"Defeat is not bitter unless you swallow it."- Joe Clark.
Grayson's POV
With today being no exception, IÂ wake up to the annoying alarm my nanny sets for me every night before I go to sleep. I've thought of so many ways to confiscate it. It's not noisy or outrageously loud, honestly, it's anything but that. The sound of my alarm is smooth like music for the soul. I am a light sleeper so any form of noise, loud or tiny, could wake me up. So have I told my nanny yet she's still bent on setting an alarm for me, as if I've ever woken up late. I'm like the early bird from the quote 'The early bird catches the worm'. Yeah, so I'm that bird whilst my cousin Yvette seems to be the exact opposite of me. She's so messy and disorganized that it gets on my nerves, only sometimes, though.
I take a peek at the clock by my bedside. Six am, it says.
I get down from my bed, to get ready for school I have to. Skipping school has never really been my thing, I haven't before- only when I'm sick, and I barely get sick- I honestly don't think I'm going to start now. Why skip at all?
In thirty minutes I descend the stairs and make my way over to the dining table where my dad is already seated with his phone in hand typing away.
Okay so today he's at home, that's.... progress.
Progress!!.
"Dad," I counter, excitement lacing my tone.
"Hey! Son'" he looks up from his phone with a smile, one that doesn't reach his ears. A small smile, gentle.
"Good morning," I greet and take my seat, displaying a smile of my own.
"Morning, how was your night?" he probes.
Guess it's been a while.
"It was normal, as usual. What of yours ?"
I perk up, "It was short, I would say.." he trails off "...but okay. It was okay."
Okay! Okay is definitely better than bad so I think I have to accept that answer just the way it is.
"Cool," I say and Dad nods his head before returning his gaze to his phone.
And then the table falls silent, both of us not knowing what to say. That was a civil conversation, at least, better than an argument. After a while of wondering what we'll be having for breakfast my nanny, Madam Patricia, emerges from the kitchen and sets the table. She asks how my night was and when I reply she gives me a peck on my cheek, smiling softly at me before returning to the kitchen.
Breakfast was over as fast, it felt like it didn't happen. Before Dad left I asked him how his work was doing. A frown marred his features before he muttered a short 'it's okay' response. He proposed driving me to school but I objected, he's got enough pile on his plate, and I don't need him worrying about driving me to school. Besides I have my car which he got me a year and a half ago on my sixteenth birthday.
It was a few minutes to seven am when I left home to pick up Yvette for school.
After minutes of driving, I finally get to her house, I park my car and instead of going inside, I decide on something else, honking. I honk loudly and in seconds she rushes out of her door with a bag at her back and a half-bitten cookie in hand. Her lips were coated with milk, her hair messy and a hairbrush stuck in it, sandals unstrapped.
That's Just like her
I shake my head at her in disapproval when she enters the car and she grins sheepishly.
"I w.." She starts but I cut off.
"I already know, no need to repeat that mantra. You woke up late again. What are you, twelve?" I sigh "Come on Yve, it's becoming a habit."
"I know okay... " she places the bag in her lap as she fastens her seatbelt,"...It's just not as easy, to break a habit. My bed is so alluring that it's difficult imagining not being in it," she pouts before popping the cookie into her mouth and then munches on it.
She picks out the brush from her hair and brushes through her messy hair, when it's not messy anymore she places the brush in her bag and takes out a rubber band and a comb. She combs her brunette locks with the comb and after she's done she ties her hair into a ponytail.
She turns to me with a smile on her lips, "You can start driving you know."
"You've got milk on your lips," I point.
"Oh! Thanks," she mutters before picking up a tissue to wipe her lips.
"I'll trash this when we get to school," she says referring to the used tissues, which she places at the side of her bag. She then removes something out of her pocket as I set this car in the ignition.
I look to see her put on a strawberry-flavored lip balm.
She turns the radio on and throughout our ride to school, she dances to the songs and tries to mimic vocal notes but fails badly due to her horrible voice. If you hear her sing I bet you would beg her to stop, she's not gifted one in the singing area. It's sad to say this but she's got a real bad voice.
When we get to school, I walk her to her class before heading for mine.
_________
The first and second periods were amazing so far. It's break time now and I've decided to spend it at the library so I can familiarize myself with my role as Heathcliff for the Wuthering Heights play. Acting as the main character is not going to be easy especially if you don't know how to act. I mean it, if acting is not your thing, it's going to be a headache doing it.
Honestly speaking I don't know what Miss Brooke saw in me that she decided to give me the role. Would you believe me if I told you Cole and Pierson asked the same question?
"Why did Miss Brooke give you the role?" They both asked.
"Honestly, I don't know."
"You don't look like someone who has an acting bone in their body."Â Pierson teased.
"You barely watch movies, I wonder how you're going to cope," Cole added and they both burst out laughing.
I do agree with them, I don't seem fit for the role, other students may be but since I'm the one given the role I gotta make the most of it.
After I spend a good twenty-five minutes memorizing a few basic lines I decide to head for class, The next class might be in session any moment from now.
I put the book away and walked out of the library. As I walk with the thought of the next class in mind, I try recollecting the lines I just memorized but I was only able to remember just a few. I searched my memories thoroughly for anything at all in addition but it seemed futile. In my process of reminiscing, I forget about watching where I'm headed when I bump into a student and their books fly out of their hands and land on the floor.
I watch as whoever it is -from the look of things, a girl- bends down to pick up her books.
"Uh ...sorry," I mutter on instinct.
"Don't worry," she waves me off.
The voice, it's familiar.
It can't be her, can it?
To get a better view of her face, I bend down as well to help pick up her books and get better access to her face. I crouch down close to her and stretch out my hands to pick up one of her books that lay in front of me, my eyes still fixated on her. Coincidentally, we both reach out for the book, our arms brushing against each other slightly in the process. She withdraws her arms quickly and we look up to meet my eyes.
It's her.
I could still feel a sensation where her arms brushed ...weird.
I hope this is not a silly joke where I would wake up to find out that it's been a dream all this while.
Don't be a dream, please.
I take in her features as she sucks in a sharp breath, eyes wide in surprise. I could feel nervousness creep into her being immediately she recognized me.
We stare at each other for what feels like an eternity, suddenly she snaps her gaze to the book in my hands and I mirror her actions.
I need to give her back her book before I start seeming crazy for not doing so, "Uh...here!" I stretch out my hands to her and she pauses for a second before she finally takes it out of my hand, both our hands brushing up against each other, yet again.
"Thank y..o..u," she stutters.
At this point, all her books were safely tucked in her arms yet we were still down, squatted on the floor, almost like each one of us was waiting for who would stand up first.
Whispers started going around among the students, and trust me, I bet they weren't pleasant. They were comments coming from jealous girls who wished they were in the stead of Ashley.
When she gets up, I mirror her actions.
"You're welcome," I respond at once.
She sighs and as if with determination she raises her eyes to meet mine quickly before it roams around the whole place as if it were searching for someone.
It seemed like whoever it was or whatever it was she was looking for wasn't there, she bowed her head low and for a while, she seemed frozen in place.
Why do I feel like she's feeling awkward?
Am I that bad?
To release whatever tension it was that was beginning to brew between us, I asked if we could walk to class together. I mean we're both headed for the same class so I don't think there's anything wrong with that. She agrees to it after a while of thinking.
I've come to a realization, she's nervous around me.
Immediately we entered the class, the whispers continued.
But who cares anyway?
******
Hello buddies. How have y'all been?
This chapter is dedicated to i_am_jed
You asked for Grayson's POV, so here it is. A big shout-out to you for always being supportive.Lots of love .â¤ï¸â¤ï¸
So how was this chapter ?....let me know in the comment section.