mistreat you," he answered.

"I guess I don't want to rock the boat," I sighed.

"Being disrespected is not rocking the boat. It's sinking. No rule says you can't demand respect. You are a person," he reasoned.

"I guess if I show kindness, people will show it back. How is your jaw?" I asked him.

"Bruised, but not broken. Payton hits hard," he remarked as he chuckled. I gave him a look. "Don't worry; this is normal behavior with the Gray family. We also duke it out, but we have each other's backs."

"I don't even know why he is mad? It's like he's angry about something," I mentioned.

"It's a misunderstanding, but we got it straightened out. Honestly, Payton's not a bad guy. He lets his temper flare when he cares about someone," Markus said as I gave him an unsure look.

"I don't know. It scared me," I said.

"Emotions are unreasonable, especially when someone is passionate about something," he reasoned.

"Well, he said he wanted to kiss me, but it was probably my imagination playing tricks on me," I said, shaking off the idea.

"Maybe he did," Markus added as I stopped in my tracks. Wait. What? Markus kept walking. "What do you mean, maybe he did?" I yelled after him as he didn't answer me and kept walking. I hurried after him, trying not to spill my drink. When I pressed Markus to explain what he meant, he didn't. I felt so confused about all this.

Will I ever figure out what he meant? Probably not, I thought to myself.