My alarm clock blared at 9:30. I bounced up and took a shower. It was Sunday. Prom shopping day. I, literally, skipped to the shower. While it warmed up, I got out a skirt and a tube top to easily get in and out of. No bra necessary for the top and no panty lines allowed for prom shopping, which meant I got out the sexier underwear my brother knew nothing about.

I was done with my hair by 10:45. Mason and Eddie were on the couch. Chris was on the floor eating cheerios.

"You're up early." Mason commented.

"Prom shopping." I sang excitedly.

"Better go wake up Grayson."

"Huh?"

He looked back at the TV. "Grayson gets no input into your dress?"

"Why would he-? He doesn't think-?" I turned around and went up to his room. I knocked on his door and waited for him to open the door.

"What?"

"Why does Mason think you get input on my prom dress?"

He shrugged, yawning, "Dates don't get input?"

I shook my head, "That was off when we...broke up."

He thought for a moment. "Fine...then... Will you go to prom with me?"

I started laughing. "You're serious?"

He nodded. "Why not? We'll be back together when Conner talks to you."

I sighed. "Again?"

He shrugged. "You can choose to be with me...willingly."

I looked down the empty hall. They were listening. Those nosey bastards. Grayson grabbed my wrist then pulled me into his dark room. He shut the door then turned on the light. He squinted as his eyes adjusted to the change in light.

"So...What do you say?" his squint disappeared. "Be my darlin again?"

I laughed. He must've really been tired for that accent to show through...or he did it on purpose.

"I don't know."

"How about this? You kiss me once. I'll even keep my hands behind my back." He did so. "If you choose to step it up, then I'll take that as a yes and I'll take my hands out from behind my back." I knew what would happen. "Darlin?"

"No influence."

He nodded, "It'll be fair."

"What if I don't like it?"

"Then I'll tell Trevor I'm done with this, and you'll be moved onto someone else."

I scrunched my nose, clearly not liking the idea. "That doesn't sound fun."

He nodded, "So kiss me and find out what we're doing?"

I sighed. "Why do I let you talk me into things?"

He shrugged and smiled. I was on my very tippy toes to be eye level with him. He was slouching a bit. I'm short and he's pretty tall. I leaned in a little, holding his shoulders to support me.

"Promise?" I asked in a whisper. I could feel his breath on my lips.

"Promise."

I crossed the little space between our lips. What was supposed to be a peck, turned into me with my back on his bed. It wasn't as intense as the day in front of Conner, but there was something there. Grayson wasn't being as controlling as he had that day. He was being careful. He had to. One wrong move and it would be lights out for me.

There was a light knock at his door.

"What?" He yelled quickly before returning to my lips.

"Casey's friend is here."

I pushed him away lightly. I looked at my little wrist watch.

"Shit. She's early."

He nodded and got up.

I smiled at him. "So do you want input on my dress?"

He smiled. "Yea. I can't show up with you looking like a mess."

"That's mean."

He nodded, "Now get out. I need to take a shower."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Are you serious?!" she practically yelled.

Luckily I shut my door already.

"You were mad at him. You hated him last time I saw you. What changed?"

I shrugged, "I don't know. It's not what I thought it was before. I really think that we have something."

She rolled her eyes. "Did you sleep with him?"

"NO!" I ran my fingers through my hair. "We had a talk those days when I was sick. He took care of me. He showed that he likes me more then he originally let on." I sighed. It wasn't entirely true. All Grayson had shown was that he was going to listen to his father. He could be feigning the emotions he has for me.

"It seems awfully quick."

 I nodded. "It seems weird to you, I know. But it works for us."

"Just please...please...please! Don't turn into one of those 'on-again-off-again' couples."

I nodded, "I can do that."

Grayson opened the door to my room a few minutes later. "ready?"

I nodded and grabbed my purse. Becky sat in the back seat. I knew she was confused. She knew I was hiding something. But the good thing about Becky is that she's easily distracted.

By 2:30 Grayson was getting cranky. He hadn't eaten all day. Becky was trying on her 70th dress. I hadn't found anything that I liked yet. Grayson put his head on my shoulder.

"Can we hurry this up?" He growled lowly in my ear.

"Big bad wolf hungry?"

He nodded and put his teeth on my bare shoulder. He applied little pressure as he raked his teeth across my skin. He was being very careful not to break my skin. If his saliva entered my bloodstream, it would probably make me sick. When Becky came out, he kissed the skin that he was gnawing on and looked up.

"Becky, we need to eat."

She nodded, "Two more."

"Hurry please." She nodded as she looked into the mirror. "What do you think about this one?"

I shrugged, "It's a nice cut on you, but the color sucks."

She sighed. "Always something wrong with the dresses. Either they don't have the right color, or the right size."

"Go put on another one." I asked while Grayson paced away from me for a second, disappearing behind a rack of clothes. "Almost done in there?"

"Yea."

I could hear her struggling with something. I sighed and sat down in one of the two chairs.

"Hey you."

I jumped off my chair.

"Jason. What are you doing here?"

He smiled, "I heard you were here prom shopping."

I nodded, "Yea, we are."

He nodded, "I was wondering if you had a date yet."

"Yea, I do. Sorry."

He looked confused. "How did you manage to get a date since leaving my house Friday?"

"Someone asked me."

"Why did you say yes? You had to know I would ask you."

I shook my head.

"Does this guy know about us?"

I sighed. "What us?"

"Us. You can't just change how you feel about me overnight."

"I'm not going to prom with you. Ask someone else."

"Tell the guy that you can't go with him." He said stubbornly.  "Who is it anyway?"

His answer was behind him. Becky was being quiet, she was listening.

"It's Grayson."

His jaw dropped, "Seriously? You're going with the guy who dumped you on your ass?!"

I looked down.

"Get out of here Jason." He had to have jumped when he heard Grayson's voice behind him. I heard him stomp off towards one of the many exits.

Grayson leaned against one of the walls, he was looking at me.