The Michaels Twins [Book One in the Hard at Heart series]

Chapter Eighteen

We are a team.

• Grayson's pøv •

25 days later. May 1st.

I woke up and stretched while yawning. Things were.. Different to say the least without Megan around. Kit seems okay because she has Drew to balance her out and vice versa. I found a happy place and dealt with all my issues about losing her and I think that I'm ready for something new.

I was ready to try. I no longer had a mate so that left one of two options; I pick a mate myself or I have a second mate out there somewhere.

I went to the bathroom and got into the shower. I dreamt about Megan sometimes and what we could've been but I try to push them aside. They felt so real sometimes. Almost as if she were coming to see me every now and then but would leave before I could touch her. Even just to hold her hand. But I liked when she touched me.

When her hand graced my face and left a beautiful trail of fire.

It was welcoming.

I wanted to be engulfed in her flames.

Or at least I used to.

I finished up with washing my hair and body and just stood under the calming heat of the water. I sighed before getting out and wrapping the towel around my waist. "Sundays suck." I told myself. I brushed my teeth while I was in the bathroom and then left for clothing.

Once at my closet and dresser I rolled on deodorant, sprayed cologne and then looked at all my clothes. "Not like I have anywhere to be." I told myself laughing. I pulled on clean black boxers and socks and white sweats. I dried my Bieber hair in my fluffy towel a bit before walking it over to the hamper.

I need a haircut. I grabbed my cell and went downstairs for breakfast, my twin and my best friend. "KIT! DREW!" I screamed when I got into the kitchen. "WHAT?" Drew yelled back. "COME HERE." In a few short minutes everyone's ship #Krew was in the kitchen staring at me.

"What?" "Mornin'." I told them. "Seriously?" Kit asked. "Yup." I was making a bowl of cereal as they sat at the table. "We should go to the mall." I suggested. "You hate the mall." Kit said pointedly. "No.. I hate the mall when 'Kian' forces me to go. I like the mall." I said with air quotations. Kit bit her lip to keep the tiny tears back because she was thinking about her best friend now.

"Okay. Yeah, sure. I mean.. why not, right?" Kit rambled. "You don't have to if you don't want to." "No it's fine." She said. "I'll go get dressed." She left; Drew was wearing black skinny jeans and a Falling In Reverse T-shirt. His blonde hair was just above his eyes rather than in them thanks to his new haircut.

I put my bowl in the sink and went back upstairs to brush my teeth again. So sue me, I like clean teeth before and after eating breakfast. When I got downstairs I flopped onto the couch and sat there in my phone in silence. "Oh, I need a shirt." I said laughing to myself. I went back upstairs and put on a black long sleeve shirt.

On my way downstairs I saw Megan. I sighed. "These are getting too real." I told myself, shaking my head and moving on. I sat back on the couch and Megan walked in. "I am real Gray." She told me. "No you're not. You're always 'real' until I wake up or move on. You're not real Megan." I said.

A tear slipped from her eye. "I am real." I stood up and threw my phone back on the couch. "If you're real then I'd be able to touch you. You can't touch what's not there." I stalked closer and stood a few inches from her image.

"See? You're not-" My hands cupped her face and I stopped mid-sentence. "Real..." I swallowed and backed away, "This isn't possible. You died." I denied. "You died in my arms." Kit walked in and I turned to see her stop dead in her tracks, followed by Drew. "Kit why'd you- Oh my God."

We all stared at Megan and she stared back blankly. Kit turned to me. "Am I seeing things..?" "Unless we're all seeing the same thing then no." Drew answered for me. Kit ran to Megan and they held onto each other for dear life. They were both crying and Drew was still in the doorway, shocked. Finally he had control of his actions again and moved closer to Megan and Kit. "You're back." He said breathlessly. He hugged Megan and she surprisingly hugged him back.

"I thought I lost you." He said with his chin against her head. "I'm so sorry Drew. I hope you can understand." She told him back. He kissed the top of her head, "Its fine. You're back, that's all that matters." He let go of her and she turned to me. I was in the same spot I had been in from when I stepped away from her.

"Nice hair." She commented to me. "Y-You're not..." I trailed off. She took a step closer and I took one back. "I am real Gray. I'm so sorry." She told me before trying to take another step. I repeated the process of moving away.

"No." I said coldly. "Grayson." Kit scolded. "No Kit. You be happy, talk to her, whatever. Pretend nothing happened. I forgot this is easier for you. You don't know what I felt. How I felt. You don't know pain until you've lost the one person who was supposed to be there for you. Even if we weren't at that stage yet, it still hurts like hell.

That's how the mate bond works. She knows what I felt, she can feel it. And yet she didn't come back for me." I semi-shouted. "And what if I couldn't?!" Megan yelled back. "What if I couldn't come back yet?" She asked me.

"We are a team. Whatever you lack, I got. We will balance each other out. Minor setback? We'll make a better comeback. Bad day? I promise you a better night. I'll keep you motivated and at the top. Always as long as you appreciate me and remain consistent. You don't ever have to doubt my loyalty. You got me, I got us. You could've found a way to let me know."

I was taking harsh shallow breaths.

"But you didn't and I'm done." I told her darkly. "What does that mean Grayson?" Megan asked pointedly. "I'm just-" I paused, steadying myself. "I'm done." I said with a clenched jaw.