no control | dolan twins

forty four

"You look so cute when you sleep." A quiet voice says next to me.

I slowly turn over in my bed, slightly jumping from the body laying beside me. "Grayson?" I place my hand on my chest in shock.

"Miss me?" He smirks as he stares down at me.

"Of course I do." I blink a few times, processing what is happening. "What are you doing here?"

"I miss you so much." He places his hand on my cheek, rubbing this thumb over my soft skin. "You're so close, princess."

"Close to what?" My stomach turns with nerves.

He smiles as he pushes a piece of my hair behind my ear. "Winning the game."

"Taylor!"

My eyes spring open as I sit up on my bed. My heart is pounding as I grip onto my sheets. "Grayson?!"

"No, Vanessa." My roommate is standing over my bed, peering down at me. "Your alarm clock went off like ten times."

I gasp lightly as I look next to me. Of course it was a dream. I glance at my clock and see that it's almost eight. "Shit." I mutter as I jump up.

"You almost overslept again." She comments as she sits back down on her bed.

"It takes me hours to fall asleep." I groan as I slip on a tank top and shorts. I quickly grab my bag and toss it over my shoulder. "See you later." I say before running out the door.

I'm probably not going to make it to class on time. I rush up the stairs and into the hot weather. The sun is extremely strong and the air is already dry. Walking all the way across campus in this heat should be illegal. I finally make it into my communications class right as the clock strikes eight. I am already tired and out of breath from running this far, but I don't really care.

I take my seat and pull out my textbook, opening up to the page written on the chalkboard. My eyes catch a glimpse of Amber next to me. Her head is hanging low and soft sobs are escaping her lips. I watch as a tear runs down her cheek. My eyebrows furrow as I lean closer to the desk.

"Hey, are you all right?" I lowly ask.

I can tell my voice startled her by the way her body jumped. "Not really." She starts to catch her breath.

"What's wrong?" I stare at her as she continues to sob.

"Ethan dumped me." She sighs as she looks away from my gaze.

I shift uncomfortably as I let out a sharp breath. "Why would he do that?"

"I don't know." She shrugs as she looks down at her desk. "He said he didn't need me anymore now that he won."

I listen to her words carefully as my stomach tightens. "Won what?"

"I don't even know." She groans as she rolls her eyes.

I think back to what Max said to me a few months ago during the art contest. The game the football team plays, whoever wins gets money.

"Has Ethan mentioned anything about Grayson?" I slowly as her.

"No." She shakes her head back and forth. "He hasn't mentioned him in months."

Before I can get another word in, my professor begins talking about the final essay that is due next week. I keep forgetting school is almost over. I flash Amber a sympathetic smile as she wipes her tears away.

As usual my mind drifts off to Grayson and what he is doing right now. I hope wherever he is, he's safe and happy. Despite being mad at his actions, I can never hate him.