Chapter 64// "I, Elliott Grayson, was afraid of a girl rejecting me"
"Did you hear?" I look up at my best friend. She was blinking her blue eyes at me.
"No" I replied shaking my head.
"Well first Aribella and Ryan are officially dating and then Elliot beat the shite out of Ryan for some reason in the middle of the haul.
Emily spent her time between her book group friends and me because I loved her so much and couldn't be parted with her.
"Was it something serious?" I ask concerned, as I know that Elliott's involved. My boyfriend just loved causing trouble.
"Why are we worried about Elliott?" Aiden asks as he sets his tray of food down. He sits across from me; he also has Carter, Conner, and Alec by his side.
"Nothing," I tell the boys who loved listening to drama. "Could you stop jumping around your making me feel dizzy"
"Come on girl I swear it had something to do with you, it's just such a fairytale where Elliott's always there for you. He's like a knight who's always fighting for you" She speaks out loud dreamily as she seats herself beside Alec.
"No Elliot just likes fighting. Full stop"
It was in a way, weird having Emily and me surrounded by so many people. That remembering there was once a time where Emily and I sat alone, together.
That's when Daniel and Winter walk in side by side. No one can understand how bad I was rooting for the pair of them, was it too much to ask for.
My twin brother deserved to be happy and so did one of my best friends what better way than having them both get together.
They weren't an official thing...yet.
All of a sudden the cafeteria quietens and I know why. Aribella and Ryan walk into the large open plan room.
Aribella Jones, that was who I knew her as, until a few weeks ago when I found out she was my half-sister. Why was I so unlucky to end up having the biggest bitch on the planet as my sister? And what does that say about our family name?
I'd have rathered that I never knew I was related to her and I think Daniel and mom felt the same way. Dad was for some reason trying to make things work with her.
Nothing had really changed in our family since the big secret was out. Maybe mom and Daniel were closer than they have been in years. Also, dad was leaving to go back to New York tomorrow and I would be lying if I said I was sad to see him go.
Aribella was trying to practically ruin Daniel and my life in school. People were thinking really bad things about my brother while Aribella fed them lies.
I think Daniel has come to some sort of terms with Aribella being his half-sister though he was still bombarded with questions from the school.
Aribella walks in the direction of the table that was once a very important monument in this school. The 'popular table'.
But it wasn't that anymore, seeing as Elliott and his group had moved to our table and the jocks had found their own table. While some other people had split away to smaller groups. There were only a few people who sat at that original table now.
Aribella flips her dark brown hair behind her as she takes her usual seat at that table.
It was no secret the fact that Aribella was related to Daniel and me. And it spread through the school like a wildfire.
The school was once split into 3 parts except now it was divided into 2 parts.
All of a sudden I see Winter get out her chair and walk in Aribella's. I look over at Daniel in concern and he looks back at me in the same way.
"A word please Aribella" Winter stands in front of their table as she moves a straight strand of ginger hair out her face.
"If you have something to say to me you can say it right here" Aribella narrows her eyes at her.
It was weird to think that Winter and Aribella were once friends. Even weirder than thinking Aribella and I were once friends. They rarely ever spoke which made it odder the fact that Winter was sitting in front of her table.
"I have had enough of you spreading lies about Daniel, I have had enough of you treating Cress like shit and I have enough of your immature and dirty looks that you send me"
Aribella stands up as she flattens out her skirt.
"And what are you going to do about it?" Aribella eggs on.
"Don't forget we were once friends Aribella, you once shared all your secrets with me"
I had no idea what secret Winter was talking about.
Something changes in Aribella's eyes like she just realized something.
"You listen here..."
"NO you listen here Aribella, I haven't spoken to you in like a year because the sight of you disgusts me. but you can't keep walking around like you own the place, I'm going to put you in your place"
That's when Aribella lunges for Winter and they are having a full on brawl on the floor. People were standing on chairs to see what was going on.
Suddenly I see Aribella pinned to the floor and Winter holding her down.
"You told everyone every secret I had but I kept this once safe because I'm not a bad person like you" Winter shouts at her.
"You're a bitch" Aribella spits at her.
"I've had enough of you, keep out mine and my friends way, or else the secrets out"
With that Winter stands up, straightens her skirt and brushes a hand through her hair before walking back up to us.
Everyone was looking in surprise at Winter, she had been keeping it low-key all year so no one was expecting her to explode like that.
Next in walks Elliott Grayson.
The boy who was once the school's biggest player boy, until he changed for a girl. Me.
He had his blazer slung over his shoulder, as he enters with a big grin his face, but I didn't dismiss the bruise growing on the right side of his cheekbone. The light from the outside was reflecting off his dark ocean blue eyes.
Elliott runs his tongue over his bottom lip as he looks around the room.
In school there was a rule stating that there were no jeans allowed, this was an invitation for Elliott Grayson to wear the tightest pair of jeans he could find. Along with his seriously tight school shirt. His tie was all messy today; I really had to fix that for him.
I pop the gum in my mouth, waiting for him to stock acting like a runaway model.
He runs a hand through his dark brown hair as small pieces of hair still fall into his eyes. Messily. Sexily.
And finally his sexy gaze catches mine; I roll my eyes at the way he was acting and pop my gum again. He was only acting like this because he beat someone up and he felt all big and manly about it.
He pulls a chair up from the table behind out and puts it next to me and as close as possible to me. He sits on hit backward so he had his arms wrapped around the back of the chair.
He bites on his bottom lip as he uses his left hand to lift up my chin so my head it tilted upwards to him.
"Nice bruise Elliott, did you fall?" I ask him as I look up at him, not breaking his intense gaze.
"I was hoping that you could dress up in a sexy nurse outfit and put some ice on it for me" Elliott whisper raising an eyebrow.
Someone chokes from across the table and didn't need three guesses to know it was my brother.
"I'm not dressing up for you Elliott and I'm sure I have some peas for you in my fridge. If not I'm definitely sure I have some fish fingers to put on your cheek"
"Oh Cress I'm so hot, the second they touch my face, I'll fry them for you"
"You wish" I laugh.
That's when Elliott furiously kisses me in a way that should not be seen in public; with my hands in his hair and his hands... well, I don't think you want to know where they were.
I wish I could say I got used to Elliott kissing me but I don't think I could ever get over the fact that Elliott was mine.
"Elliott..." I shout out loud.
"Did he bite you lip too hard?" Aiden laughs.
"No, he stole my gum" I huff "And it was my last bit as well.
"Does he have to create a scene every time he sees her" Daniel sighs.
"I totally need an article and for that fight," Emily says.
"How about Number 1 bitch owns school slut" Winter suggests.
"Winter you totally owned her" Aiden congratulates her.
"Did I miss something?" Elliott asks confused.
"Nothing more than a few brain cells, " I tell him.
For some reason, I was brought back to the moment last year, when Elliott finally recognized who I was, oh and also the day Aribella had poured a glass of water all over me.
Not one of my most attractive moment.
"Do you remember that day when Aribella and Winter were fighting over you cause you slept with both of them?"
His face darkens "Yes, why are you remind me of it?"
"I liked that day, it was the day you recognized who I was," I tell him.
"Dawson, I recognized you the second I came back from New York, I just didn't know how to talk to you. I wanted to restart things with you but how could I after everything I had down to you in the past"
"But you were back for like one month and you acted like you didn't know who I w like I didn't exist. Actually, all you did was sleep with a bunch of girls if I remember correctly"
Elliott cringes at the end of my sentence "I didn't know what to say to you"
I remember at the time Elliott had left school for a few moths to go live with his dad. Then suddenly one day he showed up at school looking like some kind of Armani model, or what Emily likes to call him a Greek god.
All the girls were in love with, yet all I was doing was waiting for him to go back to his old ways of making my life a living hell.
"And then I saw you run out the cafeteria and I took my chance"
"You came after me when no one else did"
"Maybe it was a good thing Aribella poured the water over you that day"
'Really?" I quirk my eyebrow up at him.
That's when that smirk breaks out on his face "Maybe I would never have had the balls to talk to you again"
"I think that's the scariest thought you have ever had"
"You wanna know something Cress"
I nod at him.
"I didn't think I would ever get you, I wanted you over every girl in the room and never thought I would be sitting here with you right now. I wanted to do anything to change your impression on me as being the guy that used to hurt you. I, Elliott Grayson, was afraid of a girl rejecting me. Do you not understand how painful that was?"
"For a second I thought you were starting to sound humble"
"There are so many guys in the world yet I will never understand how you can stick with me"
I laugh; it was most definitely the other way round. There were so many gorgeous girls in the world; yeah the Elliott Grayson loves me.
"I swear Dawson I will love you forever and no one will ever come in the way of that."
Elliott pulls me forward to kiss me again.
"Someone make them stop"
I look up at Daniel.
"Just cause you're not getting any action from Winter doesn't mean you have to be jealous,telltellDaniel.
"Don't make them start too" Carter mumbles.
My gaze suddenly goes to Conner. He was looking at me carefully but instantly drops his gaze when he sees me looking at him.
I wish I could say that Conner and I could be friends but the thing as it would always be awkward between us no matter what.
"Here look" Aiden shouts. "I can do it, I can slurp up spaghetti and get it out my nose"
I cringe at him but everyone at the table still watches him anyway for his satisfaction.
He can actually do it.
Alec cheers for him and pats him on the back.
"I might be the most talented guy in the world but I'm happy I can't do that" Elliott whispers at me.
"I heard that" Aiden huffs.
"Elliott you have no talents" I roll my eyes at his cocky behavior.
"That's because you haven't seen me in the bedroom yet, that's where all my talent lies"
I wrap my arms around his neck.
"Well you will have to wait a long time before you can show it off to me"
Author note:
If you look at this chapter and then back at the first chapter of this book you'll see they're in a way the same yet very different. It's to show the development of all the characters and how the story has changed to begin with. I find this chapter super cute cause it's just like the first one.
Also you can stop with the book now if you want a perfect ending between Cress and Elliott. I would love to end it perfectly just here.
Or you can keep reading the next 10 updates... if you think you can deal with it...
Next stop Paris...or Disneyland. Whatever you want to call it.