Chapter 22

“Grayson, stop. . .” She giggled.

I bit my lips to stifle a sob, I tightened my grip on the phone with my trembling hands that were listening on the other line.

“Bye. We have something to do.” She hung up.

I looked at my reflection on the mirror that now look miserable with all the tears that flow from my eyes. My phone fell on the ground but I couldn’t care less because of the excruciating pain.

Shit. I’m so sick of these tears.

“It’s okay. . .” My voice trembled when I uttered those words.

I covered my mouth using my hands to stifle my sobs because I don’t want to hear those shits again even though it hurts like hell to stifle the pain that wants to get out through tears and sobs.

“Shh. . . don’t cry. It’s just a man!” I laughed even though my voice broke.

And I did nothing but to stop myself from crying even though my own tears were betraying me until I get tired of it.

I even stepped on my phone that was on the ground but I didn’t bother checking it if it was broken or what.

Shit life. Why don’t I deserve to be happy? Why does it feel like I’m indebted with life just because of a simple happiness? Is pain always the payment for a temporary happiness?

Everything then went black.

Morning rose but I feel heavy. The first thing I did was to walk out to check if he was already there but there’s no presence of him even though I know he was here because of the coat that was on the sofa.

He must’ve gone to work earlier and just went here to change clothes.

The day pass with me being alone again. I didn’t get to eat right because I had no appetite but still, I forced myself to eat even though it was just a little.

I was sitting on a sofa, watching a  show in the middle of night when a door clank. I glanced at it and I saw him with messed up hair and he looks tired, I immediately avoided my gaze after my heart starts to beat again.

“You’re still up. You should be sleeping now.” His voice was tired.

I didn’t respond.

“Did you eat?” He asked again.

I was still quitet and my eyes were fixed on the T.V  even when I cannot focus on their dialogue.

“Alessia, I’m talking to you.” Now he’s already irritated.

Still quiet.

Until he turned the T.V off.

“I’m talking to you.” He put emphasis on every word.

I glared at him but I didn’t talk. I don’t want to waste my saliva on this bastard in front of me.

“Did you eat? Just a simple yes or no would do. Can’t you talk?” His voice was etched with annoyance.

“Why would you care?” I spat and stood up.

I turned my back on him but he gripped my hand.

“I’m tired, Alessia. Why are you suddenly acting mad? You didn’t even answer my call.” His voice was restraining.

I scoffed.

“Wow. This is the real you.” I nodded as if already understanding the mask behind the “gentleman” Grayson.

His forehead knotted.

“I am me the whole time I am with you. I’m just irritated with the fact that you can’t answer my question. A simple yes or no would do. Are you that rude?”

I pulled my arms off him.

“Yes. I am always rude. Are you tired now?” I asked, trying to control my emotions.

“Yes, I’m tired. I don’t like woman who are rude.”

I smiled but it was fake.

“Rhiana’s right. My body is all you're up to. Now you’re acting like this because I already give in.” I turned my back on him and stomped my way to my room.

“What?! Alessia! Why can’t you just answer my simple question?!” He shouted in frustration but I banged the door loud.

I leaned against the door and my knees gave up as I felt the pain with that kind of thought.

“What a rude woman!”

I stifled a sob after hearing his shout. I even heard his loud bang from upstairs.

All I did was to cry all night until I get tired.

I woke up with my own consciousness. My eyes were heavy and I know that he wasn’t here again so I felt heavy when I took a shower.

I wore a sleeveless and a cotton short when I went out. I plan to visit Lia this afternoon so I don’t need to be stuck in this unit again. Then, I’ll find a job.

Just when I was about to head to the kitchen he went down with wet hair. He was rubbing his hair with a towel and wearing a white hoodie when he took a quick glance at me but I pretended not to see him and went to the kitchen.

“Hey, I’m sorry for what I did yesterday. I was tired and—”

I banged the refrigerator in a loud manner for him to stop talking.

He was quiet while I went near the glasses and grabbed one to pour a cold water.

“It’s not good to drink cold water in the morning.” He said.

I didn’t mind him and drank the water like I didn’t hear what he said.

“I don’t know if this is just your personality or what. Why are you acting like this?” His forehead was now knotted.

I stared at him with my cold eyes before walking my way to go inside my room when he held my arms to stop me.

“I mean are you mad because I was like that to you yesterday? I already said sorry. Why are you still mad? Besides, I asked you if you already ate but you didn’t answer, so who wouldn’t be mad at that?  I was just worri—”

“Let me go and shut the hell up.” I spat with full of emphasis.

His brows furrowed as he observe my eyes but all I did was to shoot him with my cold stare.

“You are so rude, do you know that? I just wanted to say sorry but your cutting me off—”

I pulled my arms off him and head my way in front of my room.

“You’re being immature.”

I stopped after hearing his words.

I looked at him with a glare.

“Why can’t you just say the reason why you’re acting like that? If yesterday was the reason, then I’m sorry. Stay here and eat.”

“I’ll eat outside.”

He sighed loud and opened the refrigerator but he looked at me at me instantly and gazed me from head to toe.

“With that look? Come on, just eat here. You’re being too immatu—” He stopped after shifting his gaze back to the refrigerator.

His mouth parted after seeing the food that I prepared for his birthday—which I didn’t even get to touch or eat.

“Happy birthday?” He read the note on the cake.

He looked at me with half-opened mouth after realizing it.

“Wait you—”

I went inside and banged the door loud.

I closed my eyes and leaned my head against the door to calm myself down.

The door knocked.

“Hey. . .” He softly called.

I bit my lower lip and didn’t respond.

“You knew the day of birthday? I didn’t know. I’m sorry.” He sighed loud and knocked once again.

I was quiet.

“Open the door. I’m sorry with what I said. I really didn’t know.” His voice was apologetic.

I held the door knob but still, I didn’t open it.

“I’m sorry, my baby. Please open the door.” His voice was soothing, I closed my eyes.

As much as I don’t want to, my hands seems like it has its own mind which I cannot control because I ended up opening the door even though I was still mad.

He eventually went near me and hugged my head.

“I’m sorry. Did you wait that long?” He softly asked.

“Yes! I waited whole fucking hours but you didn’t come!” I couldn't help but to burst my anger out.

“Oh. I’m sorry, my baby. I didn’t know.” He kissed my head.

“I called you!” My voice cracked.

“What? You did?” He loosened his hug to face me.

I gave him my glare even though my vision became blurry.

“Yes! And you hung up! You even cursed at me! You cursed! Shit.” My tears burst along with my angers.

“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. I didn’t know it was you.” He hugged my head once again and kissed it.

I pushed him but he hugged me once again.

“You slept with your ex!”

“What? No! I didn’t! I was drunk. I’m sorry.”

I sobbed for no reason.

“You slept with her! You even groaned on the line! She giggled!” I almost lost voice because of my shout.

“No. . . nothing happened. I was drunk but I know nothing happened.” He loosened his hug once again to wipe my tears off.

“You stupid shit!”

He kissed my forehead and chuckled.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. I called you the next morning but you didn’t answer. I’m so sorry, my baby.”

I pushed him away from me and wiped my tears off and head out.

I’m still mad at him, he can’t get me that fast.

I stopped when he hugged me from behind. It was really tight when he leaned his jaw on my shoulder.

“I didn’t know. Thank you. This might be the best gift out of all I got.” He kissed my shoulder.

“Liar.” I whispered.

“It’s true. Thank you for the hard work.” He grabbed my hand that was full of cuts and kissed it.

“And you called me immature a while ago.” I whispered again.

“I,” he kissed my shoulder. “am,” he kissed it again. “Sorry.” another peck. “My. Baby.”

I shriek because it tickled!

He made me face him so I saw his face that was smiling widely at me.

“I love you.” He whispered before kissing me.

He didn’t even let me kiss him back because he dominated my lips with his. I held onto his hand that locked my jaw but he grabbed both of them and made it wrap around his neck then he lifted me without breaking the kiss and wrapped it around his waste.

I felt him lying me on the large couch so my grip on him tightened. He sucked my lower lip first before it went down on my jaw down to my neck.

“Grayson. . .” I uttered lowly squeezed his shoulder.

He stopped the kiss and groaned out of pain.

My forehead knotted but he kissed me on the lips again. I held his shoulder once again to confirm something and I was right because he groaned.

“Stop.” I said in an irritated tone.

“Okay.” His kiss went down on my neck and sucked it.

“I said stop. Stop and sit on the couch.” I commanded.

“Okay.”

I shriek when he lifted me along with him and made me settle on his lap and then he sat on the couch.

He kissed my neck again.

I held onto his shoulder and squeezed it so he stopped and groaned.

“What’s wrong with your shoulder?” I tried not to look worried.

He licked his lower lip and smirked. I’m still on his lap so I tried to stand but he held my waist in a tight manner to stop me from escaping.

“You really prepared something for my birthday?” He changed the topic.

I gave him my stoic look.

“What’s wrong with your shoulder?” I asked again.

He sighed and leaned his back against the sofa backrest, still, his hands were on my waist as he stared deeply in my eyes.

“I got into a fight.” He sighed and tightened his grip on my waist.

“Why? When?”

“On my birthday. Well, we had a family dinner. I don’t know if that’s really called a family dinner when there’s none of them whom I considered family. And my. . . mom, I mean step mom, introduced her new fiancé to us.”

He paused for a while.

“Then why did you get into a fight?”

“Because her fiancé is your ex’s father and he’s in the dinner. We got into a battle of words and he said something triggering so I ended up. . .” He avoided my gaze.

“You lost the fight.” I said.

His forehead knotted when he looked at me.

“Actually, he’s in the hospital. Healing. He gave me a hard kick on my shoulder so I gave him my hard punch.” He bragged.

I rolled my eyes and was about to stand when he held my waist again.

“I’m still not over about what you’ve done on my birthday, young lady.” He smirked.

“Just move on. Your birthday had already passed.”

He bit his lower lip to stifle a smile.

“Never did expect you’d do that.” He kissed my shoulder.

“Stop. I’m hungry.” I protested even though I didn’t push him away.

“Yeah. I’m hungry too.” He sucked the side of my neck.

“I’m not the food! Just cook!”

He chuckled.

“This is how I got flattered, Alessia. I just want to kiss you so bad thinking about what you’ve done.”

I blushed.

The door clanked.

He groaned out of frustration.

“I should’ve changed the password.” He whispered, but still, he continued kissing my neck.

“Gray—” her mouth parted out of shock.

Justine’s eyes and mine met so I pushed him away from me and stood up.

“So you’re already together?” He asked in his mocking tone.

He even had a sling bag on his arm and near his head was a huge bandage.

“What are you doing here?” Grayson’s tone was mad when he stood and looked at him.

“I brought him. I was in a family dinner, remember? And we got a talk so I discovered that the girl you both are talking about is Alessia so I brought him thinking he could get her back.” It was Rhiana who answered in behalf of Justine.

“You have no right to invade my property, Rhiana.” He took a  glance at me but my face was just stoic.

“So you’re together? Wow. I’ve waited 3 years for you but you wouldn’t even let me kiss you.” Justin said in full of disbelief.

Grayson smirked but I shrugged it off.

“Well that’s because you’re nothing compared to me.” He bragged.

And in one swift motion, he pulled off his hoodie.

“Add one more thing. I’m gentleman compared to you.” He raised my hand and put it on the hoodie’s arm then he dressed my body with it.

Now I’m wearing his hoodie. He shoved his one hand inside his pocket then I saw his hand holding a tie. He made me face opposite of him, then he tied my hair from behind.

Rhiana, on the other hand, was standing still, mouth were half opened while eyes were glaring straight into my eyes.

“So you’re bragging with the fact that you slept with her?” Justine’s restraining voice.

“Is that all you can think about? Sleeping with her?”

I gulped because that’s the fact. All he think about is sleeping with me.

Grayson grabbed my hand and pulled me with him. We were near both of them when he stop while I was behind him, letting him pull me.

“Man, you just wasted such a good woman.” He patted his shoulder and smirked before pulling me out.

“Where are we going?” I asked when we went out.

He stopped.

“I don’t know.” He looked at my legs. “Oh, you shouldn’t be in crowded place.” He turned his back on me and walked away with me.

“Rooftop? Why rooftop?” I asked when we stopped in front of the rooftop’s door

He didn’t respond, instead, he opened the door and hoofed his way out.

I stopped to appreciate the surrounding.

The warm breeze tickled my sensitive skin whilst the golden sun’s ray kissed my tanned skin. Birds were freely flying on the air of serene ruled by lightness carrying their own music as if it was there to greet both of us.

I walked near the end of the rooftop and held the rooftop’s railings, and with a nose that welcomes the fresh air from sky, I closed my eyes and smiled.

Someone hugged me from behind.

He didn’t talk nor did I.

“Grayson.” I called.

“Hmm?”

“What was the exact word to describe the meaning on why I deserve to live in your life?”

He loosened his hug and made me face him so I opened my eyes and our eyes met.

“Valuable.” He was looking at my eyes intently.

I didn’t talk. I let everything pass by as I listen to his words.

“No conformity can contemplate the value of a person who acquiesce its deformity and defectiveness with a heart and mind that perceives the existence of its own beauty.” He tucked the strands of my hair behind my ear and smiled at me.

His eyes beamed along with its reflection of the sun as if both were joining to illuminate my word ruled by demons even with its own hidden dimness behind the facade.

“You are a valuable person who you think might be rusty and decayed but the sentiment of the mind and heart that you perceive is beyond any price.” He kissed my forehead.

And for the second time, after  seven years. . . I felt worthy again.

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