Chapter 7

*Clara*

I opened the door to Dawn's car. We were still busy with our horror movie marathon so Dawn thought it was a great idea to stop at a store nearby to buy ice-cream. Apparently it was the only snack we were missing in the huge pile of them at her house. I didn't complain, though. However, I did complain that she forced me to go into the store because she was too lazy to do it herself. But now I'm secretly glad she did.

So here I was, sitting in Dawn's car, a little flustered with a tub of freezing ice-cream on my lap. "You'll never guess who I just saw."

"Who?" Dawn pursed her lips, indicating that she was thinking. "Wait, don't tell me. I'll guess."

I relaxed in my seat and stayed silent while Dawn listed names of people she thought I might've seen.

"Clark?"

"No."

"Mr. Olsen?"

"No."

"Stephany?"

"Thankfully, no"

"I don't like her either."

By the time we stopped at her house, Dawn had listed well over 30 names and I couldn't stop the smile that pulled at my lips. She was so bad at this but she was still very much determined to guess correctly. Climbing out of her car, I waited for her to unlock the front door and sighed. "Do you give up yet?"

She seemed to think it over for a second before her shoulders dropped. "Yeah, I give up."

"I saw Grayson."

Dawn grabbed my arm, looking into my eyes. Her grin screamed excitement and she giggled. "How did I not guess that?"

I laughed. To be honest, I had no idea how she hadn't guessed it because Dawn being Dawn would always go for the hot guys first.

"Well... What did he say?" She shook my shoulders lightly. She was so excited about something that really was not going to happen. I couldn't let anything happen. That wouldn't be fair to him. I would only hurt him at the end.

I felt my cheeks warm. I wasn't used to talking about boys with Dawn. Sure, she would always bring up boys in a conversation but it was never about a guy that I might be interested in. And I was happy with that. I didn't have time for boyfriends in my life, anyway. "He wants to take me on a practice date before the balloon ride." I shrugged my shoulders as if it wasn't a big deal but I felt my stomach twist. Maybe it wasn't a big deal but it was probably a big mistake waiting to happen.

Going into the kitchen, I grabbed two spoons and situated myself next to Dawn, putting the ice-cream tub between us on the couch. I gave her the other spoon. "You know you're getting ready at my house for both dates, right?" Dawn said with her mouth full of ice-cream.

I smiled and put my hand on her knee. "I didn't expect anything else."

The rest of the weekend was basically the same. Dawn and I just watched movies and ate a bunch of snacks. Some moments we were laughing hysterically and other moments we were both in tears, Dawn crying with me about losing the diner although my own salty drops were for my whole life. For every moment I had no time to cry. For every moment I had no one to talk to and even though Dawn knew next to nothing, her support meant the world to me.

Now, it was Monday and I stood before the mirror in Dawn's closet. She straightened my hair for school this morning and it looked unusual. I was so used to my hair with their natural curl but Dawn said it looked beautiful so I went with it.

I had decided to stay with Dawn a few more nights and she said that her parents wouldn't mind. I was like a second daughter to them. I didn't believe it but I would take any excuse at the moment to not be alone.

Upon arriving at school, Dawn and I immediately went our separate ways towards our lockers. I opened mine and took out my bookbag, shoving every book in that I needed for the day and swung it over my shoulder. I closed the metal door of my locker and jumped a bit at the sight of Grayson standing next to me. "You almost gave me a heart attack." I put my hand on my chest, trying to ease the erratic beating of my heart.

He lifted his hands in mock surrender and smiled. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."

"With that smile of yours I would've thought otherwise."

Dropping his arms he smiled wider. "What smile?"

I pointed at his face, a small scowl on my face. "That one." I shouldered my bookbag a little higher, making it feel more secure and looked at Grayson. He leaned against one of the lockers on his side and stuffed his hands in his front jean pockets. Lifting my gaze to meet his I folded my arms. "Why are you here anyway?"

He swiped a hand through his hair and shrugged. "I have noticed that when I asked you for that practice date, I didn't ask for details on where I should pick you up and all that."

"And when did I agree to go on this practice date with you, exactly?" My brows raised, feigning indifference.

"When you and your little blond friend decided to ask me to take you on that balloon ride." He stuck out his hand as if I had to shake it. "No practice date, no hot air balloon ride with me. That's my deal."

"You know I could just as easily get another guy to go with me on this thing. right? You're not that special." And it was true, I would be able to get another guy to go with me but for some reason I didn't really think It'd be as fun.

He shrugged, his smile growing impossibly bigger. "Well, I think I'm pretty special," I lifted my brows in amusement. "And you wouldn't have asked me if you had every other guy hanging on your arm begging you to go out with them, now would you?"

He had me there and the amusement I felt earlier faded. No, I didn't have anyone who wanted my attention and the fact hurt a little. I squared my shoulders and looked Grayson in his eyes. The eyes of such an odd mixture of colors and I felt myself drawn to them. Captivated. My own gaze hardened at the thought.

"The details. Like you said, Saturday at 7. You can pick me up at Dawn's house," My lips tugged upwards. "You can get those details by her."

With those being my parting words I turned and walked towards my first class, leaving his hand mid-air. Unfortunately, my grand exit wasn't that great because the next thing I knew, Grayson plopped into the seat next to me at first period. English. He exhaled a hard breath and I shifted my gaze slightly to the side to look at him. A blue-ish purple bruise waved at me. It was on his cheek. How had I not notice this just a few moments ago?

Taking my pen, I lightly tapped him on his cheek, just under the bruise. "What happened?"

He winced and turned his gaze towards mine. It troubled me how empty they looked all of a sudden. He was fine just a few minutes ago. He scanned me, his eyes moving to the pen I clutched in my hand back to my face and he cleared his throat, looking in the direction of the white board at the front of the class. "That's not really any of your business, it it?"

My brows knitted, drawing together in thought. I know for a fact that Grayson hadn't gotten into a fight because in this small town with this even smaller school, news traveled fast. And nobody would get this defensive and closed off if it had been a fight. Boys usually boasted about those type of things. I know for a fact that it wasn't self inflicted because self harm usually varies between cutting and substance abuse and a lot more different things but I've never heard of anyone that punched themselves in the face. I just hoped whoever did this looked worse than he did.

***

By the time Saturday came around, I was a nervous wreck. I've never been on a date before and I knew that if Dawn hadn't pressured Grayson into this he wouldn't have asked me on his own. Regardless, I stood in front of the mirror. My unruly curls hung in messy ringlets around my shoulders. I rolled up the bottom of my faded blue jeans so that it appeared cuffed, giving the impression that they were just a fancier version of sweats. My top was tight and black. It contrasted with my pale skin and at the same time it blended beautifully with the dark circles under my eyes. Note the sarcasm. Dawn made sure that my sneakers and shirt matched, though. Something about how it brought the outfit together as one.

The doorbell echoed through the house and I applied my last layer of mascara before descending the stairs. It felt as if my mind floated, as if this wasn't actually happening. Standing at the door, Grayson had on blue jeans and a long sleeved black shirt and I internally cringed. How did we end up wearing exactly the same outfits? He seemed to be thinking the same thing because his eyes widened as he stared at me.

Dawn laughed. "Oh, this is great! You guys already look like the it couple without even trying."

I rolled my eyes and gagged, laughing right along with her. I faked turning around to go back upstairs. "Let me go change real quick because we wouldn't want that."

My eyes met with Grayson's and I smiled. "Hi."

"Hi."

Quickly grabbing my jacket from the coat hanger behind the door, I walked past Dawn on the way out. "Bye, mom! I'll be home by ten, don't worry." I joked and she giggled.

"Be safe!" Dawn shouted as Grayson and I strode over her driveway.

"Be wise, condomize!"

"Don't be silly, cover your willy!"

I felt my cheeks warm and I waved at Dawn. "You can stop now!" I shouted.

Laughter echoed and I looked at Grayson, surprised at how big the smile on his face was. However, Dawn wasn't done.

"Okay, bye! Oh and Grayson!" He turned towards Dawn standing in the doorway. He lifted his brows and nodded his head, indicating that she should speak, the smile never leaving his face.

"Don't be a dropper, cover your whopper! Have fun you two!"

She closed the door and Grayson opened the car door and motioned for me to take a seat. My cheeks were still hot and I don't think I have ever been this embarrassed in my life. A soft thud sounded through the car as he closed my door. I leaned over the driver's seat to open his side for him since he opened mine and relaxed in my seat. I exhaled a breath, willing the nervousness of tonight to exit my body with it.

Grayson's lips were still slightly upwards in a ghost of a smile as he started the car. "She's a piece of work, hey?"

I sighed and rested me head against the seat and closed my eyes.

"Yeah, that's Dawn for you. I wouldn't want her any other way." I opened my eyes and looked at him. The sun was only beginning to set and the soft rays glaring through the window highlighted the hues of his eyes magnificently. He shook his head slightly, so slightly I almost missed it and started to drive.

"Thank you, by the way."

Stunned and confused I shot my gaze to his once more. "For?"

"For opening my car door for me."