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Here's Chapter Five! Enjoy! :)

Chapter Five

I'm the first to hear the voice so I push Grayson away from me. He jumps back and I glance over his shoulder even though I already know who is standing there.

"What the hell happened in here?" Cyan says, pushing the door completely open. He looks around, bewildered at the sight. "And you two…since when are…you…." Cyan seems to have a loss of words as he stares at us and tries to put two and two together.

I am immediately embarrassed. My cheeks are burning so much that I feel like I'm about to explode. Actually not just my cheeks, my whole body is blushing and I can't stop it.

Neither Grayson nor I say anything as Cyan continues to observe the mess.

I have to get out of here. I mutter a quick, "I got to go babysit," and then I'm running out of the Radcliffe house. Before I get out the door though, I manage another glance at Grayson and Cyan. Grayson looks confused and slightly distraught. Cyan, at first, looks sort of hurt then quickly masks with a look of shock. Then I'm across the street and back in the safety of my own house. I feel kind of bad for leaving Grayson with the mess and the rest of the cookies, but my embarrassment outweighs the guilt.

Both of the boys' expressions confuse me, especially Cyan's.

The whole situation confuses me. I have no idea how that had happened. That should not have happened. Grayson and I are just friends, neighbors, nothing more. He is the Radcliffe that always manages to get on my nerves. The one I just want to punch in the face on a daily basis. He's the irritant, the annoyance, the pest. The one I just wish would go away. For the most part, I have always thought that. So why the hell did I just kiss him? It made absolute no sense to me.

Then a new thought pops in my head. Does Grayson like me? No, that's impossible. We were just so caught up in the craziness of the kitchen war that he kissed me in a burst of insanity. Yeah, that was it. I hoped.

Or did I hope? Did I like Grayson? Had I never stopped liking him from when we were twelve? Had Mel been right this whole time?

This whole damn thing is so frustrating! I don't know what to think. I don't know anything.

I'm driving myself crazy, standing in the kitchen now, and arguing with myself. Fortunately, before my thoughts can go any farther, our kitchen door opens. I half expect to find Grayson or maybe even Cyan standing there but instead it's my mom.

She starts talking even before she sees me. "Oh good, you're home! Ariel-"

I had forgotten what I look like but when Mom stops talking and her jaw drops, I remember. I look like hell.

"What happened to you?" Mom is absolutely stunned.

I grin sheepishly. "Uh, kitchen fight?"

"Let me guess, the Radcliffe's?" Mom knows us so well.

I nod. "I'm just going to go change then I'll be ready to babysit."

She nods and says, "hurry though because I got to leave in," she glances at the wall clock, "ten minutes."

I rush upstairs and soon I'm freshly showered, wearing a sweatshirt and sweatpants.

Ariel and Belle are in the living room watching a movie when I come back down. I sit on the recliner near them and try not to fall asleep instantly. Luckily, it's already getting late so the girls will have to go to bed soon meaning I don't actually have to watch anyone.

Mom comes into the living room a minute later and heads to the front door. "The girls are all ready for bed, so lights out at 9. I'll be home late, like usual. Have fun… see you girls later." She comes over and kisses us each on the forehead. We wave goodbye and then she is gone.

Tonight, instead of actually working with the little boy that she takes care of, she has to go to her office and do paperwork and all that junk. I don't know too much about her job so I couldn't explain all the details.

The clock reads seven and the girls' movie just started. They are watching Enchanted, the movie about the princess who falls through a well and ends up in real life New York. I like this movie, so I settle back in the pillows and watch it with them.

Around 8:30, I notice the girls are no longer watching the movie because they are both asleep. I sigh because I know neither of them can stay awake through an entire movie no matter how early in the day it is. With a yawn, I remove myself from the recliner and go to pick Belle up. But before I get to her, I hear a small knock on the front door.

When I open the door, Grayson is standing there, like I knew he would be. As soon as I see him, I automatically start to blush.

"Hey."

"Hi," I mutter then open the door wider to let him in.

"Are Belle and Ariel asleep?" He asks quietly.

I point to them and say, "I was just going to put them in bed. Want to help?"

He nods and goes to pick up the bigger of the two, Belle, who is seven. I pick up five year old Ariel and we carry them to their shared room. After tucking them in and turning out the light, Grayson and I return to the living room.

"So…" he says awkwardly.

"So…" I echo. We are standing about four feet apart from each other and not saying much. The tension in the air was brutal.

Then Grayson finds his words and they start pouring out. "About earlier. I have no idea what I was thinking. It was completely inappropriate to kiss you and it was a mistake. I'm sorry."

Relief crashes over me like a wave as these words and I nod. "Momentary loss of insanity."

"It will never happen again."

"Never."

Grayson lets out a deep breath. "Well now that that's cleared up, I better go. I'll see you later."

I nod and follow him to the door. "Oh, I'm sorry about running off like that. Did you get the cookies baked?"

"Yeah, I forced Cyan into helping. He wasn't too happy about it though. But 500 cookies are now being happily enjoyed by the members of Christ the Rock Community Church."

I chuckle. "Good…and the mess?"

"All cleaned up. Cyan bailed as soon as the cookies were done but it didn't take too long after I cleaned off the cupboards. The rest was just mopping and wiping." He shrugs.

"Again, I'm sorry."

"No problem. I'll see you later, Aurora." With that Grayson heads down the porch and I close the door behind him.

I lean against the wall and take in this new piece of information. I was right; he did just get caught up in the fun and didn't actually have feelings for me. I take a sharp intake of breath as I realize something. At first I was relieved but now that I actually thought about it, I'm feeling something else.

I'm disappointed.

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