tricks of time ― grayson hawthorne [the inheritance games]

017. SHIRT UP, SHORTS DOWN.

Over the course of that night, I threw up 3 more times. I remember by that morning, I still felt sick but significantly better.

But now, 10 days later, I was perfectly fine. I'd been going to Country Day and somehow found it enjoyable. Xander was blowing something or the other up every day, Leslie and Nash were...well, doing what couples do, Jameson was drinking profusely but still, keeping a decent school attendance, and Grayson was being an asshole like usual. Whenever I asked him about what happened the night I was drunk, he just shut up and told me to mind my own business. Asshole.

"Ms. Adler," I hear a servant say. I look at her and nod with a smile.

"Mr. Hawthorne will like you to know that Mr. Cornell will be here today, in precisely an hour. You three have a school project to work on, I believe?"

I pause for a second, before realizing that Mr. Cornell was James. I hadn't remembered his last name; because frankly, he was irrelevant in my books. I thank her quickly and tell her to tell Grayson I got his message. Before I knew it, she scuttled off.

One hour later, and Grayson and I are huddled in the library waiting for James. It's only a few minutes later when I hear footsteps creaking along the wooden floors that I realize he's here.

"Gray!" They dap each other up. He turns to me. "Leah, looking better than ever," he flashes me a charming smile and I blush slightly out of the stupidness of the situation. Grayson scowls.

James grabs a chair and turned the chair around. He placed his legs on either side of the chair, and used the back of the chair as an armrest, where he rested his chin. "So, math project, huh?"

Me and Grayson nod synchronized and I hand him a large stack of papers that lands in his hands with a thump. He laughs. "All for me?"

I smile at him, but it's not a real smile. "Yup. All for you. Get to work."

___

Grayson has to leave an hour or two in for fencing. When he stands up, I tell James "I'll be back in a moment."

He rolls his eyes. "Guys, ew, please don't leave me to go make out right now."

Me and Grayson both scowl and I watch his eyes flicker from me to Grayson repeatedly. A smile crosses his lips and he shrugs. "Damn, okay."

I follow Grayson down the hallway. "Why are you following me?" He eventually asks.

"Why are you leaving me with that idiot?" I say in a mix of a whisper and a hiss.

He gives me a face. "I have a fencing lesson. I'll be back in an hour. So go!"

Although he pushes me away, I remain firmly planted in the ground, crossing my arms on my chest.

He stops with me, and takes a step closer to me. My breath hitches for a moment. "Do I need to repeat myself?" He asked me with a clenched jaw. I rolled my eyes and left him as a peace offering. He looked over at me and I thought he would throw something nasty at me before leaving, but then, he just turned around and turned the corner.

James is waiting for me on the bed, sprawled out, the stack of papers I gave him an hour ago barely finished.

"Wow, Lee, that was a quick make out session, huh?"

I scowl at him but eventually crack a laugh. "Shut up, James." There's an awkward pause for a few moments, both of us trying to figure out what to say.

"So....what's happening with you and Grayson?"

I look at him instantly. "Nothing," I say quickly.

He offers me a look I don't like. "Really? Because you guys seem...well, you guys have a lot of sexual tension."