𝔸𝕟𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝔾𝕣𝕒𝕞𝕓𝕤? - 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕀𝕟𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝔾𝕒𝕞𝕖𝕤

Chapter 36

Grayson stepped out of the SUV and I stayed a little longer before stepping out. Grayson had already gone. I had already found the clue '0' with Xander. He had shown me. I knew what the clue meant.  I knew of the effect that it had on the Hawthornes and Avery. I knew what was going to happen. I felt helpless. I saw Grayson walking away. I ran up to him.

"Grayson!"

"Is everything ok?"

"Just know that something is going to happen. You shouldn't keep us away from you even if you feel hurt."

"Don't worry about me" he was about to turn away from me but before he could I went on my tiptoes and I kissed him. He kissed me back after a moment. Short but sweet. I felt it. I enjoyed it. I pulled away from him my face still close to his. I felt his eyes on mine. So I looked at his.

"I will never stop caring about you. No matter what happens. Tell me you know that."

"I do. I do know."

"Don't shut us away after this." I stopped and took a step back. "Don't shut me away. Tell your brother that I'm sorry because I know what is going to happen. That it can't be stopped."

"Don't worry I will." I smiled even if I knew what would happen. Even if it would hurt everyone. "see you. Amy" He turned away from me and walked towards the helicopter. My jaw dropped but I collected myself. I smiled and walked to the door of the house. I kept forgetting about Oren.

"Are you going to go in?" Oren asked me.

"No. I'm not. I need to stay here. For them." Xander arrived and stepped in front of me.

"They're in the helicopter. Can you tell me? Who Emily is?"

"Emily is the girl I told you about."

"The girl who died?"

"Yeah. Emily mattered to them. But she also played them. She wanted both of them. Then she died."

"Who did she die?"

"Grayson always blamed himself for the death of Emily but it was her heart."

"Her heart?"

"She had heart problems so when she got a heart transplant she wanted to be normal to be like others. But her parents kept her safe."

"How did she know you guys?"

"She is Rebecca's sister. You may know her?"

"Yeah, I do."

"She came here during the summer but after a few years she moved here permanently in the Laughlin's cottage."

"How could she."

"How could she what?"

"How could she play them" Then it hit me. Was I playing Grayson and Jameson? Even if it wasn't purposely? Was I playing them? By letting them protect me and care for me? For letting them kiss me? Or for letting myself kiss them?

"That was just who she was."

"Y-y-you don't think that I am playing them do you?"

"Why would you?"

"Jameson helped me he kissed me I leaned into his touch. Grayson protected me and I protect him and I kissed him and he kissed me back. I am playing them, aren't I? I need to stop. I need to..."

"You don't need to do anything. Pushing them away is going to break them. I know my brothers Amber better than anyone else."

"Will you tell me what you were doing with them in the wall this morning?"

"What wall."

"Don't mess with me. You know what wall I am talking about."

"If I tell you it will ruin everything that happened today."

"What is left to ruin?"

"You don't want to know."

"But I do"

"Are you sure?"

"Positive"

"You pretend I never told you this ok?"

"Ok"

"They were fighting."

"Why were they fighting."

"They were fighting over you."

"ME?"

"Yeah. Grayson won he always does."

"So he doesn't care about me? Am I just a game to him?"

"You're not a game to me." Grayson appeared behind Xander. "Tell me you understand Amy. You aren't a game to me."

"I"

"Tell me you know." Xander walked away into the house leaving me and Grayson outside. 

"I know," I said lying to his face. I didn't know. Even if he said otherwise I would never know. "How did it go?"

"Jameson ran off. It is your sister's birthday isn't it."

"And the day Emily died."

"Is that why you told me not to keep myself away? Shut everyone out? Shut you out?" Why did it hurt? What happened to the times we shared today?

"I was protecting you."

"You shouldn't have to." He walked into Hawthorne's house and I walked in as well and grabbed his wrist. "Is this a game to you?"

"No, it isn't. Don't you remember? What we talked about today? I will always be there. I will always care for you and protect you. You can let yourself believe that you don't need help but you do. Everyone does. Don't make me say this again. Grayson. Shut others out. You don't only hurt yourself but the others around you. You think you are helping those around you by doing so but you aren't."

"I know."

"Then don't shut me out now" I stopped and looked into his eyes. What emotions was he hiding? Keeping away from everyone. "Don't make me hate you." I walked away from him and up the stairs to my wing. To get away from everything. My phone buzzed in my bag. Before I took it out I looked at the handkerchief in my bag. The moment that we spent together. Was it a lie? I took my phone out.