HIRAETH [1] || Grayson Hawthorne

Chapter 30- Churros

"You look lovely." -Grayson Hawthorne
(reference hide and seek: euphoria)

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"You're strangely quiet." Grayson commented from the other end of the dining table. We were both having breakfast but I've hardly touched my food. I was still on edge about the whole Harper thing. She left so casually and did it without a fight. I couldn't help feeling something was going to go wrong soon. 

I look up from my full plate to see Grayson watching me. He has no idea about the threat that just came down on Hawthorne House. "Just thinking." I answered him after what seemed like half an hour of silence.

He hummed a response and returned to slicing the scrambled egg into neat strips. I watched as he shoved them to the side of his plate so he could cut up the bacon. 

"It doesn't hurt to blink you know." his voice filled up the semi-formal dining room. That sentence was one of the first things I ever said to him. "Very funny." I replied, plucking a grape from the stem and popping it into my mouth as casually as I could. 

Grayson gave a small smile, "I try." 

The doors burst open and I see a grinning Skye. Talk about Deja vu. "Good morning." Grayson greets, dabbing the edges of his mouth with a napkin. We both made eye contact with each other as a reminder not to do anything that would lead her to say we're dating. "So, how have you been faring with Thea around?" the question was directed at me.

Thea? What did she mean? "I'm not sure I understand." I glanced at Grayson for a hint but he avoided looking at me. "Now that she's living here, you must like having another girl around with all this masculine energy." she waved her hands around, motioning to the air like it embodied masculine energy.

I didn't know Thea was living here. 

"Skye, when was this?" Grayson asked, the news seemingly new to him too. 

His mother shrugged, "Just last night." she answered, walking over to her sons end of the table.

"How am I only learning about this now?" he questioned again, watching his mom pick up a stray blueberry. "Because you decided not to come to dinner. Mrs. Laughlin cooked something extra delicious last night for her arrival." Skye continued.

I frowned, suddenly feeling a pit in my stomach. "She's great at field hockey, you know." she says this while looking at Grayson but somehow it felt directed at me. Like Skye was saying I should be more like Thea. 

"Good to know." Grayson seemed disinterested. I lifted the french toast with my hands and took a bite, I felt like I was starving. A sudden pang of hunger just hit and I needed it dealt with. 

Sky side-eyed me before sighing, "The fork is there for a reason." she informed. I ignored her and continued eating, not bothering to use a utensil. "Grayson!" she exclaimed suddenly.