kalani depradine

Luxury cars seemed impractical for everyday errands. With only two doors, it seems impossible to do anything. Grayson drives one, and I'm sure it's just another car apart of his large collection. It was wrapped a matte blue with dark blue interior. I can tell just like his parents, he enjoys showing off how much money he has to waste. He's young and rich, so of course cars are something he toys around with.

"I apologize about my parents," Grayson finally calmed down. His breathing was now quiet. He glanced at me while stopped at a stop sign. I did not say anything, instead shared a smile to let him know everything was alright. There's a lot more things to stress about other than having parents approval. He's a grown man who is allowed to do whatever he pleases with his life.

"Who is Bria?" The words tugged at his heart strings he kept hidden from me. I'm in no position to ask personal questions. We are not friends. We just happen to now share a child. But I couldn't help myself and hoped he wouldn't mind my curiosity.

"My fiancé," he swallowed, bringing his eyes back to the road. My eyes were weak. They fell shut and wanted what he said to be unheard. Things now made sense. His father hates me because I'm a homewrecker. I ruined a perfect potential marriage. But how was I to be at fault when I didn't know he was engaged? Of course he's engaged. A perfect man like him doesn't just walk around without a woman by his side. "Her and I have cancelled the engagement," he added after seeing how uneasy I was.

"Is it...is it my fault?" My voice cracked. I'm weak. Stupid and naive to assume this would be my fault. I didn't know he was practically married.

"Not necessarily. Our marriage was supposed to be a contractual agreement. We were only marrying because my father is supposed to retire and I'm taking over the family company. His one condition was I marry and provide him with a grandchild in the near future. He suggested Bria and I honestly couldn't care less who it is as long as they understood this was strictly for paper. No actual relationship. I don't even want a fucking child, but I want the CEO position," he further explained and the more he spoke, the more I grew even more confused on what type of world he lives in. "The agreement was one hundred million dollars for a marriage where she'll have my child in the next two years. Bria has completely gone against the contract in wanting an actual relationship. I'm not interested in complicating things. So even prior to me finding out about your pregnancy, I was going to end the engagement."

"Oh," my head went down, playing around with my fingers. I couldn't even wrap my mind around half the things he just said. One hundred million dollars to marry him and have his baby?

My head started spirally on where I come into all this. He's ending his engagement with Bria, but he still wants the CEO position. Does me having his baby mean I have to marry him? I don't even want to think about that.

"Have you gone grocery shopping before?" He quickly changed the topic at hand. We were stopped at a red light and he was quickly looking at his phone.

The question sounded like it had to be a trick. A sick continuation of the interrogation his parents put me through. But his face showed he was being transparent with his question. So I gave him the obvious yes.

"My cook can't cook dinner tonight. Family emergency. And there are no left overs," he took the nearest exit off the highway.

"Your cook?" I emphasized cook, wanting to make sure I was hearing him correctly. I really shouldn't have been surprised considering the car I was currently seated in.

"Yeah. You don't have one?"

I rolled my eyes at his privilege. By the looks of his parents house, he's been privileged and spoiled since he was a child. We arrived at the store and all he had to say was a complaint about the lack of valet. He was irritated he was forced to park his car with the rest of the normal people.

"You should get one. Less work." We got out of the car, making our way to the store.

"I was raised to do things by myself. Anyways, do you know what you need? Do you have a list?"

"No," he stated confidentially. Going into the store without a list is a terrible idea. I sighed, grabbing a basket and adding things I thought he'd need. Things I buy which seem like others also buy. "I got it," he insisted after noticing I was struggling to hold the basket that was slowly becoming more heavy. He took it from my hands with a smirk. The fact that he was holding it with no struggle made me feel nothing but weak.

I failed to thank him, and instead continued to add items to the basket. I made sure to include several different fruits and vegetables. Being so distracted in my own mind, I hardly noticed Grayson was having a taste of grapes. Having a taste of them like they were free samples. I turned to look at him, seeing him freeze in place. A deer in headlights. His eyes were widened like a toddler who was afraid of getting in trouble.

"Grayson."

"You want me to buy something when I don't know if it even tastes good?" He put it in the basket as well as other fruits. It amazed me that he is probably the most proper man I know, but does not know proper store etiquette. "Are you not supposed to do this?"

"No." He reminds me a lot my parents. They disregarded common sense and sampled fruits as they pleased.

We walked off, and he led us to the candy isle. He stood at the end like a child in a candy shop. His face filled with awe and his eyes lit up. It was like despite all his money, he never had the chance to fulfil his childhood desires.

His steps were slow, pivoting on one foot to look at the chocolates. "Do you want some? Candy or chocolate?" He placed numerous different chocolate bars into the basket. He has a nasty sweet tooth. But I know mine is even worse.

"Can I get skittles?" I sang and he nodded in approval.

Our shopping spree came to an end and loading the groceries into the car was a struggle we managed to overcome. Once again, silence consumed our car ride. It danced around us with a beautiful routine. It slowly ate away at me and forced me to hide in the prison I call my brain. My own personal prison I force myself into when all I can think is awful things of myself.

I'm seated in a car with a man whose last name is scary. I know nothing about him. He knows nothing about me. Yet, I was forced into this unexpected circumstance forcing our lives to collide. All because of our stupid, irresponsible actions. I deserved this. I deserved to turn into the thing I feared most—my parents.

"What's on your mind?" Grayson pointed out how quiet I was. I'm a talkative person and am able to make conversation out of anything.

I turned to him, taking in his features. Everything about this man screams perfection. Formed by God himself who took more time on him than anyone else.

"I'm just tired," my hands rested on my lap while I looked out the window. We were getting closer to my home and I was more and more excited to be able to take a hot bath. I needed the warmth so bad. "Do you wanna come in? I can make dinner." He has a cook he heavily relies on for his meals and grocery shopping. I knew he would get home and have to figure out how to fix himself something to eat.

A smile slowly spread on his face. He was waiting for me to ask. He parked his car and we headed to the main entrance of my apartment building. Standing in the elevator, we went up and down the hall to my apartment. I pushed the door open and it was a breath of fresh air. Clean, crisp air from the comfort of my home. Grayson was slow to enter. His face carried an expression I hadn't yet seen from him.

My home wasn't very large. The average size of an apartment. It carried everything I needed, but for some reason felt as if it wasn't good enough for Grayson. My cheeks went warm. They flushed with embarrassment of the home I'm usually so proud of.

"I like it. Cozy," he finally spoke and shared his honest opinion. We removed our shoes and he sat at the island while I figured out a meal I could make him. "Your fridge looks like it's...leaking?" He pointed to a spot on the ground where a puddle had formed by the fridge. I groaned, getting paper towels to clean it up.

"I've been meaning to fix it. But I've been busy."

"Fix it?" He looked at me like my words weren't English.

"Yeah. I've been watching YouTube videos and I think I could do it." That and despite me not being broke, I would rather not pay for the expenses of a repair man.

"Hm." We barely talked except for the occasional question he had about my methods of cooking. He is a curious kid. "Is this your ultrasound?" My kitchen stays tidy and clean. But in one corner was photos from my last ultrasound that he noticed. He stood up to get a better look at them.

"Yeah," I placed plates on the table for me to dish out the food. He could not stop staring at the photo, like things had just now become so real for him. "If you want, you can come to my next ultrasound. I know you're busy, so it's not a big deal if you can't make it," I kindly offered him. After our earlier conversation, I've come to realize a child really isn't what Grayson wants and I'm fully prepared to do this all on my own. But I would be lying if I said the idea of having Grayson support me didn't make me happy.

"I guess I could make time," he sat back down with a smile. Looking down, I hid my smile he did not need to see. I was totally willing to do this all on my own. But knowing I have his support felt good.