If only she had time to make friends, she thought despondently.
But she hadn’t.
Since her freshmen year, she had struggled to make ends meet, doing her best not to make her school loans compound. Before working for the prince, she used to have three part-time jobs in one day. What little free time she had left afterwards were divided between her studies, the occasional date with Grant, and sleep.
Picking up her phone, she refreshed her inbox, hoping she got an email from Grant, but there was none. Lately he had been distracted again and more often than not ended up bailing on the times they were supposed to meet.
She so badly wanted to tell Grant she really needed him by her side right now, but guilt held her back. How could she even think she had the right to complain after what happened – what could have happened – between her and the prince?
Her phone vibrated then, and she almost dropped her fork in her haste to reach it.
Fawn frowned when she saw that the message was from an unregistered number, asking her to meet at one of the classrooms in the building across the street.
It could be Grant, she thought. Maybe he was using a friend’s phone if his own had run out of battery. Deciding that there was nothing to lose, Fawn finished her meal in a hurry, grabbed her bag, and headed out to the street.
Maybe it’s time I come clean about everything, she thought. Nothing happened. Something happened. It was all a painful, confusing mess in her mind, and maybe telling Grant the truth would help her make sense of things.
She took a deep breath as she reached the room texted to her.
I’m going to tell him, for better or for worse.
Fawn was about to turn the knob when something made her check the room through the peep glass.
Grant.
But he was not alone.
Her fingers fell from the knob.
She knew she should stop watching, but she couldn’t.
Every second that passed—-
It felt like she deserved to see this, like she deserved that this was happening.
Grant.
The Grant she knew was beautiful inside and out, always smiling, the one who never let go of her hand in everything that she did.
But this Grant she was seeing now—-
Buttocks bared, pants pooled around his ankles, and oh God, the way he was clutching the legs encircled around his waist-—
The way his hips were pumping furiously against another woman—-
This was not the Grant she knew.
Grant.
Minutes trickled down.
Oh God, how long could this last?
They didn’t stop fucking. She couldn’t stop watching.
Grant.
WHEN A KNOCK SOUNDED on her bedroom door, Fawn continued folding her clothes as she called out, “Come in. It’s not locked.”
So many things to pack, she thought worriedly, and she only had a few days left before summer camp.
When she heard the door open a moment later, she asked, “What is it, Mom?”
“It’s me.”
Recognizing the voice, she whirled around in shock, and it was indeed Grant.
He was leaning against the doorway, looking exquisitely handsome in his usual collared shirt and pants. Most teenage boys wouldn’t even know what to do with a collar but Grant – it was like he had been born to impress, and for as long as she could remember, he had always seemed more mature than his age.
It was, she thought helplessly, one of the things she loved most about him.
“So...” He grinned at her. “Can I come in?”
“Of c-course.” As he stepped inside and closed the door behind him, she realized too late that there wasn’t actually any place in her room that he could sit. Her clothes and books were scattered everywhere, taking up every inch of space.
When she looked up, Grant’s gray eyes were twinkling in amusement. “No need to panic, Fawn. I actually came here just to tell you something.”
She frowned. “What is it?”
His grin widened. “You mean that, don’t you? You really have no clue.”
She bit her lip as she racked her brains for something that could have required him to come to her room. When she came up empty, she slowly shook her head. “Sorry,” she mumbled. “I just can’t think of anything—-” As she spoke, Grant had started walking towards her, causing her voice to trail off nervously.
Clearing her throat, she tried to start again, saying, “If there’s something you need—-”
Grant was standing in front of her now. “There is.”
Fawn gulped. “W-what is it?”
“This.”
And then he was cupping her face, and as she gasped, his mouth had covered hers.
Her first kiss.
Grant’s tongue slipped inside her mouth.
Make that her first French kiss as well.
Fawn found herself clutching at Grant’s shirt as the kiss deepened.
When he lifted his head, all she could do was gaze up at him, unable to understand what just happened.
“Will you be my girl, Fawn Cornwall?”
She burst into tears.
“Fawn?” Grant’s voice was worried.
“I n-never thought this c-could ever happen.” And as he pulled her into his arms, she found herself sobbing against his chest.
She felt him kiss the top of her head. “You’re too cute, Fawn.”
“Y-you’re cuter.”
She felt his lean body shake against hers in silent laughter.
“You haven’t answered me yet,” he whispered.
She looked up. “You r-really still need one?”
He nodded.
With a teary smile, she said, “Yes. I want to be your girl.” Her voice muffled against his chest, she asked, “W-what made you do this?”
“Summer camp,” Grant admitted ruefully. “It’s the first time you’ll be spending that much time away from me, and I hated the thought of another guy making a move on you.”
She hugged him tightly. “I’ve never seen any guy except you, Grant.”
“It’s the same for me.”
She pulled away, looking up at him doubtfully.
He chuckled. “Yes, I did date. But did any of them become my girlfriends?”
She slowly shook her head. “No.”
“I told you. You’re the only girl I’ve had eyes for.” Bending down, he whispered against her lips, “And that’s how it will always be.”
SO MANY MEMORIES, Fawn thought numbly.
