I know.

Sixteen

"What are you doing tomorrow?" Griffin stood in the open doorway, the cold mid-April air filling the house.

"I don't have any plans, why?"

"Wednesday is quiz and karaoke night down at the pub. Me, Zoe, Gus and normally Pip and Dec go down for the night, if you want to come too. I'd invite you to our Saturday night spectacular but you're leaving Friday."

"What Saturday night spectacular?" He smiled, leaning up against the doorframe with his shoulder.

"That's a secret for people who are invited."

"What if I stayed?"

"Hm."

"We can do something Sunday. Just me and you. I need to leave here at like 8pm Sunday at the latest but other than that we can do something."

"I've got church Sunday morning." He rolled his eyes. "What?"

"Oh, come on Rory. I don't know why you still go. My mum told me about how you don't want to be there."

"I do!"

"Do you want to be there for you or are you there because it's what your mum taught you to do and your scared you're letting her down if you stop?"

"I- No- What?"

"I think that's what it is. Mum told me about everything before we came down ourselves on Sunday, about you wanting to have this sudden reconciliation with God or whatever. I don't think it's that. After this long I think you know it's gone but you can't bring yourself to break away from it because of your parents. Or that you'd be letting the town down." I narrowed my eyes at him. "Just think about it Ror. There's more to life than a book and if you're not connecting with it, you're wasting your time there on a Sunday when we could be out getting breakfast, going for a hike? Or to the beach. You don't believe he exists right?"

"I- I don't know." I crossed my arms defensively.

"When you've got a million things to do Rory. All stock at the bakery is out and you need to go shopping for ingredients, you need to change the prices, the tills broken. When you feel like you're over worked and overwhelmed with it all. What's the best thing to do?" I stared at him and he sighed standing up. "Take a step back and breath without it all for a moment. Take a week off, see how you feel. Go from there."

"I'm not skipping church with you Griffin."

"Then don't. Just think about it. We can talk about it later this week." He looked over my shoulder, my phone buzzing again on the table by the front door. "You not gonna get that?"

"It can wait a sec. I'm seeing you off." He nodded slowly.

"I'll go then. The bakery busy tomorrow?"

"Not normally."

"If you want to skip out early, I'll be at the gym until about 3 and then I'll head over to the park."

"Because basketball is life right?" I chuckled and he nodded, standing up and pulling me into a warming hug.

"It's my job. Gotta make sure I'm not slacking off."

"I'm kidding. I'll think about it, otherwise I'll see you tomorrow night?"

"For quiz and karaoke." I peered up at him. "Shortstack."

"Green bean."

"Oompa Lumpa."

"Yeti." He kissed the very top of my head in and amongst my messy hair before letting me go and heading down the stairs.