Page 36

Lilly

After dad and Sabrina finally managed to calm me down, they took me to my room and basically forced me to stay in bed, but not before giving me a bowl of popcorn—that I've topped up twice.

Glancing at my phone beside me, my fingers inch toward it. But then I pull them back and sigh. Usually I’d phone the girls, but the truth is, they weren’t on my mind right now.

Greyson was.

The week leading up to Thanksgiving we spent every waking moment we could together, whether that was five minutes during practice, him walking me to my lectures—which I insisted he didn’t have to do, or going over to this house.

I realized that the more time I spent with him, the more I started to like him.

Which is silly of me.

We’re only temporary, and when the time is right, he’ll find the girl of his dreams. The girl he’ll make his wife, the girl he’ll make the mother of his children. And th at girl wasn’t going to be me.

But I wanted to be selfish for the short time I had him.

My hands shake as I grab my phone and pull up his contact, staring at the goofy picture I took of him last week. My fingers hesitate over the call button before I press it.

There’s no turning back now…

I just wanted to hear his voice, because somehow, he always knows how to keep my heart calm.

“Lil-Bug?” He answers just as I’m about to hang up. “Is everything okay?”

“No.” I shake my head, even though he can’t see me.

I hear rustling from the other side, and then it’s quieter. “What’s wrong, baby?”

“Elizabeth came over to my dad’s,” I take a deep breath. “We got into an argument, and she slapped me.”

“She fucking what?” He raises his voice.

I fiddle with the loose fray on the edge of my comforter. “And that’s not even the worst part,” I sigh. “She told me she wished I was never born.”

It’s silent on the other end. I could hear him breathing, but he’s not saying anything. And then it sounds like something gets thrown and he starts cursing.

“Where do you live, baby? Let me come see you.” He sounds panicked.

I didn’t mean to panic him.

Why does he sound panicked?

“I live in Bayside, most likely hours from where you are.” I respond.

“What’s your address ?” He asks, and I tell him. “Shit, Lil-Bug—”

“It’s hours from you, isn’t it?” I can hear the sadness in my own voice.

“No, you live twenty minutes from Chase’s.”

“W-what?” I gasp.

“Chase lives in Fayside.” He says.

“Fayside?” My eyes widen.

He lives in the same town as Callie and Payton? Holy fuck, what a small world.

“I’ll be over in twenty, okay?” I can hear him pacing across a squeaky floor.

“You don’t have to.” I tell him, even if I really want him to.

***

Fifteen minutes later, I'm walking in the living room. “Dad?” I say, causing him to look in my direction.

“Hey, sweetie. Are you okay?” Throwing the fluffy blanket that was draped across him and Sabrina, he stands.

“Yeah, I’m okay,” we all know that’s a total lie. “I uh, I was wondering if one of my friends could come over?”

It’s a little too late to ask considering Greyson is currently on route.

“The girls? Of course,” he smiles. “They’re always welcome here.”

“Not the girls,” I shake my head. “Uh, it’s a boy…Greyson.”

“Greyson, huh?” He smirks. “And would Greyson happen to be your boyfriend?”

Fake boyfriend, but I don’t tell him that.

“No,” I shake my head. “He’s just a friend. ”

Before he has the chance to reply, the doorbell rings and I sprint toward the door, opening it to see Greyson standing there.

“Lil-Bug.” Is the first thing he says when he sees me.

I smile at him before stepping across the threshold and wrapping my arms around his waist.

Fuck, why do I feel so safe in his arms?

“Friend, huh?” Dad’s chuckle comes from behind me.

My cheeks flush as I pull away from the hug. Tucking a strand of hair behind my ear awkwardly, I look at Greyson. “This is my dad, Nathanial,” I gesture with my hand toward him. “And dad, this is my friend , Greyson.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Sir.” Greyson greets him, extending his hand forward.

Dad looks at me and grins as he leans forward, clasping his hand in Greyson’s. “It’s Nathanial or Nate, none of that sir or Mr. Jackson shit.” Dad tells him.

“Okay.” Greyson chuckles.

I could feel dad staring him down, sizing him up to see if he’s a threat to me. And as much as I love my dad for doing it, I can see how awkward Greyson is finding this interaction. And I don’t want him to feel awkward.

“Right!” I say, grabbing a hold of Greyson’s hand and dragging us inside. “We’ll be upstairs.”

“Wait!” Dad says, running off into his office and returning a second later with something in his hand. “So I don’t become a grandfather at forty-two.” He hands an unopened box of condoms to Greyson.

“ Omg , dad!” I gasp, embarra ssment seeping in.

Grabbing the condoms from Greyson’s hand, I shove them into dad’s chest—the same dad who’s currently laughing his head off thinking this conversation is hilarious.

“You’re so embarrassing,” I grumble, cheeks tinting red as I pull Greyson up the stairs with me. “I’m so sorry about him.”

Greyson chuckles. “I like your dad.”

“Yeah, me too,” I shake my head. “But not when he’s trying to embarrass me like that.”

“He’s just looking out for his daughter.” Greyson smiles as I push my bedroom door open.

I groan, letting go of his hand and close the door behind us. “Welcome to my humble abode.” I grin, gesturing around my bedroom.

“Purple, why doesn’t that surprise me?” He grins, taking in my room.

Yeah, purple is the only way to describe it. It’s my favorite color, so of course pretty much everything in my room needs to be purple—minus the bed, dresser, and a few other things that are white.

“Hey,” Greyson says, catching my attention as his hands come to rest on my cheeks. “How are you feeling?”

I sigh, leaning into his touch. “I’ve been better.”

There’s no doubt that my eyes are red and puffy from crying so much, but I didn’t care, He’s seen me cry enough times as it is already.

Greyson smiles, removing his hands from my face. Wrapping his arms around me, he pulls me close and squeezes the hell out of me making me giggle.

And right now, it feels like nothing else in the world matters because I’m in the arms of one of the me n I feel most comfortable with.