july 2013
houston, tx
Gracie huffs as she skips down the stairs, having heard a knock at the front door.
"Is that Ashley?" Mrs Knight calls from the kitchen.
"I think so," Gracie responds, picking at a piece of food from the chopping board that her mother is using, causing Ginny to smack her hand away, as she passes by.
"How many times have we told her that she doesn't have to knock?"
"She won't listen," Gracie rolls her eyes. "I'm gonna get her a house key of her own," she laughs, as she heads down the hall.
Gracie unlocks the front door and opens it, revealing Ashley stood there with a small smile, just as she and her mother had predicted.
"Why do you even knock?" She sighs, turning on her heels and heading back to the kitchen.
"Because it's still your house, Gracie," Ashley retorts, closing the door behind them, before swiftly following her down the hall.
"You really don't need to, dear," Ginny shakes her head, once they're within earshot.
"You're probably here more than Awsten is, and he's supposed to live here," Gracie interjects, and Ashley tries not to show a visible reaction at the mention of Awsten.
"He's supposed to," Ginny comments, lightheartedly, and Gracie snorts a laugh.
"What do you mean?" Ashley shoots a look between the two of them.
"He just spends all of his time at his girlfriend's house now," Gracie rolls her eyes, with a whiney tone, earning a half-glare from her mother. "What? It's true!"
"Yes, but don't have that kind of attitude about it," she warns. "There's nothing wrong with him wanting to spend a lot of time with her. They're clearly happy together."
Ashley tries to suppress the sad expression that attempts to takeover her face, as she sits next to Gracie at the kitchen island.
"You've met Grace before anyway, haven't you, Ashley?" Ginny turns to her, only briefly, as she continues preparing dinner.
"Uh, yeah," she nods, "a few times."
Gracie begins laughing at Ashley's poor attempt to keep a neutral tone, earning a quizzical look from Mrs Knight.
"We don't think Grace likes Ley very much," Gracie tells her mom, causing her best friend to shoot her a sharp look.
Ginny shrugs, feigning disinterest in the assumption, but this just tells the two girls that she notices the same things that they do.
"Are y'all eating something before you go?" She questions, changing the course of conversation.
"I'm not hungry," Gracie shakes her head, before raising an eyebrow at Ashley.
"Uh, I'm okay, too, thank you," she answers in response.
"You ready to go?" Gracie nudges, pointing out the time, as she grabs her jacket; earning a small nod, along with a quiet sigh.
