•Greyson's POV•
What. The. Fuck.
Emery runs off down the hallway, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Again. What the fuck?
Following behind her I watch her run into her room and shut the door behind her, As I get closer I can hear the muffled sounds of her crying from inside the room.
I raise my fist to knock on the door, the sounds echo through the hallway.
"Em?" I ask resting my forehead on the door. I wait for a few moments before turning away, Just as I step away I hear the lock on her door clicking and the creek of the old doors opening.
She looks at me with an almost pity-like look, the tip of her nose is red from all the crying, she turns around and walks back into her room but leaves the door open I take that as an invitation and follow her in.
"Emery, what's wrong?" I ask standing right behind her, I put my hand on her shoulder but she doesn't say anything.
My mind is racing a million miles a second,
Did I do something wrong?
As I'm playing over every conversation we had today trying to see where I went wrong she turns around, my heart breaks seeing her tear-stained cheeks.
Unconsciously I raise my thumb and wipe away the fallen tears, She shuts her eyes tightly like she's in pain.
I hate seeing her like this, I would do anything right now to see that pretty little smile of hers again.
"I-I c-can't" She mutters before collapsing into me, my arms immediately wrap around her waist holding her up.
"Can't what Em?" I ask, it's killing me not to know what's hurting her so much.
"Can't do this," She whispers into my chest, so quietly I barely heard.
"Love, you have to talk to me," I say.
"I can't," She states pulling away from me, I watch as she sits on the edge of her bed.
"Why's that," I ask sitting beside her.
"Because I'm scared," She says softly.
"I can't help you Em if I don't know what's wrong," I say in a softer voice.
"There's nothing I can do now," She states in a defeated sort of voice. A piece of hair falls from its position tied up, without a second thought I reach over and tuck the strand behind her ear.
She turns to look at me, Her eyes are red from crying. I don't move my hand from its spot now cupping her jaw.
"Beautiful," I whisper to myself, she gives me a faint smile before I watch her eyes get glasses again.
"Can you talk to me?" I ask again knowing it won't work, this girl is nothing if not stubborn.
"Later," She answers looking away from me, at least that's not no, "I have to think first," She mumbles that last part mostly to herself.
"Do you want to put something on?" I ask knowing that'll help calm her down, it always does.
She nods and moves up the bed so her back is against the headboard, I move so that I'm beside her with my arm wrapped around her shoulder letting her lean into me.
I grabbed her laptop from the nightstand and put it on Clueless, Char suggested we watch it but we never finished it.
•Emery's POV•
The ending credits roll on the screen as the movie finishes, I wait and stay silent for a moment to see if Grey is going to say something, He doesn't.
Carefully I move his arm off of me as I get up off the bed, His eyes are closed lightly as his chest rises and falls.
Glancing back again to make sure he hadn't woken up I shut the door behind me as I walked out.
I need some fresh air.
The halls that were once filled with cheer and warmth now seem cold and sad, almost like they know. But that would be crazy, walls don't think or know things.
Though this whole place does seem rather quiet, Where's Bella?
I turn right down a new hallway that'll take me to Bella's room, I knock on the door and wait, No answer. I sigh turning around after a few minutes.
I checked the lesson room, music room, library, study, and kitchen and asked all the staff I saw and no one had seen her since breakfast.
The living room is my next place to check-"Emery," I freeze.
"Emery a moment," Father's monotone voice called out.
Slowly I turn around to see my Father standing behind me. "I have nothing to say to you," I say rolling my eyes.
"Good, Then you'll listen," He snarks. "This way," He says walking back into a sitting room. Sighing I follow him in, for what reason I don't know.
"Emery," Anthony said shocked standing up from the couch.
"I-," He starts, "Sit Emery we don't have all day," Father states sitting in his armchair.
I nod taking a seat on the couch across from Anthony.
"I don't know what my Fathers told you but we are not getting married," I state avoiding looking in my father's direction.
"You don't have a choice," Father says.
"What do you mean 'I don't have a choice' It's my life," I argue.
"You will not do this in front of Anthony," Father says. "He unlike you understands the importance of this union," He adds.
"I-,"
"I will not hear another word of this you are engaged to married within a year and that's the last I will hear of this matter," My eyes tear up despite my wishes for them to not.
"Engaged?" A new voice says from behind me.
I freeze, eyes widen my heart starts beating a million miles a second.
"Emery what is he talking about," Grey laughs stiffly walking in.
"Grey," I muster up the courage to turn around and look at him, my heart sinks into my stomach seeing the expression on his face.
Anthony clears his throat and stands up, straightening his jacket as he walks up beside me. "I'll let you..." He trails off, "Talk to you later," He adds before leaving the room purposefully keeping his gaze forward, avoiding Grey.
"Will somebody tell me what the fuck is going on?" Grey demanded.
"I'm going back to work," Father stated walking out without another word.
"This better be some sort of sick joke," He laughs.
"I'm sorry," I whisper, He scoffs.
"I don't have a choice Grey, believe me, if it was up to me this wouldn't even be a topic of discussion," I try and explain.
"Of course, you have a choice," He yells, "This is your fucking life,"
"You don't understand, It's not that easy," I say my voice breaking.
"So explain it to me Em," He shouts. "Explain to me, why you don't have a choice," He adds.
My father's voice plays on repeat over and over in my mind reminding me of the consequences.
Grey deserves the best this floating rock of a world has to offer, I can't jeopardize that for him just because I don't want to marry Anthony.
"I just don't, Father he said-," I shout.
"What did your dad say?" He asked when I stopped talking.
I want to talk to him, tell him everything my Father and Anthony have told me...but it's complicated, really, really complicated.
If I had a way to freeze time even for a moment to allow myself a second to think, this is the moment I would do it.
"Well?" Grey asked in a stressed voice.
I take a short breath before answering, "Grey, he has information, I can't let him do that-I won't," I say trying to stay strong.
"I don't give a fuck about that, hell I'll release it to the press myself," I laugh at his joke, At least I think he's joking.
"You can't do that," I shake my head.
"I can and I will," he states, "So the press will write a few papers about how the CEO Luke Collins has a fuckup son and about five girlfriends not including his wife? Let them, I don't care," He rants.
"You say that now-," I start.
"And I mean it Em, Anything is better than watching you marry that piece of shit," His words are sharp but his voice is hurt.
"I'm going to figure something out," I promise, mostly to him but a little bit to me as well.
He sighs angrily rolling his eyes, "Wait," I say quietly taking a step forward, he doesn't stop. I watch as he walks away and turns down a hallway.
Sighing deeply I sit back down pulling my knees to my chest and resting my head on them.
Tears prick my eyes as everything that's happened flashes through my mind like a recurring nightmare.
I wipe my cheeks with the sleeve of my shirt realizing the tears had fallen.
I want to believe everything will be okay, that we'll get back to New York and all will be well. I'll go back to attending classes and events, he'll go back to being a grump with a soft heart that I'd given up trying to stay away from.
But that can't happen. The Garden of Thorns surrounding his heart that I had spent so much time weaving through just knocked me back and grew over my path thicker than before.
A soft knock and the door made my head shoot up, "I heard," Haley said walking in. I give her a weak smile as she sits beside me.
"I'm sorry," she whispered wrapping her arm around my shoulder.
"It's not your fault," I shake my head.
"No, not personally but I'm sorry it happened," She says.
"I think I loved him," I whisper, saying it out loud to someone else is surreal.
"That was obvious enough," She says bluntly shocking me.
"Really?" I ask.
"Of course, dear, That boy loves you too, so much so I think he's terrified." She explains, This makes me cry harder leaning into her arms.
"I'm scared too," I admit.
"Good," She nods, I look at her confused. "I would be more worried about you if you weren't a bit scared," She adds.
"What do I do?" I ask.
"Before I answer that you need to decide what you want," She says like it's simple.
"Him," I whisper softly, "But I can't hurt him and he deserves so much, much more than I could give him," I add.
"I hate to break it to you, but I think he's hurting already a lot right now," She states.
"Exactly, less than a week being here and he's already hurt because of me," I say.
"Being honest with him might help, tell him how you're feeling," She advises.
" I want to," I drag out.
"But?" She finishes the sentence for me.
"I don't know, It's a whole bunch of 'I don't know' floating around in my head right now,"
"Understandable," She nods, "Promise me you'll fight, for him," She says.
"I promise," I nod. I don't know how I'll fight but I will.
"I'll be around if you need me," She says kissing the side of my head before standing up.
"Thank you, Haley," I smile up at her, her thumb brushes my cheek, pushing away all my tears.
"Such pretty eyes," She whispers before walking away.
The lights from the tree reflect against the window illuminating it with all kinds of colours.
My eyes fall to the base of the tree where a present still sits, I immediately recognize the poorly wrapped present. In all the chaos I'd forgotten to give it to him.
Standing up I lean down under the tree and grab the box, attached to the blue bow there's a tag handing off it with Grey written on it with a smiley face.
Never a better time than the present.
Box in hand I walk out of the living room and up the grand staircase, A few maids are running around dusting the portraits that line the walls, I smile politely at them as I pass and they each stop what they're doing and curtsy.
After walking to the other side of the castle I find myself standing stationary in front of the doors to his room.
My mouth is dry as I take a shakey breath trying to calm my nerves, raising my fist I knock on the door three times.
As I wait I fiddle with the bow in the box trying to straighten it so that it looks perfect.
He doesn't answer so I knock again and wait, a few more moments go by and nothing. I don't hear any movement inside.
"Grey? It's Emery, I want to talk," I say with my forehead resting on the door.
"I know you're probably mad at me, and I would be too if I were you, but I really need to say something and I'd rather not say It through a door," I explain, no answer.
"Your Highness," One of the maids says approaching me.
"Yes," I say straightening up.
"Dinner's being served if you wish to join," She says.
"Thank you," I reply, She nods and walks back.
I turn back to the door, "Grey?" I say once again. Before I know it my hand is on the door handle. "I'm opening the door," I say turning the handle.
Light from the hallway floods into the otherwise dark room, peering in I don't see anything. Flicking the light switch as I walk past brightens the room allowing me to see.
The bed's empty and has been made, there's nothing on the dresser. Panicked I check the closet and bathroom, both of which have been emptied of all his things.
Sitting down on the bed I scan the room for anything I could have missed when my eyes catch a piece of paper sitting on the oak desk.
Quickly I grab the paper scanning it for anything when I don't find anything I flip it over, right in the middle there's something written.
Goodbye.
That's all it says.
He just packed up and left, without a word.
I can't blame him though, I don't know if I would want to talk to me either if I were him.
Clutching the note in my hand I flick off my shoes and climb into his bed, The sheets and pillows still smell like his shampoo.
I bury my head in his pillow and cry letting the fabric and feathers soak up all my tears.
It feels like an elephant has just stepped onto my chest and decided to use it as a trampoline, tearing apart my heart piece by piece until I'm left with nothing but a very broken heart.
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A/n
Word count (2506)
I'm sorry...
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