Grayson's POV
Sep 23rd 2023
Time: 6:45 pm
I switch the turning signal on as Hazel continues speaking to us in the car.
"But it's really just like why would they not film
another season of the show", she ranted.
"Like I get it, they canceled the show because of Covid, because there were a lot of people on the set, but Covid's basically over now like they can start back filming the show".
"Exactly, and then the cliff hanger at the end was uncalled for if they were just going to cancel the show", I replied back.
I glazed over in Delilah's direction, but she was too busy being fascinated by the palm trees outside the window.
It was like her mind was in a completely different place since we picked her up.
"Remi".
"Yea", she replied looking in my direction.
"Are you even listening to us", Hazel stated from the backseat of the car.
"Yea, I am".
"She's definitely not listening, what's the last thing we said".
She turned her attention to Hazel and I.
"I don't know".
"See", Hazel and I both say in unison.
I laugh slightly, but return my attention back to her as she rolls her eyes at our responds.
"No, but really are you okay, you've been kinda quiet since we picked you up", I asked her.
"I'm just tired".
"Well we're almost here now", Hazel added.
I could tell she was lying.
I just didn't know what was bothering her. I didn't want to bombard her with questions, because I hate when people do it to me I didn't wanna seem like a hypocrite, but I hate to see her upset or down about something. I mean it could possibly be me, I haven't really called or texted her in a while since we last seen eachother at her friends party, but it's just because I've been busy with school, work, and maintaining a "relationship" with my father.
I wonder to myself is it Valentina or Darren.
It's gotta be hard for her, given the fact that it happened so fast.
The whole marriage thing and moving away.
I just don't want her to beat herself up about something she can't control.
I don't want her to be upset with me over something I can't control.
I glaze back over in her direction, and her heads laying on the window now.
I want to place my hand on her hers, but I don't.
*~*
I knocked on the door to the guest bed room Remi was in.
"Hey", I stated closing the door behind me.
I wanted to have a private conversation with her.
"Hi", she replied.
I noticed she was avoiding looking at me.
She continued to fix her unphased hair in the mirror.
"You okay".
"Yea, I'm better now... I think I was just car sick".
"Delilah", I stated saying her name to gather her full attention.
"Mh", she replied continuing to never look in my direction.
"Look at me".
Her glaze finally meets mine, and I see it disappointment... disappointment in her eyes.
"What's wrong".
"Nothing, I already told you I was car sick".
"No before that, we haven't even been talking like we use too".
"Oh, I told you I was busy at school and work".
She's still lying to me.
"I'm being serious Gray, you didn't do anything, I've just been stressed with work and school, plus I'm in a new environment that's not easy for me".
"I understand that, but I just thou-".
"Thought what... that I was lying to you, I'm not Grayson, I promise".
A part of me wanted to believe her, but the other half wasn't buying her bullshit.
"Imma take a shower before we go to Maya's party, you can join me if you want", she joked flirtatiously.
I roll my eyes at her response with a slight smile to stall the fact that she left her phone lying on the bed as she exited the bedroom.
I wait to grab her phone until I here the water running in the bathroom.
I contemplate whether or not I should even do what I'm thinking about doing.
The last time I read something of hers that I had no business reading it didn't end well.
But I didn't like the fact that she was lying to me about something that was bothering her, bothering her to the point where she couldn't tell me.
I punch in the first password that comes to my mind.
Her birthday.
04/16/05
The 6 dots shake letting me know it was incorrect.
Her moms birthday?
The dots shake again.
Her Grandmas?
The dots shake again.
Mines?
01/18/05
The screen opens to her lock screen.
I can't help but smile, not because I finally got in, but because it's my birthday.
The first thing I think is to go to her messages.
The last person she texted was her mom, letting her know that she made it here safe, then Hazel with 8 ball imessages games, then Mateo...
Mateo?
Mateo, "What are you doing this weekend".
Delilah, "i'm going out of town, why... what do you want me to do now".
Mateo, "I don't want you to do anything love, it's your turn to ask me what you want me to do for you, I just wanted to know if you were coming by to see Maria, I wanted to see you".
Delilah, "i don't know what I want you to do yet, okay??? could you just give me some time, i'm busy rn anyways".
Mateo, "Hurry, the pages are starting to get interesting".
Delilah, "please don't piss me off".
Mateo, "Or what".
Mateo, "You gonna tell Grayson".
The message end there.
I stare at the blinking blue line in confusion.
Love?
Pages?
I want to see you?
I don't know what I want you to do yet?
Grayson?
I lock her phone and place it back where I got it from.
*~*
"Cheers", Maya shouts over the loud music.
I take down my 4th shot of the night.
"Hey can I talk to you right quick", Delilah stated pulling me to the side.
"What", I replied.
"What", she questioned me.
"Yea, what is it", I asked irritated.
"Okay, never mind, because you obviously have an
attitude and I don't have time for it".
She wasn't lying, I didn't want to lash out on her, but I couldn't help it, remembering the messages between her and Mateo, made me not even want to look at her.
And the fact that she was lying made it 10 times worst.
"Are you serious right now, Delilah".
"Delilah", she questioned again.
I didn't call her Remi.
"That's your name, isn't it".
She stares at me like I hurt her feelings, but she hurt mines first.
I hated being rude to her, but I couldn't help it right now.
"You've been acting weird towards me since we gotten here".
"I'm fine... Delilah", I stated pulling away from her.
I walked back over to the kitchen to pour another shot of alcohol.
"Hey, you okay", Maya asked me putting her hand on the bottle stopping me from pouring the rest into the shot glass.
"I'm fine bro".
"I was just making sure... I know you're not the type to drink so much, and you've been drinking a lot".
"Like I said I'm fine", I stated feeling the liquor burn down my throat.
"Okay", she replied slowly walking in the other direction.
"Wait", I replied
She turned her attention back to me.
"What".
"I don't wanna be rude to you".
"You're always like that to me, it's fine Grayson, I get it we're not together anymore...but I have a right to make sure you're okay if I think you're drinking to much".
I take in a long breath.
"Are you okay, tho... really".
I turn my attention to the stairs watching Delilah and Hazel walk up them.
Maya turns her head to see what I'm looking at.
"It's her isn't it".
I don't say anything.
"Here", she stated handing me the cup of water she had in her hand.
"You need to drink some".
I take the cup from her.
"What happened...", she pauses before she speaks again.
"You don't have to tell me, I get it might be awkward for you to".
"No, it's not that", I say back.
"What".
I speak louder so she can hear me over the music.
"It's not that".
"Then what happened".
"Here, come on", she spoke pulling me out of the kitchen and into the backyard where it was a lot quieter.
I could still feel the vibrations from the music inside as she slide the sliding door closed.
"So...", she asked.
"I don't know, really it might be me".
"Can you just tell me what happened".
"She's been asking distance since Hazel, and I picked her up from San francisco, and I thought it was because of me... because I hadn't been talking to her since the last time I saw her, which was when she invited me to a party with a few of her friends she met out there, but it wasn't because of that", I ranted.
"Well at least I think it wasn't because of that".
"What do you think it was because of".
"Well before we came to the party I asked her what was up, and she lied to me, saying she was fine.....so I went through her phone."
"Grayson", Maya pleaded with me.
"Why would you go through her phone... you should have just trusted her she when she said everything was fine".
"When who said everything was fine", Hakeem stated interrupting our conversation.
Maya turned around to face him and sighed.
"Nothing, Hakeem", she stated.
"Nah, what y'all talking about".
"I said nothing, the first time".
I look up at him, and he's already looking a me with an irritated expression on his face.
Now if I didn't already have 4 shots I probably wouldn't have said anything to the expression that he had plastered on his face that was obviously directed towards me, but that wasn't the case here.
"Is there a problem", I stated to him.
"Please, Grayson no... don't start", Maya stated turning her attention to me.
"No, because you can't talk to who you want to without it being an issue".
Hakeem doesn't do anything but laugh and turn around like he going back into the house, but suddenly turns around and punches me directly in my left eye.
Without thinking my left hand grabs him by his black tee shirt while my other fist is colliding with his face repeatedly.
*FLASHBACK*
"Grayson, I've told you multiple times you can't let people words get to you", my mother stated as she held the ice bag above my left eye.
"I know but he sai-", I tried to reply before getting cut off.
"It doesn't matter what he said sweetheart, you can't keep getting into fights... they'll kick you out of school. Once they kick you out of school then what? They'll most definitely not be anymore baseball for you... not only baseball but you won't have any education... I can't keep leaving work everyday because you can't control your temper... it's immature Grayson... you're better than this", she ranted removing the ice from above my eye and patting it dry.
"Promise me you'll think before you pick a fight...okay", she stated holding out her pinky finger.
"I promise mom", I stated wrapping my finger around hers.
"Now hold still, you need stitches".
*END OF FLASHBACK*
With in an blink of an eye some random guy from the party is pulling me off of Hakeem, and Maya yelling my name, which brings me back to reality.
I look down at my right fist and it's bleeding, I don't know whether or not it's his blood or my own.
Maya grabs me from the guy holding me back and leads me inside the house and up the stairs.
Words are falling from her mouth, but my ears are ringing, so I don't understand.
She leads me into a room and I sit on the edge of the bed.
"Grayson", she replied walking out of the bathroom with a wet rag, shaking her head.
I place my hand to the stinging sensation above my eye and look at my hand... blood.
"Don't touch it", she replied placing the rag on my head in a soft tone.
"Why did you hit him", she asked.
"He hit me first".
"Do you know how immature you sound right now, and even if he did that didn't mean punch him to death".
I glaze up at her as she removes the rag from above my eye .
She has a concerned look on her face like a mother.
"I can defend myself, you didn't need to say anything, if you didn't none of this would have happened. You need to understand that you are my ex, so no shit... of course he'd be mad if he seen us talking by ourselves ".
"So, you two are dating now", I asked.
"Why do you care, you've got Delilah.. well at least I hope, what happened", she asked walking back to the bathroom to wet the rag again.
"I saw messages in her phone between her and Mateo".
"Who's Mateo".
"Some guy from her school".
"Well what did the messages say", she asked placing the rag back on my head.
I suck air in between my teeth from the pressure she applied before I speak.
"They were weird like he was flirting with her".
"Well was she flirting back".
"No".
"Then what's the issue, Grayson".
"It's bigger than that, okay".
"It seems small to me".
"They were in the closet together".
"What closet, Grayson".
"THE CLOSET MAYA".
"Please don't raise your voice, drink this... you're drunk".
I grab the water bottle from her and drink.
"What closet, Grayson".
"I went to a party with her and Hazel, and we were playing 7 minutes in heaven, but like... it was different".
"What was different", she questioned sitting right beside me now.
"The game, it was like whoever the bottle lands on goes in the closet, with a blindfold... then the group decides who goes in with that person... but you can't say anything while you're in the closet.....the person has to guess who they were in the closet with".
"Ohh, so they went in the closet".
I nod my head.
"Okay but that doesn't mean they did something in the closet".
"Okay, but they probably did... I saw the way he was looking at her all night... it was my fault".
"It wasn't your fault Grayson".
"Yes... yes it was because the group wanted me to go in the closet with her, but I didn't... because I thought it would defeat the whole purpose of the game... she'd know it was me... but looking back at it, it was a dumb decision to make... I was drunk so I wasn't thinking".
"Who did she say it was when she got out the closet".
"She said it was him, but only because he said they didn't have to do anything while they were in the closet ... but she was probably lying".
"Key word, probably... you don't know that for sure Grayson.. he might like her but that doesn't mean she likes him back ".
"I love her so much, Maya... and I know it's wrong to tell you that, but I do".
"It's okay, Grayson I understand".
"No, no you don't, I'll do anything for her... anything".
"I'd never hurt her, because I love her so bad".
"It's always been her".
I feel wetness on my face and I assume it's blood, but it's not, it's tears.
The realization brings more and more, falling from my eyes.
I feel Maya wrap her arms around me, and hold me tight as I sob uncontrollably against her chest.
A/N
HI GUYS IM DROPPING THE NEXT CHAPTER PROBABLY NEXT WEEK!
LOVE YA
final update: april 12th 2023