Friends Don't

Chapter Thirty-three

A/N: I know you all want to get into this next chapter, so if you take the time to read this then thank you!

First, I want to apologize for how long it's taken me to get this chapter up! I can't promise that there won't ever be another time where it takes a bit, again.

Second, thank you to everyone who has patiently waited for me to update! Ya'll are, absolutely, amazing! Thank you so much for sticking out this long wait!

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A huge sigh of relief left my lips when I stepped back into the apartment. The lack of fashion sense was the only thing that concerned me when I walked into work this morning, but that changed within the first hour.

Susan. I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was about her exactly. Was it her over the top personality? Or maybe it was her constant need to ramble for no reason? It very well could be, most likely was, a combination of both, but either way, my nerves of having no fashion sense left when I spent time with her. Don't get me wrong, she's a wonderful and sweet woman, but man was she going to drive me crazy.

I plopped myself down on the couch, knowing how much of a mistake that was as my feet throbbed and the thought of getting back up sounded less than pleasing.

"Rough day?" Grayson's voice came from a distance before his face appeared at the corner of my eye.

I looked at him hunched over the couch staring at me. "Tiring."

"Why don't you go take a nice hot shower and I'll cook us something."

A quizzical look graced my face. "You? Cook?"

"Hey, now," he began pushing himself away from the couch giving me a proud yet offended look. "I know how to cook!"

"Okay, okay," I said throwing my hands up in defense. "I'll take your word for it."

I tried to stand but my feet weren't having it. I guess Grayson noticed because he jumped over the couch and swooped me up all in one quick motion taking me by surprise. Within seconds he was carrying me into the bathroom, still holding me as he turned the water on.

He then put me down. "There. Now you have to take it from here."

"You could just bathe me," I said to which his brows raised. I waved him off, understanding how that sounded but honestly, I was so tired that just standing there while someone else washed my body of its filth didn't sound so bad. "Get out," I told him.

He chuckled as he turned and made his exit.

I undressed and stepped into the shower letting the water hit me with force. It felt nice, almost like a free massage, though I suppose it wasn't really free. I did have to pay, after all or the water would get shut off.

After standing for a few minutes doing nothing I washed my hair and body while thinking about how my life was going.

The job was the first thought. It's not that I hated working or wanted to whine about it, even though I was extremely gave out after just my first day. It's just that I grew up in a family where I never had to work for anything, and that makes me sound pathetic, I know, but it's the truth. I wasn't against having a job, I didn't think I was better than anyone else and didn't need to work. This was just something new that I had to get used to, and get used to I would.

The next thought was Grayson. I don't know how many times I've thought about it, but never in all this time since meeting him, did I think we would be living together. Never did I think that in my time of need he would be the one that rushed to my side without a second thought to help me out. Sure, he's always been nice to me, very nice actually, but still I didn't think he would change things in his life to help me with mine.

As I dried off, I could smell something creeping through the cracks in the door. I wasn't sure what it was exactly but it smelled amazing. The moment that aroma hit my nose my stomach growled.

I wrapped the towel tightly around me, noticing I didn't bring my clothes into the bathroom. I slipped out and walked the few steps into my room, peering into the kitchen to see Grayson standing over the stove, his back to me.

I got dressed in record time so that I could get into the kitchen and see what he was cooking. The smell was too great for the meal to be a flop.

Sneaking up behind him, I peeked around him to see what he was making.

His body spun around, scaring me as I jumped back. Apparently, I wasn't too good at being sneaky.

"I was just trying to see what you're making," I said as I took a step backwards.

"No," he said as he tapped the end of my nose and shooed me away.

I rolled my eyes but gave him his way taking a seat at the island. My elbows were propped on the counter with my chin resting in my hands. Every time Grayson would make a little move to the left or right, I would shift the opposite way to try and see what was on the stove. It never worked though. He never moved quite enough for me to get a good look.

It didn't take too long for him to be finished, but still I never got to see what it was until he set my plate down in front of me.

A simple piece of chicken laid on a bed of rice, but I knew the smell came from the sauce drizzled on top. I wasn't sure what the sauce consisted of completely, but I could smell a nice mixture of garlic and basil. I could tell there was something else in it. Parsley, maybe? I wasn't sure, but I didn't really care either. My taste buds were getting angry at me for just staring down at the food instead of taking a bite.

I cut a nice piece and shoved it into my mouth. A, should I say awkward, sound of pleasure escaped my lips, but the taste was too good and I was too hungry to care, even when I caught Grayson out of the corner of my eye look over at me a bit concerned but very amused.

"Is it good?" Like he even had to ask.

"It's amazing," I mumbled through my mouthful of food.

After a quiet meal, because I was too busy stuffing my face, I offered to clean up the kitchen while Grayson hopped in the shower.

I was just on my way to my room when he stepped out of the bathroom with just a towel wrapped around his waist.

I checked him out. I know I did and he knew it, too. It's not like I hadn't done it before, though.

"Goodnight," I told him before walking into my room and shutting the door.

Did this weird feeling I was experiencing have to do with seeing Grayson, because there's no denying how hot he is, or was my stomach still relishing in the delightful meal?

I got into bed and pulled the comforter up to my chin, before realizing how hot I felt and tossed it off of me.

As I lay there, images of Grayson filled my mind. Him standing in his room. The towel dropping to the floor. His bare body. When he was alone, did he sleep naked?

I shook my head trying to clear the thoughts. Why would I care if he slept naked, and what was I doing thinking about him naked, anyway?

Rolling onto my side, him still a vague image in my mind, I thought about tomorrow. I was going to be starting my first day of tutoring.

I was smart. There's no bragging, it's just simple truth. Even so, would I be able to handle tutoring? Sure, I had been a part of many study groups with friends, and they depended on me quite a bit for help, but it didn't feel the same. This would be one on one. I would be the one they, fully, depended on to learn and get a passing grade.

Spending a whole day with Susan, suddenly didn't seem so bad. No, scratch that. Tutoring would be much easier.

***

Sorry, it's not a very long chapter.

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