“I second that,” Noah adds while both Harley and Logan nod their agreement.
Jesus Christ.
“Not this again,” I whine. “I’m happy where I am, but I’m grateful to the four of you for being so eager to be around me.”
“Just think about it, okay?” Noah asks and I nod my agreement as though I didn’t think it over for an entire thirty seconds when they first made the offer over a year ago and they haven’t been pestering me about it since.
I learned a long time ago that sometimes it’s best to just go along with whatever these boys say since it’s the only way to avoid an argument.
That seems to pacify them as they all stand and head to the kitchen to make breakfast and coffee. I follow behind them, content to just blend into the background as they all mess around with each other.
Sometimes I envy the friendship that they all share, since I’m nowhere near as close to my friends as these guys are to each other, but I know I always have a place here with them if I want it.
The tension drains from me the longer I listen to them, and the more I’m around them, the more confident I feel about the entire situation I’ve landed myself in.
Over the years, the guys have all taught me how to protect myself, and I’m confident with self-defense enough to believe that I’d be able to get myself out of a bad situation if I needed to.
I might be able to fight my way out of it if it comes to it, but that won’t stop him from following me whenever he pleases.
Though I have no doubt he’ll get bored of me soon enough.
I was a different person that night, and as soon as he realizes I’m not the fun-loving girl I was that night and instead prefer to stay home in my own company, doing nothing but drawing and watching reality TV, he’ll get sick of my boring life and move on.
That’s just who I am. Behind the apparent glamor of being an Aston, I’m just an easily forgettable girl with a slight sweet addiction and few friends.
He’ll get bored, just like everyone else.
THIRTEEN
GRACIE
Ifelt better after spending time with the guys this morning. So much so that I ventured out of my dorm to pick up my takeout rather than get it delivered.
I figured I was safe from seeing anyone I knew because they’d all be out partying for Halloween, so it wouldn’t get back to the girls that I hadn’t actually gone home to see my parents.
I walk across the parking lot of my building, the silent space peaceful in the darkness with only the streetlamps lighting up the place.
Still, I’m on guard.
I had been feeling better about the whole masked guy thing, but while I was walking back from the Chinese place, things… changed.
It’s probably only paranoia, my brain making me see and hear things that aren’t there, but I swear I saw someone walking behind me at one point. Only, when I span around, there was no one there.
This guy is making me crazy, and not in a ‘omg he’s so cute it’s driving me nuts’ kind of way but in a ‘thirty-day psychiatric hold’ kind of way.
Part of me thinks maybe I should have told the guys about what has been going on, but the other part of me knows that they would completely blow it out of proportion. I mean, the guy hasn’t hurt me, hasn’t threatened me, hasn’t done much of anything to me, really.
I consented to that night in the club. Hell, it wasmyidea.
And a few texts here and there is nothing to write home about.
Except it wasn’t only that, was it?
The guy climbed up the damn fire escape and watched through the window as I got myself off.
But he didn’t hurt you. He didn’t try and let himself in. He didn’t break into your room.
All valid points.
