The better you feel about yourself, the less you feel the need to show off.
Ashley's POV
Is she speaking the truth?
But why would Lucas do that?
"Come with me." She says pulling me out of my seat. "Guys.." she says and they all look at us. "see you later in class." Without waiting for any replies she pulls me away from the table.
When we make it out of the cafeteria, she asks "What do you think?"
"I honestly don't know what to think. It was unintentional on his part, I guess." I say and a frown appears on her face.
She chuckles humorlessly, "I'm so pissed right now. He's blowing your chances, you know?"
At this, it was my turn to frown, "What chances?!, you're spewing gibberish."
She shakes her head at me, "Your chances with Grayson, silly."
I laugh before saying, "Let me pretend I didn't just hear you say that."
She rolls her eyes, "Meh! You obviously heard me and I know I'm speaking the truth. Always am." She flicks her hair, a moment of pride.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever."
_ _ _
So as decided, I'm riding with Lucas right now. School ended twenty minutes ago and here I am in Lucas' car enjoying the tranquility called music.
So I gotta live yuh
Yeah I gotta live aye
Look I gotta live yuh
See I cannot quit, the fire is lit
So I gotta
Live(yuh), live(aye), live(yuh), live(hunh), live(aye), live(look), live(work), live(yuh)
The doubters around me, I told em just stop
Your girl optimistic
My God never missing
So negative energy I had to block
I had to listen and keep it persistent
My own competition, don't compete with ya
I'm on a mission
The son he was risen
So I gotta go out and double the flock
Give all that I got
I gotta live yuh.....
Lucas sings along with me, and I smile and throw my fists in the air, trying to dance alongside the song. He pauses and chuckles in amusement at my action before continuing to sing. The song ends and another one starts, that was how we eventually got home, singing.
- ---
Would you believe right after dinner, I was about to go to my room when Lucas pulled me aside and asked about Cam and Pierson and what their relationship is? He was like 'Amy this, Amy that'. Amy, this pet name he's given to her, is really cute if you ask me. Like out of the name Camilla, very thoughtful of him. Well, I answered him telling him that they were best friends and he was confused, I wonder why.
"Aren't you her best friend?" He asks, obvious confusion lacing his tone and a frown, on his features.
I smirk, "Well, I am her female best friend, and Pierson, well, he's her male best friend."
"How? When I first came here, you never mentioned to me, any male best friend." His frown doesn't disappear.
"That's because there was no male best friend at first."
"Okay?" he motions for me to continue.
I was beginning to wonder why all this, so I asked, "Why are you asking all of this in the first place?"
His stance changes at once and he forces a smile. "Nothing," he says trying to give me an assured look.
I raise my brows at him, "I sure as heck believe you," and scoff. "I'll just let it be, for now," I smirk before shooting him a devilish grin. He knows better than to hide anything from me, I will find out.
- - - -
I ask my parents for permission before leaving for Grayson's place. Since we weren't able to rehearse our lines yesterday, we decided over text to do it today. I didn't tell Lucas, instead I asked Dylan to take me. Cam says Lucas is doing stuff on purpose, how true that is I don't know. I understand he's been overly protective not by his words but by actions and I won't try to say I understand his actions, cause I honestly don't. I've already told him countless number of times that I don't need him being the overprotective elder brother I never had, but since he's bent on not listening to my request, I would have to take matters into my own hands. Deep down I feel he doesn't want me to get hurt but how would I know if I never tried?
I've decided, I'm going to keep him away from Grayson however I can, like now.
Dylan drives me to Grayson's place. And when we get there.
"Stay safe, okay." He says after releasing me from a hug.
"Okay." I smile. "Sure."
"Remember to call me when you're done okay."
"Definitely."
"See you." He waves.
"Bye, for now." I wave back.
He shakes his head, enters his car, and drives off.
I rang Grayson's doorbell and within seconds he was at the door, opening it for me.
Upon seeing me, "Hey!" he smiles. "Come in," he steps aside and I step in.
"Hope, I didn't keep you waiting for long," I say once I'm in.
"Nope, you didn't." I hear him say from behind me.
"Okay." He sidesteps me, going before me and ushering me to a seat in the living room. And when I take my seat. "Can I offer you anything?" He asks.
I shake my head, "No, I'm okay."
He nods in understanding before taking his seat beside me.
__ __
This is the hundredth time I'm yawning. I've yawned so much that at a point Grayson asked if I was tired yet I said No. He looked at me warily, almost like he didn't believe my answer.
A yawn escapes my lips, once again and I cover my lips with the back of my palm, involuntarily closing my eyes in the process. "Let's play twenty questions." I hear him say when I bring my hands down.
"Pardon?" I inquire in the case of me not hearing it right.
"Twenty questions. You're in?" He asks, more boldly this time.
"But.."
He cuts me off, "You're tired, I can tell. So why don't we play a game to restore your activeness? All work and no play makes Jac.."
I cut him off by laughing, "I get it."
He shoots me a dashing smile, one that makes his eyes glow, radiant. "Would you like to go first?" He asks.
I shake my head, "Nah! Go first."
"My pleasure." He says and I giggle. "What's your full name?"
"Ashley Donatella Canton."
"Nice names." A smile plays on his lips.
"Thanks." I smile back, "What's your favorite thing to do?" I ask.
He seemed to be in thought for a second or two, "Watch movies, play video games and football."
"Nice." I nod my head in approval.
"What's your favorite color?" he asks.
"Turquoise." I say, "What of yours?"
"I don't know, grey, maybe?" He seemed unsure.
"You don't know your favorite color? That's serious, you know?" I mock and he sheepishly grins.
He runs his hands through his hair, "I prefer grey to most color, I guess that's my favorite, then, right?"
"Yes! Yes! It is." I continue to chuckle and he looks at me, amusement dancing in his orbs.
"Who's closest to you?"
I snicker, "Do you have to ask, Cam, of course? What of you?"
"Pierson." He says.
"What about Cole?" I ask.
"He's reserved, and he doesn't like prying into people's business. Well, Pierson is a good listener too, Cole isn't really." He scratches the back of his neck and he looks at me, conflicted, as he asks, "Is Lucas y-your boyfriend?"
On instinct, I start choking on saliva, coughing following next. I shut my eyes. So Cam is right, he doesn't know that Lucas is my Cousin. Does it have anything to do with Lucas speaking to him or should I say warning him on the first day he arrived? Man!, Lucas probably said something to him, didn't he? Goodness! I can't believe Cam is right.
I open my eyes to see Grayson no longer beside me, in seconds he is back with a glass of water which he hands over to me immediately.
"Thanks," I say and he nods.
I take a sip of the water before handing it back to him. His eyes steady me, regret dancing in them as he takes the glass from my hands and places it on the center table.
"Sorry," he says when he faces me "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."
"It's okay. Lucas isn't my boyfriend, he's my Cousin."
"He's your Cousin?" He asks, unbelief replacing the remorse that was once there.
"Yes, he is. Why are you shocked?'
"It's just...."
"We're close?" I wiggle my brows.
"He acts like a boyfriend around you."
"Really?!"
"Yeah." He replies.
"I see."
"He's a very protective cousin, I guess." He hints.
I shrug, "You can say that."
"I've never really seen your parents around. Where are they?"
He seemed taken aback by my bluntness, "My dad is not back from work, and my mum uh-m..." His eyes held a conflicted look, almost like he didn't know what to say. "...she's no more." He shuts his eyes as a look of pain flashes on his face. That's when I realized I may have stepped a boundary by probing.
When he opens his eyes he looks anywhere but me. He turns his back to me, and from my line of vision, he seems outworn, which he wasn't before. Is that how much he misses his mum? He must really love her very much. Regret immediately fills me at my slip-up, if only I kept the nosiness away, this wouldn't have happened, and now I regret bringing his parents up.
"I'm sorry for bringing your parents up, I didn't mean to interfere," I whisper but I know he manages to hear it anyway, the place was quiet since it was just us.
"It's okay." He turns to me. "It's just..." he trails, "Can I g-get a h-hug? I really need.." I don't wait for him to end his statement. I spring up immediately and hug him. That's the only thing I can do as of now to help. If there was any other way to help, I still would have, I was the one who caused all of this in the first place.
He didn't expect my action, I guess, it took him a while to return the action. He engulfs me, his arms going to my back, in a tight hug. A hug that I thought would choke me yet didn't, in as much I was being held tight in his arms. There was an urge to help him relax, I felt like rubbing his back, but who am I to do so? We're not even friends like that, not there yet. So I just keep my arms where they are, at his back.
It's just a hug, right?! Then why is my tummy acting funny? Is it because of how glued our bodies are? Is this how it feels, how they are described in the stories? The feeling of being this close to him is, I don't know, should I say amazing. It just feels warm and comfy. I wonder if he's feeling the same way. Is his tummy feeling strange and funny like mine is? Or am I just the only one? Is it normal to feel like this? Nope! I'm not sure. I've hugged Cam, Lucas, and Dylan yet it never felt this way. What's wrong?
It ticks and tocks that at some point I was beginning to wonder if he'll ever let go of me until he starts to pull away, and I do too. As we pull away grudgingly from each other, our arms still in their place, around each other, we stare at each other. My brown orbs clash with his pretty blue ones, as gravity pulls us towards each other, slowly. We continue to stare at each other, not one of us blinking away. Inner peace, giddiness, and comfort are what I felt in this moment and it felt like nothing could take it away. The whole world around me seemed not to exist except Grayson and I.
Before I realized what was happening, our noses were brushing against each other, making my shut my eyes involuntarily. I had it in me to pull away before I did something I'd end up regretting yet I just couldn't.
"Ahem!!!" Someone clears their throat and in alarm, I pull away, realization fully dawning on me at our present state.
Did we just do... that?!!
I can't believe we nearly..... Omg!!
Ashley, Really?!!
No! No! How did it get to this? The heck!
I step back from Grayson like he burned me. I look over towards the sound of the voice and the face that greets me is one of a middle-aged man, probably in his early forties. I assume it's Grayson's father from the slight resemblance and I hope I'm not mistaken though. My cheeks get hot with embarrassment at how compromising Grayson and I's position was. Goodness! I wonder what he thinks of me. Definitely a bad first impression.
*******
Hey!!
So what do you think? Grayson's father?! Woah!
Omg! Omg!.... They nearly.... oooohh!
What was that? Someone please tell me.
What would have happened if there wasn't an 'Ahem'?
See you in the next chapter. Bye! Love y'all.