— ☯. Grayson Hawthorne was no longer immune to disappointment. The first person who hurt him was his mother, and then Emily, his brother, and now his grandfather. He thought he was entitled to it, in the most clichéd sense possible.

But when he met you, he knew it didn't have to be this way forever. You would never hurt him; you were more likely to be hurt. And he feared that he would be the one to do it.

You were special to Grayson: a fragile little thing who got hurt by little things, literally. His family liked you (even Jameson, which made Grayson a little insecure) for being kind and making him happy. Or comfortable, because he hadn't felt happy in a long time.

But he still had words and gestures left to be a gentleman.

“No, of course not. You’re the most important thing to me.” That’s what he told you that Avery came along and inherited everything he’d spent his life grooming himself for, the 'most important thing to him'. With a soft kiss on your forehead. ** ** **

Well, he lied. The most important thing to him was still what he spent his entire life preparing for.

Only you didn't expect it to be with her. You didn't hate her—Avery was your only friend. But you felt that, even though Grayson was hurt by his grandfather's decision, he was kind. Kind in a different way.

You thought it was just your paranoia, until you saw it with your own dumb eyes.

“I will always protect you. But this...us, can't exist. I saw the way Jamie looks at you...and I see the way she looks at me.” That's what Grayson said when Avery came in to kiss him, her hands on his chest. He didn't push her away.

Grayson kissed your hair, holding you close the way he did every night. Out of pity? Because of the way you looked at him?

“You're sad. I know you are." His voice, soft as velvet and shards of crystal, made you realize he was a good liar. ”Tell me why.”