Hating Grayson ✓

16

I can't believe that I was stuck doing the dishes.

Meanwhile, my family plus Grayson the home invader, were all seated in the living room laughing at whatever comedy was currently playing on the tv.

I reached for the next plate and scraped the food into the trash can before submerging it into the sink that was half filled with warm and soapy water. Angrily, I scrubbed at the plate as another roar of laughter came from the living room.

I should have gotten earphones before doing the dishes. I thought to myself as I moved onto the next dirty plate.

"You missed a few." I heard Grayson from behind me.

He was was holding four mugs in his hands, the mugs that they had used to pour themselves a cup of hot chocolate topped with whipped cream. I rolled my eyes at him, letting out a groan of annoyance and frustration. The mugs clinked as he added them to the pile of dirty dishes beside the sink.

After cleaning the plate, I reached for a dirty mug and proceeded to clean it.

"Would you like some help?" He asked.

Huh? Was Grayson Evander Scott seriously offering to help me do the dishes?

Maybe he had been cloned by the government?

"I think I can manage." I stated, scrubbing furiously at the mug.

"Was only offering, Jeez." He threw his hands up defeatedly as he retreated back to the living room.

"Was only offering, Jeez." I mocked him childishly before finishing off the dishes and running upstairs to lock myself in my bedroom.

I couldn't get to sleep that night, not with The Devil sleeping down the hall in the form of a teenage douchebag.

I hated him so much.

I was seriously contemplating taking my pillow down the hall and smothering him with it. At least then he couldn't blackmail me anymore.

I turned over and reached for my phone, turning it on so I could read the time.

1:13am.

My eyes were practically bulging out of my head at this point. All I wanted to do was sleep! It's like my body wanted to pass out, but my mind didn't want to let it.

After lying awake for another ten minutes, I decided to get out of bed and head on downstairs to make a nice cup of warmed milk. Apparently that does the trick?

Nightlights had lined the hallway, all the way down to the bottom of the staircase. My father had installed them after that one time I had fallen down the stairs in the middle of the night and twisted my ankle.

Upon entering the kitchen, I flipped on the light switch and traipsed towards the refrigerator, opening it to find that there was no milk in the carton.

Just my luck.

I let out a frustrated groan before getting myself a glass of water and turning to go back upstairs. Before I could turn off the light switch, Grayson appeared in the hall, holding a pillow in his hand. He had startled me enough to spill water on my shirt.

"What are you doing up?" I asked him, my heart speed racing inside of my chest.

"Your brother snores far too loud." He says.

"So you're sleeping on the couch?"

"Unless you're going to offer to let me sleep in your bed?" He chuckled.

I stifled a laugh. "You are such a dumbass."

"What are you doing up, little Cooper?" He asked.

I chugged down whatever water remained in the glass and set it down on the countertop before responding. "I couldn't get to sleep."

He looked tired as hell, and his hair was all messy. I don't think I have ever seen his hair this messy, nor have I ever seen him in pajamas.

"Are those teddy bears on your pjs?" My eyebrows quirked as I looked over his outfit.

"Yeah, so?" He readjusted his grip on the pillow, shifting uncomfortably in place.

I let out a slight chuckle.

"Uh, are there any spare blankets?" He wondered.

"In the hallway closet." I tell him, starting back upstairs.

"Could you get me one?" He stopped me as I reached the second step.

"What, are you going to blackmail me into getting you a blanket now?" I whipped my head to face him.

"What, no-"

"You can get your own stupid blanket. And you can also do your own stupid homework, which, by the way, I have no idea how to do trigonometry. I'm so done, so go right ahead and tell everyone." I snapped, nostrils flared as I glared daggers at my blackmailer. I huffed as I turned around and started up the stairs, again.

His free hand latched onto my wrist, halting me in place. His palm was cold to the touch, cold enough that it sent shivers to my spine. My heart palpitated as my breathing became shaky. Slowly, I turned around to face him. His grip on my wrist had slackened, but didn't let go.

I gulped nervously.

"I'm sorry, I..." He paused, shifting again, his eyes averted from my gaze. "I am sorry, for uh.. blackmailing you."

Did Grayson Scott seriously just apologise to me? The guy who has tormented me for years just apologised to me? What on earth is happening right now?

"Why did you do it then?" I asked him.

His hand was still on my wrist, causing the hairs on my arm to stand up.

Why was his hand still on my wrist?

His mouth fell open, but no words came out.

That's what I thought.

I snatched my arm away from him, shaking my head as I ascended the staircase. The feeling of his hand on my wrist still lingered.

As I entered my room and slumped down in my bed, I couldn't help but attempt to decipher Grayson's reasoning for blackmailing me.

Why did he do it?

Does he hate me as much as I hated him, is that why?

Was it just all fun and games to him?

Did he enjoy making me suffer?

Thoughts swam inside of my head until I had finally dozed off.