There’s one good thing though, Grey says—I think it’s a bad thing—the public didn’t find out the real reason for the divorce. All they know is that Eun and Ji-Hoon decided to go separate ways due to difficulties in their relationship. If I had any say in this, I would’ve told the whole truth about the divorce and make that man pay, but it wasn’t my decision to make.
Grey reaches for my hands, takes them in his.So I guess that’s a no for both hugging and kissing.“How long are you staying?”
I shrug. “How long do you want me to stay?” I’ve got time. Just a few days ago, I announced to my soccer teams that I will no longer be their coach by the end of the year as I am moving across the country to be with my boyfriend. It was painful as fuck, but I am excited to move in with Grey next January.
“The season starts tomorrow…”
“I know.” I googled it. Okay, I could’ve asked my boyfriend when exactly their firstactualseason-related game is, but I was a little embarrassed to be honest. Sometimes I feel like I know nothing at all about what Grey’s passionate about. Granted, I really don’t, and it doesn’t interest me at all, but Iaminterested in my boyfriend and what he loves, so I want to know about it. And maybe I want to impress him a little with knowing more than what he tells me.
“I won’t be home a lot.”
“If this is your way of telling me I should leave tonight, Grey Davis, then just say it.” I know he has a lot going on recently, especially with his parents’ divorce. Sun and their mother are still looking for separate apartments in New York. They moved into one together, but it’s neither very great nor ideal as Sun also wants her privacy. Apparently trying to find a place to live in New York City that’s affordable and in good shape is pretty difficult. I do know Grey offered to pay for their apartments, but both his mother and Sun declined his offer.
So he’s a little stressed about that.
Grey surprises me when his eyes soften and fill with something painful. “That’s not it… I want you to stay, Luan.” Then, like he doesn’t care about someone possibly seeing us, Grey pulls me into his embrace. He plants a kiss to the side of my head, and holds me a little tighter. “I love you, okay? Getting rid of you is the last thing I want.”
I clutch my hands around his jersey. “You’re not gone for too long. You have like three games. One of which is right here. The other two games steal you away for maybe two days each time. It’s not like you’d leave me all by myself for weeks.”
And even if he did that, I’m used to it, aren’t I? Sure, I’m usually at home with my friends and my family, but it’ll change in a few months anyway, won’t it? Might as well start getting used to it.
“Miles is there, isn’t he? I can get to know your friend and his wife a bit better while you’re gone.”
“It’s Brooke’s birthday in two days,” he tells me like this is supposed to be some kind of invitation. It’s not, we all know that. I wouldn’t need an invitation to be there because Grey would bring me either way.
“Is it?”
He nods. “She’s turning nine.”
Nine?! It feels like an eternity since I’ve met her for the first time. I guess it’s only been four years, though technically this is the fifth year with Grey Davis in my life.
I pull away from our hug, now looking at Grey with knitted eyebrows. His voice is deeper, a little sadder, but why?
“And that’s a bad thing? She’s growing up like any other kid.”
Grey nods, though absently. He isn’t looking at me. “She wasn’t even one year old when I first met her. It’s a little… crazy.”
I don’t see how. He was twenty-one when we met, now he’s twenty-six and you don’t see me complain about that.
“At least now she can have an actual conversation with you,” I try to cheer him up, it doesn’t work. What’s wrong with him?
Grey looks over my shoulder, then takes a huge step back. “I’ll see you later, okay?”
My eyebrows dip with concern and confusion. “Yeah, sure.”
He turns around, ready to walk away but I grasp his wrist before he can run off. The second he turns toward me, Grey rips his hand out of my grasp, taking yet another step back.
“Is everything okay?” I ask, ignoring the pinch in my heart his rejection caused.
“Just… nerves. I’ll see you at home.” With that, he leaves.
What just happened?
He’ll see me athome. Not after the game, athome.
I’d like to correct my statement from a few years ago; being kept a secret isnotfine with me at all. It sucks.
Grey hasn’t shut me out like this in a long time, not when we were together in private. He didn’t even shut me out like this when we were in public together before what happened back in February. Now, as it seems, every time we’re together orcould betogether, he’s pretending he doesn’t know me.
