Hating Grayson ✓

33

The walk into town was exhausting.

Not because it was a long trek, but because I'm so clearly unfit compared to Grayson and my brother, who were both urging me to walk at a faster pace.

"A sloth could walk faster than you." Mitchell says.

"Or a snail." Grayson added with a slightly amused chuckle.

"Shut up!" I snapped at them.

Can't a guy walk at his own damn pace? God.

There's also the fact that I was fresh out of crutches.

A warm and sweet aroma wafted from the nearby bakery. Freshly baked bread, vanilla cupcakes and cinnamon doughnuts. Some might say that's what heaven would smell like. For me, my personal heaven would smell like crispy bacon on a rainy day, paired with the smell of burning wood and pages of a brand new book.

I manage to catch up in time to follow them into the bakery. Divine.

"Hi, welcome to Lucky's Patisserie, what can I get for you?" The lady behind the counter asked, a bright customer-service smile plastered on her face.

"We'll take a bit of everything." Says Mitchell.

"Everything?" The lady wondered.

"Yep. Say, five of each?"

How can he afford this? Did he find the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow or something? I know he has a job, but there's no way he can afford to possibly buy out a bakery.

"This may take awhile, feel free to have a seat." The lady gestures to the tables and chairs behind us.

After five or ten minutes, the lady calls us to the counter before handing each of us two paper bags filled with treats.

The next few hours were spent eating sweets and playing board games in the living room of the lake house. Afterwards, everyone decided that they wanted to go swimming, which is why they we're currently sloshing around in the lake while I lay on the floating dock with my eyes closed as the sun battered down against my skin.

"Dallas! Get your ass in the water!" Mitchell ordered, splashing water in my direction.

"Buzz off!" I groaned, rolling over so that I'm lying flat on my stomach.

I don't know why, but I've always been insecure about my body. I was weak and scrawny, and, no matter how much I ate, I still could not gain weight. My ribs practically stick out.

"Yeah! Get in here!" Mom urged.

"No thanks." I force myself to sit upright and I drag my feet over the edge of the dock and dip them into the water.

Beside me, my phone dings with a notification.

Unknown number:
Hey, it's Hannah. I'm sorry for being a shitty friend.

Can we hang out?

I want to talk to you about what happened.

She must have a new phone? Or a second phone?

I rolled my eyes before replying.

Me:
I can't.

Hannah:
Oh. Why not?

Me:
I'm not home.

Hannah:
When will you be back?

Me:
Idk.

Hannah:
Can you text me when u get back?

I stare down at the text. I was still angry towards Hannah. Towards all of my friends, actually. Except for Lucy. Honestly, I don't think anything they can say will help. I start typing in a response when two hands shove my from behind, pushing me forward into the water. I thrash around and bring myself to the surface, whipping around and looking back up to the dock to see Grayson laughing. I was choking on lake water due to unexpectedly being pushed in.