I push Preston back and look quickly in the direction of Grayson's house. God, please tell me no one saw us. I face the boy that just kissed me. "Why- what- what- are... you? You're not...? Wha-?" I must be malfunctioning because

MY BEST FRIEND JUST KISSED ME! WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?!

I no longer feel tipsy, in fact, I feel completely sober now. And sick to my stomach. I can feel my anxiety mutating inside me, forming a familiar and unwelcome creature.

"Uh..." he laughs nervously, scratching the back of his neck.

"Uh?!" I can't help repeat in utter apprehension. What the fuck? "Are you drunk?" I ask feeling more panicky by the second. My body wants to shut down and have a panic attack while my brain has absolutely no idea how to comprehend what's going on. I'm left in a shocked state, looking like a fish out of water.

"Um, actually I-" Preston closes his mouth. He's looking thoughtful and deep into my eyes- which are probably bug-eyed from how indistinguishably bewildered I am- then he shrugs. "I was just curious," he states like it's no big deal.

My mind goes blank and my body drains of every emotion. I blink a few time, trying to understand what this idiot just said to me. Once it finally clicks, vexed is the only emotion I now feel and understand.

My eyebrows draw together. "So you kiss me?!" I hiss. "I'm dating Grayson!"

"I know, I'm sorry!" Preston shouts in a whisper. "It didn't mean anything." He mocks a disgust face and wipes his mouth. "See, I didn't like it anyway. Just wanted to know what all the hype was about. Plus, I've been drinking all night," he laughs nervously again.

I scoff, "you're unbelievable. What if Grayson saw? Fuck." I take a deep breath and run my hands over my face before looking at him. "Thank you for my present, that was really kind of you, but next time you are curious, kiss Alex! Or watch gay porn, dumb ass."

Preston nods, "will do."

I sigh once more and take the piece of paper that Preston typed the three words into. I fold it before shoving it into my back pocket. God help me if those three words had a different connotation to Preston than to me.

But he's right, he has been drinking all night and maybe this was a drunken kiss... though he doesn't seem that drunk.

Oh God, please don't tell me my best friend has feelings for me. I am not emotionally prepared for that. "You better not say a damn word about this to anyone. That kiss? Never happened," I tell Preston firmly.

"I'm sorry," he genuinely looks regretful.

"Good," is all I say.

"I got you a case," he tells me randomly, gesturing to the trunk with his hand.

"What?"

He nods to the typewriter, "a case for the typewriter."

I see the case he's talking about behind the typewriter. The case looks just as expensive. Fuck him.

"Thank you," I sigh, and give him a small smile of my gratitude.

"Do you forgive me?"

"No," I tell him and after putting the typewriter into the case, I head back inside, not looking to see if Preston is following me.

"Hey, baby, where were you guys?" Grayson asks when I walk in. Preston did follow me and he shuts the door behind him.

I glance at Preston then back at my beautiful, stunning, angelic boyfriend who has no idea someone else's lips were on mine. And whom those 'someone else's lips' were just happens to be the boy my boyfriend doesn't get along with. Fuck.

Lie or tell the truth? Lie or tell the truth? Lie or tell the truth?

"Outside. Preston was just giving me my present."

And I basically black out. Not from the alcohol that I have consumed, but from the extreme anxiety that stirs and boils inside my body and hisses through my mind the rest of the night.

I don't even know what my birthday cake tasted like.

Curious. Preston said he was just curious... What the fuck does that mean? Wanting to know what the 'hype' was about? The hype of kissing a boy or kissing me?

There is no fucking hype about either of those things.

It was just a small kiss on the lips... between me and my best friend. That I didn't tell my boyfriend about. Do I need to tell my boyfriend? The kiss meant nothing to me, so there's no reason to tell Grayson. That would only cause problems.

Fuck, Preston, what were you thinking? Doesn't he know this is going to fuck with my head?

Don't panic Reid, don't panic. It's not a big deal.

A knock on the bathroom door startles my frantic mind, "baby, you okay? You've been in there for a while," Grayson's words are muffled through the door.

Everyone had gone home and, once the last person left, I immediately went to take a shower. Showers normally help me clear my mind a bit. The shower did help, but I've been out of the shower for a good half hour now, watching myself- through the reflection of the mirror- try to prevent me from having a panic attack.

I don't know if you've realized, but I don't do a great job of keeping my panic to a minimum.

"Uh, ye- yeah, sorry," I reply and take a few, quick deep breath before opening the bathroom door.

Grayson's tall, lean body is taking up the doorway. His lips morph into a smirk and his eyes travel my still dripping wet body. I have a towel wrapped around my waist.

His hands grab my hips and he pulls me to him. "Mmm, had I known you were gonna take so long, I would've joined you," Grayson tells me in a husky tone and I swear, all of my anxiety drains out of me just from his mere touch.

I kiss him on the mouth, "the door was unlocked the whole time," I inform him against his lips.

A frustrated groan falls from my boyfriend as he leans his head back.

"An opportunity missed," I shrug and push past him. Grayson makes another whiny noise before closing the bathroom door behind him.

I chuckle, going back into his bedroom- my temporary home. I change into a pair of his black sweatpants and a random t-shirt I find on the floor then settle into bed.

Today 1:43AM

Happy 10th bday!

🖕funny. Ya' know that

would make you 8

8 and 3 quarters😤

How was your lame party?

Preston kissed me...

Gjisjsbsjsksndn!!

WHAT??!!

Yeah... he said he

was "just curious"

Curious?? Wtf?

What about Grayson?

He didn't see, no

one did. Thank god

You're not gonna tell him?

I don't know... it

didn't mean anything

to me, so is there a

point in telling him??

Up 2 u. Don't stress

about it tho

Don't stress about my best friend kissing me? Yeah right. But, I don't respond to Peter because Grayson's walking in. How can I look down at my phone when I can watch water drip slowly down my boyfriend's abs.

"I love it when you look at me like that."

My eyes break contact with his toned chest and I meet his blue eyes. They're shielded with his nighttime glasses. "Like what?"

"Like you're severely dehydrated and I'm," Grayson smirks, "a tall glass of water."

I snort and roll my eyes, "you're so full of yourself."

Grayson winks at me then tells me, "I got you a present."

I sit up and set my phone on his nightstand. "Ooo?"

I watch him put on boxers then grey sweatpants (yum) before he reaches into his closet. Grayson pulls out a gift bag that is plain red with matching tissue paper. He extends the gift bag out to me in an almost nervous way. "I didn't want to give it to you in front of everyone," he tells me as I take the gift. He sits down on his bed, crisscross, facing me.

"Why," I question and shake the bag as I teasingly guess. "Is it a sex toy? Anal beads? Cock ring? Handcu-"

Grayson shoves my shoulder. "Shut up. It's... sentimental," he's blushing which is always a pleasure to see. "Fuck, just open it."

I laugh and set the bag down in my lap.

"And you already got handcuffs a few days ago," Grayson points out. My face heats up thinking about Valentine's Day just three days ago. Grayson did get me handcuffs- fuzzy pink ones. That night was good.

"Anal beads then."

"I'm gonna open that gift for you, if you don't-" But I already toss the tissue paper on the ground before Grayson can finish his warning.

I smile forms on my face as I take out the photo book. The book case is smooth to the touch and is beige with a botanical pattern. In the center is a picture of us kissing and I already know I'm going to cry.

I open to the first page and it's four photos. Two of Grayson and I and two of just me. All of them were taken on the same day. The day we started dating. A selfie of us two laying on his coach, us two smiling at the camera with our Chinese food containers 'clinked' together, me with an unattractive amount of low mein stuffed in my mouth. "Why'd you take that photo?" I question, but laugh.

Grayson chuckles, moving next to me so we can both lay down and look at the captured memories.

The last photo is me leaning against his couch and giving the camera a soft smile with my eyes closed.

I flip to the next page and the next. Grayson and I reminiscing all the past moments we've shared. We comment and joke and tease on specific pictures until I flip to the last picture which was us on Valentine's Day. There's still pages and pages of empty slots to fill with photographs.

"I didn't realize you took so many photos of us. Of me." I say in awe as I shut the picture book and face Grayson.

"How can I not take photos of you when you look like that," Grayson says pointedly while checking me out. "Are you kidding me? You're gorgeous."

I roll my eyes but am blushing and trying not to smile. Then I tell him seriously, "I love it, thank you." I press my lips to his and I melt every time his large hand cups my face.

"This wasn't your only gift," Grayson tells me against my mouth as he takes the photo book from me and sets it aside.

"Hm?" I question before his lips leave mine to kiss my jaw down to my neck then down to my chest, until he slips under the blanket. Grayson continues kissing my stomach and travels his lush lips and tongue lower and lower and ahhhh

"Fuck," I groan, my head falling back as Grayson's tongue does sensational work on me.

😭😭😭

❤️