✔️ hurt; grayson dolan

15

a few weeks had went by, and isabel and grayson still have not said a word to one another.

at this point, isabel was counting the days until this mission would be over.

it was as if her days were repeating now without grayson.

she was doing the same things over and over again each day. attend classes. cheer practice. and distracting herself from the amount of girls who practically threw themselves on grayson dolan.

sometimes isabel would follow grayson around (keeping her distance of course) so she could make sure he stayed safe.

and as time went on, isabel began to feel more and more like her old self. not the love-sick puppy who had fallen for someone off limits.

isabel and rylee were in the girls bathroom after a class one thursday afternoon. "you know isabel," rylee began, "you being sad all the time is really starting to make me sad."

"i'm sorry." isabel sighed, "i'll start cheering up."

and before rylee had the chance to respond, another girl walked in the bathroom, "hey! you're graysons ex aren't you?" the girl asked, looking straight at isabel.

"yeah."

"can you give me his number?"

"what?" isabel and rylee both asked at the same time.

"he's always just so secretive about who has his number."

isabel and rylee both looked at one another before back at the girl standing in front of them, "um, no i cannot give you his number." isabel said, trying to be as polite as she could.

"what? why?" the girl asked.

"like you said, grayson is very... particular about who has his information and i don't think he'd appreciate it if i gave you his number."

"oh come on!"

"no." isabel said.

"do you still have a thing for him or something?"

"i do not, now you heard me the first time so i'll be going now. have a nice day."

and with that, the girl scoffed before practically stomping out of the bathroom.

"well, that was odd." rylee said as isabel laughed. "let's talk about... this whole situation."

"okay." isabel said, knowing she had to tell her friend at some point.

"we all know that you haven't been yourself since things with grayson went downhill." rylee said.

"i'm fine, ry. i'm the same girl i was since i first got here."

"yes but then you met someone, you fell in love-" rylee was cut off by isabel.

"i never fell in love with grayson."

rylee just rolled her eyes, "sure. you developed major feelings for grayson, but the point is you opened up and let us in, and now you're shutting us out."

isabel sighed, rylee was right. "i just never expected to feel the way that he made me feel. now i don't even know who i am anymore."

rylee took isabel into a hug. "i'm always here for you and i will be here for you and to help you every step of the way."

-

later, in class, isabel took a seat at an empty table only to have a familiar face sit in it moments later.

"it's been awhile, jackson."

"that it has been, dolan." isabel sighed, "why are you sitting next to me, ethan?"

"i want to be honest with you." ethan said, "when i first heard what happened to you and grayson, i was on grays side. but then i realized that you're my friend too, isabel. so i'm going to do this thing where during class, i spend half of my time with you and the other with grayson."

"why would you do that?"

ethan shrugged.

"our friendship has an odd dynamic, ethan. but thank you for being here me." isabel said as ethan nodded.

when class was over, isabel grabbed her stuff and headed towards the door until a couch behind her made her world stop.

"isabel?" asked the voice she had been missing for so long. grayson had walked up next to her in the hallway now, "do you have a minute?"

"sure."

"i just wanted to let you know, ethan told me he wanted to spend some time with you and i'm fine when it."

"so what?" isabel asked, "i'm allowed to spend time with other friends just because you're okay with it?"

"that's not what i mean isabel. people normally take sides throughout break ups."

isabel began getting angry at his words, "so what was i supposed to do? just give up all my friendships and me the lonely one out?"

"you know, i was actually looking forward for the party this weekend and seeing you, but now i could care less if you went." grayson narrowed his eyes before walking off.

isabel just sighed. "crap."

-

isabel had ended up at the office, sat at mallory's desk with her, talking until mr thomas burst in, "agent jackson, a word in my office?"

"uh oh." mallory whispered.

isabel nodded and followed mr thomas into his office, taking a seat.

"alright isabel, we need to talk."

"if you are planning on giving me the whole "you're not yourself" speech, please save it."

"listen, i know you and the mayors son are no longer together but i need to know that this won't affect the protection the mayor wants for him."

"it surely will not. i live right under him, when he has football practice, i have cheer practice, we're in almost all the same classes, i follow him everywhere he goes without him knowing. this mission is not in jeopardy."

mr thomas sighed, "can i give you some advice as your friend and not your boss?"

isabel just nodded.

"my wife and i were childhood friends, everyone in our town thought we'd get married right after high school."

"and what happened?" isabel asked.

"i left on a football scholarship to a school in texas and she moved to new york for her degree. years later, we reunited and we were both with other people. but things worked themselves out, but my point is all romances are going to have their awkward moments, but you move past them and you learn from them."

"thank you for that, mr thomas."

"of course, agent jackson."

"now if you'd excuse me i really should get going. i have a beach party to get to tomorrow. and don't worry, grayson will be there."

mr thomas nodded, "you're doing a great job with this mission."

"thank you, sir."