Hello Stranger

Chapter 24

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but you need to make a choice about who you want. I support you 110% all the time. Even if I don't like who you choose, I'll support you. But not choosing is affecting you. Forget how they feel, what about you?" Asher asks as he stood in the school parking lot waiting for school to let out. We spent all day talking and hanging out. After we finished at the dinner, we walked around town occasionally stopping in stores. We didn't buy anything though, we were just browsing.

The bell rang and the school doors flung open as people were getting ready to go home. "I know. I'm going to make a choice. I promise," I give Asher a hug before walking off toward the person I'd be staying with for a little while. We both climbed in his car and made our way to my house before any of my friends were outside to see it happen.

"So, your house then what?" Danny asked me.

"Don't you have work?" I ask.

"Yeah, but I could always call in if you have somewhere you need to be," Daniel shrugs.

"I have a question," I ask.

"Yes?" Daniel asks.

"Do you want a roommate?" I ask.

"I mean, I wouldn't mind one but I don't exactly have anybody to be roommates with," He replies.

"What about me?" I question. I refuse to live in the house of someone who lied to me my entire life. And I'm pretty sure Asher feels the same way.

"Uhh..." Daniel started. "I wouldn't mind it but are you sure you want to? Like are you sure you can?"

I nod my head, "I don't have parents who will tell me no."

"I should tell you something," Danny says. Oh god, please don't let him say he likes me. "I'm gay."

"What?!" I scream so loudly that Danny almost swerved off the road cause I scared him. Maybe I didn't think that through. "You're gay?"

Danny laughs nervously, "Yeah. And I'm out, but only to people who know me."

"Which is why no one at school knows. You're so reserved," I say.

"And I have my apartment because when I cam out to my parents, they kicked me out," Danny tells me.

"Well, I'm bisexual, so is Lizzie. Ellie and Xavier are gay. I'm okay with it. It doesn't change me wanting to be your roommate. It just means I can't steal any guys from you," I joke.

"Well, then I'm down," Danny says happily.

"But just drop me off at home  got to pack. Besides, I have my car. I can always just drive there myself. You have work to get to," I say.

When he pulled in my driveway, he handed me a key from his key ring, "An extra for the apartment." I nodded and headed inside as he pulled away.

I went inside the house and started heading upstairs to my room. Was there a car outside? Before I could finish the thought, I see Joey standing in my room. "What the hell Joey?"

Joey jumped at the sound of my voice, "Sorry. Asher said he needs a grey baseball bat and that it'd be in your room. I didn't know you'd be here."

I handed Joey my bat from softball. "Tell Asher to get it himself next time."

"Thanks," He said. "Well, I got to go. I'll talk to you later?" 

"Yeah," I reply. And just like that he was out the door and gone.

I packed a small bag for now. There was somewhere I wanted to stop before going back to the apartment. There was someone I wanted to see first. I took the bag and got in my car, throwing the bag in the back seat. I drove to the boys' house and parked outside. The door was unlocked so I went in and went directly upstairs. I could hear Cameron and Ethan too busy bickering to even notice. Ellie was in the kitchen with the girl from the party, Mackenzie. Jackson of course was talking on his phone. When I got upstairs I saw Aaron coming out of the office and closing the door. I could see Grayson in the office working as the door closed.

"You know he's working right?" Aaron asks as he walked down the stairs giving me a wink on his way. I just laugh.

I walked in the office and his eyes shot up to me. I casually walked in and went to the couch. I hadn't realized it before, but I left my lip gloss on  the couch. I grabbed my lip gloss and stuck it in my pocket. Then, I walked out the office leaving the door wide open. His eyes never left me. I went into his room, and there was no doubt that he knew that. Now, we wait. I began fixing my bag Grayson had packed for me. There was nothing important in here so I really didn't need it. I heard the door shut and I looked up to see Grayson staring at me. My heart did a little leap when my eyes met his. But now wasn't the time. Was it?

"You left," was all he said.

"I just grabbed my lip gloss," I reply walking to stand next to the bed. I intend to sit down, but I didn't want to get comfortable.

"You left school," He elaborates.

"There was no reason to stay," I say holding my breath.

"What about me?" Grayson asked.

"What about you?" I question.

"I'm not a reason to stay?" He walks toward me.

"Are you kidding me? You're a reason to leave," I answer. "If you wanted me to stay, you should've given me a reason to." 

"What if I asked you?" Grayson asked stepping even closer.

"What?" Was I hearing him right?

"What if I asked you to stay?" He stood right in front of me. He was so close I could feel his heat again. I started messing with the bottom of my shirt. Grayson looked down at me and his eyebrows furrowed. "Who's shirt is that?"

My eyes met his, "A friend's."

"I don't want you wearing it," He says.

"What you want isn't my concern," I say crossing my arms.

"Take it off," He growls lowly in my ear.

I lean into his ear and whisper, "Make me."

And before I knew it, he had me laying on my back on the bed with him towering over me with his hands on either side of my head. "You shouldn't."

"Shouldn't what?" I whisper.

"Tease me," He says panting.

"Do you want me to stop?" I ask. I gently touch his chest.

He shuts his eyes for a second before answering. "I'm no good for you. You're good. I don't want to ruin that."

I flipped the script and pushed him onto the bed and climbed on top of him, "Maybe I'm tired of being good."