Safe Place to Fall

15

Grayson 

The girls go to a spare room to get changed and then come back out to help set up. Theo looks amazing, she is wearing black tight leather pants with a blue tank top, she has red lipstick on. Hanna looks like she’s trying a tiny bit too hard to be sexy, she has a red mini skirt with a black tube top on. Her entire stomach is exposed. She has her hair in two long braids. Theo has put some small golden butterfly clips in her own hair. 

 “I think we need to talk about this Han” I hear Theo say desperately. 

“I really don’t think we do. I don’t want to talk about it, not right now. Maybe not at all. Let’s just get through tonight okay Theo” 

This doesn’t sound like Hanna at all, she is usually so timid. 

"Hanna please just talk to me" Theo begs of her

“Is everything okay?” I whisper to Theo.

She shakes her head at me sadly, “We had a bit of a fight” She sighs in defeat

“About what?” 

“Us...her and I.. I don’t know where to start. She just seems so angry with me. I don’t know what to say or how to fix it” 

“I’m sure you will work it out, just let her have some space” I say 

We finish setting up the equipment and do a sound check. People are starting to show up for the party. Twenty minutes later we are warming up and getting the party started. The tension in the air between Hanna and Theo is noticeable. 

Hanna is just glaring at Theo and I take the hint and keep my distance from Theo, as much as I want to be close to her. I can see her friend is not having it right now.  

The crowd is responding well to our set list, after the first few songs Theo says into the mic 

“We will be taking a short break!” 

She turns to Hanna and pulls her by the arm towards the window. I look to Trevor who just shrugs at me. I look back to Theo and see her trying to talk to Hanna who is just staring out the window, ignoring her. 

I start to play a song that Theo is not the lead singer on, giving them a few extra minutes, Trevor comes in on the drums behind me. I start to belt out the lyrics, hearing Theo and Hanna’s argument picking up. 

I look back to Trevor who is also looking a bit concerned. I see Hanna stalking off into the kitchen, Theo stares after her.  We finish the song and Theo comes back to the makeshift stage, she starts into the next song and just lets her heart sing it. She is upset, it’s clear to anyone paying attention. 

Hanna doesn’t come back to us, I don’t see her anywhere. 

“Alright guys, that's our set, thanks for listening. We are the Outcasts.” I say as we finish our last song of the night. 

“I need to find her Grayson”  Theo says as she starts to dash off to find Hanna. 

Zander stops her in the kitchen, pinning her to the counter. I start to walk towards them. 

“What are you doing with Grayson, Theo?.. I could make you so much happier.. I can make you scream” He says as his fingers trail up her arm. My blood starts to boil under my skin. I can feel my body starting to shake.

She pulls back flinching from his touch. I quicken my pace closing the distance between us, I grab Zanders arm and pull him off of her. I push him against the fridge and go to punch him when Theo grabs my arm stopping me. 

“He’s not worth it, let’s just find Hanna and go!” She cries

“Hanna? She left half an hour ago” Zander says with a chuckle. 

Well at least we know where she went now. 

“Let’s just go Grayson.. Please” She pulls on my arm again. I let Zander go and protectively wrap my arm over her shoulder and let her lead me away. 

“Are you alright?” I ask her 

“You shouldn’t let him get under your skin Gray.. He is just trying to bug you” She sighs as she looks around for Hanna. 

“You can’t seriously be okay with him talking to you like that Theo” I feel myself getting angry once more. 

“Of course I’m not Grayson… but I don’t want you to get into trouble because of me. Let it go. I’m used to it, you should get used to it too” 

“How can you say that? You shouldn’t have to be used to it Theo. That is disgusting to say. I don’t want to hear it anymore. Nobody is going to treat you that way again, not while I’m around. I will not get used to it. I will not accept it Theo” I try to stay calm but I’m having a hard time. She has gone through enough, she doesn’t need to be sexually assaulted by any of these pigs we go to school with. 

She doesn't say anything as she looks for Hanna.. “I guess she really did leave,” She says. We head back to the living room and see Trevor and Patrick have taken everything down and packed it into the van already. 

“Ready to go then?” I ask her 

“I guess so.. I can't believe she would just leave like that though Grayson. It’s not like her” 

We get into my truck and I drive her home. We sit in the truck, unmoving. 

“I just don’t get it. She is clearly jealous of you and I.. I don’t get it. She got so angry when I brought it up. I don’t understand why she is so upset, I thought she’d be happy for me..” She says as she leans back in her seat. 

“Well, like you said.. She seems jealous, give her some time. I’m sure she will cool off soon. Until then do you want us to lay low?” If she wants it I’ll do it. 

“No.. I don’t want that. I don’t want to have to hide whatever it is we have from her. That doesn’t seem right to me. She needs to get used to the fact I have someone else in my life now besides her”  

“What is it we have Theo?” I ask her quietly. I want to be with her, she knows that. 

“I want to be with you Grayson, other than that I don’t know... This is all so new to me.” 

“Theodora, will you be my girlfriend?” I ask confidently. Hearing her say she wants me is all I needed. 

“Of course Gray” She says as she leans over and places her head on my shoulder. We sit for a bit longer before I check the clock, it’s almost 1AM. I’m sure Emily is probably wondering where Theo is.

“I should get you inside,” I say to her. I walk over to her door and open it for her, I help her out of the truck. 

Theo shivers as the cool wind blows past us, goosebumps rise on her arms. I take my sweater off and gently put it over her shoulders. 

“I don’t want you to go yet” She says as she looks to the front door. 

“Me either… Can I stay for a while?” I ask hopeful. 

She looks to the door and back at me before nodding. We head inside and go to her room, Emily is already asleep. 

Theo opens her room and looks around for a moment, “Is it okay if I go have a quick shower?” 

“Of course.. I’ll wait here… take your time” I kiss her on the lips before she heads out of the room with a handful of clothing. 

I take off my boots and lay down on her bed. It smells like vanilla on her pillow. I miss the smell, my own pillow at home smelt like her for days before it disappeared. I miss having her so near to me. 

Twenty minutes later she comes back into the room, her face clean of makeup and her hair damp. She is wearing one of my old shirts, she must have taken it when she left. I like seeing it on her. 

“How long can you stay?” She whispers as she closes the door behind her. 

“As long as you want me to” I say as she crawls into bed with me. She rests her head on my chest as she snuggles in close to me. 

“I really do like your hair” I whisper as I run my fingers through the short strands. It makes her look more innocent in a way. There’s nothing about her that I don’t like. 

“I really like you” She whispers back. 

I lean my head down and tilt hers up to me as I kiss her deeply. I taste strawberries on her lips, maybe a lip chap? 

I glide my tongue along her bottom lip, she opens up for me. I explore her, every centimeter of her is inspected by my tongue. She moans as I trace my hands down her body. I pull her onto me, she straddles me as we kiss. I can feel the warmth from between her legs as she pushes down harder onto me. My hands go towards her backside, I can feel her cotton panties beneath my fingers. My hands want to go to the heat radiating off of her, but I resist the urge. I do not want to go too far too soon. 

After a few minutes she pulls away slightly, panting. 

“I’m sorry.. I- I…” She starts to crawl off of me before I pull her back down on me as I sit up. I hold her tight in my arms. 

“You don’t need to be sorry.. I’m not there yet either.. I just want to hold you okay?” I assure her. She nods and places her head on my shoulder. She wraps her legs around me completely as she gets comfortable. I move us back so I am resting against the headboard. I hold her for quite some time before she dozes off. 

I pull the blanket up over us as she sleeps in my arms, I adjust us so that we are laying down and I am spooning her. I fall asleep soon after that. 

My phone buzzing wakes me up. I carefully pull myself free from Theo and answer it. 

“Sorry dad. I’m with Theo. I fell asleep” 

“Okay, you need to let me know when you are staying over with her Gray. I was worried” His voice is laced with concern. 

“I’m sorry.. Do you want me to come home?” 

“No. It’s too late for you to drive.. Stay the night. Bring Theo by for breakfast in the morning?” He asks

“Sure dad. See you in a few hours” I say as I hang up. 

“Gray?” Theo whispers into the dark. 

“I’m right here.. My dad was worried” 

“Do you have to go?” She asks, saddened. 

“No, I can stay.. He wants to know if you want to have breakfast in the morning though” I tell her as I crawl back in behind her, I pull her into me once more. My hand rests on her breast. I lean my head into her neck, giving it a kiss and inhaling deeply. 

“That sounds nice. I miss Connor” She yawns 

“Go back to sleep” I whisper back to her, giving her one last kiss before closing my own eyes. 

I hear a knock on Theo's door in the morning. I stay silent but give Theo a small shake. 

“What?” She whispers, I nod to the door.

She gets up and walks over to the door, cracking it open slightly. 

“Morning Emily”  

“What time did you get back last night? I didn’t hear you come in” Emily says 

“I’m not entirely sure when we got in..” She says as she rubs her eyes. 

“Oh? Did Grayson spend the night?” She doesn’t sound angry at least. 

Theo nods. 

“Well… I’m glad he’s here.. May I come in for a moment?” 

Theo opens the door. I get up stretching my arms. 

“Well… I am aware you two are getting close.. Intimate.. I just wanted to be sure that you are being safe. I don’t need to know any details, but I need to know that you are using protection. Theo I can take you to the doctors and get you on birth control if you are planning on having s*x” She seems uncomfortable having this talk with us. 

“Emily, I assure you, Theo and I have not been having s*x. We only just started dating. It is not on the table yet. Everything is PG13” I assure her, she seems a bit less uncomfortable by that. 

“Well that’s good to hear.. But when you do.. Please be safe” 

Theo nods and Emily excuses herself from the room. I can hear her release a heavy exhale outside of the room.