Gray Area

6

Chapter 6

*Tayler Holder's POV*

I watched Jake and Gray help some kid up the stairs to the house on the hill. I had no idea who the kid was, but I could tell he was important to her. I mean, Jake was clearly important to Gray, but this kid was more important. You could tell she really loved the kid she and Jake were carrying, the same way you could tell that Jake was her go-to man, her best friend out here. 

The night went on and Bryce, Griffin, Josh, Jaden, and I all just hung around. At one point in the night, we found Jake. Bryce tried to ask what happened to Gray, but Jake just ignored him and went on about some brand deal he had. As Jake talked, I looked around and saw a girl sitting alone down towards the water. 

"Hey, I'll be back," I smiled, patting Josh on the back as he nodded. I made my way towards the girl, sitting down next to her. She sniffled softly, wiping her eyes as she turned to face me. She was surprised it was me, a soft smile growing on her face as she realized it was me. 

"Hey, sorry I haven't been the best host," she giggled, hugging her knees close to her. 

"No, you're good. I saw you earlier helping someone, I figured you were a little preoccupied," I smiled as she nodded, looking out at the ocean. 

"That was my little brother," she gulped. I stayed quiet. I wasn't going to push her. If she didn't want to tell me, I wasn't going to make her. 

"This view, it's something," I smiled, laughing softly as I looked at her. 

"You know, you're the first person to not ask what's wrong with my brother," she said softly, not looking away from the ocean. 

"I could tell it's a sensitive topic. I can see you care about him. If you want to tell me, I'll listen but I'm not going to push you to tell me something you don't want to tell me," I gulped, Gray turning to look at me, tears welling in her eyes. 

"He was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer last year. After watching my mom go through chemo most of our lives and seeing how it affected her, he opted to not have any chemo and as he says 'go out on his own terms'," she smiled softly as I nodded. 

"Wow," I gulped, not looking away from her eyes. 

"Please, don't tell anyone. I don't need people pitying me. Jake is the only one who actually knows what's going on. Logan knows that he's sick, but not that he isn't getting treatment or how bad it is," she sighed, looking down at her feet as I nodded. 

"I'd never tell anyone," I said softly, wrapping my arm around her. She leaned her head against my shoulder, both of us looking out at the ocean in a peaceful silence. Somehow, the sounds of the party were blacked out from the sounds of the waves crashing on the shore in front of us. We sat there for a while, neither of us saying anything, until her phone rang, making her jump. 

"It's my brother," she sighed, softly, looking down at the sand. "Um, will you come with me?" She gulped, turning to face me as I nodded my head, standing up and helping her up. She smiled softly up at me before leading me through the party and up the white stairs to the house. She led me inside and through the home to a bedroom where the kid from earlier was laying. He looked just like her, just taller and more boyish. 

"Is that him?" The boy laughed, sitting up as Gray looked back at me, her face red as she nodded. 

"Yeah," she smiled, turning back to her brother. "What's up?" Gray's voice was soft and caring as she sat down on the bed beside him.  

"Jake told me you were sitting with a kid, I wanted to know if it was the kid," the boy smirked as Gray laughed, shaking her head. "I'm Ryan," the boy smirked, sitting up and sticking his hand out. 

"Tayler," I laughed, walking over and shaking his hand. 

"Gray, pull him up a seat," Ryan snapped as Gray rolled her eyes. She went to get up and I shook my head, grabbing the chair from the desk. 

"I got it," I smiled, bringing the chair over and sitting down. 

"So, tell me about yourself Tayler," Ryan smirked as Gray covered her face with her hands, her face bright red as Ryan just laughed making me smile.