Gracies POV (15 Years Old)
"Hey Jay?" I asked sweetly as I walked over to his desk "I was wondering if I could go to the movies with a friend tomorrow night" I asked as he looked up from his computer,
"Sure, I don't see why not" he said shrugging his shoulders "which friend are you going with?" He asked curiously as I slowly began to back up,
"Oh, don't worry about it you don't know him" I said quickly as I made an attempt to escape to the break room,
"Woah woah woah, he's a him?" Jay exclaimed with wide eyes "you didn't tell me that it was a boy" he frowned,
"What does it matter" I said trying to shake it off "you said I could go already so you can't take it back" I informed defensively. By this point everyone else had tuned in to the conversation and where looking on with amused smirks,
"That was before I knew it was with a boy" he exclaimed as Voight appeared in the doorway of his office "so what, has he asked you out on a date, is that what this is?" He rambled as I rolled my eyes,
"It's not a big deal Jay you're over reacting" I sighed,
"I'm not over reacting Gracie, and you're not going on a date" he said firmly,
"That's so unfair" I exclaimed "Will would say yes" I crossed my arms over my chest,
"He absolutely would not Gracie and you know it" he shook his head and I remained silent knowing that he was most likely correct "we're not discussing this now Gracie, we'll talk about it with Will when we get home" he said as he continued to work on his computer, this time with a much more stressed and frustrated expression than when I had found him,
"Will you at least say you'll think about it?" I pleaded,
"I'm not making any promises Gracie, now go" he said firmly as I turned on my heels and walked off to the break room and texted Luke the situation, telling him that I would hopefully have the answer by tonight.
Jays POV
I watched as my little sister walked off to the break room and waited until she closed the door behind her before letting out an exasperated sigh,
"Kill me, kill me now" I exclaimed as I rubbed my hand over my face,
"It was bound to happen one day man" Kevin said with raised eyebrows and a amused expression,
"Yeah one day" I agreed "but not today she's fifteen, she's still a child" I said as I took a drink from my coffee,
"She's at that age Jay" my girlfriend Hailey informed from over her desk "most girls her age are starting to date. I was fourteen so you've been lucky with Gracie" she informed,
"She's right" Voight agreed "take it from me Jay. If you don't let her go she's gonna start sneaking around behind your back and who knows what she'll get up to" he suggested and I nodded my head. I suppose he's right but I just couldn't stand the thought of my baby sister going out with a boy. The thought made me want to punch something and I knew Will would feel the same way. Urgh. What happened to the little girl who used to be repelled by the thought of boys? Boy do I miss her right now.
"I'll talk to Will when we get home" I said as everyone got back to what they where doing before.
Gracies POV
The rest of the day was pretty uneventful, Jay was getting pissed with me because I kept on noggin him about my date, but I decided to back off when he said I 'won't go at all if I don't shut up about it.' We walked in to the apartment where I immediately located Will on the sofa and sat down next to him giving him a huge hug in an attempt to butter him up,
"What do you want?" He asked suspiciously yet returning the hug all the same,
"Can't I give my favourite big brother a hug without wanting something?" I asked in a mock offence causing him to quirk his eyebrow at me and Jay to roll his eyes as he walked in to the room,
"Ok fine" I relented as I sat up straight "can I go to the movies tomorrow night?" I asked and Will frowned as his eyes flicked between me and Jay in confusion,
"That's what you wanna ask?" He asked confused before Jay spoke,
"Oh no, that's not the best part" he added sarcastically "tell him who you wanna go with Gracie?" He said as he crossed his arms over his chest and Will looked at me expectantly,
"I don't see what the big deal is Jay, it's just a date, every other kid in my school has been on one" I exclaimed dramatically.
"A date?" Will asked as his eyes widened "you wanna go on a date?" He asked with the same expression Jay had earlier when I asked him,
"Please Will" I pleaded with the best puppy dog eyes I could muster,
"I don't know Gracie" he hesitated "you're fifteen" he added,
"That's exactly what I said" Jay added as he sat on the sofa with us.
"Who is this boy anyway?" Will asked curiously and I smiled,
"His name's Luke" I informed "He's in my drama class and he's really sweet" I said with a fond smile,
"No fifteen year old boys are sweet Gracie" Jay frowned "boys that age are only after one thing" he added and I scoffed,
"Luke's not like that" I added "and if you just gave him a chance then maybe you would see that" I defended,
"I don't have to know him to know what's going through his head" he argued back,
"So what are you saying? That you think the only reason a boy would be interested in me is to have sex with me?" I asked annoyed by his accusations,
"You know that's not what I'm saying Gracie but-" I cut him off furiously,
"Well it certainly sounds like that to me" I shouted back,
"Right, both of you just calm down" Will said firmly as a silence filled the apartment,
"I'm just trying to protect you Gracie" Jay defended himself and I rolled my eyes trying to ignore the sting of tears that I could feel building up inside me,
"I don't need protecting Jay, stop trying to tell me what to do, I'm not a child" I shouted as Will looked on in silence, knowing that there was no use in trying to shut us up when Jay and I argued, It's best to just let us tire ourselves out.
"Well I've got news for you kiddo, you're fifteen years old and in the eyes of the law you are still a child" he began "and whilst you live under this roof you will follow our rules" he lectured as the tears began to spill from my eyes,
"You know, I don't remember dad and I know he was a drunk dick, but I bet if he was alive he would have let me go" I screamed,
"Yeah well maybe if he was alive then you wouldn't have to live here and we wouldn't have to spend our lives being your stand in parents" Jay shouted back. I felt as though I could feel my heart shatter at his words as I swallowed down a sob. I stood up silently and ran to my bedroom, ignoring the sound of Will calling my name. I slammed my door shut and pulled my desk chair in front of my door before falling down carelessly on to my bed. I could hear the sound of Will yelling at Jay over my sobs but I couldn't make out what he was saying, he sounded furious that's for sure.
I laid motionless on my bed as my sobbing died down and turned in to hiccups, Jays words running through my head on a loop. Is that how he really felt? Was I just a burden on his and Wills lives?
I needed to get out of here. I silently grabbed an overnight bag and shoved a pair of pyjamas in it along with a spare pair of clothes and underwear. I grabbed my toothbrush and threw it in my bag. I opened my bedroom window and stepped out on to the fire escape and making my way on to the streets of Chicago.
Jays POV
I regretted it as soon as the words left my mouth and I saw the hurt flash across Gracies face. Hurt that I'd caused her. I watched as she ran to her room with Will shouting for her to come back before he turned towards me with a look of fury in his eyes,
"What the hell man?" He shouted at me, and I couldn't blame him for being pissed "why would you say that to her?" He asked angrily and I shook my head in shock of my own actions,
"I don't know, it just came out" I admitted "obviously I didn't mean it" I sighed,
"Yeah well Gracie clearly doesn't think that" he shouted back at me as I made a move to go to my sisters room "just leave her for now" Will said as he put a hand on my shoulder "give her some time to calm down, you both clearly need it" he suggested with a disapproving shake of his head.
I waited around twenty minutes before I made the decision to go and talk to my sister and apologise. I couldn't stand the thought that I had upset her so much. I knocked on her door lightly and sighed when I didn't get a response,
"Gracie can I come in so we can talk" I said gently but still received no response "come on I know you're upset and you probably don't want to see me right now, but just let me in so I can try and fix this" I pleaded, but still no response. I frowned slightly and tried the door handle. Locked. She must have something pushed against it because she doesn't have a lock on her door "Gracie open the door please" I urged once again but was met by silence.
"What's going on?" Will asked as he appeared from the bathroom where he was having a shower,
"She isn't talking and she's jammed the door shut" I explained causing Will to frown,
"Let me try" he suggested "maybe she just doesn't want to speak to you" he said shrugging his shoulders as I moved out of the way and Will took my place in front of the door,
"Gracie it's Will" he said after he knocked "just open the door for me sweetheart so we know you're ok" he urged, but he was also met my silence.
"You don't think she would" I began but couldn't bring myself to say it "you know, do anything stupid do you?" I asked my brother in concern who met my eyes with the same look,
"She was pretty upset" he confirmed with a slight look of fear flashing through his eyes. That's it, I have to get this door open.
"Gracie I know you're upset but you need to open the door" I tried once again and listened to see if I could hear any movement, but there was none. "This is your last chance Gracie" I warned "if you don't open it then I'm gonna have to break it down" I threatened in a hope that she might open it to stop me. But that didn't happen either. I moved back slightly,
"What are you doing?" Will asked me with a frown,
"I'm breaking the door down" I said simply before my foot connected with the door causing it to fly open and the chair that was holding the door closed to fall on the floor in a haphazard manner. I frowned when I stepped in and saw the empty room. The window was wide open and a few of her draws where left open. Shit. I turned around and looked at Will who looked both angry and worried all at the same time,
"I swear to god, if something happens to her because of that stupid argument between the two of you" he stopped to leave the rest to my imagination. He was right. He would never forgive me, and I would never forgive myself.
"I'm gonna call Ruzek" I said as I pulled my phone out "he might be able to track her phone or at least ping it" I said hopefully but just as I was about to call Adam my phone rang with a familiar name flashing across the screen.
Gracies POV
I kept running in the direction of Haileys apartment as fast as I could at rush hour in the centre of Chicago! When I eventually reached my destination I knocked on the door and waited, hoping that she was home. A few seconds later a confused looking Hailey opened the door to see my tear streaked face,
"Gracie?" She asked confused as she looked past me down the hall, probably checking to see if I was with Jay "what's the matter babe?" She asked as I burst in to a new set of tears, allowing her to usher me inside and over to her couch. She sat next to me and wrapped me in a protective hug, allowing me to let all of my emotions out.
Once I had calmed down Hailey disappeared in to the kitchen and made me a hot cocoa and I told her all about what had happened that had led me to her apartment with an overnight bag.
"Oh Gracie" Hailey sighed as she tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear "you know Jay didn't mean what he said to you" she comforted "you mean the world to him and he wouldn't have it any other way" she said as she looked at me with pitiful eyes "I'm gonna kick his ass when I see him" he threatened "and don't think I can't take him" she finished causing me to laugh slightly. Just then there was a knock at the front door and Hailey when to answer it whilst I stayed on the sofa with my mug of cocoa. I heard my brothers voices speak from the hallway and my stomach sank, I should have known she would tell them I was here and I couldn't blame her really. But I also didn't feel like facing them right now, especially Jay. Will walked in first and came straight over to me and wrapped me in a bear hug which I was grateful for. I wasn't mad at him at the end of the day,
"Gracie don't ever do that again" he lightly scolded as he held me close to his chest,
"Sorry, I didn't mean to worry you" I said honestly "I just needed to get away" I admitted,
"I get that and that's fine" he said "Just next time at least text or leave a note so we know where you are, and no more blocking your door when you're in there" he continued "Jay had to break your door down" he informed and I frowned,
"Seriously?" I said referring to Jays antics,
"Yes seriously, we thought you could have done something to hurt yourself and you weren't answering us" he said shaking his head,
"That's because I wasn't in there" I said obviously,
"We didn't know that at the time" he sighed "just don't do it again" he said and I nodded in to his chest. Just then Jay appeared in the door way and I stared at my lap to avoid his eye contact "I'll be in the kitchen" Will announced as he got up to leave, leaving me and my brother in an uncomfortable silence.
"I think it's fair to say that got a little out of hand" Jay said from his place in the doorway and I nodded in agreement,
"I'm sorry Jay" I said tearfully causing him to frown at me,
"What are you sorry for? It was me that was in the wrong" he said and I shook my head,
"I'm sorry that you and Will are stuck looking after me when you should be out there living your own lives" I sobbed as Jay walked over to the sofa and sat next to me,
"Hey look at me" Jay said firmly "don't ever talk like that ok?" He shook his head "I didn't mean anything I said back there and I don't know why I said it" he admitted "but I know for a fact that I can speak for Will as well when I sat that having you in our lives is the best thing that's ever happened to either of us. Before mom and dad died our family was falling apart" he admitted "Will was living in New York and barely ever rang and I'd just got back from the army so wasn't in a very good place. But when mom and dad died both me and Will knew we had to step up and do what was best for you. So Will moved back and we got a place all together so we could be a family again. Without you Gracie that would have never happened and yes, our lives would have been different" he admitted "but they sure as hell wouldn't have been better" he finished and I looked up at him with teary eyes "do you forgive me?" He asked as I nodded before throwing my arms around him in relief "don't run off like that again you hear" he said softly but still firmly and I nodded,
"I won't" I confirmed as he gave me a kiss on the top of my head just as Hailey and Will walked in with satisfied smiles on their faces,
"Honestly, next time I'm gonna bash your heads together" Will threatened jokingly causing both Jay and I to laugh "but seriously" Will said "Jay and I where talking and we decided that you can go on your date" Will confirmed, slightly reluctantly, bu all be it confirmed.
"Seriously?" I squealed as I looked up at Jay excitedly,
"Yes, but there are rules" Jay said causing me to roll my eyes "we have to meet him before you go and you have to be home by 8:30pm" he said as I considered the conditions. I nodded deciding that it was the best I was gonna get,
"Ok, as long as you don't scare him off" I said warily with narrowed eyes,
"Would we do that" Jay said with mock offence laced through his voice,
"Yes" I said bluntly "yes you would" I finished causing everyone to laugh,
"Awe, I love a happy ending" Hailey announced "what do you say we have a sleepover Gracie and get you ready for tomorrow" she suggested and I smiled looking up at Jay and Will who shrugged,
"Fine with me" Jay said with a smile,
"Then it's settled" Hailey said happily "you boys get out, this is a girls only space now" she said as she ushered both of my brothers out of the apartment who shouted their byes on the way.
Hailey and I spent the evening watching chick flicks and eating junk food which was amazing! We also did face packs and Hailey painted my nails ready for tomorrow!
I hope everyone enjoyed this! Would people be interested in a part 2 to this where she actually goes on the date? Comment down bellow!