Unproven Chapter Thirty "Treachery at Every Turn"

If you're loved by someone, you're never rejected, decide what to be and GO BE IT
-The Avett brothers

Recommend Reading Introduction to Unproven

DEFINITELY READ Prologue

Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three

Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six

Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty One

Chapter Twenty Two Chapter Twenty Three Chapter Twenty Four

Chapter Twenty Five Chapter Twenty Six Chapter Twenty Seven

Chapter Twenty Eight Chapter Twenty Nine

Chapter Thirty

He sat across from Amanda at a table in the gameroom and took a swig of his beer, watching as she followed suit like a good parrot. "So I had it out with Sonya the other night,"he said casually.

"And?" She asked, tucking her hair behind her ear and leaning forward slightly.

He frowned, "I don't know. I could not have been clearer but I still sensed...I don't know. She said she understood, so I guess we’ll see."

Amanda mimicked his frown, "I hope she understood, God she's becoming a slut."

"Yeah, well that doesn't bother me a tenth as much as her willingness to betray Aryanne," Grayson commented.

Amanda nodded emphatically, "Right? She…”

“Master Grayson, there’s a young lady at the door.” The butler’s voice came through the intercom.

"Hold that thought," Grayson jumped up and depressed the button on the com. “Thanks John, have her wait outside I’ll be right down.” He strode from the room.

He took the stairs two at a time to ensure he'd get there before Amanda whom he was certain would follow. He opened the front door wide and peered down at the bouncy girl in front of him.

“Hi!” Sonya chirped, “Ary told me to come over.”

He raised a brow, “Really when?" He asked loudly. "She was sleeping last time I checked.”

Sonya blinked, “Oh, huh. Can I come in anyway?”

Grayson heard Amanda entering the foyer and suppressed a smile. Game on. “No, you can’t, I don’t think you get it,” he said in a serious tone as he smiled at her teasingly.

Sonya blinked once in confusion then grinned, “Come on, let me in.” When he still didn’t move she placed her hands on his chest and pushed him, laughing.

Grayson grabbed her hands and turned his face slightly, his expression transforming into a snarl. “We had a conversation,” he gritted, “I fucking told you enough was enough. Christ I did everything I could to protect Ary and you, what the fuck is wrong with you?” He pushed her backward onto the porch and watched as her mouth went slack.

As he knew she would Amanda pushed past him, her snarl putting his own to shame. “How could you Sonya?” she demanded, “How could you do this to Ary, you’re supposed to be her friend!”

Sonya stared at her in confusion. “Wh…what, I don’t know what you’re talking…”

Amanda leaned forward, her face turning red. “Oh my God, I swear if you stand there and lie to me I am going to slap you.”

Sonya blinked several times, shaking her head.

Ary made her way through the house, the sounds of her friends’ voices pulling her toward the front door. She’d been woken a few minutes earlier by Amanda hurrying through the room. Now she heard raised voices, and as she got closer to the source of the argument her grogginess faded.

“Um guys, what’s going on here?” She asked, as she walked out on the porch, shielding her eyes from the late afternoon sun.

“Ask her.” Amanda pointed at Sonya accusingly.

Sonya shook her head wordlessly, her hazel eyes filled with tears.

“Fine, then I’ll fill her in,” Amanda spat. She turned to face Ary, pointing a finger at Sonya accusingly. “Our good friend here has been coming on to Grayson for weeks.”

Ary drew back in confusion, “What?”

“It’s true,” Amanda stated, “she’s been propositioning him for blow jobs in exchange for things and she thinks the only reason he’s turning her down is because he’s afraid she’ll rat him out. She’s got it in her head that she’s some kind of master of oral sex.”

Aryanne turned toward Sonya with wide eyes and the girl shook her head and kept shaking it.

“Oh don’t you dare deny it!” Amanda snapped. “I saw you do it! That day when you pushed him into his room then another day when you walked away from him all pouty then a minute ago when he told you that you didn’t seem to understand the word no and you put your hands on him anyway? Yeah, I heard it all and I saw you! And Dori has too!”

Sonya bit her lip as tears slid down her face.

Ary’s gaze bounced back and forth between her friends, blinking in disbelief. She turned toward Grayson.

He looked at the ground, his jaw clenching. “I’m sorry Aryanne. I didn’t want you to get hurt. I tried to get through to her, I gave her a chance to let it drop, but she just kept pushing. I’m sorry.”

“He did Ary,” Amanda jumped in, “after I saw Sonya push him into his room I asked him what was going on, but he told me not to worry about it. Then I saw her go up to him again and he looked upset and I was about to confront him when Dori filled me in. Then I did confront him but he was so worried about protecting you he made me promise not to say anything. He said he was going to talk to her, and he did talk to her,” her voice started rising again as she turned back to Sonya, “and I just don’t get what the hell you were thinking!”

Sonya started crying in earnest, “It’s not true,” she sobbed.

“Unbelie…” Amanda started but Grayson put a hand on her arm to stop her.

He turned to Sonya and glared. “I want you off my property. Now.”

Ary swallowed hard as she watched the tears stream down Sonya’s face. She couldn’t believe this was happening. She glanced at Grayson and took an inadvertent step back from the anger in his expression.

“I’m sorry Aryanne, I am,” he gritted, “I know she’s been your friend a long time, but Jesus Christ this is fucking ridiculous. At first I didn’t want to tell you because I thought maybe she didn't understand the hurt she would cause, then it was because I realized what a liar she is and I did not want to deal with one second of doubt from you. But I’m done being diplomatic, she needs to get gone, and she’s not welcome back.” He clenched his jaw then turned and stalked into the house.

“Helloooo?” Amanda sneered at Sonya, “You heard him, what are you still doing here?”

Sonya shook her head once more then turned and fled to her car.

Ary watched her go through burning eyes, her insides churning. “It doesn’t make sense,” she finally whispered. “Why would she? She knows how much I love him.”

Amanda sighed, “I don’t know Ary, it’s like we don’t know her.”

Ary glanced at Amanda and nodded slightly before walking back into the house. She jogged up the stairs toward Grayson’s suite and heard Amanda ascending behind her. She wanted to tell her she needed to talk to Grayson alone, but she was already minus one friend and afraid of chasing off another.

She found Grayson in the game room shooting pool, his face still rigid with anger.

“Hey,” She said in a small voice.

He smacked another ball hard before looking up, his brow cocked in question.

“I don’t doubt you Grayson,” she whispered.

He nodded, then leaned down and took another shot. Ary chewed on her lip, unsure of what else to say, still reeling from the shock of Sonya’s betrayal.

“I think we should call Andie,” Amanda stated.

Grayson looked up and laughed darkly, “Yeah, why don’t you do that. Because she’s definitely gonna believe me over your freckled friend.” He dropped his head and shot another ball.

Amanda frowned, “Um, I’m a witness remember, plus she knows that Sonya lies.”

Grayson dropped the pool stick and stood, bracing his hands against the table. “Yeah well, I don’t think Andie,” he spat her name, “really has room to judge Sonya.”

Ary blinked. “What do you mean?”

He cocked his head to the side, “You’ve been in love with me for years, right?”

Ary nodded slowly.

“So spending a whole day flirting with me several months ago then making out with me for hours that night would probably be a pretty shitty thing for her to have done, also right?”

Ary stared at him in disbelief as a great yawning hole opened at her feet. “What?” she finally managed, “Andie?”

Amanda was staring as well. “Are you serious?”

He shook his head angrily, “Don’t take my word for it, ask her, unless she’s as big a liar as your other friend.”

Ary shook her head numbly. “I can’t…I…I can’t…”

Amanda whipped out her cell phone and punched in the number, putting it on speaker.

Andie answered on the third ring. “Amanda what the hell is going on, I just got a call from Sonya…”

Ary snatched the phone from her hand. “Shut up,” she commanded, one hand curling into a fist at her side.

The silence was deafening.

Ary dragged in a breath, “How could you?”

Andie cleared her throat. “Shit. He told you about the pier.”

Ary’s grip tightened on the phone as tears began sliding down her face. “How could you do that? Why? Then not tell me, and constantly bash me about him, how?”

Andie’s voice was strained. “I’m sorry Ary. I’m so sorry. It was a mistake…”

“Yes,” Ary interrupted shakily, “it was.” She disconnected and handed the phone to Amanda then sank down on the floor and buried her face in her knees.

Grayson came around the table and sank down beside her, pulling her into his arms, “I’m sorry,” he whispered, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t want this to happen.” He rocked her while she sobbed and looked up at Amanda with an agonized expression.

It’s not your fault, she mouthed.

He smiled gratefully, then buried his face in Ary’s hair. “Come on,” he said softly, “let’s go take a bath.”

She nodded without looking up, wrapping her arms around his neck as he lifted her. She was still sobbing and he cast Amanda a helpless look.

“Should I stay?” She asked.

He smiled gently, “It’s okay I’ve got it, but come back tomorrow. She needs to know she has one good friend.”

Amanda nodded firmly. “Of course.”

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