"Let's go home," he whispers into my ear as he continues to hold me tightly from the middle seat of the car.

"That's not necessary, I'm completely fine," I tell him semi honestly. I'm not hurt, just confused and pissed. I'm perfectly capable of standing still for a while whilst I'm being fitted for tomorrow night.

"Gray, seriously, we don't need to go to the fitting now. You can go home and have a nap or something," I'm a fkn insomniac u stoopid.

"Firstly, I can't take naps, you know that damn. Secondly, we've been procrastinating this fitting for ages the AMAs are Legit tomorrow. And thirdly, I promise I'm fine. I'm not brushing you off like what I'm fine usually mean I swear on my packet of Mars bar pods I've got back home," he gives me that 'r u sure sure' look, "I'm fine you doofus! To the fitting!" I say louder pointing my finger forward with a smile. Mikey looks back and smiles.

"Okay okay, fine..." he pauses for a moment before he continues in a quieter tone, "I just don't get how you aren't more traumatised"

"Because Justin, we can't let the bastards get us down, we just have to turn it around with another round, you know?"

"I'd drink to that," Mikey says as he raises his water bottle in the air causing both Justin and I to laugh.

"I can't believe how chill you are, you inspire me darling," he says with a hint of sarcasm at the end.

"Thank you, hunny, I try"

•

"I love this!" I say to Karla as I stand in the mirror walking around like I'm on toddlers and tiara, "and I want world peace Mr host man, bc everyone should love each other and there should be no war either because war is bad," I say using a queen like British tone, you know what I'm talking about, as I gracefully move side to side.

Karla bursts out laughing and I keep moving my hips. Justin walks in not a moment later with his phone to his ear, "yeah I'm walking to her right now, hold o-" he stops mid way into the room and Karla and I stop goofing around to turn to him, "fuck me dead," he says wide eyed.

"Hey that's my thing," I say as I cross my arms.

"You look... you look... um..."

"I know right," and I continue to glide across the room doing that queen wave where you cup your hand and wave slowly, "thank you for being here today, thank you for being here today," if you haven't seen princess diaries gtfo.

Karla smiles as she shakes her head at me and Justin continues to stand there doing nothing. Is he doin the mannequin challenge?? Bc I don't hear black Beatles playing rn so.

"Quick take a photo of me," I say as I hold my arms out to the side with my leg out like a ballerina as I look out to the distance like I'm in a shitty soap opera. Karla laughs and Justin shakes his head at me and smiles.

"Give me two seconds I'm just taking a photo of her," he says into the phone and then he takes a few photos of me as I change my stances, "okay okay that's enough, Scooters on hold for you, he needs to ask you something,"

"Alrighty," I say as I take the phone from Justin and he doesn't take his eyes off me as I walk back towards the mirror to look at myself more because I'm a veiny, vein bitch, "wassap Scotty B,"

"Hey Grace, are you okay?"

Oh wow, I totally forgot about what happened earlier today...

"Oh, yeah yeah, you should see the dress I'm wearing, you'd forget about everything too," he lets out a soft chuckle.

"That's good to hear then. I have however had some men on to it all afternoon to find out how it was, do you know a Clinton Mathews by any chance?" I freeze up. I can't speak. I can't move. I can hardly think.

Justin can sense something's wrong when I stop moving around into the mirror and he walks over to me with a frown.

"Grace?" I hear from the phone, but I still can't speak. Justin approaches me and turns me around to face him.

"Gray, what's wrong?" He says and all I can do it look into his eyes with a pained expression. Probs looks like I'm constipated tbh.

"Y-yeah.... I know who t-that is," I manage to get out as I keep strong eye contact with Justin. The frown grows on him as his eyes dart around my face looking for answers.

"Grace, who is he?" Scooter says and I can feel my chest imploding and my eyes start stinging. Oh no shit, please no water works, please oh please.

"I... I... can I talk you... about it later..." Justin's hand caress up my arms until they cup around my face. I move my hand to grasp his wrist and only then do I realise I'm shaking.

"Yeah, yeah okay. I'll talk to you about it later... I hope you're okay..." he says.

"Thanks Scooter," I hang up the phone and look down closing my eyes, think that might stop the crying.

"Grace, what's going on?" He says as his thumb caresses my cheek.

"I would like to go home now," I whisper and he nods, moving his hands down to hold both of mine, "I'll tell you everything once we're home, I promise," he nods again and I let go of his hands and walk towards Karla, attempting to compose myself as well as I possibly can.

"This dress is beautiful, I can't wait to wear it tomorrow, thank you so much," I say with a smile. I'm convinced that if she didn't just witness what had just happened, that smile would have been believable. However, she did in fact see and hear everything and instead gives me a sad smile and a nod. I walk to the dressing room and change back into by clothes quickly and in silence. I hang the dress back up and push the curtain aside to see Justin talking to Mikey. Karla isn't here anymore and I feel like shit for cutting everything short.

Why couldn't I just bottle it up for another hour or so?