Chapter 76 A Warm Dinner
Quinn's POV
"Why are you suddenly telling me this? I mean, why are you suddenly opening up about your past and even your trauma?"
Grayson smiled again. It made me so angry that I hissed.
"Don't cover up your wounds with a smile!" I snapped.
"Gosh, you're so emotional," he said, still joking.
Annoyed, I covered his mouth. "If you want to cry, then cry. After all, you have feelings too. You must feel sad too."
"I used to, but not so much anymore," he replied, sounding unclear because his mouth was covered.
I then released my hand and sighed. "Even the president can be sad. But you're still too proud to hide your sadness."
"I'm fine now, Quinn. I'm used to it and the wound has become my friend. But I really appreciate you worrying about me. I really appreciate it."
"I'm not worried about you, Grayson. I just don't want you to suddenly lose your temper because you're holding back your emotions."
"Okay, okay, I understand. But I really can't cry unless you disappear again suddenly."
I glared at him. "Who am I that you have to be sad? Don't talk nonsense."
Grayson pushed the sandwiches we had made away from the edge of the table. Then he put his left hand there and his other hand on his waist. "You're... Quinny," he said with a wink.
I was about to hit him, but he held my hand in the air. "Please don't hurt me again. I'm fragile. I still have a lot of games to play."
I rolled my eyes in annoyance. "You said you were strong, that your trauma was your friends. But now you're scared of being hit by my hand."
"Those are two different things, Quinn. Your punches are an exception, because even though you're small, you pack a serious punch."
"Grayson!" I shouted.
"Yes, Quinny?"
"Stop calling me Quinny. We're not that close!"
"Not yet. But we will be, someday."
I opened my mouth wide. "You're so confident."
"Why not? As long as the opportunity is wide open, I will always be confident."
I snorted and crossed my arms like he did. "Did I ever say you'd get another chance from me? No, right?"
"No, you didn't. But I know you're not closing that door on me. And I'm very confident because I don't have to get rid of anyone. I'm fighting a battle with myself."
I rolled my eyes. "Go ahead and dream. Be careful when you fall, it hurts."
"If I dream of getting you, then I'm not afraid of falling many times."
I stuck out my tongue. "Sorry, I'm not easily seduced by men. Also, you haven't answered my question from earlier. What's the answer? I want to know why you trust me so much that I won't spread your life story to media."
"You won't," Grayson replied cheekily.
Okay, I don't want to lose, I want to be cheeky like him too. "Hmm, okay, it's fine if you don't want to answer my question. No need to talk to me anymore. We're even, right?"
Grayson suddenly grabbed my hand. "No, I don't want to. I still wanna talk to you. I wanna hear your voice."
"Then answer!"
"Okay, I'll answer." Grayson took a deep breath. His eagle-like eyes stared deeply into mine. "I'm telling you this because I trust you. You've kept my secret about my superstition all this time, and no one has heard about it. That's how I came to the conclusion that telling you about my past wouldn't pose any risk, unlike when I told my parents or other people."
"Is that all?"
"No. Another reason is because I want you to know me. So that we are even and so that you don't feel unfair because I already know about your life."
Grayson's answer froze me in place. I didn't think he would remember that time on the rooftop when I told him about my past too.
I thought Grayson was a forgetful man, but it turns out he isn't.
"Even so, that doesn't mean you have to do it too. You don't have to imitate me," I said angrily.
"Who's imitating you? I'm only doing it because I want to. You have to know, Quinn, that everything I do is because I want to, not because I'm forced or anything like that. So I hope you don't pity me too."
"Who pities you? I’m not."
Grayson raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
I stamped my feet on the floor. "Why would I lie? There's no point."
"Guys, sorry to interrupt. I just wanna get some cold water. Ignore me, please. Pretend you don't see me. Okay?"
Oh my gosh, Dylan, he really ruined the mood.
Eh? Why am I blaming Dylan? I should blame Grayson because Dylan is thinking bad things about us!
"You're not disturbing us, bro. Dinner is ready. Now let's eat together."
I looked at Grayson and Dylan alternately. I didn't even know that the two of them were already that close even though it had only been a few hours.
What was even more annoying was that Dylan was holding back his laughter while looking at me as if he was satisfied with his success in teasing me.
I tried to calm myself down by taking a deep breath.
"I'll bring the plates. You just follow Dylan and sit nicely there. You are my guests," said Grayson. He already had the three plates in his hands.
I had no choice but to join Dylan. And when I sat down across from him, I gently stepped on his foot.
Dylan grimaced and shrugged his shoulders, asking for an explanation. But I just ignored him to make him upset too.
"Okay, a sandwich without cheese for you, and a complete sandwich for me and Quinn." Grayson placed each plate in front of us. Not only that, he was also busy pouring water and glaring at me when I tried to help him.
"Breakfast for dinner, huh?"
Grayson pointed at Dylan. "That's right, I like that too. How about you, Quinn?"
Huh? Me?
Honestly, I prefer this dinner atmosphere to anything else. Because I haven't felt this kind of dinner together with laughter in a long time, maybe decades since my mother disappeared.
And now that I can feel it, the taste of the sandwich doesn't matter anymore. What matters is the warm atmosphere that calms my heart and relaxes my mind.
I love this warm dinner.