iridescent ↠ grayson dolan ✓

↠ s e v e n

"Thank you." Lauren said, grabbing the keys and making their way to the elevator.

"Oh, and don't forget to use protection! We're not liable for any unwanted pregnancies!" The girl hollered. Lauren choked a little and she glanced at Grayson to see his cheeks already a deep crimson. Just as they entered the elevator the girl smirked at them and a way too enthusiastic wave.  Lauren rolled her eyes, biting back a smile.

Once the elevator doors shut, Grayson's entire body visibly relaxed. He let out a deep breath and color seeped back onto his face. His breathing was slightly unsteady, and she could see from just looking at his face how emotionally worn out he really was.

"Gray." Lauren said, touching his arm. "Are you alright?"

He gave her a weak smile. "Yeah. I'm just not that used to being around so many different people, that's all."

Lauren wrapped her arms around his neck. She allowed his gentle scent to waft up her nose as she buried her head in his shoulder. They stayed in that position for a while until the elevator dinged and brought them back to reality.

Their room was a relatively decent size for two. It had a small balcony which overlooked nothing but dark night, and an ancient box television set. But the first thing Lauren noticed wasn't the balcony, or the television, or even the pretty marble bathroom, it was the single bed that stood in the middle of the room.

Grayson seemed to notice it too, and once again his cheeks turned rosy. "Do you want to, uh..." He stuttered, scratching the back of his neck. "I could go down and ask for another--"

Lauren laughed. "It's okay, Grayson. It's just a bed." She threw her backpack on the floor and made her way to the door that led to their balcony. It was a beautiful night out, the air not too warm and not too cold. Thousands of stars twinkled in the sky. It was magical.

Grayson sat down on one of the chairs, his journal in his hand. He wasn't writing in it, he simply stared at his journal profoundly. Lauren knew how much a simple book like that meant to him. He didn't give Lauren a single glance as she sat down next to him. He was completely lost in thought.

"I read it, Grayson." Lauren blurted out. She shut her eyes closed after saying that, wishing she could take it back. She couldn't help but get it out of her system. Each day the nagging feeling in her gut had been getting worse.

Grayson's head shot up. "What?"

"That day- when I told you I wanted to run away. I read your diary." Her voice was filled with regret. "You were sleeping and it was on your lap. I couldn't help myself. I know that's not an excuse for what I did. I'm so sorry."

"You read my journal?"

Lauren's voice quivered. "I did. I only read a few pages, and I felt god awful afterwards."

Grayson didn't say anything. All he did was stare into the dark abyss before him, with cold eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Grayson."

It felt like a century had passed, and Grayson hadn't said anything. The silence was thick and suffocating in the air, and just waiting for him to say something seemed to drain Lauren completely. She was filled with remorse.

And then finally, Grayson spoke.

"This journal is probably one of the most important things to me." He said. His eyes looked like shards of shattered glass. She had never heard his voice so weak and vulnerable.

"I used to write in here every day after Ethan..." He paused, biting his lip. "After he left." Grayson mumbled, as though he didn't want to say that his twin brother was dead. As though not saying it made the entire situation not a reality.

He paged through the very first pages of the book, which were chaotic whirlwinds of words and thoughts. There were dark, imposing scribbles after every few lines. The entire thing frightened her a little. There was so much emotion that it was almost haunting.

"If I look back at the first half of this book, I scare myself. There's things in here that I've written during the lowest part of my life, and it's terrifying. It's scary to think I was once this person- that these same thoughts have run through my head."

Grayson looked at her, a tear almost rolling down his cheek. "But when I read the second half of the book, after you came into my life, it's like a completely different person wrote in this book. I became a person that I was proud of. A happier person."

"And I think to myself sometimes, what would I be if you hadn't walked into my room that day? What would I be if you had never stumbled into my life with your bright red cheeks and that beautiful smile?"

He tucked a strand of hair behind Lauren's ear, and she could've sworn she saw his eyes glance down, just for a second, at her lips.

"You're my happy place, Lauren McAdams." He said softly. "And you always will be."

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