He gave me adrenaline, passion and thrill. I just didn't know at what cost...
When small town girl Mia Thorpe moves to London to begin a new life, the last thing she expects is to fall head over heels for the charming yet mysterious Grayson Cooper...
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The almost black clouds seem to mirror my feelings this morning.
In fact, as I sit at the small dining table with half-eaten toast in front of me, I realise that I don't even know how I feel. Not anymore.
I text Hailey earlier, just to see how she was doing. She said she was having a great time and even sent me photos of the beach in all its glory—glistening, great blue waters, white pebbled terrain and winter sunshine. The images made me happy—a feeling I'm not all too familiar with at the moment.
I've grappled with the idea of telling Hailey about Grayson's confession. Over and over. To the point that my head hurts with wonder. I know that Grayson wouldn't want me to go telling, but maybe Hailey will have something different to say. Maybe she will think of the positive out of all of this—if there even is one. But I feel that I need to tell someone, because the knowledge is eating me alive from the inside out. Besides, Hailey already suspects something after that night at Jack's cellar, so what's the harm in telling her the rest?
The pain that followed from my discussion with Grayson still lingers fiercely within me, and it means that my morning lecture on marketing and communications is proving to be a huge struggle.
"Miss Thorpe, would you care to expand on this?"
My head flies forward, eyeing the woman on the stage with wide eyes and a shocked expression.
Was she talking to me?
When the rest of the students turn to eye me too, I realise that I hadn't the faintest idea what she even asked. "Sorry," I say, gulping. "I'm—uh—not sure."
The lecturer shakes her head disapprovingly. "You need to pay more attention Miss Thorpe."
I nod in embarrassment, my eyes flying to my lap with humiliation. Since when was it like me to not pay attention in my studies?
Grayson Cooper has a lot to answer for.
After dismissal, I lift my tired head from the desk and stalk into the fresh air, gladly welcoming the cool breeze that soothes my bloodshot eyes.
For a brief moment, I wonder how my life has got to this point; to the point where I'm unable to focus on my work and studies—a vast contrast to the Mia who's always been ahead of the game in areas such as those, and wouldn't settle for anything less than perfect when it came to her work.
I sigh. I just want to sleep for a week. Maybe three.
Trying to shake the clouds from my mind, I venture into a nearby cafe and order a latte and extra large slice of chocolate cake. I need the sugar and God only knows I deserve the treat.
I take a seat at the table closest to the window and rest my head into my palms until my order arrives. As I wait, I watch the cold winds outside, thrashing and shaking the trees into an oblivion. Simultaneously, the crisp, brown leaves dance across the cobbled grounds and fly into the air to make their grand escape.
