The change ( his mate)

Chapter 8: Can’t stay away

Lara

I’d cringed the minute I slammed the car door, I hadn’t meant to, but I was getting annoyed and ok, worried. We spent everyday together, meeting at college and hanging out after, sometimes Grayson even came to the cafe to see me, he was persistent that was for sure, but he was so secretive, if his phone rang he would answer it in another room, if I asked about his personal life he skirted around it or would throw a question back at me.

I tried to be patient with him, I didn’t want to come across as some clingy girlfriend. In bed that night I decided I’d back off a bit, give him space. I had one friend, Carla, I’d met her sister Victoria at school and been friends with her first, but overtime me and Carla had become friends instead, Victoria was girly and enjoyed shopping and clubbing and meeting boys whereas me and Carol were more into our horror movies and sleepovers and all things spooky.

These days we didn’t see each other much, but I decided to message her asking if she’d want to hang out tomorrow and maybe go see a movie, I didn’t have college as it would be a Saturday.

Waking up I was excited to see her, it had been almost two months since we’d last met up. I made myself some cereal and then I got ready. I pulled on some black high waisted skinny jeans and a red tank top. I sighed when I caught sight of myself, the jeans couldn’t hide the fact I had a belly, I was a chunky girl, heck my belly rolled over the jeans! I couldn’t even do a lap around the block without panting and gasping, but on the plus side I did have a generous amount of cleavage.

I still couldn’t believe my luck getting Grayson, he didn’t seem to care about my weight or my looks, I didn’t have to spend hours applying makeup to make him happy or to impress him.

I wanted to wear makeup today, more for my own self esteem and to make myself feel better. Whenever I met up with Carol men always stared at her, smiling stupidly. Heck, she had shop staff flirting with her, she was one of those woman that didn’t even have to try, she didn’t wear much makeup at all, maybe a little foundation and mascara.

She had freckles that ran across her nose and cheeks giving a natural beauty about her, her hair had blonde highlights and she was tiny and petite, five, two, making her only an inch taller than me, yet she looked tiny compared to me, so slim and dainty.

She always wore casual clothes, t-shirt and jeans with shoe trainers. I knew even with makeup I’d be like a ghost in the background completely unnoticed by men, the only time I was noticed was when I was alone and if I had a low cut top showing cleavage, pfft.

I threw on everything, foundation, contour, mascara, eyeliner, made a cat eye and wore a shimmery cream eyeshadow and finished with a dark red lipstick, I don’t think even Grayson had seen me this done up.

I curled my usually straight dark brown hair, so dark one could argue it was black, and people did, I’d try to tell them my hair was dark brown and they’d argue and insist it was black, it wasn’t, but I always gave up in the end.

People usually thought I was Greek or Italian too, again, I wasn’t, but my dark hair and light olive skin came from my grandfather, the most sweetest and kindest man you could hope to meet, he was half black as were his brothers and sisters.

When I was finished, I didn’t realise almost two hours had passed, I checked my phone and saw three missed calls and two messages from Grayson.

I don’t know why I was worried about being clingy when Grayson could be downright possessive at times, not in a bad way, he never stopped me doing what I wanted, but he did like to spend a lot of time with me and if we couldn’t then he liked to talk to me on the phone.

I opened the messages, the first one read: morning, darling, I miss you, hope you slept well.

The second one read: are you ok? I don’t want to keep pestering you, but can you call me when you get a chance just so I know you’re ok?

I jumped when the door knocked, I didn’t like strangers just turning up and I wasn’t expecting any deliveries, so I crept over and looked through the peephole, what the?

I opened the door to see Grayson standing there. “What are you doing here?” I asked.

“I wanted make sure you were alright, you weren’t answering my calls.”

“Sorry, my phone was on silent and I was getting ready.”

I invited him in and he stepped inside. He looked around curiously, it was the first time I’d invited him in. When he turned back to face me he looked at me as he always did, there was no flicker of interest in my face being made up, did he even care? One could argue how lovely it would be to have some Greek god like Grayson not care what you looked like, to only see you and not what you wore, but sometimes I worried whether he was even attracted to me at all.

His gaze did flick down to my chest, but only briefly and then meeting my eyes, he asked, “what are you getting ready for?”

“I’m meeting a friend.”

I could have sworn his eyes grew cold. “What friend?”

“A girl friend, don’t worry, I’m going to the movies with her.”

He still didn’t like it and said, “so you don’t want to spend time with me today?”

“I do, but later.”

He relaxed a little, I’d noticed he could get jealous of my time, like he wanted me all to himself, luckily, he was never horrible or gave of any alarm bells in my head, he might not like it, but he’d never stop me.

“Maybe when you’re finished I could pick you up and we can go back to mine, order take out and watch a film too?”

“Sounds good,” I grinned.

He leaned down and kissed me lightly on the lips. The door rang again and Grayson answered it.

“Hi, is Lara there?” It was Carol who’d come to pick me up as I couldn’t drive.

I cringed inside when Grayson swung the door open for her and without a word walked past me and into the kitchen. He really didn’t like people. At least he didn’t ogle or try to flirt.

“He doesn’t like me does he?” She asked.

“Sorry, he’s just a bit shy.”

“He’s your new boyfriend?”

I nodded, and her sea green eyes grew wide, “bloody hell, he’s absolutely gorgeous, like someone out of a model magazine.”

I giggled, agreeing, and she said, “is he going to hide in the kitchen until I’m gone so he can avoid speaking to me?”

“Hello, Carol.” His Irish accent traveled out from the kitchen and then he stepped into the living room.

“Alright, Grayson isn’t it?”

He didn’t answer her and she awkwardly tried to fill the silence. “You’re a looker aren’t you, sorry if I interrupted anything, I didn’t know you’d be here, I came to pick Lara up and, uh, yeah, well,” she turned to look at me wide eyed and flustered. “I’ll meet you in the car when you’re ready Lara.” She quickly left, and I turned to him. “Can you not be so rude to my friend.”

“I wasn’t trying to be.”

“You could have tried to be a little friendly.”

“I said hello.”

I sighed in exasperation, it wasn’t the first time we’d argued about his lack of manners and politeness. “I’ll see you later.”

We left the house together and on the front porch with his thumb and forefinger he lightly tilted my chin up and kissed me lingeringly on the lips. “Have fun and stay safe,” he murmured.

I nodded, and letting me go he walked to his black Lamborghini car and climbed in. It was a really nice car, when I’d first seen it I’d thought he’d chosen it to pick up girls, show off, but now that I knew him, I knew that wasn’t true. He wasn’t a show off kind of guy, when I’d asked him about it he absentmindedly mentioned his brother Leo had gotten it for him when he’d passed his test. I’d eventually coaxed out of him that his brother owned a syrup company meaning they were very well off.

Sitting in the cinema I tried to enjoy the film, but if I was completely honest with myself, I was no better than Grayson. I couldn’t stop thinking about him and all I wanted to do was to be with him. He was the first man I’d ever felt that way about. Pfft, so much for me backing off and staying away from him.

When the movie was over and we’d said our goodbyes I’d practically bounded down my steps to Graysons car when he came to pick me up.

We ordered in pizza and put on a jet li movie. With the lights off, I snuggled up to Grayson, enjoying his arms around me and it wasn’t long before we were kissing. Usually we had the lights on while kissing, so with it dark and me now lying on my back with him leaning over me, my heart raced with desire, it felt intimate and he was so beautiful to look at, I wanted to do more this time.

He was kissing me hard, passionately, his tongue dancing over mine, he was a great kisser and he was so passionate it was hard not to feel hot and heavy with desire.

I was shy and he always had to make the first move, but today I felt brave enough to run my hands over his muscular chest, when he didn’t stop me I grew even braver and slid them under his t-shirt and ran them over his bare skin making him moan softly against my lips.

He pulled back and murmured, “you want to do more than just kiss?”

I nodded, and he asked, “s.ex?”

“I’m not sure yet,” I blushed.

“Other stuff?”

I nodded, and his lips fell onto mine again.