Chapter 6

*Grayson*

The steady thumping of my feet echoing through my ears were the only thing I could hear as I ran. For me, running was an escape. It was a great way to stay in shape and an excellent reason to not be at home. Home wasn't what I would name it, anyway. To say the least my family was what you would call... Intense. Strict. Overbearing. Over all, just miserable.

My once rhythmic steps slowed as I neared a small store. I blew out a hard breath, trying to get my breathing under control again and entered. The store was tiny with only a few essentials perched on the different shelves and I spotted the fridges located at the back. I walked down the food isles toward the refrigerators and took a water bottle. Paying at the front till, I drank the clear liquid as I rushed toward the door, ready to start running again. To clear my head from the chaos that was flowing through my mind. With only a small distance between me and the door, it was pushed open, slamming into me. The water spilled.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't see you." A voice said and I looked up from my soaked shirt. It was her. The girl from the diner. Clara. She was just as beautiful as last night, if not more. Her dark hair was thrown into a knot atop her head and a few strands fell, framing her face. Her blue eyes were wide as she looked at me and her cheeks started to shift too a light tint of red. You wouldn't be able to see it if you weren't paying close attention and I was. Maybe a little too much. "Are you alright?"

Her voice was small and apologetic. She was embarrassed. "Yeah I'm fine, but I don't know if my shirt is going to be," Teasingly I lifted my shirt, emphasizing the wet stain on it. "And it's cold." It really wasn't and secretly I was marveling in the cool feel of it against my hot skin. I just wanted to see if her light red tint would darken across her pale complexion but I guess it would take more than a little teasing to accomplish that. At this moment I wished I put on a white shirt.

Her face morphed slightly into a frown, her brows drawn together. Her hand still clutched the handle of the store's door and her shoulders inched inwards a bit, so little it was barely noticeable. "I'm sorry."

"It's just water, don't worry about it. I needed to cool off anyway," I shrugged. Where was the sarcastic girl that didn't take shit from Clark yesterday? It definitely wasn't her standing right in front of me at the moment and for some reason, it worried me. "You know, because I'm that hot."

Her eyes lifted to mine and amusement shone in them. "I might need to get a needle to pop that ego balloon of yours." I was shocked at the smug smile that played at her lips and I grinned. There she was. Talk about mood swings. She moved to step around me into the store but I blocked her path, an idea forming and sticking in my mind. I didn't want her to go just yet.

"Go on a practice date with me."

"A practice date?"

"Yeah. Since I have to take you on that hot air balloon ride, why don't I just take you on a practice date so that the actual date won't be as awkward."

"What makes you think it would be awkward?"

I sighed, "First dates usually are, Clara and I don't like awkwardness. I want to have fun."

"I can be fun on a first date." She crossed her arms, huffing out her frustration. It was adorable.

"Then prove it on our practice date. I'll pick you up a week from now," I began a slight jog once I was outside the store. "At 7!" I shouted before running back home.

***

My house was huge. In my opinion it was unnecessarily big with the two floors and a cinema as the basement. I believed that if you wanted to watch a movie on a big screen, that you should go to an actual movie theatre. The experience was just that much better too. But here I was, out of breath, outside of the place where I had no control in my life what so ever.

I rubbed at my forehead, trying to wipe off all the sweat that gathered during my run. I trudged up the stairs that led to the front door, not ready to go inside just yet. I didn't want to enter. I didn't have a choice. Opening the wooden door, I stepped inside. It was quiet. The silence felt deafening as if I was the only one here. I knew I wasn't. Making my way through the lounge area on the way to my bedroom, I stopped in my tracks.

There, on the couch, sat my father. A small glass filled with brown liquid rested in his hand. He swirled the glass a bit, looking down at it before taking a sip. He gazed at me, his eyes narrowed a bit. My back immediately straightened and my hands went behind my back. The perfect soldier in my father's mind. I didn't feel like getting hit today.

"Where were you?" My father's voice was cold. It always was. I couldn't remember the last time he talked to me, to us, with a loving voice or if he ever did. My mother was the one that always had affection in her tone and love in her eyes. Too bad she left us for the wolves.

"I went for a run." I always kept my answers this short with him. My father preferred it. He never had the time to listen to sad, sob stories about someone's life and only needed the information that was relevant to him.

My father was the head of the government. Whatever he said in this small town, happened. It was as if other people didn't notice the sadistic persona that lived beneath his designer clothing or the evil soul that lurked beneath the calm and collected mask he always wore. He was royalty here and I didn't understand why but my guess was that it was just out of fear. It was the only reason why I obeyed his commands.

"How was it with Clark last night?" He only wanted to know if I got any dirt on Clark's father. Apparently Clark's dad was out to take my father's place in the government and he wanted me to find out anything that could jeopardize his chance at achieving just that. To be honest, I hadn't even tried to find out anything, I was too preoccupied with a particular girl. But my dad didn't need to know that.

I shook my head. "He didn't budge when I asked him about his father, so no information there." The lie came easily and without effort. I never really tried to do anything my father asked because I didn't like his motives. They were cruel. He was cruel.

Calmly, my father put down his glass on the coffee table nearby and stood, walking towards me. I stood still, knowing it would be much worse if I decided to take a step back. He came to stand before me, resting one hand lightly on my shoulder and his other hand gripped my face tightly, basically squishing both my cheeks towards each other. It hurt but I stood quietly, taking everything he gave head on. His dark eyes, so unlike my own, stared into mine searching for something. Anything. I didn't know what exactly but I guess he didn't find it. He sighed, shaking his head slightly.

"You are such a disappointment, do you know that?" I didn't dare to speak and I didn't dare to show how much those words actually stung. His hand gripped my face tighter, harder and I flinched. "Answer me."

His voice was still calm and collected. My father never really shouted and I think that's what scared me the most. I exhaled through my nose and gritted my teeth. "Yes, sir."

He smiled. "Good. You know I only want what's best for you. You are my son after all." I wish I wasn't. Although I struggled with his grip, I nodded.

The front door opened, my older brother pausing mid-step over the threshold as he lightly shoved my younger brother behind his legs, blocking his view from this lovely scene. "Is everything alright?" Colton asked. My older brother was definitely.... Something else. Some days it seemed like he was with me against our father and other days, it felt like he was just as bad as him.

My father gave a tight lipped smile and shoved my face slightly, letting go. "Everything is fine. I just wanted to let Grayson know a few things, isn't that right?" Colton and my father looked my way expectedly but I only nodded and shrugged my shoulders.

My father waved his hand dismissively and I immediately made my way to my bedroom. Oliver, my little brother, followed me and I assumed Colton told him to so that he could talk to our father alone. I opened my door gesturing for Oliver to enter first and I closed the door behind me. Oliver was small, being he was only nine years old, but still. I was so used to this house being full of big, strong men that my little brother just looked odd here. Like he didn't belong here. He didn't. He was always so positive and I wished he was born into a much happier, safer family. He deserved more.

Oliver wrapped his arms around my middle as he hugged me. He learned to show this type of affection when we both stayed at my mom's for a few years. I hugged him back, squeezing him so tight that he started to giggle and that sound alone brought a smile to my face. We laid on my bed, talking about anything and everything except the elephant in the room and selfishly, I was glad but this little piece of happiness was short lived when I heard a shattering sound coming from down stairs.