i like (the idea of) you • grayson dolan

two

I'm pouting, attempting to reach for it, but Grayson stands in front of me with a grin.

"Wait, you switched out of english?" Ethan asks.

"Ditching us a week into senior year?" Grayson feigns offense, grabbing the paper from his brother. "We had english together last year, Opal. It was like, our thing. Wait—I didn't know we had these classes together too."

"Can I just have my schedule?" I sigh, finally able to grab it back.

I'm not sure whether or not I'm hurt that he didn't notice me in any of our other classes together. On one hand, it's nice to know that he didn't really notice me. On the other, some of those classes were pretty small and he didn't even do a single glance around the room where he saw me? Was I that invisible?

The two are laughing as I walk away, obviously satisfied they annoyed me. It was a game for them, one they'd been playing for years.

It wasn't that bad. They were never that mean, but they (and their other friends) found entertainment from getting on my nerves here and there. I was sick of it, but too nervous at the idea of telling them off.

Plus, I knew they didn't see it as an issue. I knew they probably forgot about it as soon as I was out of sight. It wasn't worth it.

—

My new english class happened to be Celia's. Things seemed to be looking up, until two days later when Grayson walked in and took the seat right in front of me.

"Funny to see you here, Opal."

He turned around, smirking at me. "...what happened to your other class? With all your friends?"

Grayson sighs, shrugging his shoulders. "Mr. Walsh fuckin' sucks. He said I was too rowdy surrounded by all of them, so he switched me out. Looks like we get to have English together again after all," as it turns out, anytime I think things are good, they suddenly become very bad. So from now on I'm just not acknowledging anything. "Me, too rowdy? Can you believe that?"

"I can," Celia cuts in, and I make a mental note to thank her later. "This class was quiet before you got here."

He just laughs and turns his attention to the front when the bell rings. Celia gives me a look to check in, but there's nothing to be done, so I give a thumbs up and pay attention.

The class is just boring worksheets, and then we're assigned some reading to do for homework. If only we could've done it in class.

"Celia, wanna come over this weekend?" I ask as we're walking out of class. "I know it's only been four weeks since our last sleepover, but there's gonna be a party and if I have to stay up I'd like to stay up with you."

"I think I can manage that," she nods, whipping out her phone to make a note. If she doesn't write those things down, she often forgets. It had been too long since we last hung out, which is why I teased her about it, to make sure she came. "I'll see you later, right?"

With a smile, I wave and head off to my study hall. I'm just putting headphones in when Grayson sits across from me.

"What's up?" I hum, polite but impatient. I didn't like him, but being rude made me feel bad.

"Wanna do the reading together?" He asks, taking out his copy of A Tale of Two Cities. "First few chapters, right?"

"Dolan! What're you doing with her?" His friend, Mark, yells from across the cafeteria.

"Homework!" Grayson yells back. Can't these two just text like normal people? "So, what do you say?"

"I'm... all set. I'll probably work on it at home later," biting my bottom lip, I reach for my headphones again but he doesn't move. His eyebrows are furrowed as he fiddles with the pages. "Uh, everything okay?"

Grayson sighs, "c'mon, Opal. Just help me out here."

Help him out? Does he just want the answers after I do the questions? I'd gladly give him those if he would just leave me alone.

Running a hand through his hair, he holds up the book. "I'm—it's stupid, but it'll take me forever to do this alone, and I don't have any of my friends in the class. I'd just rather get it done now faster, instead of later. I've got dyslexia, so it's harder to read this stuff if I can't focus on it, and I know I won't be able to focus on it alone since I can tell it's gonna be boring. Like I said, I don't have any friends in that class."

His group of friends laughter can be heard from the other side of the room, and I can see he wouldn't be able to focus with them now either. And honestly, focusing on this stuff at home is hard for me too.

With my brain yelling at me to say no, and my throat feeling scratchy, I nod. "Yeah, alright."

I would've felt a little bad saying no. Maybe I disliked him, but he seemed like he genuinely wanted help with this, and it would go faster for both of us to work together.

"Great! We'll take turns?" He grins, opening his book. "You first."

Opening my book, I give a small sigh. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times—"

Grayson sits and listens, and doesn't end up reading at all. But it looks like he's paying attention, and he's quiet instead of smug, so I don't mind.

He's actually... tolerable, when he shuts up. When he's not around friends trying to make them laugh, dare I say I don't mind him.

As soon as we're finished reading and answering questions, he heads back toward his friends and leaves me to myself—without even making a joke this time. It turns out he's genuinely not an asshole, at least when alone.

Though I hope I can continue avoiding him after this, I've changed my mind about completely hating him.

A/N

chapter dos

ending chapters is fucking hard i cannot do it for the life of me sorry