The Gray Effect - Chapter 14: Chapter 14

S O P H I A H O N E Y
A LIGHT TAP on my shoulder pulls me out of the fog. "Soph," a voice says softly.
I groan, my head pounding like a drumline has set up shop in my skull. My brain feels like it's trying to detach itself and float away, leaving me behind in this godforsaken state. Why did I drink? What do people even see in alcohol? It's so, so terrible.
"Soph, wake up." There's a gentle shake now, and my eyes flutter open, but they're weighed down like someone stacked bricks on my lids.
"Yes...?" I mumble, my voice slurred as I try to piece together whose voice this is. My head lolls to the side, and I blink blearily into the darkness.
"Open your eyes for me, Soph." The voice is deeper this time, familiar, but I can't quite place it. I shake my head and slump back against the soft surface behind me. A chair, maybe? am I in a car? It doesn't matter. It's comfortable, and that's all I care about right now.
"My eyes are tired," I mumble, snuggling further into the seat. "Let me sleep. I'll leave your car tomorrow." A giggle escapes me as I press my cheek against the seat. It smells nice, like leather and something warm-cologne, maybe? I sigh contentedly.
"You'd rather sleep in the car?" The voice sounds closer now, almost amused.
I nod dramatically, letting out a small hum of approval. "Mhm. It's cozy here."
There's a pause, and then the voice responds, deadpan. "So you don't want to sleep on a soft, comfy bed? Got it. Bye, then."
My eyes snap open at the word "bed," and I squint into the dim light in the car. My vision takes a moment to adjust, but when it does, I groan loudly, dropping my head back against the seat. "Oh, it's you," I mutter, the disappointment clear in my voice.
Theo's standing there, outside the car, arms crossed, his eyebrow raised in that infuriatingly smug way of his. "You were expecting someone else?" he asks, his lips twitching like he's fighting a smile.
"Maybe," I slur, waving a hand dismissively. "Don't flatter yourself, Gray."
He lets out a low chuckle, shaking his head as he reaches down to help me up. "Alright, Sleeping Beauty. Let's get you upstairs before you turn my car into your new apartment."
"Your car smells nice," I mumble as he wraps an arm around my waist to steady me. My feet stumble against the pavement, but he catches me easily, holding me firmly against his side.
"Thanks," he replies dryly, steering me toward the building entrance. "I'll add that to my list of compliments from drunk Sophia."
We step inside, and I immediately cringe at the bright lights in the lobby. "Too bright," I whine, burying my face against his chest to shield my eyes.
He freezes for half a second, then sighs. "You're lucky you're drunk," he mutters, adjusting his grip on me as we head toward the elevator.
When the doors slide open, I lean heavily against him, my cheek pressed against his shoulder. "You're... really warm," I note, my words slurring together.
"Yeah, that's what happens when you're alive," he replies, his tone laced with amusement. His arm tightens around my waist as he presses the button for our floor.
I close my eyes, enjoying the feel of his arm on me. This is nice, my drunken brain decides. But my sober self-oh, she'd probably bite his hand off if he tried this while I was coherent.
"Don't get used to this," I mumble, my head lolling to the side. "This is a one-time thing."
"Noted," Theo says, his voice light. "Just let me know when you're ready to walk on your own."
I snort. "Yeah, okay. Give me, like... forever." The elevator dings, and I cling to him tighter as the doors slide open. "Carry me," I demand, throwing my arms around his neck.
"You're unbelievable," he mutters, but there's a hint of a smile in his voice as he hoists me up. "You owe me for this, Soph."
I hum sleepily, resting my head against his shoulder. "Sure, Gray. Add it to my tab."
By the time we reach my door, I'm half-asleep, my words barely audible as I murmur, "It's doesn't want to leave my tongue." I almost whine.
"What doesn't want to leave your tongue?"
"The alcohol," I grumble, making a face just thinking about it. "How do you guys take that? I feel like dying."
His laugh is soft, and I feel his arm steady me as he unlocks the door. "Maybe next time, don't go to parties."
I don't reply. My head lolls to the side, and I'm practically dragging my feet as he helps me inside. When we reach the edge of the bed, I collapse onto it, letting out a contented sigh.
"This bed," I moan, burying my face into the pillow. "This bed is the softest thing I've ever felt. It's so perfect. I think I'm in love."
A low chuckle comes from behind me, and I turn my head just enough to see Theo standing there, arms crossed, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Why are you still here?" I mumble, my voice muffled by the pillow.
He doesn't say anything at first. Instead, he steps closer, bending down slightly. I feel his hands on my ankles, and my body tenses instinctively.
"Relax, Soph," he mutters. "Just getting these off."
I watch as he slides my heels off, one by one, before placing them neatly at the side of the room. His movements are careful, deliberate, like he's afraid I might topple over if he's not gentle enough.
He straightens up and takes a step back, clearly ready to leave, and for some reason I don't feel like being alone.
"Do you want to stay?" The words tumble out of my mouth before I can stop them.
Theo freezes, turning his head to look at me. His expression is shocked, but I'm too drunk to care how weird I sound.
"You want me to stay?" His brow arches as he fully turns toward me.
"I think so." I try to sit up, but my vision swims, and my body threatens to collapse back onto the bed. I fight it for a moment before giving in.
"Why?"
I groan, letting myself sink into the mattress. "Because I don't want to be alone, happy?" I glance at him again and notice he hasn't moved. I frown. "What's your deal? Just sit on the bed and talk to me."
"Aren't you tired?"
I shake my head, a random giggle slipping out. "I think I am, but I don't want to sleep alone. It gets so quiet here."
He doesn't respond, and the silence stretches between us. I sigh, chalking it up as another embarrassing moment to forget in the morning.
Then I hear footsteps, slow and deliberate, like he's debating whether to come closer. "The quiet's not that bad," he says finally. "I like it."
I scoff. "Maybe you like being alone, but I don't. I miss home-it was never this quiet." My eyes fix on the ceiling, and a thought crosses my mind. "Theo?"
"Yeah?"
The bed dips, and I feel him settling beside me. The darkness wraps around us, so thick I can't see him. My voice is softer now.
"What was it like when you first came here?"
The silence returns, heavier this time, until he speaks. "Do you mean when I moved into this apartment or when I left Oakmare?"
"Both." My eyelids grow heavier, but I keep listening.
"It wasn't bad," he says eventually, his tone even. "But it wasn't good either."
His words follow me as I drift off, and just before sleep takes me, I hear him chuckle softly-low and warm-and then, "Goodnight, Sophie."
And then I'm gone, his voice the last thing I hear.
●●●
My head feels like it's about to explode as I wake up, the pounding so intense it almost makes me cry. I groan, pressing a hand to my temple while the room tilts slightly around me. Forcing myself to sit up, I blink, trying to clear the haze in my vision.
How did I even get here?
I glance toward the other side of the bed, my stomach flipping uneasily.
Was I that drunk... or did something happen last night?
Impossible. I shake my head, instantly regretting it when the pounding doubles in intensity. Groaning again, I swing my legs off the bed and shuffle toward the door, desperate to find something to make the pain stop.
My eyes are half-open as I stumble into the main room, trying to adjust to the light, but it's blinding. I squint, then snap them shut when the brightness sears my vision.
Someone please turn the lights off!
"Finally." Theo's voice cuts through the fog, startling me. "You're awake."
I freeze, peeking through my fingers. He's leaning against the kitchen counter, a mug in one hand and an amused smirk on his face.
Something definitely happened last night or this is him trying to get to my skin.
And sadly it's working.
"Why are you all smiling like that?" I rasp, my voice hoarse. "It's hella weird. Cut it out."
He snorts. "So smiling is now a crime. I already miss drunk Sophie at least she was cute." He takes a sip from his mug and sighs in satisfaction.
I groan again, dragging myself to the fridge and fumbling for water. "Wait," I say, pausing mid-reach. "What do you mean you miss drunk Sophie?"
Theo raises a brow, his smirk growing. "What do you think I meant?"
My memories are hazy. The last two things I clearly recall are being flat-out rejected by Scott-which I'll have to play cool about when Monday rolls around-and snapping at Theo to back off while I was in the middle of a meltdown.
After that, I think my brain just shut down. I drowned the pain in every kind of drink I could get my hands on-most of which I wasn't remotely prepared to handle.
So whatever he's pulling off must be a joke.
"I seriously have no energy for whatsoever stunt you're trying to pull," I mutter, chugging water and praying it helps.
Theo steps forward, his hand closing around the bottle I'm clutching. "Now you're making me regret not recording your entire act from last night," he mutters, prying it from my grip with infuriating ease. Before I can protest, he's already pouring the water into a kettle.
"What are you-"
"Relax." He cuts me off, grabbing a small jar from the cupboard. A few minutes later, he hands me a steaming cup of something herbal.
I wrinkle my nose as I take it. "What's this?"
"It's not poison, that's for sure."
I glare at him, but he just chuckles, hopping onto the counter like he owns the place. It's only then I notice he's shirtless, his lean, toned torso annoyingly distracting as my gaze flickers to it. I snap my eyes back to the cup, cheeks heating.
"Seriously, what is it?"
"It's supposed to help with your headache, Soph." He shrugs, his casual tone making me scowl. "Take it or leave it."
Before I can decide, he suddenly hops off the counter, closing the distance between us in two steps.
"W-what are you doing?" I stammer, gripping the cup like a lifeline as he stops just inches away.
His eyes meet mine, a glint of mischief in them. "Making sure you don't spill it all over yourself. You're still half-asleep."
"I'm fine," I mutter, stepping back, but the sudden proximity leaves me flustered.
He smirks, leaning down slightly. "Sure you are."
I push him back, my hand landing on his chest for the first time ever. My body betrays me, shuddering at how solid and warm he feels. The sudden closeness sends my nerves into overdrive, and I step around the counter, needing space. His eyes follow my every move, sharp and unrelenting.
My gaze drops to the mystery drink in the mug he set out. What's the worst that could happen? Without overthinking, I gulp it down. The taste hits me, and I grimace.
It's almost worse than the alcohol I had last night.
"What was that?" I set the mug down on the counter, my nose wrinkling. He grabs it, rinsing it out in the sink like it's no big deal.
"Liquid medicine," he says with a shrug, walking past me and flopping onto the couch like it's his personal throne. "Some of us don't like swallowing pills."
"Who said I can't swallow?" I cross my arms, instantly regretting the phrasing as it hangs in the air.
Theo raises an eyebrow, mirroring my posture with an infuriating smirk.
"You don't take meds, Soph. Maybe you forgot, but I definitely remember you hiding your pills in plant pots around your house."
I freeze. How the hell does he know that?
He leans back, like he's enjoying my shock. "I mean, you practically killed half your mom's plants. The smell of medicine probably haunted her garden."
My chest tightens. I've never told anyone about that. Not even Ryan, because if he found out, he'd never let me live it down. I'd have spent years groveling to keep him quiet.
"I-I don't know what you're talking about," I stammer, my voice weaker than I'd like.
Theo chuckles, "Sure you don't."
"Fine I do." I give up. "But how do you even know about that?"
Theo stretches out on the couch like he owns the place, arms draped casually over the back. "Because I saw you," he says, a slow grin spreading across his face.
"When?" I press, crossing my arms tighter. "You weren't even around that much."
It still surprises me that he even cared enough to notice me back then. Sure, he'd tease me or snatch my stuff, but that was mostly when Ryan was around.
"Every time I came to visit," he says like it's obvious. "I'd see you sneak off with your pills, and when no one was watching, you'd dump them in a pot. Honestly, you were terrible at hiding it."
I gape at him. "Why didn't you say anything to Ryan?"
His smirk softens, just enough to make me pause. "There was no need."
"No need?" I repeat, baffled. "You could've ratted me out to my brother and ruined my life, but you didn't?" why?
Theo sits up, resting his elbows on his knees. His expression turns smug again, but there's something mischievous in his eyes. "Nope. I had a better idea. I found a way to make you take them without you even knowing."
My jaw drops. "What are you talking about?"
"Think back, Soph," he says, leaning forward, his voice low and teasing. "All those times you drank your mom's soup, or the 'special smoothies' she made for you when you were sick."
Realization hits me like a truck. "You-"
He nods, biting back a laugh. "Yep. Every time I visited and saw you skipping your meds, I crushed them up and slipped them into your food or drinks. You never even noticed."
I stare at him, equal parts horrified and impressed. "You're unbelievable."
He shrugs, looking far too pleased with himself. "What can I say? I'm resourceful. And you're stubborn."
"You're lucky I didn't notice," I grumble, but deep down, I can't help the small flicker of gratitude.
Theo leans back again, giving me a wink. "Lucky for you, I'm always one step ahead."
This is going nowhere.
I roll my eyes, officially tired of looking at his smug face. Without another word, I turn on my heel and head back to my room. The pounding in my head hasn't let up, and all I want is to lie down and forget this entire morning.
But first, my phone.
I look around the room, checking the nightstand, under the pillows, even the floor, but it's nowhere. Frustrated, I step back into the living room. Theo is still lounging on the couch like he has nowhere else to be.
"Did the guys drop my phone when they brought me here last night?" I ask, crossing my arms and leaning against the doorframe.
He looks up from his spot on the couch, frowning. "Wait-you don't remember anything from last night?
I hesitate, crossing my arms. "Not really. All I remember is drinking..." and embarrassing myself by almost crying in front of a guy I barely even know." My cheeks heat as the memory trickles back, mortifying and blurry.
Theo's expression softens, but only for a second. Then he stands abruptly. "I'll be back."
"Wait-what? You're just leaving like that?" I ask, watching as he strides toward the door, shirtless.
He shrugs, already slipping on his shoes. "I'll be back in a minute. Don't miss me too much."
I huff, watching as he disappears out the door. True to his word, not even five minutes pass before he's back. He tosses my phone onto the bed, smirking as I catch it.
"Where was it?" I ask, narrowing my eyes.
He pauses in the doorway, one hand resting on the frame as if he's about to leave again. "There weren't any guys. I brought you home last night."
"What?" I blink, not buying it for a second. "No, you didn't."
"Oh, I did," he says, that smug grin returning. "And you were all over me. Kept going on about how good I smelled and how warm I felt."
I stare at him, horrified. "You're lying."
He tilts his head, his grin widening. "Am I?"
"Yes!" I shout, clutching my phone like it's going to save me. "That's a lie!"
He's lying. He has to be. Even if I was drunk, there's no way I'd cling to him like that-or say something so ridiculous.
Theo chuckles, stepping back into the hallway. "Whatever you say, Soph."
And with that, he's gone, leaving me to stew in my own mortification.
His door swings open again, and Theo pokes his head inside, a mischievous grin plastered on his face. "You know," he starts, leaning against the doorframe, "if you don't believe me, you could always ask the security guy downstairs. Or the people who saw me carrying you."
My stomach twists. "Carrying me?"
"Oh, yeah," he says, stepping fully into the apartment now, his grin growing wider. "You were holding onto me so tight, I felt like a prince carrying his princess."
"My cheeks blaze with heat as I glare at him. "Stop that," I snap, clenching my teeth.
"Stop what?" he asks, tilting his head, feigning confusion. "Saying 'princess'? Or is it that you like the word? Answer me-princess."
My entire body tenses. "I really want to kill you, do you know that?"
He steps closer, his grin infuriatingly wide now. "Oh, come on. It's a compliment. You looked the part last night-dazed, dramatic, holding onto me for dear life."
"I will throw something at you," I threaten, grabbing the nearest pillow.
"You'd miss." He winks, stepping out of range just in time as I hurl the pillow at him. It lands harmlessly on the floor, and he lets out a laugh.
"Good try, princess," he says, ducking back into the hallway before I can grab something else.
I groan, collapsing back onto the bed, my face buried in my hands. Of all the people to deal with after a night like this, it had to be Theo.
He's never letting this go, isn't he?