Chapter 38

Chapter 7 Grayson was doing a lot better, though he was still having his side effects. He wasn't feeling so sick that he couldn't concentrate, but he was still feeling sick. Thalia normally hung out with us at lunch and she was a nice girl. She was constantly smiling at everyone, telling jokes, and even sharing some of her lunch when Belle was still complaining that she was hungry but she didn't want to buy more lunch. "And that is the end of this chapter," Tony said as he finished up a slideshow. "We'll have a test tomorrow, then start chapter two. No homework today because I want everyone to study instead." Grayson snorted. "Yeah, like I study." The class chuckled, causing Tony to raise an eyebrow. "Oh, does everyone think that's funny? Fine. I want everyone to do questions one to six on page twelve for homework." Everyone glared at Grayson and not wanting him to be the cause of everyone's anger -though it was their fault for laughing- I raised my hand. "Mr. McCormick, I don't have time for homework. You see, I'm having a dinner with my family and my boyfriend's family and my brother, who doesn't live with us, is coming over." Tony narrowed his eyes at me. "Well, I'm sure you would have plenty of time to do your homework. Afterall, my sister has never missed her homework. You could follow her example." I was not giving up on this. "But your sister might have something important to do. Like maybe something with her boyfriend." "And how would you know if my sister has a boyfriend?" Tony asked. I shrugged. "I bet her boyfriend is really attractive." Tony sighed. "You know what? No homework tonight." I smiled successfully. Rarely does Tony ever win an argument against me. ~*~ "Alright, what was that?" Thalia asked when she sat down at our table at lunch. "I had never seen someone argue with a teacher and win without getting in trouble." "Let's just say I have a secret weapon," I said. If Tony didn't agree, I would pull the ever-so wonderful 'Daddy' card. "I still can't believe you were able to get us out of homework," Thalia said. "But, uh... was it really smart to talk about how attractive you bet his sister's boyfriend is when you have a boyfriend?" Grayson looked up from his lunch. "Oh, it's fine. It's an inside joke." Thalia furrowed her eyebrows. "So it's fine that you're girlfriend was talking about how attractive our teacher's sister's boyfriend is?" Why was she calling me out on that? Grayson said it was fine. Besides, Tony's sister's boyfriend was my boyfriend. "Thalia, I said it's fine," Grayson said. "Besides, I bet our teacher's sister is very attractive. So attractive that she gives me a..." Grayson didn't even have to finish what he was going to say. "Gross!" I said, punching his shoulder. "It's not gross," he said. "It's part of life." "Are you sure you two are dating?" Thalia asked. "I mean, Poppy is talking about how attractive a guy is and Grayson is talking about how attractive our teacher's sister is. That's... that's not normal." Belle chuckled. "If you knew the inside joke, you'd be laughing." "Poppy McCormick," I said. "That's my full name." Thalia raised an eyebrow. "You have the same last name as our teacher? So that's the joke?" "I met his sister's boyfriend before," I said, waiting for her to catch on. "He's just so hot and gorgeous." "Don't forget sexy," Grayson added. "Hell, I would love to date him." Thalia frowned, looking very upset. "I'm not... I'm very... What?" "Guys, you're confusing her," Belle said. "Just admit you find him very sexy," Grayson said. "Yes, I'm totally going to admit that with his girlfriend sitting in front of me." "So you do find him sexy?" "I never said that." "You implied it." Thalia sighed loudly. "Can someone please tell me the joke?" "Tony's my brother," I replied. "Who?" "Mr. McCormick," I said. "He's my brother so when I was saying how attractive his sister's boyfriend is..." "You were talking about Grayson," Thalia finished. "Oh. That makes a lot of sense. Like how Grayson would say he would date our teacher's sister's boyfriend." "I would totally date myself," Grayson said. "But I'm satisfied dating my little Flower." I raised an eyebrow. "Just satisfied?" "Oh baby, I'm more than satisfied." I couldn't help but smile at what he said. When he talked like that, it meant that he wasn't receiving the side effects from the anti-depressant. He was being himself and even though himself was a bit stubborn and arrogant at times, he made me smile. Belle gagged, pushing her food away. "Thanks for ruining my lunch." Grayson ignored Belle and wrapped his arm around me. "She's just jealous that you're dating someone as sexy as me." Someone behind us removed Grayson's arm from around me. "I don't like the PDA between you two," Tony's voice said. "That's fine," Grayson said. "There won't be a rule against PDA tonight." "Poppy, what on earth do you see in him?" Tony asked with a sigh. "My sexiness," Grayson said. "I'm done with you," I said with an eyeroll. "I swear Grayson, keep your hands off my sister," Tony said. "I don't like seeing this." He walked away, shaking his head. "Overprotective, much?" Grayson muttered. "He's probably just sick of your arrogance," Belle said. "Like me. And I'm pretty sure everyone on the planet that had ever met you." "Flower doesn't think I'm arrogant," Grayson said. "Right, Flower?" I couldn't lie to him. He always knew when I was lying. "Oh, look at that fry." I took a fry off my plate and ate it. "You think I'm arrogant?" Grayson asked with a frown. "What?" I asked. "You, arrogant? That's... that's funny." "Ouch." I rested a hand on his shoulder. "Grayson, your arrogance is what makes you you. I still love you." "Whatever," Grayson grumbled, causing me to sigh. I guess I hit a nerve there. "I'm going for a walk." He stood up and walked away. When I glanced over at Thalia, I couldn't help but notice her smiling. She looked at me and the smile immediately turned into a frown. One that was obviously faking. I ignored it, though. But I wouldn't ignore it forever if it keeps happening. ~*~ "Kids! Dinner!" Dad called from the floor above the basement. I pulled away from Grayson, whose lips moved from my lips to my neck. "Grayson, not now. I'm hungry." "That's nice," he murmured into my neck. Our video game was paused a long time ago ever since Grayson kissed me randomly to distract me from the game. Needless to say, the kissing didn't stop. "I'm not going to tell you two again!" Dad called. "It's dinner time!" "Grayson, your hands better not be on my sister!" Tony called. Grayson pulled away, but still hovered over me. "There's no PDA rule here, Tony! And it's not my hands that are on her!" "Grayson," I warned. "Seriously, off. I'm hungry and you do not want to see me hungry." Grayson reluctantly pushed himself off of me. I fixed my hair, which was no doubt messy because of Grayson. He just had to distract me from the game. After smoothing his own hair, Grayson offered me his hand and pulled me off the couch before heading upstairs. "Took you long enough," Dad said as he set the dining table. "Next time, you two are having parental supervision down there." "We were only playing a video game," I lied. "That's not what I got out of the 'no PDA rule' and 'not my hands that are on her'," Dad said. Shortly after, we were all eating dinner with Grayson's family. Well, technically half since it was only his mom and younger sister. "How was school today, Poppy?" Mom asked me. "Okay," I replied. "I got into an argument with one of my teachers and I won. I didn't even get detention." "Grayson is sure rubbing off on you," Gertrude said. Grayson shrugged in reply since he did argue with the teachers. A lot. But not recently. Mom sighed. "Poppy, you can't argue with the teachers." "But I won. Because of me, the class didn't get homework." "Nice going," Dad said with a smile. "Dad, don't encourage her," Tony said. "I was the teacher she argued with." "And you let her win?" Dad said. "That's all on you. How did you win Poppy?" "She talked about how attractive Tony's sisters boyfriend is," Grayson said. Tony sighed. "Remind me why I wanted to be a teacher at my sister's school."