Waiting for Superman • Grant Gustin

IRL

We finally found the restaurant the Chris had picked and sat down with everyone else. We have beaten Caity and Candice, making Stephen more annoyed as he was ready to eat. Our table was in the back of the restaurant and I was sitting between Grant and Mechad. We eat ordered our drinks and the other two showed up.

"Now that we are all, finally, here," Stephen made a nod at Caity and she playfully glared back at him, "I would like to make a toast. We have officially been here one day and I am so thankful to have each of you in my life. You are all great coworkers but more importantly you as all great friends. Here's to all of you." We all raised our glasses and toasted with him.

We all finished our food and were waiting for dessert. Three bottles of wine were down and we could all start to feel the effects it was having on us. Danielle was telling us a story of a prank she and Tom Cavanaugh had pulled on Carlos and we were all laughing hysterically. Chyler was tearing up and Jeremy was slapping his knee. We were all catching our breath when I felt a hand go on my back. I looked over to see Mechad resting his arm on my chair so I just turned back around.

Willa then took the stage and started talking about how Colton Haynes and Stephen had gotten her and Emily good when they filled both of their trailers up with packing peanuts. I felt the hand that was on my chair start to rub my back and I shot Mechad a glance but he wasn't looking at me. I quickly adjusted so his hand was no longer on me.

We laughed and ate and drank more wine and as the night went on, we could all tell that the others were hammered.

"I'm not saying that I have anything against her being with a woman, I'm all for equality here, but I can't help but feel as though Oliver is the reason Sara now like woman." A very intoxicated Stephen tried to explain.

"Um, of course it's Oliver's fault. Have you seen the show?" Melissa interjected as Chris had his arm wrapped around her.

"Yeah, no offense but all that Oliver put her through, I would turn to women too." Candice laughed.

"Aw, my boo has my back." Caity giggle at her friend.

"You know I do, Boo." Candice smiled back. Grant turned his head and glanced at me and gave me a quick wink before turning back to everyone.

"Well I don't know about all of you, but I think I need to make it back to my bed since we have another long day of being day drunk ahead of us." He announced to the group.

"I agree with this man." Jeremy said before standing up and we all followed suit.

"SO are we taking cabs or are we walking back?" Danielle asked. I went to suggest walking back on the beach but before I could a giant arm came and placed itself across my shoulder.

"I don't know about you all but me and my girl are walking back." I heard Mechad say.

"Wait what? I'm not your girl." I spoke, confused, as I tried to pull away from his grasp but he only held on tighter.

"We are going to need some alone time, if you know what I mean." He leaned down and winked at me as I could smell the alcohol on his breath.

"No. I don't, Mechad. Please let go of me." I asked him as I could see everyone in the group trying to process what was going on.

"Oh come on. I know you can feel what's going on between us." He slurred his words and placed his lips to the top of my head. That was the last straw for everyone else. I quickly saw Stephen and Chris move to pull him away from me as Chyler pulled me into her arms to hold me close to her. I was still in shock at what happened and Jeremy ran to catch up with the guys, Grant staying with the girls.

"Hey, hey, I'll take him. I'll help him walk it off." Jeremy said to the other two as he turned to pull Mechad away from us and down the street. Danielle went to hail a cab ask Melissa grabbed Grant and walked over to me.

"Take her back. Make sure she's safe. We will deal with everything else." She looked directly at him and he nodded as she pushed the two of us towards the cab that had just stopped at the curb.

Grant had me in his arms the whole way back to the hotel. He only let go to open the cab door for me, then he was right back where he had been. He hurried me through the lobby of the hotel as the paparazzi tried to get the picture they were after. Only once we were in the elevator did his grip on me ease up. We rode up to the floor in silence.

We made it to my door and I opened it, welcoming the familiarity of my things. I walked over to my bed and sat down on the edge and Grant leaned against the wall.

"You should take a shower. It will help with the shock." He spoke softly as I looked up at him scared. "Don't worry, I'll be right here till you get out."

I nodded and grabbed the clothes I needed and headed towards the bathroom. I let the hot steam hit my back as I cleared my head. Obviously Mechad wasn't thinking like himself. He was way more drunk than any of us had thought he was and he would definitely beat himself up for it tomorrow. But then there was Grant. He sat just on the other side of the wall, there to protect you. You couldn't help but smile at that.

I didn't emerge from the bathroom for about 30 minutes, pajamas on and hair dripping wet. I looked over to Grant who was now standing on the little balcony that was attached to my room, talking on the phone.

"Yup. Yup, we're good. She just got out of the shower and is safe. Yeah, Steve, I hear ya. Ok, well I'm going to get her settled. We can talk more tomorrow. See ya." He hung up and turned to me.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, reaching his hand out to grab mine. I gladly took it.

"Confused mostly. I'm just going to chalk this up to being too drunk and move on." I half smiled at him and he nodded.

"Ok, well let's get you in bed. It's late and you've had a long day." I followed his direction and moved to the comfy bed that sat in the middle of the room. I crawled in and pulled the covers up to my neck.

"Get some sleep. I will be here in the morning, ok?" He asked as he leaned in and placed a kiss to my forehead. He pulled away and started walking towards the door.

"Grant?" I called out, barely audible. He turned quickly to look at me.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Stay with me." I stated rather than asked. He just smiled and dropped the backpack that I forgotten he had brought with him. He slid the shirt he was wearing off and crawled in on the other side of the bed. I crawled into his chest for comfort. He was warm and soft. I don't remember the last time I was able to fall asleep so peacefully.