6. Seafood Bluntness
SEAFOOD BLUNTNESS
ALEXIA
M ornings are a brutal beginning to another day.
They were not made for me at all. I roll over and blindly tap my hand all over the nightstand till I find my phone and I pull it to me. I finally open my eyes when I feel something papery over my phone. I open my eyes to see a blue sticky note attached to the screen. I pull off the note from my phone, and I can read it.
Thanks for the blue dress—Lia
I re-read the note, sitting up; I’m going to kill her. I’ve told her so many times not to steal my clothes. I check my phone to look at the time, ten-thirty a.m. Our day with Grayson and Noah starts at noon. Well, we leave at eleven-forty and arrive by noon.
I let out a sigh and turn to sit on the side of my bed. For a bit, I just stare at the door, not expecting anyone to come through, but just thinking.
I wonder what this day will consist of and how I can get out of it. I also still wonder about last night. Why was Grayson’s dad yelling at him? Why did he just leave like that? I shouldn’t really be worried about it though; it’s not my business.
I go to my bathroom, wash my face with some black soap, then I spray some water on my nest of curls I went to sleep in. I will never forget to braid my hair again before I go to sleep. I brush through my knotted hair until it’s smooth before pulling it into a low ponytail and leaving the bathroom.
I slip my bunny slippers on and head downstairs. This house is so big, it makes you forget you're staying with others. It’s kind of depressing thinking about it that way but I would love to live like this forever.
I walk through the archway into the kitchen to find Lia sitting on one of the stools at the island sipping some lemon water while on her phone.
“Well, good morning, Sleeping Beauty,” she says as I open the fridge and grab the pitcher of lemon water.
“Morning, chirpy,” I reply, looking for a glass.
“There are some on the counter,” she says and I turn around to find three glasses on the counter.
“Thanks,” I mumble.
“No problem,” she says.
I begin to pour my water as she continues.
“I took a dress from your room to wear later.”
“Why were you in my room?” I ask her as I go back to put up the water. I know she just told me why, but I want to know what gave her the right idea in her head that going into my room and taking my dress was a bright idea.
“Astrid thinks it’s a hot dress to wear and we want to look really good for Noah. You’re such a heavy sleeper,” she explains.
I sit my glass down on the counter after I finish drinking some water before I reply. “Do you still have the dress?” I ask.
“Of course, I’m wearing it today,” Lia tells me, and I roll my eyes. “I made you waffles though as a thank you.”
Lia moves from where she’s sitting and goes to the microwave. “Don’t worry, they are warm,” she says, sitting a plate of waffles and bacon in front of me.
“Before you snap at me, which I know is coming, just please let me wear it. I will keep it clean I swear,” Lia tells me and holds out her pinky. I link mine around hers and we both bend to kiss our thumbs.
“Also, I think you should wear something more presentable today. We’re going to be with celebrities all day,” Lia tells me, walking around the island and grabbing her glass of water.
“Celebrity, shmalebrity. Does it look like I give a shit?” I ask her.
“Well, not with that attitude,” she says as she walks out. I hold a middle finger up at her back as she leaves.
I grab a fork and begin to eat my waffles and bacon before I go get ready.
I pick out a dark red Von Dutch skirt as my statement piece and form my outfit around it. I put my hair in two low braids today because, with this heat, I don’t want my hair touching me. I add all my rings. Now I look perfect.
“I wonder if Noah is that cute in person!” Astrid squeals. My sister and Astrid have been looking at photos of Noah Sterling since we got in the car. It’s made me want to puke every single time they squeal over a new one.
I should tell them he isn’t even that cute. But then she’d ask how I know and I’d say remember when me and my mom went to get food while you and Astrid were at the interview for StarStruck magazine, we saw him at In-N-Out, then I’d get questioned so I decide to stay quiet.
“Can you two stop drooling? He’s just a boy,” I say.
“Grayson Archer is just a boy, but you drool over him,” Astrid states.
“I do not. He’s the last person I’d be interested in,” I reply with an eye roll.
“Really? And why is that?” Astrid asks.
Ugh, she’s prying now.
“He's bossy and way too demanding,” I answer, thinking back to the night I met him.
“Sounds like you,” Astrid says. I grab the peppermints from the bowl me and chuck them at her.
“We’re nothing alike,” I tell them.
Luckily, Mom is at a spa today or else she would have gotten upset even though I’m twenty and in college.
“Really? Because it seems like two grumps living in harmony to me,” Astrid comments and I turn to the window, not worrying about her.
Fez pulls up to a fancy-ish seafood restaurant. The first thing I see outside of the restaurant is Grayson and Noah holding three yellow roses. That’s cute.
“Oh my god, there he is!” Astrid squeals as I start to put on my mini Slytherin bookbag. Lia puts on lip gloss before Fez opens the limo doors for us.
“Do I look hot?” Astrid asks, and I look over at her, examining her baby blue sundress and white wedge heels.
“You look like you always do,” I say and start to fiddle with my silver rings. As I get out. I like how they glitter in the California sun. The square “A” one is surrounded by little diamonds on the left ring finger, then there's a silver skull on the left pointer, my class ring on the left middle finger. On the right hand my pointer finger has a silver guitar, the middle finger has a “FU”, and then the ring finger has a Slytherin crest.
“Just add some lip gloss and you’ll be golden,” Aaliyah says.
“Do you think he’ll like my outfit?” Astrid asks next. Oh my god. Mental eye roll.
“He has a girlfriend,” I state and begin to walk toward them. I already hate this whole day.
If I die now, I wouldn’t be mad about it.
“Hey, Alexia,” Noah greets me.
“Hi, Noah. Grayson,” I say back.
“Hey,” Grayson says flatly before looking over my shoulder at something. I look at Noah, but he just shrugs ‘he doesn't know’. It’s probably about last night. We’re pretending it “never happened” but damn.
Astrid and Aaliyah walk up beside me as Noah begins his welcome and Grayson pretends to look interested. Honestly, me too. “We thought the best thing today would be to start off with some lunch and then we can go out and get rolled ice cream,” Noah says.
“That sounds so fun.” Astrid giggles, and a disgusted look forms on my face, but I feel someone bump me, and I look up and see Grayson giving me a look. I probably made that face a little too obvious.
“These roses are for you girls,” Noah says and hands Lia and Astrid each a yellow rose. Grayson hands me a yellow one as well.
Would it be wrong to stomp on the flower?
Noah holds out his arm for each one of them to take and they gladly do so. Grayson just walks off. Rude ass. I walk fast to catch up with him till I’m beside him. “I thought you were supposed to be a gentleman to the guests,” I state.
“You’ve been to my house,” Grayson says.
“So?” I ask, shrugging.
“Not many people come to my house,” he says, opening the door for me to walk inside and I do.
“Oh please, you've probably had so many other girls in your house for other reasons,” I say, reaching for the next door but he’s already grabbing it.
“Actually, I’ve never brought a girl into either of my parents’ houses,” Grayson informs me, and I’m slightly taken aback.
“Not all celebrities are whores,” he whispers in my ear before walking up to the hostess stand with Noah. The magazines about him say otherwise and considering what they used to say about Noah. I’m not stupid. He dated Jazzlyn for a year!
Astrid and Lia both hook one of their arms into each of mine. Great, now I can smell the excessive amount of perfume they are wearing.
“Aren’t they the sweetest?” Lia sighs sweetly.
“Yeah,” I say, sarcastically. “Well. Noah is,” I add.
“I know. He’s amazing,” Astrid says dreamily. I wish I could just shake them off. I find being obsessed with people just weird. I’m obsessed with a band. It's so different .
Noah and Grayson wave us over once they finish talking to the hostess and they direct us to a curved booth in the back space. We all take our seats and order our drinks while we wait on menus.
“What's your favorite thing to get from here?” Astrid asks Grayson, twirling her hair.
“Never been,” Grayson replies while flipping through his menu.
“What about you, Noah?” Lia asks, referring to the same question.
“The crab cakes, maybe.”
This was only the beginning of the long list of questions and probing from them. I was thankful when the menus came. And when we started getting our orders.
Noah reaches down under the table and pulls out his phone before looking at it. “I’ll be right back; Emerson is calling me. I’m so sorry,” Noah says, before getting up and answering the phone and walking out the side door close to us. Astrid sighs and rolls her eyes.
“What's your deal?” Grayson asks, abruptly. I stop, mid-eating, and catch him looking at Astrid. Damn, he has such a good jawline. All his features are somehow dark but handsome in a charming way. Why does he have to be so gorgeous?
“What do you mean?” Astrid asks. I finish the shrimp that’s in my mouth and look over at Lia, who is already looking at me.
“Why are you acting so desperate?” Grayson asks, my mouth slightly drops. That was so blunt.
“I’m not,” Astrid replies, taken back.
“You are. He’s taken. Get off his dick. He is happy with his girlfriend,” Grayson states before taking a bite of his bread roll. I roughly kick him in the leg under and table and he glares at me.
“That was unnecessary,” I mouth.
“Was it?” he mouths back.
“Well, they have only been together for seven months, things can change,” Astrid says before spooning some of her lobster soup into her mouth.
“Ash, why don’t you come to the restroom with me?” Lia says, grabbing Astrid’s hand, not giving her time to answer. Lia pulls her away from the table, leaving us alone.
“Was that needed?” I ask, once they are out of hearing distance.
“Yes, she was throwing herself at him,” he replies.
“You just basically called her a hoe,” I say.
“Well, she’s acting like one,” Grayson snaps. A moment of silence passes as we both stare at each other with our chests rising heavily.
“Just because everything isn’t okay with you doesn't mean be an asshole,” I say and Grayson just looks at me, clenching his teeth from inside his mouth, holding back words before he turns away. I probably should not have said that.
Too bad.
It’s been said now.
“Where are the others?” Noah asks, taking his seat once he gets back. I didn’t even notice he came back from his phone call.
“Bathroom,” Grayson answers Noah’s question roughly and stabs his salad so the fork pounds the plate, causing me to jump a bit.
“Is everything okay?” Noah asks.
“Fine,” I answer bitterly.
My sister and Astrid get back soon and we finish our appetizers and move on to main courses.
The rest of lunch is eating silently, and we move on to the ice cream place down the road.
I ordered the campfire rolled ice cream and so far, it was great but now my hands are slightly sticky. I hate the feeling of sticky things on me. Me and Grayson have been sitting here mostly quiet because Astrid and Aaliyah haven’t given us a chance to talk. The only time Grayson has said anything was when Astrid started to flirt, and he stated he wasn’t interested, and a few words were said to me by my sister and Noah would ask me questions when he got the chance. I’ve mainly texted Faith the whole time.
I laugh a little at the text Faith sends me. It’s a picture of her trying to attack her cat with a stuffed octopus.
“What’s so funny?” Grayson asks. I glance over at him for a moment, catching the annoyed look he has.
“Nothing you need to know about,” I respond and put my phone away.
“I’m going to the restroom,” I announce, knowing no one probably heard me but I get up anyway. I grab my bookbag and toss my ice cream in the trash.
Going into the restroom, I wash my hands to get rid of the stickiness from eating the ice cream before actually using the bathroom. Thank God that feeling is gone. Having to pee and listening to them be batshit crazy was not fun. Before I leave, I wash my hands and get prepared to go back to the table.
I open the bathroom and find Grayson standing outside. “You know it’s weird to be standing outside the women's restroom,” I tell him.
“The men’s bathroom is here too, but I came to tell you we’re moving on to the next stop,” he says, pushing off the wall.
“Where are we going?” I ask, walking closer to him.
“Santa Monica,” he replies. Santa Monica, why? I walk around him and find the others gathering their items and leaving the table, so I wait by the door.
“Great, you’re ready,” Noah says as he heads toward the door of the ice cream parlor.
Noah holds the door for us all and Grayson comes out last, letting Noah go before him. They walk us to a black Range Rover as a few reporters try to talk to us, but none of us say anything. This time, Grayson holds the door for us. As we get inside, they are playing a recent story about his ex, Jazzlyn.
He doesn’t look too happy.