Grey 2 (PUBLISHED)

Chapter One

"You're right." I smile appreciatively at him and reach over to take his hand in mine. He mirrors my smile, and I rub my thumb across his smooth skin. "How about we go for some ice cream? I feel like I'm sitting in a sauna in hell."

He laughs and nods. "Sounds like a plan. I'll go in and throw on a shirt," he informs me and stands, letting go of my hand. I let my hand fall onto my exposed stomach and raise a hand, opening my mouth, but he beats me to it. "I'll grab you some shorts and a shirt while I'm on it."

"You're a life-savor." I wink at him and he rolls his eyes but smiles. I watch as he jogs into the house, leaving me to sit up and stare at the pool. I take off the huge sunglasses and run my hand through my hair. Tangled and tugging, I pinch the rubber band between my fingers as I stand. My hair falls over my shoulders, and I slip the band onto my wrist and smile, recalling the time Grey stole my hair bands and forced me to wear my hair down for the semester.

I clam up and stare at the water. I said his name. Damn it. I haven't said his name in so long, it was almost out of my head. But now that I just did, it won't leave. Memories hit me from every corner of my brain I kept in the dark, leaving me reeling back and clutching my eyes shut for support.

"Get it under control, Liv," I order myself and take deep breaths.

I am almost under control, when I hear a deep and unfamiliar voice.

"Talking to yourself? Not the same Liv I remember." I whip my head to the left and find a boy looking at me, with a daunting smirk and a piercing gaze. My heart skips a beat. Not really a boy, but not a man. He looks to be about my age, maybe a year older, but not younger. Maybe it's the way that he stands tall and supposedly all-knowing, or the glint in his mint-green eyes.

"Who are you?" I ask him, curious as to who he is and how he got in. The only person who answers the door is Louise, and she wouldn't just let some stranger in. Maybe he's a son or some relative member of one of the worker's...?

He tilts his head to the side, and his shaggy brown hair flops to the side.

"What? Don't remember your childhood friend?" he sounds teasing, and I instantly recognize that mocking tone. That and the way he walks with confidence — maybe a little too confident — gaining in on the distance between us.

"Noah? Noah Wells?" I question him, not believing for a second this is the same boy who chased me around when we were eight and stuck worms down my dress. He was a ruthless little boy who went away to military camp and came back even more equipped with knowledge on how to torture me.

He stops a foot from me and grins from ear to ear, flashing me with his pearly whites and a single dimple in his left cheek. "Live and in the flesh," he confirms.

I am a little taken aback. What the hell is he doing here?

"Our mothers thought it'd be best if we resumed our friendship," he says as if reading my mind, or drawing a conclusion with my mouth on the floor and all.

Mother, I spit in my head. Ever since she came to the hospital after I passed out from the blood I lost and Louise drove out to find me, she has been relentless when it came to shoving down my throat how right she was. She has gone back to controlling me and my future. For example, setting me up with a young heathen grown up. How wonderful is she?

"So, aren't you going to give me a hug?" he opens his arms.

"Hey, Liv... who's this?" Mason asks as he exits the house.

I shift my eyes from him and onto Noah, who still has his arms out. "Rain check?" I walk around him and he follows me over to Mason. I lowly frown at him. Still likes to follow me around, I see. "Mason, this is Noah Wells... an old friend of mine. Noah, this is Mason, my best friend."