Page 76 of Wandering in Darkness
FOURTEEN
CAL - PRESENT
After telling Grayson I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know about the photographs Felix found, I went to bed. I’m not sure if that meant he told Felix and Lane or if he decided none of us got to know if I didn’t want to know.
Instead, I crawled into bed where I’ve now stared at the ceiling for at least two hours while questioning why I willingly put myself in this position. Cuddling Trav isn’t helping, even though he is dead to the world, enjoying his slumber.
Finally, I take a deep breath and get out of bed. Then I head into the living room where Grayson is snoozing away. Like what the fuck? Why am I the only one suffering here?
I walk over to him and glower down at him for a moment before picking up a cat toy and flinging it at his face. It’s a little pom-pom, so it just tumbles off after making contact. So I pick up another and throw it at his face too. He twitches a bit and swats at it, and I have no idea why it gives me so much joy when I pick up another and throw it at his face as well.
Apparently, I’m not the only one aware this is going on since Clawdia leaps off the ground and onto his head to grab the toy. Grayson jerks awake while I fling another, not expecting any of this to happen as it hits him right in the eye.
He jolts back, sending the cat flying, and I’m left standing there as the culprit.
“You trying to blind me?” he mumbles.
“I thought about it,” I grumble.
“Would you let me apologize to you then?”
“I’d think about it, at the very least.”
“Alright, have at it.”
“I’m bored now. It was only fun when you weren’t expecting it. I’m going to the bathroom,” I mutter as I walk past him and into the bathroom. I’m not sure what I’m doing in here when I don’t even have to use the bathroom, but anything is better than letting Grayson know I wanted him to be awake.
And really, what did I even want him awake for? Just so I could chastise him for no reason?
I close my eyes and rub my head, feeling far too awake for two in the morning. Deciding that I’ll just go to my room and watch mindless internet videos until my brain melts and I finally feel tired, I leave the bathroom and find Grayson waiting in the hallway.
“Thought maybe you got lost in there,” he says.
“Thought about it.”
“Want to go for a walk?”
“With you?”
“You can tape my mouth shut if you want.”
I make sure he sees the way I grimace over the idea of doing anything with him. “It just… it just sounds so icky… unless… hmm… alright, let’s go.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” I say as I walk toward the door. I cram my feet in my shoes then head outside while Trav bounds after us, thrilled about the walk as I make a pit stop in the shed and grab what I need.
“What do you have there?” Grayson asks.
I look around as if I’m not aware what’s in my hands. “Nothing. What do you have?”
He narrows his eyes, like it’ll help him see better. “I really feel like you have something.”
I feign looking this way and that before glancing at what I’m holding. “Oh, this ol’ thing?”
“Yes. The shovel… in your hands.”
“It’s just a shovel. Are you afraid of shovels?”
