BOUND TO FALL IN LOVE - gracie abrams

- two

AUGUST found herself sporting a wide smile, walking up the driveway of her childhood home. she couldn't wait to spend the next two weeks in the house she grew up in, hanging with her dad, michael, and her beloved little sister, elizabeth.

elizabeth was turning eight on sunday, but the family was celebrating her birthday today, saturday.

the very moment august stepped foot in the house, her sister came sprinting into her arms. the redhead held her sister in a tight embrace, blinking away tears of happiness and relief. she had missed that little girl so much.

"is gracie and livy coming today?" elizabeth asked, looking up at her sister with hopeful eyes.

truth be told, august hadn't thought to invite the two girls. she knew how much elizabeth loved them, and how much they loved her, but for some reason it hadn't crossed her mind. she didn't know what to tell her sister. did she say yes and risk disappointing the little girl? or did she say no and ruin the party before it even started?

"want me to ask them?" she asked, squatting down to her sister's height. elizabeth nodded rapidly, her happy grin showing her missing front teeth. august smiled, grabbing her phone and texting her two friends.

not many hours later, the party started. luckily, olivia and gracie showed up, having missed their little ellie unbelievably much. but where gracie went, brandon went too, apparently. august had to force back an eye roll the moment she saw brandon walk in, clung to gracie's side, his hand once again resting on her ass.

other than the little bump in the way - the one shaped as a 6'2, muscular man with ugly hair and an unfortunate looking stubble - the party was fine. elizabeth seemed to have enjoyed herself.

by 8pm, all the guests were gone, and august was tucking in the birthday girl.

"did you have a good time today, ellie?" the redhead asked, taking a seat on the edge of elizabeth's bed.

the young girl smiled widely, "yes!" she nodded, sending her sister two excited thumbs ups, "who was that boy with gracie?"

august was sure her heart skipped a beat. brandon. brandon ruined everything. "that was her boyfriend! his name is brandon, why are you asking, hunny?" august explained, trying to sound as neutral as possible.

"i dunno, i just don't really like him, i don't want gracie to be his girlfriend," elizabeth frowned. the older of the two sisters furrowed her brows, looking down at her baby sister, confusion written all over her face.

"what do you mean, ellie?" she asked, grabbing one of elizabeth's hands and gently stroking it with her thumb. "why do you not like him?" deep down, august was over the moon happy that someone else saw what she saw. felt the same as she did. even though it was her (soon to be) eight-year-old sister.

"um, i dunno, he's just weird...he was looking at her chest a lot, joshua says that that's not okay to do," elizabeth shrugged. joshua was one of her friends at school. apparently joshua's parents were set on their son being a little gentleman. kudos to them.

"she had marks on her neck, they looked like bruises, do you think it's his fault?" elizabeth's eyes were wide and filled with fear. "he was also touching her bottom a lot, i don't think that's okay to do!" she continued, not even getting to hear the answer to her question.

"don't worry, ellie, the marks on gracie's neck weren't bruises, but it's good you notice these things, it's good you care," august smiled, kissing the back of her sister's hand, "and for the other stuff; joshua is right, generally it isn't okay to look at someone's chest or touch their bottom, but brandon and gracie are in a relationship, things are a bit different for couples...although, there's still a line, do you think he crossed a line?"

elizabeth shrugged, "i don't know, i don't know where the line is, but every time i looked at them, he was looking at her chest or behind, and he was always touching her."

"thank you for telling me this baby, it's very good you notice stuff like this, it can really help people...good job," august smiled, opening her arms and letting her sister jump into them. the sisters sat in silence for a while, hugging each other tightly. they had been apart for way too long

"sissy?" elizabeth mumbled into her sister's shoulder. august hummed, indicating for the kid to go on. "if the marks on gracie's neck weren't bruises, what were they? is she okay? is she dying?"

august's eyes widened and she had to take a moment to figure out how to answer her sister's question.

"sissy?" elizabeth chirped after a while of silence, "are you okay? did you not hear my question?"

"oh, yeah,, i'm okay, yes, i did hear you, sorry, i zoned out," august replied, taking a deep breath before answering, "um, first off, no, gracie is not dying, she is happy and healthy, don't you worry, baby," she smiled, squeezing her sister tightly, "and uh, the marks...they're small paintings of love," august said. she didn't like saying it. she didn't like admitting brandon loving gracie. but how else would you describe hickey's to an eight year old kid?

"hm, okay...i still don't like that boy, brandon or what was it? he's making her lose her shine," elizabeth shrugged. her older sister nodded, confirming the name. "i just don't understand him, i mean, gracie's body is the most boring thing about her!" the kid exclaimed, "he should like how funny she is and how good she is at playing with barbie! she also gives reeaalllyyyy good hugs! why does he not like that about her?"

"i don't know, baby, some people just don't know how to appreciate the things they have," august shrugged, "but now it's time for bed, superstar."

elizabeth groaned but she still got back in bed and cuddled up under the duvet. she hugged her duck plushie tightly and looked up at her older sister. "can you please sing for me?" she asked, using her best puppy eyes.

"of course i can, what do you wanna hear?"

elizabeth thought about it for a little before smiling widely, "auntie t! never grow up!"

and so august sang their aunt's beautiful song, written about the redhead herself.

author's note
cutie pie elizabeth who is also incredibly smart