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

The way you look tonight

Payton

I wanted to take Josie out on a romantic date. I told her to dress up because I planned something special for us. I got ready, putting on a suit along with a dress shirt and tie. I fixed my hair and put on cologne.

"Look at you looking all spiffy," I heard Parker say. I gave him an annoyed look as he stood in the doorway with Shaun.

"Is there a time that you don't bust my balls?" I asked him.

"It wouldn't be me if I didn't," Parker remarked, grinning. I grabbed my suit coat and pulled it on as I walked past him and rolled my eyes. Shaun laughed as I went downstairs, leaving to pick up Josie.

"Do you think he'll tell her?" Shaun asked Parker.

"He'd be a tool if he didn't," Parker told him as they chuckled.

I got into the car and backed out of the driveway as I drove over to Josie's dorm. I pulled into the parking lot, got out, and went up to her room. I reached her door and knocked. It opened, making me smile.

"Is this acceptable for tonight?" Josie asked as she twirled around, and I smiled.

"It's perfect," I replied. Josie wore a knee-length purple dress with matching shoes. She pulled her hair up into a messy bun and looked stunning. I helped her with her coat, then took her hand and led her out to the car.

When we got to the car, I opened her door. She climbed inside, and I shut it. Then I went to the driver's side and got inside. I drove us to a restaurant that included dancing.

We walked into the restaurant, and the hostess showed us to a table. When we reached it, I helped her with her coat and chair, then I removed my jacket and sat down. The waiter handed us menus, and we ordered dinner.

"This is amazing," Josie said, looking around the restaurant.

"Good, because I wanted tonight to be special," I told Josie as she smiled.

"You're quite the romantic, aren't you?" She asked me.

"With the right girl, I am," I answered as I reached across the table and held her hand. Josie blushed, and I smiled.

The waiter returned with our dinners as we ate. We talked over dinner and laughed. We talked about everything and nothing at all. I loved the fact I could do this with Josie. I wish I paid attention to her years ago. It's one regret I have with Josie. I almost missed out on a chance with someone incredible.

When we finished dinner, a song played. I held out my hand to Josie. She took it, and I led her onto the dance floor. I pulled Josie to me, and we started dancing together.

As we danced, I held Josie close to me. I felt my heart thump out of my chest. She laid her head on my chest as we danced.

"Josie?" I said. Josie lifted her head and looked at me. "I'm sorry," I said.

"For what?" She asked me.

"For not seeing you for you," I answered as Josie looked at me. "I realized you always saw me for me."

"Yeah, you were dense," Josie commented as I chuckled and nodded.

"Then I got to know you. The more I got to know you, the more I fell for you," I admitted as Josie looked at me with surprise. "I guess what I'm saying is I love you, Josie," I confessed as Josie looked at me in awe. "This would be the time you say something, so I don't feel like a complete ass."

We danced as I waited for Josie to say something.

"At least, you said it first," she said as I looked at her. Josie smiled. I twirled her, then brought her back to me. "I love you, Payton," Josie said as I pulled her to me and kissed her. She rubbed the back of my head with her hand as I held onto her.

We continued to dance as I dipped her, and she laughed. The night is perfect.

Josie

Oh my god, I couldn't believe Payton told me that he loves me. I screamed inside as we danced. I love seeing this side of Payton. He could be goofy, serious, funny, and romantic, which I imagined with him.

We finished dancing and left the restaurant after he paid for the bill. We walked out of the restaurant, hand in hand, when someone hit Payton, causing me to yell, "Payton!"

I felt someone shove me, causing me to fall. I pushed myself up and seeing three guys attacking Payton as he tried to fight them off. I got to my feet and went after one of them, jumping onto his back. The guy tossed me off, causing me to hit the pavement as they hit Payton.

The fight alerted people from the restaurant as the guys rushed off. I crawled over to Payton and yelled for help as someone called 911.

"Payton, it'll be okay," I said as I helped him. I heard sirens from a distance. I held onto him since they knocked him out cold. "Hang in there," I said as I held him.

The police and an ambulance arrived as they took care of Payton. I told the police what I knew, then got into the ambulance's back with Payton as they took him to the hospital.

Parker

Matthew, Markus, and I showed up at the hospital, and I asked for my brother. A staff member took us back to Payton. I walked up to find Josie sitting with him as Payton sat up in the bed, looking like hell. Someone did a number on him.

"What happened?" I asked.

"We came out of the restaurant and were on our way to the car when three guys jumped me," Payton told me. "They knocked me out. I came to in the ambulance. I almost punched out a paramedic until Josie stopped me."

"Yeah, sure, that would be great to tell Pops," I mentioned as Payton looked at me with irritation.

"Yeah, well, I feel like hell. When I find the dicks that did this, I'll return the favor," Payton grumbled as I stood there. Payton has a temper, and it'll show soon if we don't handle it.

I looked at Josie. "Can you make sure he gets home and keep him from doing something stupid?" I asked.

"Yeah," she said as I left the hospital with Matthew and Markus.

We walked out of the hospital, and Markus said in a sing-song, "Someone will get their ass beat."

Matthew knew who did this, and we went to find them. We found them all right. They were having a good old laugh as we walked into a pub and over to their table.

"Can we help you?" A guy asked me as his buddies laughed.

"Yeah, you jumped my brother, you chickenshit," I said as the guy looked at me, and his buddies stopped laughing. I leaned over and whispered, "When you go after one Gray, you go after all of us. Meet Matthew, Markus, and me, who are half Gray/half Harper."

I leaned back as their eyes widened, and we smiled.

Markus held up a dumpster lid and said, "Now, you think about what you did. The next time we will hang you from a flag pole naked." He dropped the dumpster lid, letting it close with a slam. He walked over to us.

"Was that necessary to talk to the trash?" Matthew asked Markus.

"Unnecessary, but fun," Markus smirked.

I chuckled as we went back to the house. When we returned, Payton's home and sitting on the couch as Josie helped him.

"Damn, brother, you look worse than you did in the hospital," I said, jumping into a chair.

"Piss off, Park," Payton mumbled as I chuckled. "Where did you three go?" He asked.

"We took out the trash," Markus mentioned as Payton looked at him. Yeah, Payton is a lousy patient. His disposition is terrible when he's sick or hurt. He's a ball of freaking sunshine.

Josie helped him off the couch and upstairs. Good luck, Josie, you'll need it.