A/N: Hey guys! Pease enjoy the Official Fan Fic for Chester See and Grace Helbig (aka: Grester), the stars of Awesomeness TV's Side Effects! 

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Grace’s red t-shirt uses up all the real estate in the shot until she backs away from the camera. The words ‘Keep Calm and It’s Grace’ are silkscreened on the front. A fan from South America sent it to her—she loves that thing.  Her face morphs from a blurry sphere into sharp focus and I can’t help but smile. Her hair is piled high on top of her head with a scarf wrapped around to secure it. She looks beautiful.

I should be packing. We leave tomorrow and so far I’ve managed to cram a couple of t-shirts and some shorts into my luggage—not exactly ready to go—but as usual, Grace steals all of my attention. She distracts me from any intent I may have had, productive or otherwise. So here I sit in front of the computer, coffee in hand watching her latest upload.

“Hey you guys. It’s Grace. I’m so excited right now because it’s Sunday. The Lord’s day, some would say which means I have absolutely nothing planned. Anyway, I asked you to ask me questions and I’ll do my best to answer them.” She pauses and looks into the camera. “Let’s get started.”

A screenshot flashes on the screen.

‘What is the one thing a woman should never do?’

“Women should never believe that there is nothing they should never do,” she says. “Welcome to the twenty first century where nothing is impossible and nothing should ever stand in your way, ladies. So… moving on.”

She looks at the screen on her computer. “What’s the biggest personal change you’ve ever made?” Her eyes dart to the camera, her expression, deadpan. “That would be going from bangs,” an image of her old haircut flashes before the shot is back on her, “to no bangs.”

I chuckle. Smartass.

“Are you excited for the Social Media cruise?”

She giggles.  Her laugh is music to my ears. I love the way it sounds, I love the way her whole face lights up when she does it and whenever we’re together, I try to coax it out as much as possible.

“For those of you who don’t know, the Social Media Cruise is an event in which myself, some of you beautiful people and some other vloggers are boarding a cruise ship for a week of,” she pauses, “who knows what exactly. And to answer your question. Yes! Yes! Yes! Super excited. I’ve never been on a cruise ship before and I’m pumped to go see Mexico!”

Grace has been talking about this trip for the last month or so. Every time she brings it up she’s animated, bubbling over with anticipation. Me, I freeze. This cruise is my chance to put the last year of my life in perspective. To finally tell Grace how I feel about her. In the last year we’ve spent more time together, vlogging and filming Side Effects and my minor infatuation has turned into major love. Yeah, I said it. I love her.

It seems only fair that she should know. I want to tell her how her smile makes my insides turn to mush or how she’s the coolest, most amazing person I’ve ever met, or that I would give anything just to be with her. Problem is, the thought of spilling my secret twists and turns my stomach like a centrifuge.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m a super confident guy. I like how I look, I feel good about how I present myself and I’m proud of the talents I’ve spent considerable time honing but Grace, oh man, that girl strips away at me and leaves me feeling vulnerable.

It’s been a long time since I felt this way and it’s terrifying and exhilarating all at the same time. I wouldn’t give it up for all of the money in the world.

I flip the laptop shut, down the last of my coffee and head to my room to finish packing for the trip that could change life as I know it.

***

Camera: ON

“Captains log. Sea Date One Zero Zero. Today Grace and I set sail on an adventure. I’m a bundle of nerves. I’m not even sure why I’m recording this. Possibly to torture myself in the future when I can look back on so much wasted time in the past. I should have told her a long time ago. All that will change. Stay tuned.”

Camera: OFF

I didn’t sleep a wink last night. As soon as the taxi pulls up to Grace’s apartment, it becomes apparent that she did. After I text twice and there’s no reply, it’s a sure bet she’s sleeping.

“Can you wait right here?” I ask the cabbie.

The driver nods. Of course he’s going to wait. The meter is running. I haul ass up the stairs and knock on her door a few thousand times before a tired looking Grace swings it open.

“Let’s go sleeping beauty, cabs here.”

“Morning Chester,” she yawns, “What time is it?”

“Half past the crack of dawn,” I reply. “C’mon. We have to board the ship at least two hours before it disembarks.”

She brings her hand to her eyes and rubs sleep from them before her gaze swings to the clock. “We still have three hours. I slept in.”

“No kidding. Where’s your luggage?”

She steps to the side and points at the pile of suitcases stacked in the corner of her living room.

“You look like you’re moving out,” I say. “Go get dressed. I’ll meet you outside.”

She pads down the hallway and heads back to her room. I get a mental image of her face planting on her bed and falling back asleep. I scoop up her luggage and yell, “Grace?”

The door to her room clicks, muffling her voice behind it. “Chester?”

“Meter is running on the cab.”

Ten minutes, and about five bucks on the meter later, she emerges from the house wearing a sundress with oversized sunglasses perched on her face and a bag slung over her shoulder, her video camera dangling from her wrist. I’m expecting her to turn the thing on and start shooting the second she gets in the car but she doesn’t. Instead, she slides into the seat beside me and yawns again before resting her head on my shoulder, “I watched Titanic last night.”

Of course she did. “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. Can I just say this? There was enough room on that shredded door for both of them to fit.”

“Probably.”

“What do you think our ship is going to be called?”

“Hopefully not Titanic.” 

She laughs softly. “We’re going to Mexico. It’d have to be the Spanish word for Titanic.” She tilts her head so she’s looking directly at me and smirks. “Which I bet is also Titanic.” 

We arrive at the Port of Call half an hour later, precisely two hours and twenty minutes before the ship is scheduled to leave. The place is packed. The ship is mammoth. I’ve literally never seen anything so big in my entire life. The thing must rise at least two hundred feet above sea level and has to be around a thousand feet long.

Grace cranes her neck skyward. “Whoa. It’s huge.”

“That’s what she said,” I crack, only to get an elbow to the ribs.

I try to wrangle both sets of luggage as we go, knowing this task buys me at least a couple of days off from the gym. I don’t know what Grace packed but judging from the weight of her suitcases, it’s everything but her kitchen sink.

She points at the cruise liner and excitedly smacks my shoulder, “Chester! It’s fate! It’s destiny! Look at the name!”

Near the bow of the ship, the words ‘Graceful Elegance’ are emblazoned on the side.

Grace powers up her camera and does a quick video about how the name couldn’t be more perfect. Internally, I agree.

“Are you stoked, Chester?” she points the camera to me.

I deliver a wide smile and say, “You have no idea.”

We are approached by fans no less than ten times as we head toward the massive ship. We chat, take pictures with them, Grace shoots some video, and I shoot some too. I have a far more difficult time because I’m burdened by the luggage but I do my best. The vibe in the air is electric and I know that despite the nervousness I feel about this trip, it’s going to be an amazing time.

We board and produce our passports and travel documents before a staff member shows us to our rooms. Grace’s is right next door to mine. Couldn’t be better if I’d planned it that way.

There’s a bottle of champagne with two glasses as a welcome aboard gift in my stateroom. A treat I have every intention of sharing with Grace. I slip the stems of the glasses between my fingers and grab the bottle of champagne with my free hand. The second I open the door to go to Grace’s room, I’m face to face with a gentleman holding a stack of envelopes in his arms.

“Mr. Chester?” He speaks with a very thick accent.

“Yes?”

“Your itinerary. If you have questions, my number is at the bottom of the page. I’m Barun. I’m the director for this cruise and I’m here to assist you with everything you need. Anything at all. If you’re in your stateroom, all you must do is press 3,” he demonstrates by holding up three fingers, “on the phone.”

“Thank you, Barun.”

He smiles and bows slightly. I’m not sure what to do so I follow suit and bow back. “My pleasure,” he says.

First the champagne and now Barun.

Points for hospitality.

I tuck the envelope under my arm, figuring I can go over the itinerary with Grace. I know we have to do a few speeches and some sightseeing in Mexico with selected fans, but this is the first I’ll see of the specifics. I slip out into the hallway, hands brimming and use my foot to knock on her door.

Silence.

I kick lightly again and still, I get no answer.

Grace isn’t one to sit around. I should have known better. With graceful elegance, she is gone. 

This story was inspired by a new favorite book, "Side Effects" by AwesomenessTV! This book had me captivated from the very beginning and I legitimately could not put it down!  

Side Effects is now available on e-book & at your local retailers: visit AwesomenessINK.com