The Grim Reaper Effect

-T H I R T Y-

Chapter Thirty: Griffin's Uncle

GRIFFIN'S POV

There are two ways of seeing prom planning. The first is the most common, which is seeing it as planning the most important day of your high school career. Everything about it should be perfect and spectacular. The dresses and suits must be perfect. Everything about the event has to be perfect and absolutely magical.

Then there's seeing it as a waste of time and money. No one cares about themes if it doesn't directly correspond with their plans. No one cares enough about the small details the committee spends months intricately planning. The entire thing, including the dresses and tuxes, cost entirely too much for one night.

Considering I've dozed off about three times during this meeting, I obviously fall on the logical side. It may seem stereotypical, but it's all true. The amount of work that can be accomplished in the time it takes to plan this overly ambitious event is insane. Especially since prom is one night and nothing from the previous year is reused. It all seems like a total waste. With all the time it takes to plan it all out, it should last a week.

The only reason I was helping at all was because Mackenzie dragged me here. Something about spending too much time alone. I believed it was because Kira dragged her here and she didn't want to be the only one suffering. I was proven correct when I caught her dozing off beside me.

Besides this meeting being boring, I had also stayed up all night. My uncle would be staying with us for the next week or so and I was anxious. He was my mom's only sibling and the last person on her side of the family left. I had never met him before, so I didn't know what to expect. More than that, I was nervous to meet him because he's the last living memory of my mom. The thought itself was terrifying.

Of course, I didn't tell Mackenzie any of this. I didn't want her worrying. Though nothing about us is normal, I still like to try to follow the rules and keep her free of my problems. It didn't seem fair to me that she was always taking in my problems as her own. I tried not to show if I was struggling or not anymore.

"...the rest looks like it can be saved for next week. Meeting adjourned," Kira set down her notebook.

This sent a jolt of energy through me, "Sounds great! Mackenzie, let's go!"

She frowned, "But-"

I grabbed her hand and led us out of the room. I was happy to finally be getting out of there. I was usually fine with meetings. Meetings usually meant work was being done and tasks were being completed. Ideas were usually being shared and progress was being made. However, the only ideas being shared were the color of the streamers and the flavors of punch.

Once we got outside, I let go of Mackenzie's hand and took a deep breath. It hit me that I was about to meet my uncle for the first time. Before today, I've only seen pictures of him and he looks a lot like my mom. It was pretty strange to me that she had very few pictures of him and she didn't bother having me meet him.

"Griffin, are you okay? You look a little pale," Mackenzie frowned.

I nodded, "Yeah, fine. Just a little tired. Prom planning is exhausting."

"Griffin, I know you're lying. Just last week, you talked for an hour about how boring and useless prom planning is."

I sighed, "Fine. I spent all night preparing a room for my uncle. He's visiting."

She shook her head, "That's not it either. You've planned plenty things and you've never been this weird. What's wrong?"

Why is she so good at this?