Temporary [H.S. || A.U.]

Chapter 20

She is quick to do so, placing her hands on my shoulders for leverage before jumping up and onto my back. "Great! Now I can go back to living my tall girl fantasy that you interrupted earlier." Grayson quips when she is situated on my back and I start walking again. "A whole new worlddddd" She sings out dramatically.

"Sorry that I interrupted." I retort. "I couldn't hold you up in the air like that forever, princess."

"Well, I guess now is as good a time as ever." I hear Grayson say before I hear the familiar tune start to play from what I assume to be Grayson's phone.

I wait for the instrumental part to end before I shamelessly start to sing along. "I can show you the world, shining, shimmering splendid. Tell me, princess, now when did you last let your heart decide?"

"I can open your eyes, take you wonder by wonder." I continue. I can practically feel Grayson smiling, even though I can't see it. Which only encourages me to keep going. "Over sideways and under, on a magic carpet ride."

"A whole new world!" I sing out dramatically, spinning us around to elicit a laugh from Grayson. "A new fantastic point of view." I continue, straightening us out and spotting the boardwalk that leads back to our beach house. "No one to tell us no, or where to go, or say we're only dreaming."

"A whole new world!" Grayson starts to sing now, sticking her arms out like she is flying. "A dazzling place I never knew. But when I'm way up here, it's crystal clear, that now I'm in a whole new world with you."

"Now I'm in a whole new world with you," I sing, holding onto her thighs to keep her secure to my back as I start to climb up the steps of the boardwalk.

"Unbelievable sights, indescribable feeling," Grayson sings again, wrapping her arms back around my neck and placing a quick kiss to my cheek that leaves my cheek tingling. "Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling, through an endless diamond sky."

"A whole new world!" Grayson continues as I walk us down the long wooden boardwalk. "Don't you dare close your eyes." I sing the rebuttal.

"A hundred thousand things to see," Grayson continues, not missing a beat. "Hold your breath, it gets better." I sing along with the song.

"I'm like a shooting star, I've come so far," Grayson sings actually surprisingly well. "I can't go back to where I used to be."

"A whole new world!" I sing out in a dramatic deep voice and spin us around again to elicit another laugh from Grayson to make my heart soar. "Every turn a surprise." Grayson sings the ironic rebuttal this time.

"With new horizons to pursue." I continue. "Every moment, red-letter." Grayson adds before we start singing the next part together.

"I'll chase them anywhere, there's time to spare, let me share this whole new world with you."

"A whole new world," I sing softer this time as we near the end of the boardwalk. "A whole new world." Grayson sings back to me just as soft, snuggling her face into the crook of my neck and sending a chill down my spine in the process.

"That's where we'll be," I sing, turning my head slightly to place a soft lingering kiss to her temple. "That's where we'll be." Grayson hums.

"A thrilling chase." I sing, setting her down now that we have reached the end of the boardwalk.

She makes her way back around to stand in front of me, the music still playing from her phone. "A wondrous place." She sings, looking up at me with a happy glimmer in her green eyes.