𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚎

My eyes slowly begin to flutter open. The first thing I see is the window, perfectly displaying the sunflower field. The bright light of the illuminating sun is blinding my eyes. Squinting, I hold my hand up to shield myself. I immediately turn to look at the other side of the bed. To my surprise, it's empty. Grayson isn't there.

I finally stand up and walk over to the window. I can feel the heat radiating on my skin from here. It's a relaxing feeling, that's for sure. Once my happiness subsides, I come to a realization that last night wasn't a dream. I'm still stuck here, in this random piece of heaven. I feel like I'm in an alternate universe or something.

I lower my head to see the white dress is still on me. My limbs are still numb, so I'm unable to feel my body. This is all too weird.

"Grayson?" I call out and head for the door.

I freeze once I see him pacing around the living room. His skin is a paler shade than last night, and his fingers are gripping his hair.

"What's going on?" I ask while stepping closer to him.

"I'm going insane, Hope. Absolutely fucking insane!" He yells while continuing to aimlessly move around the living room.

"Grayson, it's all right. Just talk to me." My low voice tries to calm him.

"I'm freaking out, okay?" I can see his chest heaving up and down. "I woke up and we're still here. We're in the middle of nowhere and I can't feel my body. I can touch everything else," He walks to the couch and picks up the pillow, "It's soft, and the texture is smooth. I can actually feel that. But my body?" He places his hand on his white t-shirt. "I can't feel it."

"I can't either." I quietly whisper.

"I thought maybe this was some sort of sick dream, that we weren't actually dead-"

"We aren't dead." I know my words won't make him feel any better, he just needs to know this.

He looks at me with a blank stare. "Then why can't we go back to Earth? Why are we still trapped here?"

"I don't know, Grayson." I let out a sigh, understanding his frustration.

I feel the exact same way. The questions about why we're here and what our purpose is keeps piling up.

He continues to heavily breathe while sitting down on the couch. His face is buried in his hands. I sit down next to him and grab onto his hand.

The motion is weird, it's like I'm touching thin air. I can't actually feel him, but I want to show him that he's not alone. I'm confused, too.

He slowly turns to look at my hand holding onto his. "I still can't feel anything."

"I know, but you aren't alone in this. I'm here, too." I remind him while nodding my head.

I can tell his body is relaxing as his eyes stay fixed on our numb hands. "Sorry if I'm freaking you out." His low voice mutters.

"You aren't." I shake my head to debunk his statement.

"I guess I'm shocked we're still here." He exhales a deep breath.

I nod my head and look around at the sunlight shining through the cottage. "At least it's nice out."

"I have a feeling it doesn't rain here." Grayson slowly mumbles while glancing around.

"Good." I sigh, hating the thought of seeing rainy Washington.

"I want to see Ethan." He blurts out.

"Then let's go see him." Hunter's voice randomly speaks.

I slightly jump at the presence of him. He's standing by the back door, a low smirk is painted onto his face.

"You scared me." I let out a breath.

"How did you guys sleep?" My brother asks while stepping toward us.

"This isn't a vacation. I'm freaking out." Grayson groans.

Hunter slightly furrows his eyebrows when he looks down at our hands. I didn't even realize I was still holding on to his, mostly because I can't feel it. I slowly untangle my fingers and awkwardly place my hands on my numb lap.

"I knew that would happen." He turns to look at my neutral expression. "How are you doing, Hope?"

"I'm fine." I answer honestly.

That's simply the truth. I feel fine about everything happening to us. This place is breathtaking, even if we are in our own private heaven.

"Ethan is at the hospital, he never leaves." Hunter speaks up.

"Can we go see him? Please?" Grayson stands up from the couch.

Before I can even blink, my surrounding instantly change. We are no longer in the cottage, we're in the hospital. People still pass by us without even looking.

"How do you do that so quickly?" Grayson says with a nervous laugh.

"I'm just cool like that." Hunter shrugs while heading down the hallway.

Grayson looks back at me and I simply shrug my shoulders with a wide smile. We begin to follow him through the crowded hospital and it's weird to think that nobody can see us.

When we enter the large room, my eyes widen at the sight of my body on the bed. My eyes are closed, and the ugly hospital gown continues to loosely cover my skin. The oxygen tank is still pumping air through my practically lifeless body.

"Holy shit." Grayson mumbles while walking to the opposite side of the room. There's a curtain dividing our bodies, but right now it's open.

My eyes shift to the other side, seeing Grayson's body. He looks the same as me, his eyes are closed and still needs a breathing tube in order to survive.

Ethan is sitting in the chair next to his bed, and it's one of the saddest sights I have ever seen. He looks completely distraught.

"Ethan." Grayson whispers while gulping. "Please, just look at me."

Hunter turns his head. "He's in shock, this is common."

"It's understandable. He can't be with the person he loves." I nod while keeping my eyes peeled to the twin boys.

"Grayson, please wake up." Ethan's deep and husky voice fills the room.

"I'm trying, Ethan. I really am." Grayson says while staring at him. It's crushing to know Ethan can't actually see or hear him.

"I need my little brother." Ethan stands up, walking right past Grayson's ghostly self. He sits down on the hospital bed and holds onto his hand. "You need to wake up, I can't lose my best friend."

"You won't lose me, I'm right here." Grayson shouts. I know he's desperately trying to get his attention.

"Where's mom and dad?" I whisper to my brother after noticing there are no visitors on my end of the room.

"I don't know." Hunter shrugs while looking down at me. "Not here."

"Obviously." I can't help but laugh.

"I can transport you to them, if you want." He offers.

"It's fine." I whisper while keeping my eyes on Grayson.

"Ethan, you need to hear me." He says, his voice laced with struggle. "Look at me, please Ethan. I need you to see me."

"Grayson, you have to wake up." His twin keeps repeating to his broken body on the bed. "I can't go back to New Jersey without you."

"You won't. I'm going back with you." Grayson is shaking at this point.

"Grayson." My voice whispers while stepping closer to him.

He shoots his head up to look into my eyes. "I'm trying to cry. I want to let my emotions out, but nothing is happening."

"You can't cry. Crying is part of the human emotions that you can't feel." Hunter explains.

"Hunter, Please. I'm begging you, put me back." Grayson stands up and walks closer to him.

"I'm sorry, but I can't. It's not time yet." My brother looks upset telling him this news.

"This is fucking torture." Grayson mumbles while storming out of the room.

I let out a sigh and keep my stare on Ethan, who is still holding onto Grayson's motionless hand.

"I know it's hard, but I can't explain it. Nothing makes sense, it's not supposed to." Hunter looks down at me.

"I'll go talk to him, just stay here." I say while also walking out of the room.

The hallways are still crowded, but that doesn't keep me from spotting Grayson. He's sitting down next to a vending machine, his back is completely against the wall. I walk over and sit next to him, not saying a single word. He keeps his eyes straight head.

"Seeing my body in that hospital bed is the scariest thing I have ever seen." He finally speaks after a moment.

"I know." I agree with a nod.

"I can't believe that happened to us." He whispers, his voice growing lower each time he talks.

"Me either." I let out a sigh.

"I'm sorry, Hope."

"For what?" I finally turn my head to look at him.

"For getting us into this mess." His eyes shift to the ground.

"It's not your fault, Grayson. Don't blame yourself." I immediately get defensive.

"Your parents are going to blame me for this, and they have every right to. I shouldn't have attempted to drive home in such a terrible storm."

"You couldn't see anything, don't sell yourself short. We are here for a reason, it probably would have happened anyway."

"You don't miss your parents?" He finally turns to look at me. Our eyes lock and I nervously gulp.

"It's complicated." I shrug.

"If I don't see my parents again-"

"You will," I cut him off, "Of course you will. We aren't dead, our bodies are okay. We're just in a coma because we're here."

He nods, really taking in my words. "Thanks for the reassurance, I really needed it." His tone isn't rude or sarcastic, it's actually genuine.

I haven't felt this positive or optimistic since Hunter died, and it's strange to think my old self is peeking through in this random heavenly state.

He leans his hand down and gently places it over mine. I look down at our contact, hating the fact that I can't feel his comfort.

I look back up and see he already has his eyes on mine. A low smile sweeps his lips as my orbs roam around his face.

"Hope?" Hunter's voice draws me back to reality.

I quickly move my head to the direction of his voice. "Yeah?"

"Oh, there you are." He nods while staring at us. "You ready to go back? Or do you want to go in the room one more time?"

"Let's just leave, we can always come back another time." Grayson sighs while standing up. Our hands disconnect as I sit there for a moment, looking down at my fingers.

Hunter notices and tilts his head. "Uh, you ready?"

"Mhmm." I nod and stand up. My brother suspiciously eyes me, almost like he knows something that I don't.

We're suddenly back in the cottage, and the hospital atmosphere fades away. I glance at Grayson, who still looks upset.

"I need to go, but I'll check up on you later." Hunter speaks in a rushed tone.

"Go where?" I raise an eyebrow up.

"Back to heaven, uh, I'm needed there." He shrugs.

"Oh, okay." I frown, hating that he's leaving. Without another word, he disappears into thin air.

"I'm going to try to calm down." Grayson says while looking back at me. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all, go ahead." I encourage.

"Thanks, Hope." He says with a small grin.

I watch him walk to the bedroom. Once the door closes behind him, a low sigh escapes my lips. I take a seat on the couch and look around, taking in every detail around me. My eyes roam the decor, and all of the furniture. I can't help the amazed smile that pops onto my mouth. I suddenly feel completely at peace with this small little home. Maybe the after life isn't so bad after all.