You swim? Grayson Hawthorne X OC

7

"Avery?" I knock on her door again. I've knocked five times by now and she still hasn't opened the door.

The door doesn't seem to be unlocked, so I turn the handle to open the room. Avery isn't to be seen and I can't help but wonder what she keeps doing everyday after school. I don't see her there, as they split us up into different classes, though after school she keeps sneaking off again.

"Avery?" I call out into the large room, though all I hear is my echo.

"She's out with Jameson." the cold voice comes from behind. I turn to see Grayson Hawthorne standing there again, arms crossed, styling a black suit and shirt for the day.

"Do you wear anything comfortable?" I ask sarcastically, though he just rolls his eyes.

"Of course, though I find suit and tuxedos most comfortable." he states, making me roll my eyes.

"I seriously doubt that." he just shrugs and turns, walking off again.

"Wait where is she?" I ask loudly, making sure he'll still hear me.

"I think they're solving something in the library." he tells me, not looking sure.

"Want to join them?" I ask him, honestly I just don't know where it is, but I have more hope joining the other two with him, than joining the other two alone.

"You don't know where it is do you?" he chuckles. I shake my head sheepishly, he's not so dumb after all.

"Why not." he shrugs, turning right. It was right! I didn't even need to ask him, now I'm just stuck with him though. Next time I'll trust my gut.

"What are they doing in the library?" I ask, trying to break the silence.

"Trying to figure out why the money was left to you and your sister." he says, making me raise and eyebrow. Avery had never told me about any of this.

"There's no point. Tobias Hawthorne was a mad man, loving, but mad. Honestly I wouldn't waste your time." he shakes his head, looking at the walls. There were family portraits hung around the halls, this one filled to the brim with paintings of the four grandsons, Tobias and his wife, the staff, Laughlins, almost everyone seemed to have a place on these walls. Except the three sisters who didn't belong. Us. Es

"This is pointless." I hear Avery's voice coming from inside a room.

"That's the library then?" I ask Grayson, he nods: "One of them." Of course there were more.

He pushes the door open, to reveal one of the most gorgeous library's I think I've ever seen. The walls were filled with shelves, which in turn were filled with probably thousands of books. I gape at the room, as I hear footsteps from the upper level. Another thing to stare at.

"What are you both doing here?" Jameson looked down over the landing.

"Are we not allowed to have some quality time with our dear siblings." Grayson says, making Jameson scoff.

"You can leave anytime." Jameson tells us, or just his brother.

"What are you doing anyway?" I ask, wanting to know what's going on.

"Looking for clues, probably spending pointless hours in libraries for the foreseeable future, something you would both call a waste of time." he tells us, turning back around.

I turn to Grayson, to se his has the same type of expression in his face. Unimpressed.

"What am I supposed to look for?" I ask, walking towards a shelf of books, too left corner.

"Dear Grayson Davenport Hawthorne can tell you that. I'm expecting he knows." Jameson mutters the last part, making me turn to the blond.

"A book, which doesn't match it's cover." Grayson walks over to the shelf next to mine. I nod, starting at the bottom, working my way to the top. The walls are tall and I'm not really up to that height, so I go and grab the sliding ladder. Honestly I feel like a Disney princess.

I slide all the way over, back to my shelf. Grabbing the books from the top, I take, check and replace. Nothing seems to be coming from this.

"Heiress." I hear Jameson say, ew.

"Hm?" Avery hums, I hear her footsteps sprinting over to the boy.

I get off the ladder and look over to Grayson, who just shrugs. He's been able to keep his mouth shut till now. Character development I guess?

"A book that doesn't match its cover." Avery mumbles, I almost don't hear it. The sound of her going through the pages fills the room.

"What's this?" she asks, holding up a piece of red filter paper.

"Filter paper." Grayson and I answer at the same time.

"It does what now?" she asks again, as I explain: "Shows writing in the colour of the paper. This case red."

"Our grandfather liked secret messages, I wouldn't be surprised." Grayson chimes in.

"There are circled words." Avery says loudly, starting from the start of the book again.

"Where, there, is, a, there is a way."

I look over to Grayson. He nods, as we both seem to have the answer. We quickly rush out of the room. Jameson and Avery calling after us, not having it yet.

"Alisa!" I call after her, as I see her turn the corner, after running for around 5 minutes. She turns to stare at the both of us.

"Yes?" she asks, as I breathe heavily. I hated running, but Grayson seems to have his breath under control, so he does the talking.

"Did my grandfather have a red will?"

"Yes, he did. Why?" she questions, finally I catch up with my breath.

"We need to see it." Grayson tells her. We.

"I can arrange an appointment, though I'll need something from the both of you." she starts.

This'll be good.

(4/9/22)