In a heartbeat// cb

9

"So what are your plans tomorrow?" Colby asked over FaceTime.

"I have my little sisters middle school graduation. When she gets home, I'm taking her to get a new outfit." I tell him.

We FaceTime everyday when we're not busy. And he's busy a lot. I've been talking to Elton everyday too, us two getting closer.

I don't see Elton and I getting closer romantically, because of the age gap. "What about you? What's your plans?" I ask leaning back in my office chair.

"I'm gonna hang out with Sam and his girlfriend." Colby introduced me to his friend, Sam, a few days ago.

He seemed really nice. On the FaceTime, I heard his front door open and close. "Colby, we have to go film!" I heard Sam yell.

I looked at Colby confused as his eyes went wide. "Film what?" I ask curious.

"Something for a class. Look I got to go." Before I could say bye, Colby hung up. What the hell? He's never did that before.

He's obviously hiding something. I just don't understand why or what he's hiding. Someone touched my shoulder, making me jump.

I turned around to see Parker standing there. I must've not heard her come in. I held my chest as I caught my breath.

"You okay? I tried to call for you but I guess you didn't hear." Parker told me. "I'm fine, I didn't hear it. You ready?" I ask as she nods.

After shopping for a couple of hours, we finally found the perfect outfit. It was a maroon sweater with a matching skirt.

"You look really cute, Parker." I tell her honestly. She smiled cheekily as she looked at herself. "You think mom will like it?" She asked.

I smile lightly. "Of course." She didn't wanna take it off. Even when we got home, she wouldn't take it off until my mom got home.

She was going in later, for Parker's graduation. It started at two thirty so we were gonna leave at two.

My mom came home later, Parker was already in bed. I was on the couch, watching a movie on Netflix.

"Hey sweetie." My mom greeted me when she walked inside. "Hey, how was work?" I ask pausing my movie.

She sat down on the couch, looking exhausted. "Tiring. I'm just happy to see Parker graduate." She weakly smiled.

"Go to bed mom, I'll take care of her in the morning." She kissed my forehead and walked away. I finished my movie and deciding on laying down.

It was weird cause I haven't heard from Colby ever since he hung up on me. I woke up early the next day so I could do her hair and makeup.

"How do you want your hair to look?" I ask as she sits in front of me. "Can you curl it?" She asked, hopeful.

"Of course." I curl her hair and give her some light makeup. "You're so pretty, sis." I tell her, making her smile.

"Thanks, so are you." She complimented. "Now go get your stuff so I can take you." She quickly stood up, trying to find her bag.

But then we heard footsteps, and it was our mom. "You look so grown up, I love it." My mom smiled.

"Don't worry about taking her, I got her." I could see a smile form on my sisters lips. She ran to the bathroom to go brush her teeth real quick.

"You sure you got it?" I ask my mom, making sure she was awake enough. "Yeah, I wanna take her on her last day." I already feel bad for her.

She always feels like she's missing out on Parker's life because she has to work so much. "Plus I can take a nap between now and then." She explained.

I sigh as Parker comes in here, a smile on her face. "You ready, mom?" She asked looking up at mom.

"Yeah, lets go." They walk out the door. I lay back down in bed, taking a quick nap before actually waking up.

I felt something hit my face, causing me to jolt up. Griffin was standing at my door as I looked at him.

I look at the time to see it was ten thirty. "Bitch, why are you here this early?" I rub my eyes as I look at him.

"Can I not hang out with my best friend?" He asked while sitting in my office chair. "Have you heard from Colby?" He stuck some pretzels in his mouth.

"One, why are you always eating? And two, no. He's been acting strange." He looked at me weirdly.

"Strange, how? And I'm always eating cause I'm always hungry." I tell Griffin what all happened yesterday.

About Colby ditching the facetime because he had to film whatever he had to film. He sat there for a minute, trying to figure it out.

"I keep trying to think of a reason, but nothing comes to mind." He told me. My mom knocked on the door and opened it.

She loves Griffin. She treats him like the son she never had. He's so close to us, he even came out to my mom.

He came out to my mom right after he came out to his parents, knowing she's like a second mom to him.

"You two want some breakfast?" She asked as we agreed. We talked and hung out until it was time to get ready for her graduation.

Griffin was actually already dressed, he was wearing a white button up with a black sweater over it. He had black dress pants on.

I had a black crop top on with a unbutton flannel over it. As I put my jeans on, my mom walked in. "You all ready?" She asked as I button my jeans.

We nodded our heads as we walked out. My mom drove to the school, and it looked crowded. "You think she's nervous?" Griffin asked as we walked in.

I shake my head no as we tried to find seats. Once seated, we waited for it to start. It felt like it took forever.

Parker looked so happy, but I knew she was scared. And she also looking cute. Afterwards, we took pictures with her.

After getting home, she hung out with Mia, our neighbor, in her room.

"I don't know what to do." Griffin said staring at the ceiling. He was out of college for the summer so we were both bored.

"Wanna see if the two girls wanna get frozen yogurt?" I ask as he agrees. We walk towards the door, to hear they were watching something.

The voice sounded familiar but I couldn't tell. I knocked on the door, and then opened it.

My breath caught in my throat as I looked at what they're watching. I pulled Griffin in so he could see. His eyes widen as he looked at the tv.

"Parker." I get her attention as I look at Colby on her tv. "Yeah?" She asked pausing it on his face. She turned to look at me.

"Who is that?" I ask pointing to her tv. "That's Colby Brock and his best friend, Sam. Why?" She asked confused.

I look at Griffin to see him shocked and confused. "I thought I saw him before." I tell her as she stares at me.

"Is there something you needed or?" She dragged on the last word. I shake my head no as I closed the door.

I look at Griffin as he looked at me. We both don't know what to say.

"We need to figure out what the hell is going on."