stuck with me ; e.d

two | 02

there are two?

———

[ brielle hayes ]

his house looked bigger than i remembered—at least two stories, big pillars on either side of the front door. the yard was neatly kept, faint lines in the grass that suggested it was mowed recently. it looked so normal, like a happy family lived here.

i had turned my car off about five minutes ago, but the nerve to actually get out was missing. what was i going to say? i would be walking up to that big mahogany door with my suitcase behind me to inform the man i hadn't spoken to in a year that i was going to live with him. who knows if he would even be the one answering the door.

my father had always had more money, considering he was the one with a stable job. that left me and my mom to stay in our old house that we could hardly pay for. that all led her to david, her fiancé.

i sucked in a deep breath and pushed my door open. finally stepping out, i smoothed my shirt as a last attempt to compose my self. really, i felt like a dog with its tail between its legs.

maybe i should just go back, plead to my mom that it was a mistake and i was thinking irrationally—

"you're in my parking spot!" a voice shouted at me from behind, stopping any of my thoughts before they could become a reality.

what the hell?

i spun on my heel and saw a sleek, black car had pulled up behind me. the windows were heavily tinted but i saw the driver dip their head back inside their rolled down window quickly.

they drove into the opposite side of the driveway
and turned the car off. when they—he stepped out i clung to the door handle of my own car and thought about getting back in.

he looked over the top of his car at me skeptically through warm brown eyes, flicking a brow, "if you're looking for ethan, he's inside."

"ethan? who's-" i closed my mouth then, chewing the inside of my cheek when i saw him walk around his side of the car to get a better look at me.

he wore a tight-fitted grey t-shirt with a pair of sunglasses hanging from the collar along with black shorts. his skin was nicely tanned and he was at least 6'2. surprisingly, he looked about my age.

he gave me a final strange look before turning to head up to the front door, fishing his keys out of his pocket.

"wait," i said quickly, nerves churning in my stomach. what if the house looked different because i had the wrong house, "does jack hayes live here?"

now he looked more confused than ever, a tiny, nervous chuckle leaving his lips that flashed a bit of his pearly teeth, "yeah... so you're not here for ethan?"

i clenched my fists at my sides, drawing in a short breath, "i don't know who ethan is, i'm looking for my dad," he flicked his eyebrow again, eyes growing round, "and this is where he's supposed to live, so if that's that case, who the hell are you?"

"i-i'm grayson—wait, your dad?" his hands were raised slightly like he was surrendering, probably not wanting to upset me any more than i already was.

i chewed my cheek again, nodding slowly. grayson's expression changed entirely, softening even, "oh."

he shoved his key in the front door, twisted it and opened the door. cool air wafted out and i hugged my sides. nodding his head towards the door, he held it open for me, "well, you gonna come inside or what?"

he grinned at me which calmed the pit in my stomach. i stepped inside quickly, grayson following behind me and shuffling his shoes off once he was inside as well.

"hey, sorry i thought you were one of ethan's girls, what's your name?"

again with ethan, who even is that?

"brielle."

he led me into the living room, and sat me down on a velvety grey couch. the house was just as nice on the inside as it was on the outside.

"that's unique, i like it," he commented, doing his best to keep the air filled when really he was certain i had lots of questions. he had some of his own.

i gave him a tight lipped smile, keeping my eyes trained to my feet, "so are you a friend of my dad's then?"

he let out an amused breath through his nose, sitting opposite from me on an identical couch, "step-son."

my head raised instantly, taken aback by his words. i didn't even think about how embarrassing it was to have mistaken him for his friend. step-son? my dad remarried and i had no idea. well that was fast. i brushed the pang of hurt away and nodded, "where is he?"

"at work, he won't be back for another hour or so," he must have sensed the uneasiness that passed over me because he added, "you're not in a rush, are you?"

"no," i lied. it's not that i was in a rush, it was just incredibly unsettling to be in the house alone with my father's step-son that i didn't know.

"so, how come you're here?" grayson wondered, getting comfortable in his seat by leaning back and resting his arm over the backrest.

"well actually—"

i was cut off by a foreign voice behind me, "gray, i'm going out. can you cover for me when dad gets home?"

i turned and locked eyes with a boy who looked so shockingly identical to grayson it made my heart drop. except, when i looked a little longer i could pick out subtle differences: deeper set eyes under dark brows, longer, curled hair that wisped by his ears, and fuller lips that were pursed as he waited for an answer.

twins?

he was leaning against the rail of the stairs, running his fingers through his hair to make it neater under his hoodie he had pulled up. he had this look to him that made him all the more intimidating than grayson and i couldn't pin exactly what it was.

"yeah, sure. just don't be a dumbass, alright? it's hard to cover for you when i have to pick you up from the sheriffs department."

his head tilted to the side and he stepped down the last few stairs quickly, laughing quietly under his breath. he cast me a glance so quick i almost missed it before he was yanking the door open and closing it behind him.

"who's that?" i asked, picking at the loose strings on my ripped jeans.

"ethan."

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