BOUND TO FALL IN LOVE - gracie abrams

- three

SUNDAY afternoon came around, and elizabeth was officially a year older - now ready to take on the world as a happy and healthy eight-year-old. when the clock ticked 4pm, the two geller sisters hugged their beloved dad goodbye and watched him drive off in his new and probably way too expensive car. he'd be gone for two whole weeks, off to belgium for some business related trip.

august wrapped an arm around her sister and sent her a sad smile. side by side, they left the window they were standing by. the redhead was staying at her childhood home for the fourteen days her dad was in brussels, because although elizabeth was a year older as of today, she was still only eight and therefore not old enough to stay home alone for two weeks.

none of the sisters minded being stuck with each other for so long - quite the opposite actually. both august and elizabeth were more than ready for the following two weeks, and the former had promised herself to make these fourteen days some of the best days of her sister's life, now that daddy wasn't there to ruin all the fun.

"okay, ellie, we officially have the house for ourselves for the next two weeks," august smiled, pulling her sister down onto the couch next to herself, "what do you want to do?"

elizabeth shrugged, cuddling into her sister's safe arms, "can we watch that mermaid barbie movie?"

"of course we can, baby, anything else?" august asked, watching as her sister shook her head no, "wanna bake cookies sometime?" she suggested, a wide smile forming on her face as her baby sister's eyes lit up and she started nodding rapidly, repeatedly squealing the word yes.

the sweet sound of elizabeth's small giggles filled the room, and august couldn't remove her eyes from the adorable girl. the small laughs faded out, and elizabeth's hands found her sister's fingers, fidgeting with them. "what are you gonna do when i'm in school?" the kid asked curiously, leaning her head back and resting it on august's shoulder.

"i'll probably just be right here, cleaning, cooking, watching tv," august answered, absentmindedly drawing small shapes on her sister's arm, "why?"

elizabeth shrugged, continuing to play with her sister's fingers and the rings on them. "but hey, y'know what? i'll be here to drive you to school and pick you up every single day!"

that revelation caught elizabeth's attention. the girls' dad worked a lot, he was never home in the morning and worked till late in the evening. the third grader was used to getting herself back and forth from school, either by taking the bus or walking. deep down she had always envied the kids whose parents were able to drive them every single day.

"really? thank you!" elizabeth squealed, turning around in august's lap and placing a small kiss on her sister's cheek.

"hi?" gracie chirped, sticking her head through the slightly opened door, "i'm here to pick up elizabeth geller?" she said, opening the door fully and entering the secretary's office. "her dad should have sent you and e-mail about it? i'm gracie," she smiled politely, scared she wouldn't be allowed to pick up the girl.

the elderly lady smiled sweetly at her before looking back down at her computer, "yes, i see, that's fine!" she smiled after seemingly reading through something - most likely the e-mail from mr. geller. "she has math with mr. julian, you should be able to find her in..." the lady trailed off, once again reading something on her screen, "...room 45, just down the hall and to the left."

gracie thanked the secretary, sending her a grateful smile before leaving the office. her eyes skimmed over each door she passed, hoping to spot the number 45. it didn't take long before she was standing in front of said door, knocking on it, praying to the one above that it was the right classroom.

"mr. julian?" she asked looking at the desk where a middle-aged man sat. he nodded, and gracie allowed herself to enter the room fully, "i'm here to pick up elizabeth?"

gracie scanned the classroom, searching for a certain brown-haired kid. when she potted her, elizabeth's eyes were wide open and her jaw was dropped, a wide smile on the verge of breaking through.

"elizabeth, gather your things and go home, i'll see you tomorrow," mr. julian said, smiling at elizabeth and then at gracie. the geller girl was whispering with an excited look on her face, her friends surrounding her, listening intently as she told them that that was the gracie they had heard so much about.

"goodbye, mr. julian!" elizabeth waved, running across the classroom and right into gracie's arms. the two girls left the classroom, gracie waving goodbye to the teacher, and elizabeth to her friends. side by side, they left the school, elizabeth repeatedly asking gracie why she was leaving school early and worrying about her sister's wellbeing.

"don't worry, babes, august is perfectly fine, i just wanted to surprise you!" gracie revealed, smiling brightly at the young girl, "your sister is waiting in the car, we're all gonna go get some lunch wherever you want, and then we'll go back home and hang out!"

elizabeth was looking up at the brunette with nothing but shock and admiration, "really?" she asked, her mouth agape. when gracie nodded in confirmation, elizabeth's face broke into a huge smile. "thank you! thank you! thank you!"

the three girls ended up going to taco bell's drive through as per elizabeth's request. not that the two eldest were complaining, they were both starving and would've agreed to eat anywhere.

after downing the delicious food, they drove home. the afternoon was spent baking and decorating cookies, and when the evening presented itself, the girls ate dinner by the tv. barbie movies were on autoplay the whole night, and the cookies they'd made were devoured in no time.

at some point during the second barbie movie of the night, elizabeth had made her way onto gracie's lap, and was cuddling into the woman's chest. gracie's arms were wrapped securely around the girl, subconsciously drawing small shapes on her shoulder.

august swore she felt her heart melt in her chest at the sight of her two favourite girls all cuddled up. she loved the bond between gracie and elizabeth. the redhead even found herself imagining it was gracie sitting there with her own kid. her and august's little daughter.

she quickly rid herself of those inappropriate thoughts, mentally giving herself a hard slap across the face. what was wrong with her?

the rest of the two father-free weeks were pretty similar to the day with gracie. of course, elizabeth didn't leave school early everyday, but they did have a movie night at the end of basically every one of the fourteen days. gracie spent the night a few times, as well as joining in on the sisters saturday-girls-day.

elizabeth liked gracie much better without brandon around. she didn't like how brandon treated her gracie. his presence changed gracie, she always acted weird with him in the room.

august had noticed it too. she noticed everything about gracie. everything she did and didn't do. she hated seeing her best friend stuck in such a toxic situation. especially when gracie didn't even realise the lack of love and respect in her and brandon's relationship.

august wished she could knock some sense into gracie's pretty head, but the abrams girl was and had always been so, so stubborn.

author's note
i love elizabeth sm
she's such a cutie patootie

AND HAPPY NEW YEARS GUYS
2024 is crazy