Page 23 of The Spotlight Effect

“Fine,” I answer bitterly.

My sister and Astrid get back soon and we finish our appetizers and move on to main courses.

The rest of lunch is eating silently, and we move on to the ice cream place down the road.

I orderedthe campfire rolled ice cream and so far, it was great but now my hands are slightly sticky. I hate the feeling of sticky things on me. Me and Grayson have been sitting here mostly quiet because Astrid and Aaliyah haven’t given us a chance to talk. The only time Grayson has said anything was when Astrid started to flirt, and he stated he wasn’t interested, and a few words were said to me by my sister and Noah would ask mequestions when he got the chance. I’ve mainly texted Faith the whole time.

I laugh a little at the text Faith sends me. It’s a picture of her trying to attack her cat with a stuffed octopus.

“What’s so funny?” Grayson asks. I glance over at him for a moment, catching the annoyed look he has.

“Nothing you need to know about,” I respond and put my phone away.

“I’m going to the restroom,” I announce, knowing no one probably heard me but I get up anyway. I grab my bookbag and toss my ice cream in the trash.

Going into the restroom, I wash my hands to get rid of the stickiness from eating the ice cream before actually using the bathroom. Thank God that feeling is gone. Having to pee and listening to them be batshit crazy was not fun. Before I leave, I wash my hands and get prepared to go back to the table.

I open the bathroom and find Grayson standing outside. “You know it’s weird to be standing outside the women's restroom,” I tell him.

“The men’s bathroom is here too, but I came to tell you we’re moving on to the next stop,” he says, pushing off the wall.

“Where are we going?” I ask, walking closer to him.

“Santa Monica,” he replies. Santa Monica, why? I walk around him and find the others gathering their items and leaving the table, so I wait by the door.

“Great, you’re ready,” Noah says as he heads toward the door of the ice cream parlor.

Noah holds the door for us all and Grayson comes out last, letting Noah go before him. They walk us to a black Range Rover as a few reporters try to talk to us, but none of us say anything. This time, Grayson holds the door for us. As we get inside, they are playing a recent story about his ex, Jazzlyn.

He doesn’t look too happy.

REMEMBER THIS

ALEXIA

The segment of Hollywood News is talking about Jazzlyn being seen with rapper, Egon Paine.

She’s probably just his eye candy. But she is gorgeous. I mean, she's skinny with glowing skin, long legs, and perfect blonde hair that’s always voluminous. No one could outshine her.

Grayson reaches for the remote and changes the TV station to the radio, turning it up, and I realize they are playing one of his band's songs.

“Really, your own song?” I say while crossing my arms.

“I thought my band was your favorite,” he replies.

“It is. Just seems a little egotistical to play your own song,” I reply.

“I’m not egotistical, I’m confident. There’s a difference,” he says.

“What’s your favorite song of ours?” He raises a brow.

“The one.”

“Charlie would love to hear that. I wrote it with him,” Grayson tells me.

“Really? I would've never guessed Charlie wrote that,” I reply. Charlie is known for always making jokes, I didn’t think he’d write something so serious and emotional. Grayson lets out a laugh. That was mildly cute.

“Yeah, he doesn’t like to say it, but he didn’t know how to express his feelings for Scarlett, so I was like if I had to express my feelings, I would write a song for someone. I would say this, and I started writing the song and he added in parts, so we dedicated it to our ‘ones’ which he had already, and I thought I found mine, but ya know,” Grayson explains.

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