make you stay (g.d.)

twelve

elizabeth:

"your car is nice," i blurt, feeling the leather interior.

i see him crack a small smile as his hands turn the wheel. "took me awhile to get my australia drivers license. did you know they have to do like, a month screening process?"

i shake my head. "nope. i don't even have mine."

grayson glances quickly at me, then turns his eyes back on the road. "maybe you should get one,"

"what would i use it for? everything i need is walking distance."

he chuckles quietly. "okay. fine. don't get one."

"i think i will eventually," i continue on, staring out the window. "when i'm 30 years old and own 15 cats."

"i'm allergic to cats," he says. "so if you want me to visit you when you're a lonely 30 year old, you might want to invest in some reptiles and birds instead."

i can't help the laugh that escapes my lips. "birds? reptiles?"

he nods. "the only things i'm not allergic to. that and crustaceans, i guess."

"fine. i'll have a pet crab, two parrots, and a komodo dragon instead. then you can come visit me."

though the conversation is stupid and meaningless, it feels so easy to talk about. this kid can make an hour long conversation out of anything, and i'll always be intrigued.

about 10 minutes later, he pulls into a church parking lot that looks completely abandoned with rotting wood windows and graffiti on the sides.

"this is where you go?" i almost snort.

he rolls his eyes. "no. c'mon, it's a short walk."

we get out of his car and i immediately smell the saltiness of the beach.

"gray?" i ask as he speed walks in front of me.

he stops in his tracks, turns around, and waits for me to catch up. "yeah?"

"i um..." i start to say, then i realize i didn't really have anything to say in the first place. i just wanted to be near him.

"nothing," i smile. "just... are we going to be there before sundown? it's supposed to be cold tonight."

he glances at the sky, and the orangish and reddish hue to it.

"be right back," grayson says and starts to jog to his car.

i wait for him, kicking rocks at my feet. he returns a couple moments later with a sweatshirt in his hand.

he holds it out to me. "in case it gets cold."

a smile teases the corner of my lips as i take it from his hands. "thank you," i say, then glance at it thoroughly. "swim in the light?" i ask, reading the front.

he smiles. "kid cudi. ever heard of him?"

i think for a moment. "no. who is that?"

his face clouds with shock as his scoff turns into a laugh. "really? he's legit the best artist of all time."

shrugging, i respond, "i would have to say the beatles are, but okay."

his nose wrinkles. "fine. if that's your opinion."

i'm about to argue further until he stops immediately and motions for me to glance at my surroundings.

it's a small, private beach. the sand is fine and white, and no one to be seen in the setting sun.

i follow grayson down the beach until the water licks our feet. he's silent, just watching the slight waves crash over each other.

"i can see why you'd like this place," i say, breaking the silence.

i feel his eyes on me. "yeah?"

"yeah. it's quiet. you're quiet."

i dig my toes into the sand and feel a slight breeze of cold wind. i shudder, then put on the sweatshirt.

it smells faintly of cologne mixed with a woodsy smell. a smile creeps onto my face slowly as i adjust the hood, pulling it over my long hair.

"feel anything?" he asks, hands stuffed in his pockets.

i close my eyes, trying to see if i felt a piece of my surroundings attach to my heart. nothing.

sighing, i say, "i don't think so. i mean... maybe?"

grayson shakes his head slightly. "no. you'd know."

i frown, but grayson notices it and softly says, "hey. don't worry about it. this is only the first try, remember? there's so many other things to see and do that will help you find your missing piece."

i nod. "i'm sorry it didn't work for me."

he shrugs, then picks a seashell up from the sand. it's a beautiful conch shell, not broken or chipped at all. those are rare to find.

he smiles at it in his hands, then holds it out to me. "it doesn't matter if it didn't work, because you left with more than what you came with. a shell."

i laugh, taking it from his grasp with the sleeves of the sweatshirt covering my hands. "this is beautiful. i'll have to draw it someday."

he tilts his head, a small smile playing on his lips.

"your hair looks different than what it did on the plane," he says after a moment, reaching out gingerly to touch a long strand.

"a special australian shampoo. an old lady sold it to me in a crystal shop."

his eyes widen. "really?"

"no!" i laugh. "you're so gullible. i used 10 year old coconut oil i found in the pantry of my apartment when i moved it. works wonders for lengthening hair."

grayson chuckles, almost embarrassed by how i tricked him. "should've known you would mess with me."

"it's my specialty."

"yeah," he sighs softly. "um, should we go now?"

i cock my head and study his features. his hair looks so soft, which makes me wonder what shampoo he uses. his eyes draw mine to them without my brain even having to think. he's going to make a girl really happy someday.

if only i wasn't too scared.

i smile, then duck my head. "yeah. let's go."