The Bucket List
Girl Day.
Grace woke up with a smile on her face, climbing out of bed and heading to her desk, rifling through her pile of books before finally finding her battered copy of ‘Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone’ opening it up to chapter 12 and pulling out the list.
She looked down at the words written in her cursive handwriting, her smiled widely as she opened her top draw grabbing a neon green high lighter striking through her first request.
Grace stared down at her list wondering what Garrett would help conquer next before her phone rang.
She picked it up, not bothering to check caller id as she placed it against her ear.
“Hello, Grace speaking,” she answered politely, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.
“Hey Grace” the caller replied his words seeping with happiness, just hearing his voice brought a wide grin to her face.
“Oh my god, Russ!” Grace squealed, so happy to hear her big brothers voice. “How are you?”
“I’m fine, it’s you who I’m worried about” he replied with a sigh, those words alone caused Grace’s heart to plummet.
“I’m fine Russ, really I’ve never been better, I just miss you guys that’s all” she replied, biting her lip trying to withhold her tears knowing that if she cried it would only make him worry more.
“Daisy” he began with a sigh, he always called her by her middle name only calling her Grace when she was getting told off “I want you to call me if anything happens, even if it’s because you’re down because it’s raining, I know you’ve been distant since you’ve been ill but I don’t want to lose you before I have to. If you want me to come see you, you know I will, any time. I’ll see you soon, okay?” he finished as she simply murmured back a yes before they hung up.
Grace looked out of her window, wondering what today will bring, and whether anything else will get ticked off her list.
“Hey Fuckface!” someone shouted outside her door before slamming it open “Get your ass down stairs now its pancake time!”
Grace sighed, trudging to her wardrobe draws before beginning to rifle through them looking for something decent to wear. She looked at the clock one more time, biting her lip before deciding not to bother with her hair and make-up instead just grabbing a hair bobble before leaving the room.
“Finally!” Halvo exclaimed from where he sat at the dining table, leaning forward to pull the plate heaped with pancakes towards him before tossing a couple on his plate and drowning them in syrup.
“Eric” Bailey scolded from where she sat, “We made them for Grace, she gets first pick” she turned to glare at the boy who just shrugged sending Grace an apologetic look as he began to look
“It’s fine Bails” Grace muttered taking an empty seat and placing a pancake in her plate, beginning to cut it into small piece before taking a bite. “What’s this all about anyway?” she added turning to look at the two.
“Nothing, it just to catch up...it feels like we haven’t hung out in ages” Bailey began, biting her lip with a half shrug as she poured out three glasses of orange juice before joining them at the table.
“I’m sorry, thing’s have just been a bit hectic at the moment” Grace started, not sure where to begin or what she actually wanted to tell Bailey.
The list felt private, something secret that made her feel like she had a bond to Garrett, as though they were connected, and if someone else found out or began to help then it wouldn’t be special anymore or wouldn’t hold the same meaning.
But she didn’t like to keep things from Bailey and keeping something so big already made her feel even worse for wanting to hold the list back as well, but Grace knew that if she told Bailey that she wouldn’t allow her to do half the things on the list, not wanting to lose the younger girl any sooner.
It seemed like Grace’s explanation was more than enough as neither Bailey nor Halvo pushed it instead they all carried on eating pancakes making short talk about what their plans where for the rest of the day.
“Grace you’re mine today” Bailey informed her simply, the look on her face telling Grace not to bother trying to back out of it all.
“But aren’t you seeing-“ Grace began anyway, hoping for a little leeway before being cut off by Bailey’s glare and Halvo’s snicker.
“No I told John to not come over today” Bailey replied stonily “If you don’t want to spend time with me just say” Bailey continued trying to not convey any emotion but failed with her voice cracking at the end causing Grace’s heart to immediately shatter.
“Of course I want to spend time with you! I just didn’t want to steal you away from John” Grace explained feebly, feeling as small as a borrower.
“Good! Now let’s get munching!” Halvo exclaimed trying to break the tension as he pointed animatedly to the full plate in the circle.
“Guys!” Halvo whined from the other side of the door, Grace giggling as she imagined his pouting face “Do I really have to wear this?”
Bailey rolled her eyes, climbing up from her seat on the floor before banging hard on the door.
“Halvo you wanted part of girl day, you have to wear that” Bailey shouted back, turning to Grace and beckoning her into the living room, pulling out her playstation before reaching under the couch and dragging out a large box.
“You okay to go nag Halvo to hurry up while i get everything ready?” Bailey questioned, turning to the younger girl that just simply nodded turning around to walk back to the boy’s room.
“Eric you ready? Bailey’s getting a bit grumpy” Grace questioned, her hand raised to knock on the door but before she was able to it was swung open in her face, a tall boy wearing a lime green tutu and a pink vest top, his hair adorned with bright coloured bobbles holding his multiple pig tails in place.
“Im ready” he mumbled, pushing past her and storming into the living room wishing he never asked to participate in their dumb girl day. He collapsed onto the sofa, his lips in a permanent pout as he glared at the wall opposite him.
“Well don’t you look dashing Halvorsen” Bailey smirked as she stood up, hands on her hips as she turned to look at the boy who’s glare deepened at the bossy girl.
“I don’t know why John Oh puts up with you” Eric mumbled averting her stare away from her and onto the TV.
“What was that?” Bailey demanded her face hardening as Grace continued to stand in the corner awkwardly unsure on whether to intervene or not.
“Shall we get girl day started then?” Grace quickly piped up before a full blown argument started between the pair; they turned to look at her, a puzzled gaze adorning the pair before they nodded a smile returning to Bailey’s face as she clicked onto some buttons on the controller.
She looked down at the words written in her cursive handwriting, her smiled widely as she opened her top draw grabbing a neon green high lighter striking through her first request.
Grace stared down at her list wondering what Garrett would help conquer next before her phone rang.
She picked it up, not bothering to check caller id as she placed it against her ear.
“Hello, Grace speaking,” she answered politely, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.
“Hey Grace” the caller replied his words seeping with happiness, just hearing his voice brought a wide grin to her face.
“Oh my god, Russ!” Grace squealed, so happy to hear her big brothers voice. “How are you?”
“I’m fine, it’s you who I’m worried about” he replied with a sigh, those words alone caused Grace’s heart to plummet.
“I’m fine Russ, really I’ve never been better, I just miss you guys that’s all” she replied, biting her lip trying to withhold her tears knowing that if she cried it would only make him worry more.
“Daisy” he began with a sigh, he always called her by her middle name only calling her Grace when she was getting told off “I want you to call me if anything happens, even if it’s because you’re down because it’s raining, I know you’ve been distant since you’ve been ill but I don’t want to lose you before I have to. If you want me to come see you, you know I will, any time. I’ll see you soon, okay?” he finished as she simply murmured back a yes before they hung up.
Grace looked out of her window, wondering what today will bring, and whether anything else will get ticked off her list.
“Hey Fuckface!” someone shouted outside her door before slamming it open “Get your ass down stairs now its pancake time!”
Grace sighed, trudging to her wardrobe draws before beginning to rifle through them looking for something decent to wear. She looked at the clock one more time, biting her lip before deciding not to bother with her hair and make-up instead just grabbing a hair bobble before leaving the room.
“Finally!” Halvo exclaimed from where he sat at the dining table, leaning forward to pull the plate heaped with pancakes towards him before tossing a couple on his plate and drowning them in syrup.
“Eric” Bailey scolded from where she sat, “We made them for Grace, she gets first pick” she turned to glare at the boy who just shrugged sending Grace an apologetic look as he began to look
“It’s fine Bails” Grace muttered taking an empty seat and placing a pancake in her plate, beginning to cut it into small piece before taking a bite. “What’s this all about anyway?” she added turning to look at the two.
“Nothing, it just to catch up...it feels like we haven’t hung out in ages” Bailey began, biting her lip with a half shrug as she poured out three glasses of orange juice before joining them at the table.
“I’m sorry, thing’s have just been a bit hectic at the moment” Grace started, not sure where to begin or what she actually wanted to tell Bailey.
The list felt private, something secret that made her feel like she had a bond to Garrett, as though they were connected, and if someone else found out or began to help then it wouldn’t be special anymore or wouldn’t hold the same meaning.
But she didn’t like to keep things from Bailey and keeping something so big already made her feel even worse for wanting to hold the list back as well, but Grace knew that if she told Bailey that she wouldn’t allow her to do half the things on the list, not wanting to lose the younger girl any sooner.
It seemed like Grace’s explanation was more than enough as neither Bailey nor Halvo pushed it instead they all carried on eating pancakes making short talk about what their plans where for the rest of the day.
“Grace you’re mine today” Bailey informed her simply, the look on her face telling Grace not to bother trying to back out of it all.
“But aren’t you seeing-“ Grace began anyway, hoping for a little leeway before being cut off by Bailey’s glare and Halvo’s snicker.
“No I told John to not come over today” Bailey replied stonily “If you don’t want to spend time with me just say” Bailey continued trying to not convey any emotion but failed with her voice cracking at the end causing Grace’s heart to immediately shatter.
“Of course I want to spend time with you! I just didn’t want to steal you away from John” Grace explained feebly, feeling as small as a borrower.
“Good! Now let’s get munching!” Halvo exclaimed trying to break the tension as he pointed animatedly to the full plate in the circle.
“Guys!” Halvo whined from the other side of the door, Grace giggling as she imagined his pouting face “Do I really have to wear this?”
Bailey rolled her eyes, climbing up from her seat on the floor before banging hard on the door.
“Halvo you wanted part of girl day, you have to wear that” Bailey shouted back, turning to Grace and beckoning her into the living room, pulling out her playstation before reaching under the couch and dragging out a large box.
“You okay to go nag Halvo to hurry up while i get everything ready?” Bailey questioned, turning to the younger girl that just simply nodded turning around to walk back to the boy’s room.
“Eric you ready? Bailey’s getting a bit grumpy” Grace questioned, her hand raised to knock on the door but before she was able to it was swung open in her face, a tall boy wearing a lime green tutu and a pink vest top, his hair adorned with bright coloured bobbles holding his multiple pig tails in place.
“Im ready” he mumbled, pushing past her and storming into the living room wishing he never asked to participate in their dumb girl day. He collapsed onto the sofa, his lips in a permanent pout as he glared at the wall opposite him.
“Well don’t you look dashing Halvorsen” Bailey smirked as she stood up, hands on her hips as she turned to look at the boy who’s glare deepened at the bossy girl.
“I don’t know why John Oh puts up with you” Eric mumbled averting her stare away from her and onto the TV.
“What was that?” Bailey demanded her face hardening as Grace continued to stand in the corner awkwardly unsure on whether to intervene or not.
“Shall we get girl day started then?” Grace quickly piped up before a full blown argument started between the pair; they turned to look at her, a puzzled gaze adorning the pair before they nodded a smile returning to Bailey’s face as she clicked onto some buttons on the controller.
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