A Night to Remember?

"Did you see the news last night?" Jay said finally, one of them had to say it or else they'd just sit there in silence.

Grace looked up from the black waves. "Yeah. I saw it." She added nothing more as they sat there on the cool sand. It was late evening and both had come to get out of the house and away from whatever was happening to their families.

Jay sighed.

"I just don't want to talk about that Jay." Grace amended. "I think about it far too much already…I just want to sit here with you and be happy for a while."

Jay looked at her, hardly able to make out her features in the almost-darkness, but even so he could see that her usually smiling lips were pressed into a straight line.

Neutral. Grace wasn't giving anything away and was, as always, a mystery to him.

Grace's eyes flicked over the lapping water watching it push it's way over the sand and then skulk away elegantly. She shivered it was getting colder now.

"You cold?" Jay asked softly reaching for the chequered fleecy blanket he'd brought with him.

"A little…" Grace admitted bringing her eyes up to meet his, as they did so both recognised what they saw in the others': fear.

"Come here…" Jay told her and she shuffled towards him, gently he placed the blanket over her shoulders leaving his arm around her for a minute as he did so. "Everything's going to be okay," He whispered. "One way or another, it'll all turn out."

Grace closed her eyes and shut out everything but the sound of his voice and the warmth that spread from his touch. "We're all worried – but as long as we've got someone…each other…we'll make it alright." He paused for a second. "And you have got me Gracey…I'll always be here for you."

Grace opened her eyes as though she couldn't believe what she was hearing, she looked up at him, heart pounding, but he was looking far out to sea…

"You're my friend Grace, and that's never going to change."

Grace lowered her gaze and felt her hopes crumble instantly; she buried her face into the warm blanket and gulped sadly.

She felt his warm lips kissing on top of her dark hair. "My best friend…" He reassured her, unaware that inside her chest her heart was sobbing silently…

I've turned into a cynic. Grace wrote pressing the pencil hard onto the page.

I feel as though I can't believe anything or anyone anymore, no one's telling me the truth, nobody wants to admit what's happening, but I can see it; and if I can I'm sure others can too…

My mother's getting sicker, but she's pretending that she's not. She took a couple of days off work this last week stayed in bed and drank hot lemon – hoping to make herself better.

It's been on the news a bit this week too…a mystery "illness" which is categorised by its coughing and making patients looking slightly older whilst they have it. Apparently there is "no need to panic" and hospitals are encouraging anyone with these symptoms to report to their local centre immediately to stop the spread of the virus.

As far as I know neither of my parents have been to the hospital. Mother insists she only has the 'flu, and there's no telling her. I've given up hope she'll go to the doctors and be all right. Things aren't going to be okay; not now.

It's too late.

I've not seen Jay for a while, not since that night on the beach and well…what can I say to that? He's been spending a lot of time at home, with his dad and Ved – I think its getting worse.

I sound selfish, but I miss him. I want him to come over and say hi, I want to meet him at the beach and just talk for hours – but I know he's busy with his dad and I can't blame him for that now can I? I'm busy with my parents too – except they refuse all my help, so these days I'm busier trying to avoid them.

I feel lost, and because we're on school holidays and I've got nothing to organize I sit here day after day listening to all of my favourite songs and praying – or maybe just hoping that everything's going to work out…

It sounds silly I know, but what else do you do in a world that's falling apart?

I sure as hell don't know.

Grace paused for a second and pressed the play button on her stereo, a few moments passed, and then the music lulled softly out.

"Mmm..Mm-mm-um-mmm…" Grace hummed absently to the tune and turned her attention back to the dairy.

This has to be one of my favourite songs…She wrote without thinking…its Eric Clapton "You Look Wonderful Tonight". Okay so it's soppy and all those slushy things that make a song terrible, but I love it.

I like the way it makes me feel.

I know exactly what Jay would say if he could see me now, sat here writing a diary and listening to this song. He'd say 'Hey Gracey, when did you turn into such a stereotype?' then he's smile so I'd know he was only joking and tease me about the song some more. I don't think he understands why I like it. He knows it's my favourite bit of music ever…but I think he thinks it's rather strange why a nearly 17-year-old girl would like something like it…it is strange…

Grace looked at the clock it was nearly midnight. She had her curtains open and also her window, outside the rain was pouring and desperately hammering cold fingers on the glass – trying to get in…

Grace shivered and pulled a warm blanket around her, she was dressed in a pair of tiny red 'bed-shorts' and a red and white vest-top – ready for bed, but she wasn't tired yet. She jumped as her mobile phone began ringing and clicked 'answer' as fast as she could before it woke the whole house.

"Hello?" She asked.

"Grace – it's me."

Her heart stopped. "Jay? What is it?"

"I was walking past and I saw your light was still on…" He sounded strange. "Can I come up?"

Grace nodded. "Of course. One sec – I'll come and open the door."

Grace crept down the stairs without making a sound, pulling the blanket tighter around her, when she opened the back door Jay stood there, in the black of night, rain pouring onto his hair and running down his face.

"Come in." Grace commanded. "Take off your shoes."

As he did so, Grace picked them up so her parents wouldn't see them and led Jay up to her bedroom without a word.

When they got there neither of them said a thing. They just starred at each other across the room, not daring to say anything for fear of what would be said.

"You're soaked." Grace whispered finally.

"It's raining." Jay offered.

Grace shook her head so that her dark unruly hair toppled onto her shoulders and fell playfully over her eyes. "You'd better take those wet clothes off…" She said reaching for a pair of her dad's tracksuit bottoms from a pile of washing sitting on her floor waiting to be ironed. "You can wear these…they're pretty bad but…we don't want you to get a cold now do we?"

Jay nodded his head sluggishly but didn't say a thing. His fingers were bright red from the cold and they shook and wobbled as he tried to unbutton his shirt. Grace watched with sad eyes…something was so wrong…

"Here…" Grace whispered without thinking, as Jay got nowhere with his unresponsive fingers. "Let me help you…"

He watched, surprised, as the pretty girl ran her warm fingers down the middle of his shirt and slowly peeled the buttons apart. Grace felt herself blushing as he watched her undress him, as she got further down the front of the shirt her long fingers brushed gently against the bare skin of his chest which made her flush even more.

As she pushed the shirt from his chest and shoulders her palms touched over his damp skin and she felt her heart racing wildly. Their eyes met and Jay held her gaze for a long time…She could feel him drawing her in with his deep eyes…she held her breath not daring to move…frozen to the spot…

Jay shifted his weight slightly and Grace jumped, stepping back and turning to put the wet top on her radiator. "You can do the trousers yourself…" She laughed a little. "I'll keep facing this way."

She pulled the blanket tighter around her still as she waited – she was trembling…but it was definitely not from the cold weather.

"I'm done." Jay said simply.

Grace turned and went to him. "Here." She took the blanket from around herself and wrapped it around him, forgetting she was wearing little-to-nothing. She went across the room and stretched to reach into the top of her wardrobe to get a towel.

Jay watched with eyes that betrayed his feelings for her, especially there and then, her wearing so little, and having just helped undress him…

He thought he might…

"Sit down…" Grace motioned to the bed, and he sat as she stood above him and towelled his hair dry gently for a bit. Discarding the towel to the floor she sat on the bed by him and crossed her legs girlishly beneath her.

"Thanks." Jay managed. "I didn't know where else to go…I didn't want to go anywhere else…"

"It's okay Jay. I'm glad you came to me." She waited for a minute. "What's happened?"

Jay's eyes dulled slightly and filled with tears. "It's…just that I…"

Grace put her hand out to him and he took it, linking their fingers together. "It's okay…take your time."

"My aunts sitting with Ved – I just needed to get out of there… My dad…" He gulped, and the worst that Grace had feared were true. "He's dead Grace." This was almost too much for Jay and tears ran down his cheeks and his shoulders shook violently.

Grace felt sick…"I'm sorry Jay. I'm so sorry." She reached for him and they fell into each other's arms. Grace ran her hands up and down his back soothingly as he held onto her, tight, as if his life depended on it.

Everything really was crumbling around them – whatever it was, was out of control and there was nothing either of them could do to stop it…

Grace closed her eyes and held him wishing she could take away his pain, but she knew that not even his best friend could make this better. So together, and alone, in the haven of her bedroom they both sobbed and hugged, frightened for the future.