"I put the remote on the couch, and then somehow the couch ate it."
"No, Mrs Campbell. The couch can't eat things. It just fell into the cushion," Grayson explains, sitting beside the confused old lady.
"Oh, you're such a sweetheart, Grayson. Put Desperate Housewives on for me, thanks."
Grayson clicks the remote with a forced smile on his face. "Do you need anything to eat, Mrs. Campbell?"
"I'm okay, sweetheart. The digestive system is not what it used to be."
Grayson gets up from the couch and walks over to me, releasing a long breath. "You look like you're enjoying this."
I'm trying to hold back a fit of laughter. "Because I am."
"Screw you," Grayson laughs, walking to the kitchen. "I'll just wash the dishes, and then we can go."
We've been here nearly three hours. Grayson's got some patience. However, I have been playing Call of Duty on my phone for the entire time, but now my phone's about to die.
The device buzzes on my thigh, and I turn it around to look at the notification.
Iris: Party tomorrow night. Do you want to go with me, or will you be up Grayson's ass all night?
Layla: Are you still pissed at me?
Iris: Can you read?
Layla: I'm assuming that's a yes.
Iris: You're a real bitch sometimes.
Layla: I know.
Layla: I'll go. Whose party is it?
Iris: No idea. Baker Lee invited me. It's a bonfire in the city.
If it's in the city, that's a good sign. Noah or James won't be there.
Layla: Oh? Baker? The one you made out with last summer?
Iris: That would be the one, yes.
Layla: Cool. What time should I be out of Grayson's ass?
Iris: Preferably eight o'clock.
Layla: Okay. Love you.
Iris: Love you.
"All right, I'm done. Let's go," Grayson says, drying his hands on a kitchen towel. I shove my phone into my pocket, ready to leave this house.
— — —
"Are you going somewhere, Layla?" My mom stands at my door, watching me put my mascara on.
"Yeah, with Iris. There's a big bonfire in the city."
"That sounds like fun." She walks over and sits down on my bed, and I think she's ready to have that talk she mentioned yesterday morning.
When I got home, she was still running errands with Hale. And when she got home, I was sleeping.
"Is everything okay?" She asks.
I place my mascara back in its rightful place and turn around to look at her. "Fine," I say, a little too quickly. She picks up on that. "Why do you ask?"
"Everyone agrees that you seem down since school ended. At first, we thought it was post-graduation sadness, but now ... we're not so sure. You never hang out with your friends anymore, either. All you do is spend time alone in your room."
"I'm going out tonight, aren't I?"
She looks at me like she sees right through me. "I know how Iris can be. And I know you're not going because you want to."
Liam cheated on me, Mom. And that hurt like fucking hell. "I swear, I'm okay," I say instead. "I just like spending time alone."
It's not the fact that I'm hurt over Liam. Sure, I loved him, but the part that hurt was what he did. The part that hurt was the harsh realization that maybe I really am just not good enough.
I'd choose you. The words and Grayson's gravelly voice repeat in my head again and again.
"Okay," she nods. "How was the trip with Grayson yesterday? Are you guys getting along okay?"
"Remember you asked me if I was okay with him staying with us for the summer, and I said yes? I wouldn't have said yes if I didn't want him here."
"I know, but I also know you love me and would do anything to make me happy."
I smile, walking over to her. "I swear Mom," I say, wrapping my arms around her. "We're cool."
"Okay." She inhales, breathing me in. "Now go have some fun. I don't want to see you back here until at least midnight."
"Wow," I laugh. "My mom is the coolest."
Iris is waiting for me in the kitchen when I get downstairs, coating lipgloss on with a handheld mirror in her hand.
"I'll drive," I smile, swiping her car keys from where she set them on the counter.
Iris looks at me with worry. "No, Layla. You know your driving terrifies me."
She looks good. Iris always looks good. Sometimes it's infuriating. She could wake up after a seven-hour nap and still look amazing.
But tonight, she looks outrageously good.
I fan myself. "Damn, girl. Are you sure you want Baker? We could find you an NBA player while you look like that tonight."
She blushes, clicking her mirror shut and stuffing it into her purse. "Stop."
"I'm driving," I say in a firm tone. "Let's go."
Iris sighs dramatically but follows me to the front of the house.
"So ... where's Grayson tonight?"
I shrug, slipping into the driver's seat of Iris's car. "No idea."
She gives me a funny look as I pull out of the street. I ignore it. I think she wants me to talk about what's happening between us, but I don't know myself. I could say we're friends, but even that feels like pushing it.
So I let her go on about Baker and school and everything else she can think to talk about the whole ride. Iris is a year older than me, and she believes it's her duty to share every little detail about what freshman year will be like for me.
The bonfire is on the beach, and we make our way down to the crowds of people as 3005 by Childish Gambino blasts through speakers all across.
We walk past a group playing never have I ever, and another group laughing and drinking from their solo cups. Some are down by the waves surfing and swimming.
The smell of burning wood sits in the air, and I take in the whole scene. This is quite the party, and I'm glad I'm here for the first time in a while.
"Iris!" Baker strides over to us with his group of friends. I only know what he looks like because Iris constantly used to send me pictures of him.
"Baker!" She beams, running over to him. They hug, and I smile. "This is my cousin, Layla."
"Hi!" I wave awkwardly from where I'm still standing.
He waves back, running a hand through his dark hair. "We were heading to the bonfire to chill and eat s'mores." Then he offers Iris his arm. I watch as she visibly blushes and links her arm with his. "You want to join, Layla?"
Nah. I'm not going to third wheel. "You guys go!" I find myself having to yell over the loud music. "I'm gonna hang around for a bit."
Iris shoots me an: are you sure? glance as Baker pulls her forward. I nod and mouth he's so into you.
She rolls her eyes and smiles, turning around.
I walk around for a while, just enjoying myself, listening to the sounds of waves crashing, loud music, and people laughing and having fun.
"Layla?"
I look down and see Mason.
"Mason," I smile, coming to a stop. He's sitting on a beach towel, watching the ocean, secluded from the rest of the party. "How have you been?"
Mason is Liam's best friend. The two were inseparable for a while. I always thought he was nice, but I haven't seen or spoken to him since school was over.
"Ah, you know, same old. How about you? I haven't seen you since school ended."
"Yeah." I sit down next to him. "I'm at my grandparent's place in Redwood for the summer. I've been okay."
Mason clicks his tongue and shakes his head. "Liam told me what happened. That's just terrible, Layla. I swear, I didn't talk to him for a whole week after I found out what he did."
My eyebrows shoot up. "Really? That's surprising. I didn't think he'd tell anyone."
Mason shrugs. "I am his best friend. I still can't look at him the same. I mean, Hayley? She's good-looking, but she's nowhere near—"
"—Don't finish that sentence," I interrupt him. I truly don't need my looks compared to the girl my boyfriend cheated on me with right now. Or ever.
He stops, closing his mouth. "And now he won't stop crying about it," he adds after a few moments of quiet.
I scoop some sand in my hand and let it slowly sift through my fingers. "I thought he was with Hayley now."
Mason shakes his head. "No. Honestly, I don't think Liam even knows what he wants."
I am just so done talking about Liam and even thinking about Liam. What a complete waste of good time. I think I need to go home.
"What are you doing tonight?" I ask into the silence.
"Not much," he shrugs.
"Do you want to walk around the city with me for a little while?"
He smiles, already pushing himself off the ground. "Sounds like fun."
We head up the beach as Mason tells me how excited he is to go to Stanford.
"Layla?"
The both of us turn our heads to find Liam. Liam with all my old friends. But what hurts the most is seeing Cass and Camila, who I once considered my sisters. They left me for him without a second thought.
They don't know that he cheated on me, but they should have chosen me. Now I'm glad they didn't. I know now that I don't need people like that in my life anymore anyway, and I'm doing just fine without them.
"Keep walking," I tell Mason.
"Where are you two headed? Aw, are you guys going on a date?" Liam asks sweetly, and everyone laughs behind him.
I wish Grayson were here. He'd know what to say. He always says the right things. I swallow, recovering from where my brain just went to.
"No," I say and cross my arms. "But if we were, would that bother you?"
Liam shakes his head. "Not at all, Layla. You know I want you to be happy."
"Okay," I scoff. "You enjoy yourself tonight."
I know if we were alone, he'd be acting differently. Especially now that I know he's not with Hayley.
I genuinely do want to go home now. But then I realize something else, and it hits me with so much force I can't help but acknowledge it. I don't want to go home.
I want to be with Grayson.