Her blonde hair curled around her shoulders and I had the strange urge to reach out and touch it to see if it was as soft as it looked.
“Did I miss anything?” She asked.
I shook my head.
She righted her dress and turned to look at me. Cracking half a smile, she said, “You look nice.”
I glanced down at my tan colored pants and blue polo shirt. “You mean I don’t look like a preppy golf player?”
“Well, you kind of do.” She giggled, the sound of her laugh light and musical. “I definitely prefer your normal clothes, but this isn’t bad.”
I leaned over to whisper in her ear. “My mom picked it out.”
“No she didn’t.” Willow laughed even harder and the sound was like heaven.
“Yeah, you’re right, she didn’t. I thought I better dress appropriately for the occasion.” I shrugged and my shoulder brushed hers.
She smiled up at me, and this close I couldn’t miss the smattering of freckles across her nose or the gold flecks in her eyes.
Willow was one of those girls that were effortlessly beautiful. It wasn’t just her looks that made her beautiful it was her personality too. There was no one else quite like her.
“He said yes,” she whispered gleefully as the music started up, signaling the arrival of the seniors.
My eyes widened. I knew I should’ve been scanning the line of seniors for my sister, but for the moment my eyes were glued to Willow.
“Your dad said yes to the trip?” I confirmed.
She nodded, practically bouncing in her seat with barely contained energy. “Is tomorrow too soon to leave?”
“I’m game.”
She let out this high-pitched sound that probably had dogs cringing from miles away. I know I certainly had a ringing in my ears.
“We should probably stock up on lollipops.” I winked.
Her answering grin was infectious and I felt my own lips tip up.
Before I could respond my mom let out a small scream and jolted into a standing position.
“Oh, I see her! My baby is all grown up!” She cried as my dad stood up with her.
“Uh…” Linc mumbled. “I thought I was your baby.”
“Quiet,” she hissed at him, clasping her hands together. “Trace, did you get a picture of her? Please tell me you did.”
“I got it, babe.”
Linc glanced over at me. “Ew, they’re getting all mushy on us.”
I chuckled and watched with a smile as the class filed down the field to take their seats on the white folding chairs.
I couldn’t imagine how my parents must feel seeing their second child graduate from high school, because even I felt a bit emotional.
My baby sister was growing up.
She was already grown up.
Whoa.