They Came In Hoodies

Chapter 10: Supposed To Act

Happy Monday all!!! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Stella POV

I looked at the time on my phone with a scowl. Gray was late and a part of me expected him not to show to this study group. I should have expected this. Everyone said I was crazy for inviting him over, but I wanted to prove them wrong. I wanted to show them that Grayson was more than meets the eyes. But it wasn't giving me much room to defend him.

With a heavy sigh, I stood up from my leather seat at the marble kitchen island and paced around the large opening living room. He was just making me look like an idiot. I should have told my father and Bec I was free tonight and just gone out to dinner with them. But now they were going to come home and I would have to make up some excuse about why my study date fell through.

Of course, I knew he wouldn't come. He was the loner, and that was what loners did. Plus, he had to keep up his image of being evil or something. Well, standing me up wasn't evil by any means, but I really thought he would show. I thought he differed from what people said about him, but he was giving me little to defend. Truly, I thought I knew him; I thought he wanted friends, but something held him back. I thought I would be that one person who understood him, but Gray obviously didn't want that.

Breaking me from my sour thoughts of doubt was a knock on the door. With a spring in my step, I ran downstairs to open it to see Grayson on the other side, looking like he just ran five miles. A smile came to my lips and my heart raced as I looked at him. He was here, deep down I knew he would come. "Hey."

"I'm sorry I'm late," Grayson said as he walked into the house and took a deep breath.

And with that one sentence, all my doubts flew from my mind. His words held such weight to me that I wasn't sure if it was a good thing. No one had that effect on me before, but I tried to convince myself it wasn't a big deal. "It's ok. But try not to make it a habit."

He nodded as he took off his muddy shoes. Normally I wouldn't think anything of it, but I knew it hadn't rained in days, making this place more dry than normal. Although his shoes made it look like he walked through a swamp. "So what kept you so busy?" I asked, trying to find answers casually.

"Family drama," he said as he rolled his eyes as if it wasn't anything that important. "Anyhow, I am here and ready to study for that test tomorrow."

He stated family drama so casually, but it still made me wonder what drama he actually dealt with and if he dealt with it often. "We can study upstairs," I said as I pointed towards the hall that led to the staircase to make it to the real living area. Without saying anything else walked down the hall and up the stairs to the main living area.

Knowing Bec and my father would be out until late this evening, I knew I wouldn't step on anyone's toes with having him here on the couch with me. Plus, out in the open in the family room seemed less imposing than my bedroom.

I sat down on the couch casually as Grayson looked around himself as if in aw that people lived in such beautiful houses.

"It's my father's place," I said, as if defending myself, trying to make it look as if I wasn't as fancy as him.

"It's nice."

"My mother's place is not nearly as beautiful as this house," I blurted out awkwardly as I thought about the messy small house, I called my home. This place was more like a hotel than anything and I wasn't sure if it would ever feel fully like a home.

"And your mother lives in LA?"

I nodded. We never talked about where she lived, but I learned already that gossip spread like wildfire here. Of course, the entire school knew where I came from and who my parents were.