Too Close

Chapter Thirty Six

Three years ago...

Gianna stood in her bedroom, fully dressed in her pine green cap and gown. She grabbed a vibrant pink highlighter off of her desk since her gigantic mood board hung above it.

She carefully dragged the marker through the letters that spelled GRADUATE, and while she was at it, she also highlighted the line about scoring an internship. And she'd gotten lucky.

Her connection to Ivy Carter landed her one of the best internships she could get. She was to be provided housing close to headquarters and receive a monthly allowance. This publishing company took great care of their interns being that they were all hand picked. She was due in New York City right after graduation.

She'd chosen her dad to be the one to see her off, being that her mom always filled her plus one spot. Gino also wanted to make sure his baby girl was completely safe since this was the first time Gianna would be living completely on her own and away from her family.

Before making her way downstairs to where her family was, she resecured her graduation cap that was decorated with sheets of her award-winning short story collaged together with "Real Hot Grad Shit" spelled in dark green glitter letters on top. Gianna joined her family in the living room where Brooke and her family also were since the Grayes, more so Brandy, insisted that they host while her family was in town.

"Aww, look at my girls! College grads. I know that's right." Brandy smiled as she snapped pictures of Brooke and Gianna as they held their degrees.

"We're so proud of y'all." Gino smiled, passing both of them graduation gift bags. Brooke's mom agreed, asking them to hold their poses so that she could get some pictures of them for herself. She was grateful for Gianna and her family and how they took Brooke in as their own. Giving her a home away from home.

"Me next." Leo wiggled his way through the little crowd and sandwiched himself in between Gianna and Brooke. "By proxy, I'm a graduate too." Leo smirked as he put his arms around both of the girls' shoulders.

Gianna rolled her eyes, "Google University does not count."

"Are you education shaming me?" He said, making Brooke giggle beside them.

"I know for sure that you'd be valedictorian." Brooke turned to him.

"Yeah, of Dropout Academy." Gianna laughed at herself before Brandy got them all to act right for the picture like they were little kids.

Once the long lasting photoshoot finally came to a close, they all gathered at the dining table, Gianna enjoying her friends and family since she wouldn't be able to for a long time.

"I'm gonna miss you so, so much." She hugged Brooke super tightly, dreading the fact that she won't be able to see her best friend every day anymore. Brooke was going back to Houston and doing hair until she found a job that exercised her writing talent. Gianna promised her that she'd be on the lookout and let her know if she heard anything.

"I'll miss you too, Gigianna." They both laughed as she called her the mixture nickname Karter so cleverly devised. "I'm so glad that we met." Brooke held her just as tight, trying to hold back the tears that were brimming in her eyes. "Let me help you with this before I become a crying mess."

Both of them pulled away, wiping their eyes before they worked together to pack Gianna's bags.

Days later, Gianna and her dad landed in New York City and Gianna was instantly met with so many memories that the city housed for her.

"Are you alright, Junior? Getting cold feet?" Gino asked, seeing how she laid her head on the car's window watching the umbrella-covered pedestrians and blurred lights as they were driven through the city.