The night was silent as I lay fast asleep in my room. It had been a week since I had last seen Grayson. Aurora had visited me once but said nothing about him disappearing. She was leaving and assured me that things between his uncle would be settled. I'm not sure what she was planning, but I nodded along. However, she had left an ominous statement. All she had said in her sultry voice was, "If he ever comes back from what he found out, stay by his side for me." I didn't know what it could have been but I nodded. The days grew longer even when I spent time with the group, my mind always drifted to where Grayson could be. I wonder if he was hurt or if he needed help. I worried too much for my own good.

However, everything changed when I heard a thump in my room. I woke up abruptly and saw the figure looming over me, close to my desk. I was about to yell when he placed a hand to cover my mouth. Dread took over me and I wanted to cry, but the smell hit me first. He smelled familiar. The figure stumbled away from me. The desk light turned on, and there was Grayson looking up at me, leaning on my desk. I could make out his features through the dim light. An audible gasp escapes my mouth as I see him looking the worst I have ever seen. He seemed battered up and bruised as if he had been hit by a car. I stood up in a hurry and rushed to him.

"Did you just let someone pummel you and not put up a fight?" I ask as I grab his face.

He winces in pain and grabs my wrist to stop. I look into his eyes as he looks into mine. I can see his eyes fill with fear and sadness as he asks, "Aren't you afraid of me?"

Now I understood why he had rejected me that day. I knew why he was asking this because, at the end of the day, the world and each other saw us as different people. I was the good girl who could do no wrong and he was the bad boy seeking the approval he could never get. He wanted to be more than just an image and I wanted to be more than just an image too.

"Should I be?" I thought to myself before the answer quickly came. If this had been any other person, I knew I would have already been screaming my head off for help. Hell, I'd be under my bed crying. But this wasn't just anybody. This was Grayson Archer.

I grabbed his bloody hand and placed a light kiss on the knuckles. "Never," I whisper into the silent room.

And that was all he needed. His lips were on mine in seconds. My whole body is filled with the adrenalin you get from a roller coaster ride. More specifically, the ride that takes you to the very top and then drops you without any notice. At the moment, you're filled with fear and excitement, but by the end, you either love it or hate. I hated the ride, but I loved the feeling Grayson was causing to erupt in me.

The kiss was a soft kiss, a lingering one. However, I didn't let it last long. I grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer, deepening it. He lifted me up in one quick motion and pushed me toward the nearby wall, where I wrapped my legs around his waist. I wanted him as close to me as he could possibly get.

I could feel the emotion radiating off of this one kiss and felt like I had been electrocuted. I wasn't sure when the exact moment was when I fell in love with him, but I couldn't go back from it now. It could have been the moment at the ball, maybe Thanksgiving, maybe the carnival, or longer than that before I even realized it. Before I allowed myself to admit it, the feelings had always been there. If they hadn't been, there wouldn't have been so many "almost" moments between us.

He moves his lips to the nape of my neck and I could feel the suctioning from them, sending a tingling sensation throughout my body and effectively driving me crazy. I run my hands through his hair and feel him groan a little at the action. His hand grazes my thigh with roughness from the cuts, creating goosebumps. I tense a little as he reaches my mid-thigh, but it doesn't go further than that. Instead, he slides it back down. He moves his hand up and down, teasing me.

I guided his face back to my lips, they had been missing him on them. We separate for a moment, catching our breaths. He traces his thumb over the small purple mark on my neck and gives me a cheeky smile. "This is going to be hard to explain?"

I look at him and smile, "Well it's a good thing I don't owe anyone any explanations."

He smiled and carried me over to my bed, laying next to me. I place my hands under my head and look over at him as he flips over to look at me. He places one hand on my waist and the other traces my face. He caresses my cheek and then runs his thumb on my bottom lip. He leans in and gives me a sweet kiss that leaves me wanting more. Instead, when he retracts, I place my hand on his face and through the scars he had. He leans into my touch and closes his eyes.

"What happened, Grayson?" I whisper.

"Not tonight," he tells me.

I feel a slight pang in my chest. I wanted to take away the pain he felt, but he wouldn't let me in. All I could do was snuggle closer to him and put an arm around him. I lay my head on his chest and listen to the rhythmic beating of his heart and the steady breathing from his lips. I didn't know it, but I liked to believe he felt safe at the moment and was getting much-needed rest.

I woke up believing Grayson was by my side, but he wasn't. I placed my hands to my lips, was it all a dream? I walk up to my mirror and look at myself, noticing the purple mark he had left behind. That was too real for it to have been a dream. I looked out my window, wondering where he had disappeared to. He had come, stirred all these emotions in me, and had left again. However, I didn't want to dwell on it any longer. Tonight was the New Year's party and I was getting drunk.

My plan was in full motion that night. I had already had 3 shots of tequila burning my throat, but when Gina offered more, I wasn't about to deny. We danced to the music, grinding on each other and laughing as Link danced around us. He was wearing glasses with the New Year's date, a top hat, and a noisemaker in his mouth. He carried a bottle of champagne in his hands and used it as his dancing partner. Gina and I wore white dresses that looked like snow with our hair in tight ponytails.

"What's up with the change in attitude?" Gina asked me as I swiped a bottle from a passerby and drank it.

I shrug at her comment as I feel the lightheadedness in the drinks getting to me. I dance away from her and move by myself on the floor, people giving me more space. They had no choice since I kept bumping into everyone.

It had grown late as I kept dancing by myself. I could see Gina and Link at a distance, watching out for me, so every once in a while I would blow them a kiss. While I laughed and moved, I felt a presence behind me. His hands glided down my arms slowly until they interlocked with mine.

"You're driving me crazy," he says in a hoarse voice.

I lean my head against him and put his arms around me. He made me feel so safe, how could I ever give it up?

I don't turn around, I don't want to break the spell. "Why did you leave?"

He lowers his head on my shoulder and kisses my neck. He leaves a kiss on my cheek but stops and I can hear his huff of frustration.

"Don't say anything," I find myself pleading. I knew what was coming from that sigh.

"Amelia," I can hear his voice pleading with me to not stop him.

"It's Strawberry," I told him like a whiny child.

"I can't do this," he says. "You should be with someone like Abacus. I'm not right for you."

"Why can't I decide that?" I question him.

"I'm sorry."

I drop his hands and turn around to face him. Maybe it was the alcohol but I raised my hand and slapped him. "Asshole," I say and walk away from him. I know eyes are on me, but I don't care. I grab another cup and drink it. Then another one, but this time, I walked with it. The room is spinning at this point that I end up bumping into the last people I wanted as I try to walk somewhere. By her smirk, I could tell they had seen the show.

"Where are you running off to Amelia?" Lynett says in a condescending tone. "We quite enjoyed this torrid love affair." I try to push past her, not wanting to hear her words. Then she says something else, "You sure moved on from Abacus quickly or are you still with him? Living up to being a slut, huh?"

I raise my hand to slap her but I feel Sienna stop the impact as Lynett winces and sneers at me as she backs away.

"Didn't know you had it in you," Sienna says and pushes me back slightly. The thing about alcohol, it impairs your body. The small push leads me to fall on the floor, unintentionally. She crouches down to my level and says, "I hope you saw who he truly is now." With that, they flip their hair and walk away. I stand up, feeling a bit woozy, I grab another cup and keep climbing stairs. I reach the top and am pleasantly surprised to see Matt, and I even gasp in amazement.

"Matt," I say and walk up to him, trying my best to keep a straight line. Which I'm pretty sure I did but doesn't seem to agree as he tries to catch me. I wave him off, "I'm fine." I stand next to him and take a deep breath. Everything felt so much clearer here, something I didn't like. So I sip more of my magic juice to keep the feelings at bay. I look over at Matt and say. "Matt, the silent type," I saw with jazz hands and laughed. Then I add in a fit of giggles, "Shh- No one say anything because he's not going to respond anyway. Hey Matt."

"Hey, Amelia," he says and my mouth drops.

My mouth opens and closes as my eyes flutter repeatedly. I probably looked like a fish out of water. Ahh. Water was nice. So cool and refreshing. I should get some. Wait. Matt. I blink repeatedly, trying to make out his face. Was I sure this was the Matt?

"Matt?" I ask.

"Yes," he says with a chuckle. Damn, his voice was deep.

I'm flabbergasted and throw my hands in the air. My cup swishes and I put it down quickly, securing the liquid was still safe. It was. So I drank some more. My eyes widened. Matt. Pay attention, Amelia, I scowl myself.

"Why are you talking to me?"

He laughs again and I pout. I didn't think any of this was funny. Or did I? I contemplate my feelings as he talks. "Because I know you're a bit out of it and probably won't remember us talking."

"So," I sway a little, "can I ask why you don't talk?"

He looks out into the distance and says, "Because I'm afraid of what I'll say. Words tend to hurt people."

"Everything hurts people." I take a dramatic sigh and grab his arm. "Emotions. They hurt the most. Lack of them. Too much of them."

"Yea. I guess you're right."

"But I don't think you should let fear run your world." I let out a laugh at my words.

"What's so funny?"

I laugh and point at myself, "Me. Calling the black, kettle."

"I think the saying is calling the kettle black," he corrected me.

I shrug, "yeah. Well. I've let fear run my whole life. To tell you the truth, I've never felt more free and alive than I do right now."

"That sounds nice. To be free and feeling alive."

I can sense the somber tone in his voice and raise up my arm. "Why don't you join me?"

He takes my hand and pulls me into a hug. I don't fight it but hold onto him tighter. This sadness was no fun.

I can hear him sniffling and snuggling closer to him. Even my intoxicated brain could tell he needed me. To be honest, I even needed his hug at the moment. So, I snuggle closer to his chest. "Amelia," he whispers, "I'm gay."

And that's when I drop my beer.

He pulls away from me and I voice out, "you really counting on the probability of me not remembering?"

He turns around and gives me a sad smile, then says, "no. I'm not." I stayed there a few minutes, struck by lightning. Except, it wasn't lightning but something else. Matt wanted me to remember this- to help him. How was I going to do that?

>>>> 

I chose not to separate them, but it is slightly longer. I hope you guys enjoyed it ;) 

Please let me know with some comments. 

Also, please vote and share. I appreciate everyone who has made it this far and is enjoying it. It means the world to me. I hope you keep looking forward to what's to come because it's ending in a couple of more chapters. 

Till next time, this has been 

Phoenix <3