Lookalike by Conan Gray

Baby don't lie, it's just a lookalike.

It was weird sleeping in my bed again, the sheets had stayed the same since I left, it was clear Avery hadn't let my room become a guest room. Everything was left untouched. The curtains still half drawn, the toothbrush I left was unmoved.

I roll onto my side to see Grayson sleeping in my sheets, my ball dress piled on the floor beside his tux. One thing I've learnt about Grayson is he rarely sleeps but every time he does he's out like a light. There's no waking the dead, but if there was it would still be easier than waking Grayson. 

I snuggle close to his chest and let myself enjoy this moment. That is until a sharp knock to my door interrupts my relaxation. 

"Who is it?" I yell out. "Wake up Paris!" Xander's voice yells back in response. 

"Shit." I mutter. "One minute!" I tell him. I hear chatter outside my door suggesting it isn't just him.

"Grayson! Get up!" I whisper hiss as I shake his body aggressively. "Hmm?" His voice asks groggily.

"You need to hide." I tell him. He looks at me puzzled but then a voice makes everything clear, "Hurry!" Xander yells.

Grayson fumbles to put his clothes back on, he looks around for an escape route. We both search for a way out, I gesture to the balcony, "I am not jumping out a third floor balcony." He hisses at me. 

I groan annoyed and then pull the Moby Dick book out my book shelf. The shelving pulls out and reveals a passage way, I shove him through it but right before I close it again he leans forward and places a quick kiss on my lips.

Once the passage is shut I run to the door and pull it open, trying to hide my deep panting.

Xander, Max, Libby, Avery, Nash and Jameson all stare back at me.

Libby blinks at me and subtly gestures to me, it's only now i remember I'm only wearing underwear. "Shit sorry." I mutter. 

I turn around and grab some shorts and a T-shirt that I had left out from last night when I attempted to unpack everything before giving up and having sex with Grayson instead.

I throw the clothes on and return towards them. "What took you so long?" Avery asks me. "Was just finishing up a call." I lie.

"With Hayden?" Libby teases, poking my arm jokingly. "What? No." I turn a little red. Hayden is like the code name every kid has for their crush with their friends so their crush doesn't find out their talking about him, only this time it's my friends that I don't want to know.

"Who's Hayden?" Jameson asks, holding back his jealousy. "Paris' boyfriend." Max informs him. 

I walk out my room and start to walk down the hallway, the whole group following me. 

"He's not my boyfriend." I insist. 

We walk down the hall in a group until we're out of my wing, I walk into someone when rounding a corner. 

I look up and find Grayson looking down at me. Dirt and dust covers his cheeks and clothes having just got out the tunnels. He's carrying his jacket in his hand, the top three buttons of his shirt are undone. His hair is all unkempt and messy.

I make eye contact with him and smirk for a second before everyone else catches up.

"You okay Gray?" Jameson asks with concern, clearly not used to seeing him so dishevelled. 

"Yes." Grayson nods then immediately walks around us on his way back to his own room. 

"That was weird." Xander comments. We keep walking down the long staircase towards the kitchen, everyone following me.

I help myself to left over chicken from last night, acting as a perfect brunch. Everyone watches me as if waiting for me to say something.

"Can I help you?" I ask, with all eyes on me. "Are you not going to tell us about college?" Max beckons. "That's what you're all following me for." I conclude.

"It's good." I answer briefly, before rounding the group and walking out before they can stop me or follow me again. I eat my chicken alone in my bedroom.

Later in the afternoon I'm sitting out by the pool sunbathing when I'm interrupted. "Paris?" A tall security guard says from beside me. I peel my eyes open and look up at him, "Yeah?" I raise a brow.

"There's someone at the gates asking to speak to Avery." He informs me. "Ok?" I hesitate in confusion as to why he's telling me this.

"Someone called Eve." He questions. My breath catches in my lungs. I immediately stand up and start walking inside, him following behind me. 

"Eve?" My voice falters as we walk. "Yes. Avery asked me to get you." He nods. 

He leads me to the foyer then leaves once seeing Oren already there for protection.

The door opens and our heads both shoot towards the girl. It's like looking in a mirror. A slightly more ginger mirror.

Eve is Emily. Eve is me. I am Emily. Fuck. 

We're like the most daunting set of triplets to walk the face of the earth. 

"Paris." Her voice says strongly. I take in a deep breath, "I'm-" she starts. 

"I know who you are." I cut her off. 

"Oh hell." Avery sighs when she notices dried blood on her forehead. "Are you okay?" She asks. 

"I'm fine." Eve answers briefly. "Toby isn't."

Those words make my heart plummet, my stomach sink, my hands shake. I can feel my heart beating quicker in my chest. 

"What happened to Toby?" My voice asks shakily. 

"He told me if anything happened to him, I should come to you." She turns towards Avery. "And look, I'm not naive or anything, I know you don't want me here. But I had nowhere else to go." She dodges the question.

"What happened to Toby?" I ask again, firmer this time. 

"They took him." Eve answers. My eyes widen a little. 

"Who took him?" Avery asks, I'm thankful she was the one to open her mouth and ask that question as I know I wouldn't be able to.

"I don't know." The red head replies. "Toby found me months ago. He told me who he was. Who I was. We were doing fine, just the two of us, but then last week something happened. Toby saw someone." 

I fight tears from lining my eyes. "Who?" Avery insists. 

"I don't know. Toby wouldn't tell me. He just told me he had to leave." She informs us.

"You said someone took him?" Avery questions. "I'm getting to that." Eve fires back.

"Toby didn't want to take me with him, but I didn't give him a choice. I told him if he tried to leave me behind I would go to the press." She confesses.

"You blackmailed him?" Avery scoffs. "If you were me, you would've done the same." 

"Toby and I went off the grid, but someone was tracking us, stalking us like prey. Toby wouldn't tell me who we were running from, but on Monday he said we had to split up. The plan was for us to meet up three days later. I waited. I stayed off the grid, just like he taught me, but yesterday I showed up at our meeting place. Toby didn't." 

My eyes dart around, trying to focus on something other than the fact my Father is missing. 

"Maybe he had second thoughts." Avery suggests. "No." Eve quickly shuts down. 

"Toby never lied to me. He never broke a promise. If you don't believe me I can prove it." 

Eve pulls some of her hair back and reveals a large gash. Blood crusted over it. 

"Someone hit you. With the butt of a gun I'm guessing?" Oren speaks up. 

Eve's bright green eyes don't even look at him. "Toby didn't show up at our meeting place, but someone did." She tells us. "They grabbed me from behind and told me if I knew what was good for me I would forget about Toby Hawthorne." 

Tears slip out my eyes and roll down my cheeks in shock, he's actually missing. 

"They used his real name?" Avery asks, Eve nods.

"That's the last thing I remember. They knocked me out. I woke up to find they'd stolen everything I had on me. They even went through my pockets. Toby and I stashed for emergencies: a spare change of clothes for both of us, a little cash. I bought a bus ticket and I came here, to you." Eve's voice shakes.

"We should call the authorities." Avery decides. "No." Eve grabs Avery's arm. "You can't report a dead man as missing. And Toby didn't tell me to go to police, he told me to go to you." She tells us. 

"Someone attacked you, we can report that." Avery suggests. 

"And who is going to believe a girl like me?" Eve says sombrely. 

"Bringing the authorities into this could get our hands tied. We should prepare for a random demand, in the case we don't get one.." Oren trails off. 

"If Eve tells you where she and Toby were set to meet could you send a team to do recon?" Avery suggests. "Consider it done." Oren declares. 

 A strangled voice speaks from behind us, a pain stricken voice, one that you'd half expect to break into sobs at any moment. A broken voice.

"Emily?" Grayson's voice chokes. 

Grayson doesn't see Eve. He doesn't see a girl who looks similar to that of me. He see's Emily. He see's the ghost of Emily, haunting him.

(a/n. I might do a cheeky wee double upload tonight because I feel like it. Today 1989 TV released and I'm in a good mood so lucky you. Also I've noticed Riches is at 69.1k so thank you so so much. Just wanted to let you know I fucking hate Eve, as I know most of you do too, so don't worry there won't be too much of her. I'm working on making Paris not trust or like her but it's hard considering they share a dad and both want to get him back no matter what it takes. Anyway, thanks for reading <3)