After the movie was over, the girls headed upstairs because they were tired but we wanted to squeeze in one more.
"You know what I was thinking, Ev?" Chris started
I looked his way, "What?"
"You and Grier would be really cute together." He finished
I glanced at Jude, "Did you put him up to this too?"
"No, I swear." Jude said defensively
"Do you like her?" Chris asked me
I shrugged, "As a friend."
"Would you ever date her?" He continued
"I don't know. I do like Grier, as a friend but I'm scared of dating someone who didn't notice me for so long and someone who is in the limelight like she is. I still feel the uncool, skinny ass boy inside of me saying that she playing you or that I'm a joke to her." I explained
Jude gave me a look, "Dude, you're probably gonna end up being a famous singer who's gonna be in the limelight, at least you can be with someone who can help you deal with it. There's no way she can think that of you, she's shown so much of herself to you, dude."
Jude was also somewhat right.
I nodded, "Also, I just think that both of us aren't ready for a relationship."
"Please not with the way you put your arm around her." Chris smirked
I smirked as I stood up from the couch, "I'm going to bed."
-
When I went downstairs the next morning, everyone was eating muffins or cereal before we headed to the beach.
"Morning stranger." Grier greeted me as I sat next to her at the breakfast table
I grinned, "Morning to you too."
"Does everyone have their swimsuits on?" Aria asked coming down the stairs
"Yes, you sound like a mom." Chris spoke
Aria walked around the room to give everyone a towel, "I'm just trying to make sure we make the most of our day, Chrissy."
"Slept good?" Grier asked me
I nodded, "Yeah."
"Finished your song?" She continued
"Mhm, you?" I replied
She nodded her head, "Sure did. Hey, Aria, are we walking there?"
"Yes, to the beach club." Aria replied as Grier got up to throw her plate away
I looked at Grier as she put her hair into a bun.
"What?" She laughed slightly
I shook my head, "Oh nothing, I just feel like you're up to something."
"Me? Never." She winked
Everyone gathered their things and we took a five-minute walk to the beach club. There were cabanas, chairs, a food center, and the beach was right there.
I put my towel on the chair next to Grier's.
"I didn't say you could sit here." She sassed
I rolled my eyes, "Please, I know you want me to sit here."
She smiled as she put on a pair of aviator sunglasses, "I guess you're right."
"I know I am." I stated as I continued to lay the towel on the chair
I plopped down and so did everyone around us.
"Do I look tanner yet?" Grier asked me
I looked at her, "Gray, it's been two minutes."
"Seriously." Aria added
"Well, salt water makes you tan faster so I'm gonna take a dip." Grier said getting up
She looked around, "Anyone joining me?"
"That water is probably freezing." Paisley bought up
Grier shrugged, "And?"
"Your ass is gonna get sick." Chris informed her as he scrolled through his phone
"Great, no school." She smirked as she turned towards me
Grier gave me big puppy eyes and a frown, "Please, Ev."
There was nothing to lose, we did come for the beach after all.
I rolled my eyes in a playful way, "Fine."
"Excellent." Grier grinned as I got up
We began to walk towards the ocean and I noticed how only a few people who were mostly kids were playing in the sand or splashing in the water.
"You go in first." I said gently pushing Grier
She walked into the water, "Come on, it isn't that cold."
"It looks better from a distance." I declined without saying it
"Stop being an ass." Grier said grabbing my hands
As she backed into the water, I could feel chills all over my body for many different reasons.
She dropped her hands from mine and splashed me with water.
My jaw dropped, "Who is an ass now?"
"Not me." Grier smirked as she ran further into the ocean
"Grier!" I yelled after her
I ended up going in arm deep, freezing water going after her. Plus the waves weren't really happening.
"My freakin' top came undone." Grier commented as I noticed as she struggled to get the top tied and avoid waves
"You can hold yourself up on me." I offered
Grier put her arm around me and proceeded to tie the straps with one hand which was beyond me.
"You good?" I asked her
She nodded as a giant wave came through that knocked us both under
I saw her swim back to the surface and take the bun out of her hair.
"Gotta love the beach." She commented as I swam towards her
"You're lookin' a little short out here." I smiled as she put her arms around me yet again
I couldn't stop smiling as I put my arms around her.
"You, know what?" Grier started
I raised an eyebrow, "Yes?"
"I'll race you back to the shore." Grier said moving away from me
I swam after her, but of course, she won.
"Cheater." I commented as we sat in the sand
"Not." She grinned
"So where are you thinking about college?" Grier asked as she picked seashells
The most talked about question of senior year.
"Well, my mom wants me to stay in North Carolina but, God, I'm so sick of it here. Maybe somewhere on the east or west coast like UCLA, NYU, something like that." I answered her
"Yeah I get that, I'm gonna stress eat so much when acceptance letters start coming out." Grier stressed
I looked at her, "You're smart, you got this."
"Thanks. I feel like USC is my best option because I can pursue a college education and a music career." She spoke
I lit up, "I've been saying the same thing!"
"Great minds think alike, what are we gonna do about those unposted YouTube videos?" Grier questioned me
"I can post them if you want. You don't think anyone is gonna regconize you?" I asked Grier
She shook her head, "No one has heard me sing except my family, so."
"What a shame." I groaned
Grier lightly hit my shoulder, "What is that supposed to mean?"
"You have such a beautiful voice and you don't let anyone hear it. You could be dominating the music game right now." I explained
Grier frowned, "A little hypocritical, don't you think?"
"Fuck I guess you're right. Gertrude's does open mic night on Friday nights, one of these days we're both just gonna have to sign up." I continued
"Debatable." Grier smirked
"Sleep on it, babe." I told her and I began to regret it as soon as it came out of my mouth
Luckily she didn't appear to think too much about it as our friends came over to enjoy the water.
We stayed at the beach for another forty-five minutes or so before we headed back to the house to get ready for the ride back home.
Everyone showered, packed their bags, loaded up our cars, and headed back to Charlotte.
It was just Grier and me in the backseat while Aria drove.
"What time are we supposed to make it back?" Grier asked
"Four-ish, maybe five." Aria answered her
Grier typed on her phone and I assumed she was texting her parents.
We drove in silence other than the music for a good forty-five minutes. Then a text came from Grier.
I opened it and it was something from Celebgossip.
Many thoughts ran through my head: they edited the water, it looked like I was holding her boob, and we looked like a couple.
I looked up at Grier who handed me her phone with the video of us in the ocean.
I stared at it over and over again.
I liked Grier a lot, but this is what I was scared of.
Being in the limelight, having my whole life out there was scary.
"Wow." I mouthed as I handed her the phone
She nodded without saying another word.
I didn't see Grier again until the next day at school, today was also the day we were revealing out songs to Pala and to each other.
"So, this is going to go a little differently." Pala started
He was finally getting to the assignment after the whole rant on how he had to watch high schoolers dance and grind on each other and the proceeded to ask why he didn't see us.
"Normally, we play the songs out loud and critique it to each other, but I want this to be more personal. I've emailed you both the other's person song and lyrics, I want you to go home and listen to it and dissect it. Yes, the lyrics and all. You should print out the lyrics and write what you think it means, I need this back by tomorrow. Got it?" Mr. Pala finished
We both nodded.
"Got it." We replied