"I dare you to be friends with Grayson Dolan."
I gulped. I know very well that this is not going to be good. I stood up and walked to Grayson's table. Once I was standing in front of his table, his friends and Jailena including her friends were looking at me as if I was a lost person searching for the right place to go.
"What are you doing here, bitch?" Jailena scoffed, rolling her eyes.
"Um. I n-need to t-talk to G-Grayson for a while." I said nervously.
"Maybe she was planning to get more beatings from Grayson." One of Jailena's friends laughed.
I looked away, not wanting to look at the people around the table. I heard mutterings and some movement of the chairs. I was being pulled by someone. I looked up to see Grayson pulling me to a quiet side of the cafeteria. He let go of my hand rougly and folded his arms across his chest. He looked at me, tapping his foot rapidly on the concrete floor.
"So what do you wanna talk about? C'mon. Tell me." He said.
"Uh. I-I want to be f-friends with y-you." I stuttered, a hint of fright in my voice.
"Wow. Really? You are trying to be friends with me? C'mon, bitch. You aren't the type of friends I hang out with so fuck off." He growled.
I kept quiet, not knowing how to answer him. No words came to my mind. I stared blankly on the floor. Before I could even know what was happening, a fist collided on my stomach with such a strong force. I couldn't help but groan in pain and fall down to the floor.
"Don't ever try to come and talk to me. Get it? You are just trying to ruin my reputation and I really don't want to lose that." He spat one last time before leaving me on the ground.
"Mitchie! Wake up!" A voice shouted as someone shook my shoulders.
I opened my eyes to see Grayson beside me. I scooted to the corner of my bed. The fear is taking over my body. I curled up my body into a ball before placing my head in the middle of my bend legs.
"Leave me alone. Don't hurt me. Please!" I begged.
"I'm not gonna hurt you anymore. Please don't be scared." Grayson said.
This is just a dream. I closed my eyes and opened them back to see Grayson again. Taking in the surroundings, I wasn't even in my room. And then, it all clicked. I was in Grayson's room the whole night and sleeping in his bed. My lips trembled. Tears were starting to spill out from my eyes. I want him to just go away but I know I couldn't do anything about it. I placed my head back in between my knees and continued crying.
"What happened, dude? What's wrong with her?" Another voice came into the room and I know very well that it was Ethan.
"I don't even know. She was breathing heavily when she sleep and she was sweating. I woke her up and she told me to leave her alone and to not hurt her." Grayson said.
I was immediately pulled into a hug. I hugged the person back, not knowing who I was hugging. It was either Ethan or Grayson. I cried into his chest as he rubbed my back to calm me down.
"P-please. D-Don't leave me alone. S-Stay. I'm s-scared." I cried.
"I won't leave you. Hey, hey. Look at me. I'm Ethan." Ethan said.
I looked up and recognised his face. It was Ethan. I know very well what's the difference between Ethan and Grayson. Ethan laid me back down on the bed. As the pillow made contact with my cheeks, I winced in pain. Then, I remembered about Jailena punching me in the face. I didn't know who saved me because I could open my eyes but I know it couldn't be Grayson.
"Thank you, Ethan." I whispered.
"Thank me for what?" He asked.
"For saving me from Jailena and her friends."
"Oh. That wasn't me actually. It was Grayson who saved you. He saw you there and helped you." Ethan said, surprised that I thought he saved me.
"Oh." That was all I could say.
"Hey, Mitchie. Rest for today. I'm going to school now. I'll collect your assignments for you alright?" Ethan asked.
My eyes widened. Did I really sleep from yesterday up till just now? Oh my goodness. I need to get to school. I don't want the teachers to call my parents and asked me why I'm not there. Teachers always worry about me since I'm an A student. They always cared about me. They don't care about the ones who were 'popular' since the 'populars' don't even care about their studies. It really surprised me when Mr Kennedy cared about Grayson's marks. Wait. Mr Kennedy always cared about his students.
"No. No. I need to go to school. I don't want my parents to be called by my teachers. That's the last thing I want. Please." I pleaded Ethan.
"No, Mitchie. I already told your parents about it yesterday. They were okay with it as long as you study. And they're going out of town for some business trips. You're not going to school today since Jailena did that to you. I don't want things to get much more worse. Grayson is going to be here with you. He admitted that it was his fault that this thing happened." Ethan said, rolling his eyes at Grayson. "Plus, he also don't want the awkward tension between himself and Jailena."
I looked at him, confused. What awkward tension? What does he mean by that?
"Ethan. Don't tell her about it. I'll tell her on my own. Go to school now or you'll be late." Grayson warned him.
Ethan sighed and stood up from my side. He hugged me and kiss my not swollen cheek before walking up to his brother, patting his shoulder and giving him a brohug. I smiled when I saw them hug. I've never seen them this close. But brothers stick together. Am I right?
Ethan said a quick goodbye before leaving the room. My stomach hurts from Jailena's kickings. I slowly sat up and pulled my shirt up a little bit. I looked at the pained area and I can see it was purple.
"Shit, Mitchie! You're bruised. Let's go to the clinic to get a check on it." Grayson panicked.
I didn't even realise he was still in the room since I was in so much pain. I shook my head and laid back down slowly and carefully. Grayson was right beside me on the floor. The worried look on his face was still there and I really want him to stop worrying about me. His fist clutched the sheets of the bed I was lying in. I placed my hand on top of his. He instantly relaxed.
He looked at me with a weak smile. I gave him a smile back. A real one. The first smile I've ever given to him. My eyes started to get heavier again even though I had slept for a whole lot of hours. It may be shameful that I'm sleeping on his bed while he slept on the floor. I tried to keep my eyes open but I couldn't.
"Just sleep, Mitchie. Don't force yourself to stay awake. I'll be here when you wake up." Grayson said as his lips cruved up into a small smile.
I nodded and closed my eyes with Grayson's hand in mine.
+
My eyes fluttered open and I looked straight ahead to no one right beside me. I was reminded about Grayson saying he would be there when I wake up. But he was nowhere in the room. It was all a dream, isn't it? I sighed and sit up. I was so stupid to think that Grayson would actually be there right by my side.
I grabbed my bagpack that was beside the bag and placed it on my laps. I opened it up and took out my laptop. Call me weird but I always bring my laptop everywhere I go except for the toilet of course. I use it for school's work most of the time but I would use it for Netflix sometimes.
I clicked the play button as the video of my favourtie movie of all time started. It's Maleficent. Angelina Jolie isn't my favourite but I like her. Her cheekbones and her body are goals. Like really. Grayson walked in and saw me with my laptop and sat by my side and looked at me.
"I'm sorry I wasn't there when you woke up just now. I was having my lunch just now. Sorry, Mitchie." Grayson started.
"It's fine, Grayson." I smiled at him.
I wondered why he was being kind all of a sudden. I really need to shower and I know I am starting to smell.
"Grayson, did Ethan get for me my clothes when he went to my house? I need to get some shower." I told him nervously.
"Oh, yeah. Ethan told me that your mom did packed for you your clothes and some other things. I'll go and check Ethan's room for the bag." Grayson replied.
I nodded my head and watched as he walked out of his room. I looked around the room. It was very neat and tidy. I always thought Grayson was this type boy who always doesn't care about things. But it seemed like he really cared about his room. He came in with a bag in his hand and handed them to me.
"I'm sorry. I really had to check what was inside since there were other three similar bags to yours." He said honestly as he scratched the back of his neck.
"It's okay, Grayson." I said with a smile, patting his back hesitantly.
He looked at me and flashed a smile. I slowly stood up due to the pain on my stomach. Grayson helped me up and brought me to the bathroom. He slowly sat me on the covered toilet bowl and placed a shirt, a bra, a pair of pants and my underwear. I looked down and blushed. Why was I blushing again?
"I'll help you. Is that okay?" Grayson asked.
"Um- I-I don't know." I replied shyly.
No one has ever seen me naked before. Except for when I was young. I looked at Grayson as he nodded and tugged at the hem of my shirt. I lifted my hand to give him access to take off my shirt fully.
"Stand up, Mitch. I'll need to take your pants off."
I smiled at the nickname he gave me. Some people call my middle name as a nickname but some call me by my first name. I don't care though. If Ethan call me by Kimberly, I know he has something serious to talk or tell me about. This was the first time someone gave me a nickname as Mitch.
I slowly stood up and watched as Ethan unbuttoned my pants. I sucked in a deep breath when his fingers got in contact with the skin on my lower stomach. He looked up to me before pulling down my pants. Now, being in just bra and underwear without anything covering my body, I already felt so exposed.
He sat me down again and took my right hand in his. He took a deep breath before unwrapping the bandage. Once it was done, I looked at my hand to see it was bruised on four of my fingers. Grayson just stared at it. A tear dropped on my hand and I looked at him. Placing my left hand on his cheek, I wiped away the tears on it. Grayson looked at me with sad eyes.
"Don'r cry, Grayson." I said calmly.
"I'm s-sorry that this h-happen. I-It's my fault. I sh-shouldn't have done this to you. I'm so so s-sorry, Mitchie." He sobbed.
I lifted his chin to make him look at me. I smiled at him softly and shook my head, telling him that it it wasn't his fault.
"I know you were doing this for your reputation. I understand Grayson. I deserved to be treated like this since I like a girl. I understand how much you hate gays." I said, my voice soft.
"No. You don't deserve to be treated this way. I want to be friends with you. For real. I don't want to care about my reputations anymore. All I know is I want to be friends with you. Sure, I hate gays. But knowing that you are this kind hearted girl, I really have this feeling in me that I wanted to be friends with you." Grayson argued.
"I would be really honoured to be friends with you."
With that being said, Grayson looked at me and gave me a bone crushing hug. I winced at the pain on my body but I don't care right now. I just got a new friend who used to be my bully. I suddenly remembered about the dare. I already passed the dare! But I know if I told Grayson about it, he wouldn't be happy. He would think that I was only using him to win the dare when I was not. I really wanted to be friends with him like how I'm friends with his brother.
Right now, no one was disturbing us hugging. He soon pulled away and looked at me.
"Am I allowed to take out your.." He trailed off, not wanting to say the other words.
I gulped and slowly nodded my head. His arms went around my body as he unclasped my bra. He pulled the straps down my arm and slowly took the bra off of me. I covered my breast with my arms, only to be pulled by Grayson. He shook his head with a smile.
"Don't need to be shy. I won't do anything to you. I promise."
He pulled me up making me get on my feet again. Two of his fingers looped around each side of the waistband of my underwear as he pulled it down. I felt so exposed right now. He sat me back down and switched on the tap water of the bathtub, to fill it with water.
As soon as it was filled, Grayson scooped me up in his arms and placed me gently into the tub of water. The water felt so nice on my body. It relaxed the muscles in my body. Grayson took some shampoo and shampooed my hair. Next, he took the bar soap from the soap holder and rubbed it on my back. Once he was done, he leaned me back on my back as he did my front.
It felt so weird and uncomfortable to have someone rubbing soap on your chest. Once everything was done, he washed me up and scooped me back into his arms, not caring about me being wet. He placed me back on the toilet bowl and grabbed the toothbrush that he also brought in just now. Applying some toothpaste on it, he handed me the toothbrush and I started to brush my teeth with left hand as he dried my body with a towel.
Soon, I was done with my teeth. I gargled some water in my mouth and spit it out. I wiped my mouth with the towel and just sat there. Grayson took my bra and helped me to put it on. Next, was my underwear. Then, my pants and my shirt. He took me in his arms again and opened the door, which I don't even know how he did that with me being in his arms. He didn't even struggle.
He placed me on his bed and sat next to me. He placed his hand on top of my not injured hand and looked at me.
"I'll get some food for you to eat. Are you okay with lasagna?" Grayson asked.
"Yeah. I'm fine with it." I replied.
He walked out of the room and I started to wonder what Ethan mean about the awkward tension between Jailena and Grayson. But what was really weird was I didn't even think of Jacquelyn the whole time I was with Grayson.