FEARLESS \\ Grayson Hawthorne [1]

Chapter 13 - Jump then fall

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"Baby, I'm never gonna leave you"
- Taylor Swift
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Jess's P.O.V

Avery ran into the bathroom and Grayson went the opposite direction. I ran after Grayson and texted Libby that Avery was in need of some comforting. Libby had always been better with Avery anyway.

Grayson had gone through a back entrance of the building, leading to a back alley that was hidden from the chaos of the paparazzi.  The air bit at my face as I left the warm embrace of the building.

Grayson stopped in the middle of the alley, pausing as if he didn't have anything scream into the night sky. I stopped about 10 feet away from him.

"I killed her and she will haunt me forever for it." Grayson's words were particularly a whisper. "She is dead because I took her to that cliff." I didn't know what to say.

I walked the final 10 feet and touched his shoulder, he turned his head in my direction, his grey eyes shadowed with guilt and sadness. This was the most emotion Grayson had seemed to ever have shown.

Even if I tried to comfort him I knew it wouldn't make a difference. This girl was dead and he blamed himself for her death wether he actually had anything to do with it or not. That pain just went to deep.

I grabbed his hand, a comfort I could give, letting him know that he would never be alone. I touched my forehead to his, we stood like that for a few to many moments, but I didn't rush him. Whatever was happening inside could wait.

Graysons lifted his forehead off mine and looked straight into my eyes. He looked as if he wanted to say something but stopped himself. He grabbed both my hands and brought them to his mouth. His kiss was just as gentle as the time we had kissed in the pool.

Grayson had gotten himself together and began to lead me back inside. I stopped a few feet before we made it to the door.

"You can tell me things. You can trust me. I'm here if you ever need." Grayson gave me a truthful smile, and a slight nod before leading me inside.

...

Grayson didn't talk much the rest of the evening, even disappearing for about half and hour. Avery had emerged from the bathroom and had come to sit next to me, her hair was down and she was no longer wearing the necklace.

Jameson had never bothered to show up which hadn't surprised me. Avery danced with Xander most of the night, not because she had any feelings for him but because the boy she had wanted to dance with that night hadn't bothered to come.

Me and Grayson had danced for a few songs. It may have been more memorable had his mind not been elsewhere the whole night.

When the party had finished me and Grayson got back into the same limo. The ride back was filled with so much silence you could have assumed that the two of us hated each other again. That wasn't the case as I was finally starting to admit my undeniable attraction to him.

Once back at Hawthorne house our fair well was simple. Grayson helped me out of the car, walked me to my bedroom and said a simple 'goodnight' before heading to his room.

A few minutes later I looked out my window to see him swimming laps down by the pool. I stood by the window for a few too many moments before hopping into my bed and falling asleep.

...

I was awoken much to early by a knocking on my door. Slowly leaving the bed I made my way over to the door handle and twisted it open.
Avery stood looking like she was about to solve the greatest mystery of all time.

"Get ready quickly, we have two brothers waiting on us and a mystery to solve." I gave her a quick nod and closed the door.

I was ready within minutes. Avery was standing outside my door waiting for me. We walked the many hallways and stairs of Hawthorne house to get to the helicopter launch. I gave her a look that screamed 'this is a very bad idea'. But I seemed to be always walking into bad ideas so this was no exception.

Grayson and Jameson were already in the helicopter. Jameson held out a hand for Avery to grab well Grayson extended his to me.

"Order a helicopter?" Jameson joked to Avery.

"I'm surprised you waited for liftoff." Avery responded.

"I told you heiress, I don't want to do this alone." All humour had left Jameson's gaze.

We all went and sat down, Jameson and Avery sitting beside each other of me and Grayson beside one another.

The helicopter ride was silent, which seemed to be a reacquiring trend with me and the Hawthornes. We flew over the Black Wood and in the woods there was a zero made to be only seen from aerial view.

We landed quickly, everyone thinking about the fourth and final number.

Eight. One. One. Zero.

"We did it heiress. Four middle names. Four numbers." Jameson said to Avery interlocking his hand with hers.

"Eight. One. One. Zero. That's the order we discovered the numbers in—and the Oder of the clues in the will." Avery said. "A combination maybe?"

"There are at least a dozen safes in the house, but there are other possibilities. An address...coordinates...and there's no guarantee that the clue isn't scrambled. To solve it, we may have to reorder the numbers." Jameson discussed.

"A date?" Avery said. She was thinking, her and Jameson seemed so similar in the way they solved this. Me and Grayson were just contributors. Avery and Jameson were the real players of the game. A gasp came from Avery.

"Ten-eighteen—October eighteenth. That's my birthday." Avery was amazed, she thought she had got it, a little push in the right direction that this wasn't all just some stupid coincidence. Looking over at Jameson though his expression had changed.

"No." Jameson said, dropping Avery's hand.

"Yes, I was born in October eighteenth, and my mother—" Jameson cut her off.

"This isn't about you mother." Jameson balled his hands into fists.

"Jameson?" Avery said in a quite voice. "This could be it. Maybe his path crossed my mom's when she was In labour? Maybe she did something for him while she was pregnant with me." Avery didn't seem to be getting the message. Whatever this date meant to Jameson it wasn't what Avery was thinking. Jameson clearly had no interest in even hearing Avery's theory.

"Stop." Jameson's tone made Avery go quiet.

"What are you—" Jameson cut her off again.

"The numbers are not a date. This can't be the answer." Grayson walked over to Avery and touched her shoulder.

"Emily died, on October eighteenth a year ago."

...

We're nearing towards the end of the first book! Emily is coming back more then ever to haunt everyone's lives.

But hopefully even with Emily you guys are still enjoying it, and I know I say that every time but I am happy to take feedback if you guys want something to happen or change so feel free to comment!

See you later guys!