Grace's P.O.V
*Cling, cling, cling.*
I hear the spoon tap against the hot cup, as I stir the lemon juice into my green tea.
"What are you doing?" Toby asks, walking into the kitchen. I look up from the cup, and over to him.
"Just making some tea." I say quietly, looking back down.
"Couldn't sleep?" He asks, sitting down on a stool at the island. I shake my head. "How come?" I put the lemon juice in the fridge, grab my cup, and walk over to the chair beside him. Sitting down, I sigh.
"I don't know. I woke up, checked the time, then closed my eyes again, but couldn't sleep. So I came down here." He nods.
"Still upset?" He then asks, I nod once again. "I know, it's hard. We'll go through it together, okay?"
"Okay." I say quietly.
"Come on, it's already 6, and I have some things planned for later."
"Alright." We walk up the stairs and into Toby's room. He guides me to his bed, tucks me in, then turns off the light. I feel the bed shift underneath me, then arms wrap around my torso. He pulls me closer and I rest my head against his bare chest.
"Good night." he says rubbing my back and kissing my forehead.
"Night."
When the sun shines through the window in the morning, I wake up. I sit up in bed, then stretch. I look over to see that Toby is gone. Deciding to get up, I shuffle out of the warm duvet, and into the bathroom. Pulling my now brushed hair into a messy bun, I walk back out into the hall. I walk down the stairs and into the living room, where I see the boys spread out on the couch, with a bowl of cereal lying upon their stomachs.
"Mornin' sleeping beauty." Riley says smiling.
"Hey." I return the gesture, and sit beside Toby. He lifts up the bowl, and I turn so my head is now on his stomach. "I'm still tired." I whine, closing my eyes and rolling over. Hiding my face in his shirt, I hear the front door open and close, then footsteps coming towards the living room.
"Awe, look at the happy couple." Thomas' voice chirps.
"Your statement is invalid." Toby says, his stomach vibrating underneath me.
"I thought you two were dating now?"
"Nope." I mumble.
"You sure do act like it." Riley then says. Not Toby nor I, answer. Everyone sits in silence, the TV being the only thing making noise. "Can I ask you two something?" Riley suddenly asks.
"Who?" Toby asks.
"You, and Grace." I roll over uneasily, then stand up and walk to the middle of the floor. I then lay down on my back, close my eyes, and rest my hands on my stomach. "Is that a yes, or...?" Riley says.
"Go on." Toby speaks, the others just sitting watching.
"Why aren't you dating? I mean, you act like it all the time, you know you both like each other, what else do you need to show you that you should be together?" Even though my eyes are closed, I can feel every ones gazes focus on me.
"Well, first off he hasn't asked me. And second, I just don't think we could handle it." I say.
"But you never know until you try." Braiden speaks for the first time, since they've arrived.
"Yeah, but-" I'm cut off by shuffling. I open my eyes to see Toby storming off, and rushing up the stairs.
"Grace, I think you should go talk to him, he looked mad." Connor says.
"Why me? Why not you, you're his brother after all." he gives me a stern look, I sigh and get up slowly. Once I'm standing, I immediately get a pain in my stomach. "Ugh, I do not feel well." I slowly walk up the stairs and over to Toby's room. I knock on the door gently, then twist the knob and open it. "Toby?"
"What." he answers, annoyed.
"Why did you just leave abruptly like that?" I ask, sitting on the end of his bed next to him.
He turns over to look at me, "Because I'm tired of 'buts'. But this, but that. No, we either try it, or we don't. There's no in between anymore."
"Toby, I-"
"I know, you're scared of losing the only people you have left. But as you said before, life's about taking risks and having fun. You can't always stay so preserved and inside the box. Call me when you're ready to take a chance." He gets up and walks out of the room, then down the hallway. I sigh, then fall backwards on his bed.
"Toby, come here please?" I call from the bottom step on the staircase.
"Made up your mind yet?" He asks, not looking up from the television.
I take a deep breath, "Yes." He gets up, handing Riley the remote as he passes. He walks past me, and out the back door. I follow along slowly. When we get outside, I close the door after me.
"And your decision is...?" he asks.
"Well, I kind of already said I'd be willing to take a chance, so I guess we are."
"So, what I'm hearing is that you're only saying you'll take a chance because you've already said you would? If you hadn't said it before, you would've said no, wouldn't you?" he asks annoyed.
"Toby, I'm not saying that at all. It's just-"
"Grace, that's another way of saying 'but'." He turns, and starts to walk away.
"Toby! Please." I plead. He stops in mid step, and faces me.
"I told you, I'm not taking 'but' anymore." He walks inside, shutting the glass door after him. And I'm stuck there, alone, with the now falling rain.
YOU ARE READING
He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not. {Before You Exit} -Book Two-
Fanfiction**Sequel to For You** Tour is over and Grace and Toby have admitted their feelings for each other. A spark has been seen by both of them, but when they say neither of them felt something and try to forget their feelings, does it work? Can they hold...
