spaces | grayson dolan

𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗

I slowly make my way back to the cottage. The sun is still brightly shining, but my emotions are running low. Even though I can't feel my body, and I can't shed a single tear, it doesn't mean that I don't want to.

I want to scream, cry and throw the biggest, most dramatic, temper tantrum ever. But I don't, because I physically can't. I'm meant to feel peace and stillness no matter what emotion is trying to break free from my body.

Walking through the back door, I stop in my tracks once I see Grayson sitting on the couch. He immediately shoots his head up to look into my eyes. We stay still for a few seconds, gazing through each other's dead souls.

"Hi." He breaks the ice by saying.

"Hey." I exhale a deep breath and cross my arms over my chest.

"I just woke up." He nods his head, still keeping his eyes locked on mine.

"How was your nap?" I awkwardly ask.

"It was nice, I guess. There's nothing else to really do here, besides sleep." He helplessly shrugs.

When I simply nod and don't give him an answer, he tilts his head to the side and furrows his eyebrows. "Are you okay?"

I shift my eyes down to the floor, not wanting to look at him any longer. "Not really, no."

"What happened?" He rises to his feet and begins walking over to where I'm standing.

He stays silent for a moment, studying my facial expression. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Can we take a walk first?" I mutter, desperately wanting to be surrounded by the beautiful scenery around me.

"Of course." He nods while heading toward the back door.

Without saying another word, I follow his lead out to the sunflower field. He waits for me to catch up, and I proceed to walk in the opposite direction that Hunter took me before. I want to see more of the land.

"Every time I take a nap, I think I'll wake up in my grandma's small white house in Renton." He says, throwing his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

"Trust me, I know the feeling." I sigh and look down at the grass underneath me.

"I wonder how much time has passed, in the real world. Hunter said time is slower here."

"Who knows." I shrug and shift my eyes up, looking at the flowers around me.

"There's a lot of hills around here." Grayson points out.

"Yeah, but they're nice." God, I'm so awkward.

"Were you with Hunter while I was napping?"

"Yup." My voice cracks as I keep my eyes on anything but him.

"Something must have happened." He whispers while looking back at me.

"It did." I vaguely respond.

He continues to stay silent, while inhaling a deep breath. My eyes focus on the flowers around us.

"Bet you I can get to the end of this trail faster than you can." He randomly states.

My eyes shift to the end, it seems so far away. "Maybe not."

"Is that a challenge?" I finally look at him, and he's heavily smirking down at me.

I go to protest the silly idea, but end up closing my mouth. I look back at him, and he's still staring at me with those captivating brown eyes.

"You're wearing converse, I'm in sandals. It's an unfair challenge." I point out.

"I'll give you a head start." He raises an eyebrow up.