They Came In Hoodies

Chapter 28: Your Bed Is Uncomfortable

Gosh, last week was an absolute mess and I didn't have time to write. Thanks for your patience as I navigate getting The Invincible Invisible published. I am hopeful to start a regular cadence again for Gray and Stella.

Darla

Gray POV

With a one track mind, I walked up to Else's apartment space within the building and walked in, knowing that it shouldn't be locked since it never was. "Is Else here?" I asked a man who I had never seen before as walked into the large apartment looking space.

He nodded as he fixed his shirt with a frown as if I just walked in on the wrong possible time.

"Else?" I asked before he had time to ask for me.

"I'm here Gray, what do you want?" Else asked with a tired sigh as she came out of another room wearing a silky robe.

I looked at the man, then back at her, knowing exactly what they were doing but not caring they did or caring to know who this man was. Instead, I cut straight to what was important to me. "Did you lock the gate?" Else told me she would lock it. Those words were fresh in my mind, like she just said them. Right before I stepped through the gate she gave me her word and I trusted her. But if she locked it, then why was Stella here and why did she get through?

She nodded as she crossed her arms across her chest with a frown, upset that I accused her of such a thing. "I did."

Either she was lying or she didn't do her job well enough because the one person who I didn't want to be here was here. "Well, Stella got through it."

Her frown only deepened as she looked at me. "That's impossible for so many reasons."

Clearly, it wasn't as impossible as she thought it was. "You can tell her that," I said as the man she was with left the apartment almost silently. "He's lovely," I pointed out with sass, then turned back to her.

"He's no one."

I raised my eyebrows at her, not believing her. She never invited anyone to her place, so seeing someone here caught me off guard for a moment. I never knew Else even though we spent years together, but seeing him in the room just made me so tired of everything. "You know Else, I am getting really tired of you lying to me about everything."

She sighed as she sat down on the couch. "He really is no one. I just met him last week from a nearby town. We were just getting to know each other."

"Looks like you got you know each other really well tonight."

She placed her head in her hands and stared at the floor in front of her for a moment before looking back at me. "I'm not appreciating your attitude right now, Grayson."

"I wouldn't have such an attitude if I actually got some answers from you."

Else nodded as if I had a point, then got up from the couch. She paced around the room as if she was sorting out her thoughts, no doubt figuring out what she wanted to tell me. "The girl, where is she?"

The fact that she didn't call her by her name caused me to become more frustrated than I actually should. "Stella is in my room. Else, she got through the gate because my father led her here. He left her a note claiming it was me that needed help and she walked through the gate to save me."

My words caused her to stop in mid walk and frown in silence.

Secrets were written all over her eyes as she stared at me. I wasn't sure if she wanted to tell me the truth or if she was bound to keep me in the dark, but I wanted at least some guidance. I wasn't demanding all answers, just some, she could at least do that. "Can you please tell me why my father is interested in her?"