Fix Me

Chapter 2: Dinner

There was a knock on the door.

"Coming!" I yelled from the kitchen after covering the asparagus on the stove.

It seems like my family finished from the hospital quickly today. 

I ran to the door as another knock came. James could be so impatient. I swung the door open and gasped. I was really tempted to shut it closed now.

Gray pranced in as if he's been living here his whole life. 

"Yeah of course make yourself at home," I mumbled under my breath as I closed the door behind him. 

"Mmmm, it smells amazing," He turned to smile at me, slowly pulling his sleeves up as he got to the kitchen. "How can I help?"

"What?" I asked dumbfounded. Did he just offer to help?

"Yeah, I'm not going to be a bad guest, I might as well help out," he said before pointing to the box he brought in with him that he placed on the counter. "The cake I got is killer though."

Okay....

If he wanted to help, then I was going to make sure he worked hard.

"You can mash the potatoes," I said, giving him the supplies. As soon as he got to work, I whipped out my phone and texted my brother.

WHERE ARE YOU?!?!

He replied within seconds.

Calm down twerp, we're on our way. 20 mins max

I let out a breath of air. Okay, twenty minutes. I could manage twenty minutes of Gray.

I started to frying the steak in a skillet.

"You are not making chicken fried steak, are you?" asked Gray, from over my shoulder. 

"I am, you're welcome to decline," I smiled to myself hoping he would. I turned to look at him.

Instead of a frown, I found him giving me that smile that made girl's knees weak

"It must be my lucky day."

Damn it.

"What now?" he asked, mashing the potatoes once more.

"Mix the gravy," I said, pouring the ingredients for him.

I walked over to the cupboards and reached for the fancier set of appliances. We did have a guest after all, we haven't had one in a while. It gave me an excuse to use the plates my dad bought me for Christmas last year. I discovered that I liked cooking and baking and it became my obsession. It came in handy now.

I stood on my tiptoes trying to reach them, they were on the top shelf. Damn my shortness! My fingers grazed the edge of them. So close! I needed a chair. 

"I got it," said Gray, stepping behind me and reaching for them.

He had me pressed to the sink. I can feel his hard chest against my back. I could not breathe. I clenched the sink so hard that my knuckles became white. 

"I'll set up, you can finish up," he said stepping back with the plates in his hands.

I let out a breath as he fell out of my sight. What's his plan? Why was he being so nice?

As we finished putting the food on the table my family finally walked in, their voices filling the awkward silence we had going on.

They sat around the dinner table. I watched my dad help my mom off her wheelchair and into a chair. My heart ached, my parents made me believe in true love. 

"It looks great honey," said my mother. 

I nodded my head not willing to look her in the eye.

"It sure does," Gray echoed.

"Sorry, I don't think we've been introduced," said my dad noticing Gray for the first time.

"Gray Roland," he said reaching his hand out for a shake.

My dad shook it firmly. "Dr. Roland's kid?"

"That's me," sighed Gray tiredly.

I knew that look well. It was the look of giving up on being someone people expect you to be. 

Maybe I didn't have Gray pinned down like I thought I did.

"How do you know Lana?" he asked.

"She's in my English class," replied Gray.

My dad cocked a brow at me. Oh no, his mind was going places.

"James invited him," I blurted. He couldn't possibly think I had anything to do with his being here.

"I did. How's Rochdale High? Still a lot of babes?" asked James.

Gray gave me a brief look. "I can name a few."

Did he just... 

My face burned in embarrassment, I felt like I needed to wash it with cool water. 

I kept my head down throughout the rest of the meal. I could survive another hour right? 

My parents seemed to love Gray, he was a sweet talker, he held some pretty mature conversation and was funny. I would be lying if I didn't think he was good company, but his intentions were still unclear. What did he want from me?

As I started to clean up, Gray got up to help. 

Helping cook and set up, and now helping clean up? Oh now you're pushing it buddy. Something was definitely up.

As soon as we were alone in the kitchen, I sprang on him.

"Just what exactly are you up to?" I asked, my eyes narrowing.

"I'm obviously helping you clean up," he said, a playful gleam in his eyes.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked again.

"Manners, being nice-"

"People are not nice to me without an ulterior motive," I stated the truth. It always ended with me getting hurt. 

Gray gave me the look people gave me after the accident. Pity. I did not want his pity.

"Lana," he said taking a step closer.

I turned away from him and started doing the dishes as an escape. I was not going to deal with this now. Since he wasn't coming clean, I was going to have to wait and see what rumours were going to start spreading at school before I knew what he wanted.

Gray Roland was probably going to be the end of me.

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