Grace’s POV

I wake up with a start, an image of bright headlights and the sound screeching brakes echoing through my head. I sit up in bed my head in my hands as I try to catch my breath, once again haunted by a familiar scene that replays itself in my mind so often it has become hard to erase the images. My heart races and my tears threaten to fall as I remember the look in my brother’s eyes as they closed a final time.

I lean back against the headboard of my bed and sigh as I run my hand through my hair. Once I feel that my heart rate has slowed down I lay back down in an attempt to go back to sleep.

After about an hour of staring blankly at the ceiling in a failed attempt of getting more rest I drag myself out of bed with a groan and throw on an oversized hoodie and some track pants before leaving my apartment in the middle of the night to get some fresh air and clear my mind.

I wander around the neighbourhood mindlessly for quite a while before coming to a stop and sitting at a small bench in a nearby park. As I sit there I look up at the stars and remember all the times my brother and I snuck out at night, whether it was just because we wanted someone to talk to, or we had snuck out to go to the dance club we frequented. The night time was our time, we were attached at the hip and ready to take on the world together. As I look at the stars tonight, the atmosphere reminds me of when I first came out to Mitch and how he said he’d known all along, and told me that no matter what my uality was, he would always be there for me because we shared bond that was closer than that of just siblings. He was my best friend, my twin and my partner in crime and without him everyday I feel lost, like a big part of myself is missing. In a way I suppose that part of me is missing, it was torn away from me the night I saw Mitch take his last breath unable to do anything but watch helplessly tears blurring my vision.

As I stare at the stars I feel the splatter of raindrops on my face, with a sigh I begin the walk back home, the raindrops perfectly masking the tears in my eyes and the storm reflecting exactly the way I feel in this moment, as images of headlights, police cars and hospital rooms repeatedly flash through my already cloudy mind.

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I finally reach my apartment, absolutely drenched from head to toe because of the rain. Shivering I struggle to turn the key to open my front door, when I hear a familiar voice call out to me. I turn around and I am met by Jessica’s visibly tired yet worried expression.

“Gracie? What are you doing awake at 1am? God your soaked to the bone, are you okay?” She says as she steps closer to me and looks into my eyes. I’m sure she can see the redness in them from my tears but I choose to shrug it off.

“I’m fine, just couldn’t sleep so I went for a walk and got caught in the rain.” I reply trying my best to smile reassuringly.

Jessica just raises her eyebrows at me knowingly. “Grace, I may not have been around for a while, but I can tell when you are lying, I can see you have been crying. What’s wrong?” She says as she steps closer again taking my cold hand in hers gently. “You’re shivering, come on let’s go inside and get you warmed up and then we can talk.” I watch as she tries to hold back a yawn and I smile gently.

“It’s okay I’m just going to take a shower and go to bed. You look exhausted Jessi, you should get some sleep, we can always talk about this tomorrow when I see you.” I reply squeezing her hand gently.

“Okay, but you can’t get out of this tomorrow Gracie, make sure to warm yourself up so you don’t get sick.” She says with a serious expression and I smile gently in response.

“I promise.” I say before letting go and heading into my room, “Goodnight Jessi.” I add as I turn back to face her once more before closing the door behind me and heading to bed.

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Later that morning I wake up as my alarm sounds loudly throughout my room. I groan as I sit up in bed, exhausted. My head is pounding and the rooms spins numerous times before my eyes before slowing down to a hand to cover my eyes from the light for a moment, I shiver involuntarily, still cold from last night. I drag myself out of bed before getting ready to head into the company for a practice scheduled with Red Velvet. I drag myself out of the apartment and as I am locking up the front door I bump into Yuri.

“Jeez Gracie, you look like death warmed up.” She says after looking me up and down.

“Well I feel like too if that is a good enough excuse.” I reply with a sarcastic laugh.

“What are you doing leaving the house then, you should be resting.” Yuri says slightly concerned.

“I have to work with Red Velvet on their comeback choreography, they only have a week or so left before their comeback, and I need to make sure they have it perfected, I wouldn’t want them or me looking like they aren’t ready. Besides this choreography isn’t easy.”

“Fair enough, just don’t overwork yourself.”

“I’ll be fine, what are you up to anyway?” I ask.

“Heading into the company to start recording for our comeback. The other girls are already there apart from Sica and Yoong. They both had schedules until late last night.”

“I hope Jessi is still in bed? She looked exhausted last night when I bumped into her.”

“You saw her last night? When?” Yuri replies looking surprised.

“I bumped into her in the corridor just after she got home.”

“She didn’t get home till after midnight though, what were you doing out then?”

“I went for a walk, couldn’t sleep.”

“In the rain? No wonder you feel like today you idiot.” She replies shaking her head at me before turning to face me with a sympathetic expression, “Nightmares again?”

“Yeah.” I answer sighing lightly, “I wish it was only a nightmare, instead of a memory that haunts me since the moment it happened.”

“You know if you ever need someone to lend an ear when you want to talk I’m right here okay Gracie.”

“I know thanks Yul, you have no idea how much that means to me.” I reply offering up a small but grateful smile.

“Don’t worry about it, anyway do you mind if I hitch a ride to the company with you? I was gonna get a taxi, but since we are both heading to the same place it’d be a waste wouldn’t it.”

“No problem.” I say and the two of us make our way to my car before heading to the company together.

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The practice with Red Velvet goes really