-HIATUS- ᴏɴᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇᴍ - ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴀᴡᴛʜᴏʀɴᴇ ʟᴇɢᴀᴄʏ (ꜱᴇQᴜᴇʟ ᴛᴏ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ɢʀᴀᴍʙꜱ?) -HIATUS-

Chapter 9

I continued walking. Making sure I made the right turns. Making sure I didn't get lost. I thought about everything. I was him. I was in his shoes. I imagined what he did in situations. His life with his sisters. An arm stopped me from walking forward. I snapped back into the present and looked up. It was Grayson. I looked at where we had stopped. It was a road. Cars were crossing.

"You could have been run over" Grayson muttered.

"I could have"

I waited for the light to turn green so we could walk across the road. It finally did and I continued. I was Toby once again. I find out I am adopted. How? Who? Someone close to the family. Not a stranger. Amber doesn't know. I set up a puzzle for who? My father. I need to make sure it is noticeable. That he understands. That he knows that I know. I was lied to my whole life. Raised thinking I was his son. That my sisters were my sisters. They weren't through blood. Who am I? Amber doesn't know. What do I need to do for revenge? I could run away. I could punish them by disappearing. I was back in the present. I walked into someone. They held me by the shoulders. I looked up. Grayson had stopped me. I looked back down and fiddled with my shirt.

"What was that for? I said I needed to think. So please let me continue."

"Thinking about?"

"I was thinking about Toby. I was in his shoes. I was thinking about what he might have been thinking. What he probably was thinking. Why he never came back."

"What were the results?" I looked up at Grayson's face he looked concerned.

"He never came back because he was punishing your grandfather for never telling him. Letting him grow up believing that he was his child. That his adoptive family was his actual family. It makes sense"

"It does make sense." His eyes were shining. His eyes were gorgeous. I couldn't help but stare into them. I looked at them for a little too long. I smiled a little.

"It does?"

"Of course it does. You understand him. You can be in his shoes."

"I don't know if I am right"

"You could be"

"You want to know. What happened don't you? What happened in the alleys."

"I might. You don't have to tell me now"

"Since you probably won't leave me alone until I say it long story short... I was part of a cult. Now goodbye!" I stepped to the side and ran as fast as I could.

I didn't know what Grayson felt. What he thought. What everyone would think. I was part of a cult. I ran away from home. I was angry with mum. Avery probably doesn't remember I was lost. That I was missing. I was pretty sure that if you searched my name up and went to the first result ever posted about me. It would be about me going missing. I heard footsteps behind me. Only one pair. Where was Grayson? Mum was worried about me. I joined a cult without wanting to. I was lost. They found me and took me in. They taught me their ways. I needed to be like them to survive. I learned to be in their shoes. What would make them happy? What should I say? Why did they join? Why were they this way? 

I felt a tear roll down my cheek. Then another and another. I didn't want to think about it. But I was. I tripped and I felt my ankle twist to the side and I fell. I got to my knees my hands on the floor. I was hunched over. It started to rain. Few drops at a time. I stayed that way. I was soaking wet. My clothes were dirty.

"Ms. Hawthorne?" It was my bodyguard.

"I'm fine"

 I cried. Tears poured out of my eyes. I was hiccuping. No one would know I was crying. There was no one around anyways. Just my bodyguard. Grayson was gone. I missed my mother. A few years had passed but I still missed her. I wanted her. I didn't want my memories sneaking up on me. I should tell someone. But who? I needed to get up. I pushed up with my hands and onto my feet. There was pain in my ankle and I stumbled backward. I held my ankle with my hands. I needed to go home. I needed to think. 

"Miss?"

"I might not be fine" I admitted. "I can't walk."

"I'll be right back. Don't move"

I heard my bodyguard walking off. What was he doing? I stayed there. I didn't call out to him. I tried to get up again but I immediately sat down in pain. I held my ankle once again. What did I do? Was it when I tripped? I pushed off again and onto my feet. The rain dripped down my face. I was dripping wet. I tried to forget about the pain and I limped to the nearest pole. I put my hand on it. I looked back. Where was the guard? I heard footsteps. I continued limping and I fell to my knees. What was wrong with me? The ankle pain couldn't be too bad. Why couldn't I walk through the pain?

"AMY!" I heard a voice shout. The guard wouldn't call me that. The only person that would was Avery or Libby but they couldn't be here. Someone was behind me they put an arm around me and knelt. Grayson came back. The guard had called him. Where had he been? "What happened? Amy?" He called me Amy. I couldn't talk. My voice wouldn't come out.

"She can't walk. She twisted her ankle. I can call someone to pick us up"

"NO," I said my voice sore from crying. "No cars. I'll walk" I got to my feet again and limped on. It hurt. I could manage.

"Amber. You need help. You can't do everything on your own" Grayson said. He was one to say it. He was that way. He always tried doing things on his own. He never wanted or needed help. 

"Then what am I meant to do?"

"Let us help you" I turned to look at Grayson. His face was showing emotion. It wasn't solemn. "I would like to suggest a piggyback ride." My jaw dropped.

"What?!"

"You heard me right."

"Mr. Hawthorne is right it is the best option in this situation Miss. Since you refuse to take the car" my guard said looking at both of us.

"Fine. Whatever."

Grayson stepped towards me and he knelt and gestured for his back. I grunted and got on. He held me tight and he carried me in the rain. I continued my previous thoughts.

(protective Grayson <3)