A/n: guys let's pretend I published this after The Stray (and before the school scene) I have the book in my possession now so it will be ten times easier to follow by the book (I'll try not to skip over parts again sorryyyy). My timeline is literal shit right now. This will be this week's chapter. Anyways y'all have heard enough of my blabbering, let's get back to Cassie! (Let me know if there are typos plsss)
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I wandered the hallways of Hawthorne House for what seemed to be the millionth time. School started tomorrow, and I needed to be able to find my way to the kitchens without getting lost.
After fifteen minutes, I finally found the kitchen. I grabbed a chocolate muffin to munch on while I continued my adventure. Pico, who had been trailing me, barked playfully at my muffin.
"I'm sorry, boy. But you can't have this. How about..." I inspected the cupboards for something for Pico to eat. I found a container of peanut butter. Grinning, I grabbed a small spoon and scooped a tiny amount of peanut butter onto it. I knelt to Pico's level and allowed him to lick the spoon of peanut butter.
Laughing, I watched in amazement as he quickly finished his treat. The servants came and gave him proper food everyday, but since Pico was being a good dog, I felt the need to reward him. And because he was cute. I washed the spoon and put it in the dishwasher to dry. Then we continued our exploration.
The walls of the house were covered in pictures and self portraits of the Hawthorne family. I stopped to look at one of Tobias Hawthorne. He had silvery eyes, much like Grayson's. He had Jameson's jawline, but Nash's chin. It was eerie, just how many traits he shared with his grandsons.
Before I could continue on, I saw Nash and Avery coming towards me. "Hey kid," Nash greeted with a tip of his hat.
"Where are you two going?" I asked, suspicious lining my tone. Avery's eyes widened as she quickly understood what I was implying. Nash, on the other hand, didn't notice the exchange, or he just didn't care. It was most likely the latter.
"Going to kick some ass." I stared at him, a laugh threatening to break from me. "Wanna join?" I nodded and followed the cowboy to a majestic door. He threw it open, and an absolutely gorgeous library unfolded before my eyes. I gasped slightly.
It was a circular room with shelves as tall as the room, with iron staircases twirling towards the higher shelves. A giant tree stump stood in the center of it all, acting as a desk. It was beautiful.
It was only after I'd finished gawking at the room that my brain finally registered that two boys were standing on opposite sides of the room. And it just so happened that one of the two boys was Grayson Davenport Hawthorne. Amazing. Just amazing.
"So," Nash said, "Whose ass do I need to kick first?"
Grayson, who'd been ignoring our entrance until now, looked up at his brother, not even glancing toward my sister and I. "Must we always resort to fisticuffs?"
"Looks like I have a volunteer for the first ass kicking," Nash replied, eyeing the other boy, who was no other than Jameson Hawthorne. Even better. "Do I have a second?"
My breath shuddered as I forced to keep a disbelieved scoff in. These boys weren't just crazy. They were idiotic lunatics too.
Jameson, for his part, flashed a devastatingly handsome grin. Ew, no! Why are you thinking that Cassie! "Couldn't stay away, could you, big brother?"
"And leave the girls with here with you two knuckleheads?" I fought down the urge to shrink into myself and run away. Up till now, neither of the brothers had acknowledged our presence. Grayson's ice-like eyes pierced through me. I could tell he was surprised, but masked it well. I didn't need to look at his face to see the flash of hurt in them. Fantastic, I thought bitterly.
"I wouldn't worry about the Grambs," Grayson said. "They're clearly capable of taking care of themselves." His eyes had sharpened, and every one of his features looked as though it could cut through steel.
"Don't pay any attention to Gray," Jameson told us. "None of us do."
"Jamie," Nash warned. "Zip it."
Jameson, the imbecile he was, ignored him. "Grayson is in training for the Insufferable Olympics, and we really think he can go all the way if he can just jam the stick a little farther up his—"
I blanked out his last words, remembering how Max, Avery's friend, wasn't allowed to swear. But she was pretty creative with her swears, and I couldn't help but smile slightly at her hilarious words sometimes.
"Enough," Nash grunted.
It was at that moment that the youngest Hawthorne brother bounced into the library. "What did I miss?" He shed his blazer off his person and slung it over his arm.
"You haven't missed anything at all," Grayson told Xander. "And Ms. Grambs was just leaving." I frowned. It was obvious that he was talking to one of us. But why just one? Avery seemed confused as well, the look in her eyes said so.
"If you think I'm going to let you boss us around like it's your house, then sorry-not-sorry for disappointing you. But I'm not going to just leave because you think you have some kind of power over me," I told him distastefully. Grayson arched his eyebrow, as if that could scare me. I gave him my own glare, and we embarked on a silent staring contest.
Not to brag or anything, but I won. Obviously.
Xander, who had been watching the staring contest as if it were an exciting tennis match, snapped out of it and was the first person to speak. "Were you guys brawling in here without me?" Now that I noticed it, there seemed to be no sign of a fight. But the brothers knew each other better than I did, so they probably knew something we didn't. Which was very probable.
"This is what I get for being the one who doesn't skip school," Xander said solemnly.
When Xander said school, Nash studied Jameson. "No uniform," he noticed. "Playing hooky, Jamie? Two ass-kickings it is."
At the words ass-kicking, Xander grinned, then pounced on Nash, taking him to the ground. "Pinned you!" he announced.
Then Nash swept Xander off his feet and pinned him. "Not today, little brother." He then gave a much more darker look towards Grayson and Jameson. "Not today."
Avery and I met each other's eyes and rolled them in unison. This had to be the hundredth time I'd labeled them all as idiots. But I'd do it again.
The Hawthorne brothers are idiots.
"We should go," Avery stated, clearly nervous at the brothers's close bond.
"You shouldn't be here at all," Grayson replied, daggers in his tone. I aimed a scowl in his direction.
"Stuff a sock in it, Gray," Nash said. "What's done is done, and you know as well as I do that if the old man did it, there's no undoing it." He turned towards Jameson. "And as for you: Self-destructive tendencies aren't nearly as adorable as you think they are."
"Avery solved the keys," Jameson said casually. Faster than any of us."
I stared at my younger sister, asking her the silent question: What keys? She mouthed, I'll tell you later.
As the boys started discussing about some rite of passage between them, I did the thing I did best. I zoned out. I was really surprised with myself that I hadn't zoned out earlier.
"No." Nash's voice echoed throughout the room, snapping me from my incoherent line of thoughts.
"Can I get up now?" Xander asked innocently, still under Nash.
"Nope," Nash responded.
"I told you she was special," Jameson murmured. "They both are. She looks like—"
"I know who she looks like, Jamie," Grayson snapped. "And I told you to stay away from her." Grayson jerked his head towards Avery slightly.
"So I see you two are talking again!" Xander exclaimed. "Excellent."
"Welcome to Hawthorne House, Mystery Girls." Jameson's welcome made it seem like he was trying to get on Grayson's nerves than a genuine welcome.
Avery didn't take too kindly to the nickname. "Stop calling me Mystery Girl. My name is Avery."
"I'd also be willing to call you Heiress," Jameson offered. "What do you think, Gray? Got a nickname preference for our new landlords?"
Holy shit, Jameson. No need to rub salt in his wounds. Grayson gave me a glare, but I was too exhausted to even remotely care.
"I'm trying to protect you." Grayson's voice was dark and unforgiving.
"I think we both know," Jameson said lightly, "that the only person you've ever protected is yourself."
Grayson went as still as a statue.
"Xander, why don't you take the girls for a tour around the House?" As Nash said this, he pulled him to his feet. It was clear that it was an attempt to get us out of the room before something happened.
"Come on, we'll stop for cookies on the way." Xander was about to lead us out of the library when Grayson's strangled voice stopped us.
"No cookies," he growled.
"Fine," Xander sighed. "You drive a hard bargain, Grayson Hawthorne. No cookies." He winked at Avery and I. "Well stop for scones instead."
I let out an exasperated breath. I'd barely spent three days with these boys and they were already getting on my nerves.
I followed Xander out, practically dragging Avery too. I wanted to get out of here. This place was a madman's house. But if I did that, then everything, all of it, would go to charity.
Besides, how many people got the chance of a lifetime?
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*some lines were taken directly from The Inheritance Games, credits go to Jennifer Lynn Barnes*
a/n: ehh a filler chapter ig... but I gotta admit the library would be my happy place ngl
MY STEWPID WIFI BROKE AGAIN 😭😭😭 This was supposed to be posted Monday morning but (sigh) oh well.
Anyways did y'all see the eclipse? I didn't get to see a total eclipse but it was still pretty cool. Have an amazing day yallllll!!! (255 words away from 2000 eeee)