Aquiver (Sequel)

Dolan Secret

"Hey!"

"Thanks twinny." Everyone laughs as Aaron makes a fake pouty face. Charlotte takes a bite into the cookie and savors the taste. Soon everyone makes conversations and I take Chars hand under the table. She looks up towards me and leans slightly to peck my lips.

"Everything alright now?" I ask her gently. She nods as she begins to eat. I held her hand as I let her eat and join a conversation with Shawn and Grayson.

~Later that evening~

•Charlotte Carpenter•

"Hey Char?" I look away from the lake view and see Grayson walking up to me.

"Hey," I smile and move over slightly so he could sit on the edge of the dock with me. He slowly takes a seat and gives me a small smile.

"I uh need to tell you something. I've sort of been putting it off for the longest time."

"Okay... You make it sound like this is a goodbye?"

"Sort of," He sighs. "So you know how I've committed to play lacrosse somewhere professionally?"

"Professionally?" I look at him unaware this was a professional team he was going into. "I didn't know you were going professional. Where are you going to school? You never told me."

"McMaster University," he says slowly. I thought for a moment trying to recall during my college searches.

"Where is McMaster?" He looks down guiltily before looking towards the lake.

"In Canada."

"Oh," My eyes widens slightly. No wonder I haven't heard of the school. I had no idea he was going to be so far away. "Gray, I'm happy for you. Professionally? How did you...?"

"I going to be the only college student on the team. They recruited me and it was really shocking when I found out."

"Thats amazing! I definitely have to come and watch you sometime. We have to celebrate at the grad party or even have it when we're all done in Georgia." It's silent for a moment and he continues to look out into the lakeview.

"This was the part I wanted to avoid," he says after a moment. "I... actually won't be here for the summer to be with you guys." It's silent for a few more minutes before he speaks again. "I... have to catch a plane to Toronto the day of graduation."

"What?" I feel my eyes widening and taking in the sudden news. "What time are you suppose to leave that day?"

"Almost right after the ceremony," he says quietly and sighs. "I know there was supposed to be huge celebration and to celebrate Hayes' actual birthday, but I was notified a few weeks ago about orientation and moving in because lacrosse will be starting up on Monday. I have to move into my apartment and get ready for the season."

I remain silent letting everything sink in.

"I took this opportunity because it was a full ride Scholarship and I've always wanted to play professionally. This has been a dream of mine and with everything with me and my family this year, this is the perfect opportunity."

"Ethan said something about your aunt and cousin? What does this have to do with me and your college education?"

"I don't know the full details. So I guess you and my cousin has competed against each other many times. I guess this went back to maybe when you were trying out for the National team and my aunt pressured her to make the team. I don't really know why, but you were the only young gymnast going for the team and everyone knew you'd be competition. The other spots were already secured except for one spot. The committee was stuck between choosing you and my cousin. They chose you over her. My cousin hates you for that and for my aunt? She's furious for you taking her chance from making the team."

"Your cousin? Who is your cousin?" I frown slightly having a feeling I know who it is."

"Alice Gene."

"She was older than me," I say quietly. "Also it was her last chance to make it."

"Yeah," Grayson says softly. "When we moved here and my aunt found out, she was taking care of my mom's medical bills because she was sick. She told my mom if Ethan and I couldn't make your life a living hell, then she'd stop paying those bills and it could have been bad for us. She's the one that was helping to pay for our college education. When we met Hayes on Tour and when he wanted to be on the team with us for lacrosse freshman year, it was the perfect opportunity and we made him choose between you and lacrosse. It was Eths and my job to take everything else away from you."

"This is terrible," I say softly.

"I know and I hated making you miserable, because you never deserved any of that. My mother told me we had to continue this or she wouldn't help with college either. When you and I became friends. I lost everything for college from them. I was honestly scared, because I had no way of paying college on my own. I was thankful that I was serious with my grades and so when schools started looking at me for lacrosse, McMaster was the school I've also wanted to go to. To know they gave me a full ride and to set me up with a job there, I couldn't say no."

My mind is mind blown. He is now looking at me and I reach over to hug him.

"You risked everything for me," I say quietly. "You shouldn't have. What if you didn't get that full scholarship?"

"Char, I wanted to do the right thing. You worked hard to represent our country on the national team. You were an amazing gymnast and you're honestly better than my cousin. You deserved that last spot. I wasn't going to live my life knowing I was in the wrong. Eth had to continue or our family would have been a mess. He chose to continue and he told me it was alright. He knew I wanted to be friends with you and since our aunt did not fully stop paying the medical bills, he told me to do what I want even though it cost me my college education."

"I'm so happy you're able to go to college and play lacrosse professionally," I answer with tears swelling up in my eyes. "Grayson, I would have never thought..."

"No one would," Gray weakly smiles.

"I'm going to visit over the summer then."

"I'd really like that." I smile and let a few tears fall as I lean my head against his shoulder. We lookout into the pretty view of the lake and admire each other's company.

~

I can't believe there's only 2 chapters left...

Next update: Wednesday