pull me back | a drag me down spin off

【seventeen】

"Come on, Grace. We're going to be late." Mom sighs from downstairs.

"I'm coming." I groan and finish slipping my feet into sandals.

I do a quick glance at myself in the mirror and run a hand through my long brown locks. I don't need to impress anyone at my old high school, all the teenagers there are unappealing to me anyway.

The thought of pretending to be interested in science is going to be hard, but at least I'll be with my parents.

Last year, Dad and I snuck into the lobby during the ribbon ceremony to munch on the snacks they were providing for the guests. Hopefully this year they have another colorful bowl of m&ms with my name on it.

Exiting my room, I rush to meet up with the rest of my family. Dad and uncle Duke are waiting for me in the living room, while Mom is helping Skylar put her project in the car.

"All ready to go?" Dad smiles at me.

"Yup, let's get this over with." I laugh and playfully roll my eyes.

"Hey, maybe the m&ms will be in the lobby." Dad winks while I chuckle.

"Or maybe they'll put out chocolate bars again." Uncle Duke states.

"There were no chocolate bars." I furrow my eyebrows, thinking back to last year.

"Yes, there was. They were on the other side of Skylar's poster, just sitting in a bowl."

"That was for somebody's project." Dad turns to look back at him.

Uncle Duke stays still for a minute, staring at us with wide and terrified eyes. "Oh, shit."

"You ate them?!" Dad exclaims.

"Nobody stopped me." Uncle Duke throws his hands up in defense.

"You're too much." I shake my head and walk outside. Mom is impatiently waiting in the passenger seat.

"Let's go, slowpokes." She cups her hands over her mouth and yells out to us.

"We're coming, we're coming." Dad huffs and gets into the driver's seat.

Uncle Duke slides into the back of the vehicle with my sister and I, and suddenly the Dolan - Brady family is off to the annual science fair.

"Where's Cameron? I wanted him to come." Skylar pouts while looking up at me.

"He's busy, I guess." I casually shrug and pull my phone out of my pocket.

"Busy? Since when are the two of you not together?" Dad laughs.

"He's probably studying, finals week is approaching soon. You know how crazy he gets during that time." Of course I would never tell them the real reason Cameron and I have been distant from each other.

We haven't really spoken since that day he brought me to the animal hospital. When he admitted to having feelings for me, I didn't know what to do.

Ever since the day Cameron and I met, everyone told me he was in love with me. I laughed it off, thinking it was some silly joke. I now realize that it isn't a silly joke at all. His feelings are real and I should take them more seriously.

"I can't believe that your graduation is a few weeks away." Mom happily claps her hands together.

"And I can't believe that our baby girl is going to be a college graduate. Where did the time go?" Dad shakes his head in disbelief.

"Well, hopefully your baby girl will be moving onto law school. I still haven't heard back from any schools yet." I heavily sigh, knowing it's been awhile since I applied.