Let Yourself Fall // sequel to My Ethan Karpathy

Chapter 26.

CHRIS' POV:

When I wake up the next morning, my heart skips a beat because I don't know where I am. Then my memories come flooding back. Grace. I'm with Grace. I now can feel her weight pressed up against my arm and chest. I remember last night, and remember that kiss we shared on the balcony. It was probably the best kiss I've ever had in my whole entire fucking life. Actually, maybe not. But it was pretty damn special. In that moment, it didn't matter about anything else. It didn't matter about the mistakes I've made or the fights we've had. It was the perfect moment, with my perfect girl. My grandpa once told me that it can take an eternity to find the right love. But when you do, it's worth the wait. I got most of my life advice from my grandpa. He's one of the closest people to me, he means so much to me. I don't know where I would be today, but I do know he's been the main contributing factor on how I'm the man I am today. I'm actually proud of the man I am today. My thoughts are interrupted by movement in my arms. I snap out of my thoughts and let my eyes rest on Grace.

"I just interrupted something." She observes, sliding down and resting her head on my arm.

"Just thinking." I sigh.

"About what?" She asks with a small giggle.

I hesitate but then think of the perfect thing to say.

"Life." I say, letting out a deep breath through my nose.

"Everything okay? Need help with anything?"

"Well, you could stop being so beautiful. It's making me look bad." I tease.

"Now that was cheesy." she laughs, a smile playing on the corners of her mouth.

"You think that's cheesy?" I ask playfully.

"Yep."

"Well, if beauty were time, you'd be an eternity. Are you lost? Because heavens a long way from here and you make my heart melt like hot fudge on a sundae." I list all of the cheesiest lines I know.

" Ah, you can fall off a building, you can fall out of a tree, but baby, the best way to fall is in love with me." Grace shoots back.

"Excuse me, can you please empty your pockets? I have reason to believe you have stolen my heart." I shoot right back at her.

"I don't have any pockets." She laughs.

"Then you're just gonna have to take your shirt off." I joke.

I don't think she realised I was joking by the look on her face. But what confused me more was the fact that she didn't seem to object to the idea. She actually seems to be considering it.. Maybe she actually wants it too.

"Baby, I was joking." I laugh.

"Yeah," grace blushes, laughing it off. "I know."

"But seriously.. I want to talk about that." I sigh, rubbing the back of my neck nervously.

"Mmm?"

"Well, I don't know how to say this actually. Do you.. Ya know.. Want to?.. Because.. Well, I guess I just want you to be my first.., and last, and everything in between. I don't want to get drunk at some party one day and make the... The biggest drunken mistake of my life." I stutter, gaining more confidence towards the end.

Grace doesn't say anything for a few moments, which kind of makes me nervous and uneasy. But then she breaks the silence.

"Chris.. You're not 16 yet. I agree with you 100%, and I do want to, but I want to wait until you're sixteen. That's only a few weeks, and then we can think seriously about it. If we do this, I don't want it to be out of lust and desperation. I want it to be out of love and respect for each other. I don't want some wild one night stand, I want it to be special. I want it to be a night I'll remember forever, and one I won't regret. I'm sorry if that's not what you want. But if it isn't, I'm sorry, I'm not doing this with you." Grace answers.

"Grace, I would never do that to you. I won't force anything on you. I'll wait until you're ready, so don't think I'm going to make you on the exact day I turn 16. I will never make you do anything you don't want to do. I love you, and I promise I'll make our first time as special and memorable as possible." I answer, hoping I'm coming across as sweet and caring.

"Thank you." Grace says, happy tears welling in her eyes. I lean down and kiss her. It's only quick, but it's enough to show her I love her. We decide to get up and go round to Ethan's. I leave the room while she gets changed and lean against the wall. Sarah walks past and surprises me when she stops and talks.

"Hey, Chris. I'm just here to warn you that if you ever break Grace's heart, I will be coming for you. She loves you, she really does. And she's too sweet to ever have anything like they done to her." Sarah warns. Well this wasn't exactly what I had expected.

"Sarah, I'm never going to hurt Grace. I love her so much, she's perfect for me and there's nothing I would ever change about her. So don't worry, she's in safe hands." I answer.

"Alright, you're good. I'm not mean, I promise, I just had to run the 'sisters boyfriend test' on you to make sure you aren't some playing prick using her for fame." Sarah laughs, so I do too. I really like Sarah now. As a friend, of course.

"I don't need her fame, her fame has nothing on our relationship. This is strictly a relationship of love for each other. Besides.. I have my own fa-.. Wait, did you even watch the voice kids?" I ask.

"Um, no I didn't. I work from 5-10 every night so I couldn't. I watched Grace's performances online. That's all I've seen." she admits.

"Did you know I was off of there too..?" I ask. Maybe Grace only told her about me.. Not famous me. This sends a warm feeling up through me. I don't know why, but I like that.

"No, Grace didn't tell me that." Sarah says, a look of confusion forming on her face.

"Well.. I won The Voice Kids." I mutter. I don't want to brag.

"Woah, congratulations!" She says.

"Anyway, that's not the important part. My point is that I don't need her fame, I have my own fame and compared to Grace, the fame means nothing."

"Wow, Grace has done really well. I have to go now, hopefully I'll see you around." Sarah smiles- quite like Grace and disappears into another room.

"I'm done, Chris." I hear a voice say from inside.

I walk back into the room to see grace all dressed in new clothes. She was wearing high waisted denim jeans and a three quarter cropped shirt that ended in a wavy pattern just above her belly button but had a lacy material along the bottom, filling in the gap between the top of her jeans and the shirt so there's a few centimetre gap.

(A/N: http://www.supre.com.au/SANDY-TOP-WHITE-.aspx?p154006 that's the shirt. Idek why.. But I love this shirt... And yes, I know. Another Grace and Chris chapter. I'm sorry but Ethan and Paisley will be in the next one I promiseeee. I hope you don't mind)

"Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?" I ask, half laughing, half serious.

"Nope," she giggles as we leave her room. "But my feet hurt when I was crawling from hell."

"Hey, guys! I'll drive you to Ethan's if you don't feel like taking the bus." Grace's mum says when we get to the kitchen.

"Thanks, mum." Grace says as we walk out to the car. The car ride was silent and we were almost there, about five minutes away, actually, when we needed to stop for petrol. We waited in the car while graces mum went and payed.

"Paisley and Ethan don't know we're coming. I can't wait for Cat and Brai to meet you." I exclaim.

"Who's Cat and Brai?"

I totally forget to tell her.

"Oh I'm so sorry. Cat is a model that Paisley is now friends with, and Brai is Ethan's assisting artist." I explain.

Grace is about to reply when her mum gets back into the car and we drive the rest of the way to Ethan's.