Page 13 of Seeing Grayscale

“Gray,” he starts, but I shake my head.

“I’ll stay the night, then leave.”

“I said I’d help you, and I mean it. Who my dad is doesn’t change that fact, alright?”

“But it will. Itwill,” I all but shout. “What do you think happens when someone recognizes you? When the host downstairs gets bored and alerts the local news station that thegovernor’s sonis toting around some homeless guy? Sharing a hotel room? Buying him food? Think about it.”

I can tell I struck a nerve as his eyes drop to the floor. “I hadn’t thought that far.”

“Well, I did. I do. How the fuck do you think I made it this long?”

“I’ll figure something else out. We can go to my family’s—”

“I’m notleavingthis town. I’m not leaving my fucking home.” It slips out against my will, so I seal my lips, shake my head, and reach for my backpack.

Then I remember I don’t have one anymore.

I’m not even wearingclothes.

I have nothing.

“This is what I was talking about earlier, Hunter,” I whisper, voice clogged with disappointment. “You can’t take someone with nothing and show them something, especially if they don’t get to keep it. I’m leaving tomorrow.” And with that, I hurry to the bathroom to lock myself inside it.

I cover my mouth as tightly as possible while the tears spring free.

SEVEN

IliedtoGray.

I did think about it.

I just don’t care.

Something about him has me feeling irrational, consequences be damned. I’ve spent my entire life in my dad’s shadow, afraid to be who I am and take what I want. It’s not like I’m sneaking off with Daddy’s credit card and he will see the bill next week. I have my own money, my own job. Yes, he had a direct hand in that, but my father isn’t in charge of my salary.

Gray’s quiet cries carry from the bathroom—a broken, whimpering sound that spears my eardrums.

He relaxed enough to joke with me for a moment—a single speck in time—to see the truth of my intentions and I ruined it all by coughing up my identity. Isn’t that just fucking sad? Who my parents are defines who I am. But I’m not what the media says. And I’m certainly not who I present to those higher up the totem pole.

Some days, it feels like that political ladder reaches the atmosphere. Too high to see with the naked eye and too far away to ever touch.

Let those faux angels think what they want.

I see my position differently. Gray is just one person in a sea of people like him, but it’s a start.

A foot in the right direction.

He’s not an experiment, nor is he a source of entertainment. I know that much to be true. My intrigue comes from a deeper place. Idowant to understand him and learn how he got to be in this predicament.

What are his ambitions?

Hopes and dreams?

If given the opportunity, would he take them? Would he want to?

Maybe if he does take that chance, I can live vicariously through him. Perhaps that’ll be enough for me.

Determination sets me into action as I swipe the spare hotel key, jot down my number on the provided notepad, and leave the room. I tried to find a department store, but I came up short.

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