Finding Beauty (Rewrite)

Chapter 32

~The Hunter~ 

It was as if he was under a curse. 

Grayson could not bring himself to say no to anything. 

Whether it was his parents inviting him on a family outing, his grandmother asking him to pick up some shifts at her restaurant, or his friends taking him places after school, he couldn't say no. 

It was as if he was two different people. One of them was still reeling from the events of the masquerade. This part of him didn't have the capacity to think about anything else or devote time to being present in the lives of others. 

The other part of him wanted it all to be over. He didn't want to think about Beth or the Beast anymore and if he could blot her out of his life by being busy, he would. As selfish as it sounded, part of him wished he could have amnesia. 

Grayson's father zoomed by him on his bike with a quick holler, "On your left!" 

He was struggling to keep up with him despite his former status of being the family athlete. He wanted nothing more than to lay down on one the park benches but he ignored the throbbing in his head and pedaled on. 

An hour later, the two of them were drinking water outside of a local bodega, their bikes resting against the building beside them. Drinking the cold beverage in the chilly weather should have been hard but he was building a tolerance for pain. He drank until he was cold to the bone. 

"That was a nice ride around the park, wasn't it?" 

Grayson nodded, guzzling down the water. He had meant to further elaborate his response but his father continued before he could get a word in. 

"I knew this was what you needed. Some time and some distractions." His father gripped his shoulder with a dimpled smile. "You are finally looking like yourself again." 

His father couldn't have predicted this reaction to such a well intended comment but Grayson wilted inside. Guilt had its hands around his throat once more and all he could think about on the journey home was how he was failing Beth. And the pain his father thought he had gotten over? It was still there. It was as strong as ever. His father's pride in him wasn't earned and he felt like an imposter in multiple ways. 

What was the alternative? To be honest and disappoint his father, his family, his friends? To make them worry and argue about him? To not only be inactive in his search for Bethany but be a burden wherever he was? 

It was a losing game. He was trying to make the most of that loss. 

"Hey Dad," Grayson said once the two had locked up their bikes outside of their townhouse. "I'm meeting the team for some pizza. I'll see you later." 

His father smiled again, sending a glass shard into Grayson's heart. "What time should we expect you home?" 

The sun was setting but that wasn't saying much considering the time of year. "Not too late."

"Do you need any money?" 

"No, I've got enough." 

"Okay." His father waved him off. Over the past few days he was able to gain his parents' trust again. Gone were their fears of him getting himself into trouble. He had done a fantastic job of convincing them the events at the masquerade had changed him for the better. "I love you." 

"Love you too," he called over his shoulder. 

Telling his father he was meeting his friends wasn't a lie but it wasn't the whole truth either. He was going to meet them just not yet.