ENJOY RAINBOWS <33

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Griffin felt as if his entire universe was fracturing into countless fragments when he witnessed Harper being forcefully pulled away by a masked figure. There was no way he could allow them to escape with her.

For reasons he couldn't quite comprehend, his heart raced, pounding furiously against his chest. The sight of her pale face, struggling as she was dragged off, ignited a fierce urge within him—an impulse to explode into action and strike that masked man with everything he had. But what was this emotion bubbling up inside him? Could it be that he was in love with Harper? No, that was absurd. They were just friends, nothing more.

Yet, every time he was around her, something sparked in his heart, compelling him to want to envelop her in his arms, kiss her softly, and banish all her troubles away. Maybe, just maybe, his feelings for her ran deeper than he wanted to admit. But right now, there was no space for such thoughts; his sole focus was on rescuing Harper.

In a moment of clarity, he did what any action or spy movie enthusiast would instinctively do—he tapped the record button on his phone before sprinting after the abductors.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Meanwhile, Jess and Topher stood frozen, staring at the empty bench in disbelief. They had only been away for a mere five minutes, yet Harper had vanished without a trace. Frantically, Jess attempted to reach Harper on her cell phone multiple times, but those calls went unanswered—until one finally did. “Hello, Jess,” a male voice responded.

“Ben? What are you doing with Harper's phone? Where is my daughter?” Jess's voice quivered with urgency.

“Oh, there’s no need for concern. She’s with me, and I guarantee you'll never see her again,” Ben replied coolly.

Jess's eyes widened in dread, and she felt a tightening grip around her throat, making it hard to breathe. “Please don’t even think about calling the police. You won't track us down, and she'll be dead long before anyone arrives,” Ben added with a chilling calmness.

“Ben, please. I’ll do anything—just let Harper go. I can’t face losing someone else,” Jess pleaded desperately, her voice breaking.

“You think I care?” Ben scoffed, laughter lacing his tone. “I’m only interested in myself. Now, it’s time to say your final goodbyes to Harper while you still can.” He then turned the phone towards Harper, and Jess recoiled in horror as she saw her daughter suspended against a fence, her mouth and eyes bound, a gun aimed ominously at her.

Before Jess could react further, the call abruptly ended. The phone slipped from her trembling hand, and panic began to set in as her breathing grew shallow. “Mum? Mum, are you okay?” Topher asked, genuinely worried.

“T-They’re g-gonna hurt her,” she stammered, her words tumbling out in a rush of fear.

“No, they won’t. I already contacted the police while you were speaking with him. They’re tracing the call to determine his location,” Topher reassured her.

“But how long will that take? What if they harm my baby?” Jess cried out, the weight of dread crashing over her.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

“Mum, he’s not here,” Zoey called out, her brow furrowing in concentration.

“He’s not under the table, either,” Wyatt chimed in, clearly frustrated.

“Ugh, Wyatt, we’re looking for Griffin, not your dumb comic book!” Zoey exclaimed, irritation seeping into her voice.

The twins' bickering escalated until an exasperated Sarah intervened. “Your brother is missing, and all you care about is squabbling?!” she exclaimed, her voice sharp with worry.

“Sorry, Mum,” they chorused, shame washing over them.

Just then, Sarah's phone rang, disrupting the tension in the air.

“Jess? Is everything okay?” she asked, immediately sensing something was wrong.

“No! No, Sarah, I desperately need your help,” Jess replied, her voice punctuated by sniffles as she struggled to hold it together.

Jess hurriedly explained the dire situation, including the alarming details about Ben’s involvement.

“So you’re telling me that my husband is a criminal who’s taken your daughter hostage?” Sarah questioned, disbelief creeping into her voice.

“I know it sounds crazy, but I swear I’m telling the truth. I really need your help. He said he was going to kill Harper!” Jess urged, her heart racing.

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line before Sarah finally spoke. “Okay, okay, I’ll help you. Just send me your address; I’m on my way,” she said resolutely.

“Thank you so much,” Jess replied gratefully before disconnecting the call. She quickly texted Sarah her address, while Sarah gathered the twins, determination in her stride as they headed to the location.

By the time Sarah arrived, the police were already questioning Jess, gathering every detail. Sarah immediately informed the officers that Griffin was also missing.

After they finished answering the barrage of questions, Sarah and Jess sank onto a nearby bench, desperately seeking comfort in each other’s presence, while the twins and Topher sat on the grass, their whispers filled with concern for their loved ones.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

The masked man had Harper slung over his shoulder as he carried her to a rundown building that seemed to have long been forgotten by time. Griffin was crouched behind a nearby wall, heart pounding in his chest as he strained to catch every word of their conversation. As the masked man slowly pulled off his disguise, Griffin's mind raced – it couldn't be who he thought it was. "Dad?" he gasped, barely managing to whisper the name.

His head was spinning with a million questions, but he knew now wasn't the time for that. Fortunately, he had the recording device still running in his pocket.

"Listen, Harper, just hand it over," Ben said, reaching into her front pocket with a quick, greedy motion and yanking out the document inside. Harper trembled, tears streaming down her face from the sharp pain of the needle that had just been injected into her neck. Watching her suffer made a sharp pang shoot through Griffin’s chest.

After what felt like an eternity, the masked men and Ben moved on, leaving a window of opportunity wide open. Griffin sprinted toward Harper, determination fueling his every step as he rushed to untie her from the chair.

“Don’t stress, Harper, I’ll get you out of this mess, I promise,” he whispered, trying to infuse his voice with confidence. But Harper stuttered, “N-No! Y-You need to leave before your d-dad finds you here!”

“No way am I abandoning you,” Griffin replied firmly. “You need to get to a hospital – you’re losing a ton of blood.”

“Griffin, it’s pointless. I’m a total lost cause. My dad? He’s a lost cause too. I don’t want you to become part of that mess,” she said, her voice shaky and weak.

“Hey, I’ve recorded everything, and I set a trap at the door. We just need to get the evidence to the police, and everything will be alright,” Griffin insisted, feeling an urgency as he watched her grow paler by the second.

“You need to take that to the police! You can’t waste time on me; your dad is going to be back any minute!” Harper panted, her breathing becoming more shallow.

The sight of her closing her eyes made Griffin’s heart drop. “Harper!” he exclaimed in panic. Just then, Ben came storming back into the room. “What the hell are you doing?” he shouted angrily, striding toward them. But his foot snagged on a wire, triggering the trap Griffin had set.

Out of nowhere, a net dropped from above, ensnaring Ben in its sticky grasp. As Ben struggled furiously, Griffin seized the moment, grabbing hold of Harper’s hand and pulling her away from the chair. “We need to bounce, like, right now!” he urged, urgency spilling into his tone.

Harper nodded, though her strength seemed to fade with each passing second. Griffin held onto her tightly, supporting her weight as he hurriedly made his way toward the exit without jostling her too much.

Just when they reached the door, the unmistakable sound of footsteps and muffled voices echoed down the hallway. The masked men were back, headed straight for them!

With adrenaline coursing through him, Griffin yanked Harper through the doorway, just seconds before the masked men entered the room. But instead of pursuing them, they found themselves caught in Griffin’s snare.

The wire he had so cleverly rigged unleashed a series of nets and tripwires, trapping the masked men as they flailed and yelled in confusion. Ben, still caught up in his own net, shot Griffin a furious glance mixed with disbelief. “You little brat!” he spat, but Griffin merely smirked in response.

“It’s over,” Griffin declared confidently. “The cops will be here any minute, and you guys are about to face justice.”

Leaning heavily against him, Harper managed to open her eyes just enough to smile weakly. “Thank you, Griffin,” she whispered, gratitude shining through her pain. “I seriously owe you one.”

Griffin returned her smile, a wave of relief flooding through him. “Anytime, Harper. But let’s not waste another second; we need to get you to a hospital.”

As they prepared to escape, Ben shouted after them, “Griff, seriously? I’m your dad! Is this how you want to treat your old man?”

Griffin glanced back with steely resolve. “Yeah. Let’s just pretend we’re strangers from now on,” he retorted, carefully lifting Harper into his arms in a bridal carry, taking care not to cause her any more hurt.

He ran as fast as his legs could carry him, constantly checking to make sure Harper was alright. She looked so pale and cold, and a wave of panic washed over him.

They arrived at the nearest hospital, and the frantic doctor guided them straight to the emergency room. He quickly notified the police and decided it was time to call his mom.

“Griffin! Is that you?!” Sarah answered, her voice laced with worry. “Yes, Mom. I swear I’ll explain everything soon. Just meet me at the hospital. Harper’s hurt,” he rushed through the words, giving her the address and waiting impatiently for updates about Harper. “Please, let her be okay,” he whispered to himself, anxiety ringing in his ears.

Before long, Sarah, Jess, Topher, and the twins burst through the hospital doors. “Oh baby, you’re okay!” Sarah exclaimed, wrapping her arms around her son in a tight embrace. The others joined in the reunion, relief washing over them.

“But it’s Harper you should be worried about,” Griffin said, a nervous breath escaping him. They all pulled back, concerned expressions etched on their faces. “Is she okay?” Jess asked urgently. Griffin recounted the chaotic events that had unfolded, and his family looked utterly stunned.

“Was she heavy?” Wyatt asked, earning facepalms from everyone around. “Seriously? That’s the best you could come up with?” Zoey groaned in annoyance.

Moments later, the doctor emerged from the emergency room, calling out, “Which one of you is Harper Dunn's mother?” Jess stepped forward, identifying herself and following the doctor into his office.

She returned five minutes later, looking solemn. “Harper lost a lot of blood. They had to do a transfusion. She’s stable now, but she’s still unconscious. The doctor mentioned it might take a couple of days for her to wake up,” Jess sighed, and a collective sigh rippled through the group.

“I really hope she’s okay,” Griffin muttered, desperately holding onto a sense of calm that felt tenuous at best.

On the outside, he might have appeared composed, but internally, he was a whirlwind of emotions as thoughts raced through his head.

“Maybe I do love her. No, wait—what am I saying? I love her so much,” Griffin thought, his heart swelling with feelings he couldn’t ignore any longer.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Three days later, Chris finally walked out of prison, overcome with joy as he shared a heartfelt moment with Jess. "Oh MY Gosh, you're here! I can finally kiss you!" Jess exclaimed, tears streaming down her face. "I missed you so much, babe," Chris replied, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her tenderly. Nearby, Topher couldn’t hide his disgust at the display of affection.

"Look who it is! My big man!" Chris said with a warm smile as he gave Topher a tight hug. "Where’s Harper?" he inquired, glancing around.

Just then, Jess’s phone rang; it was Sarah on the line. "She’s awake!" Sarah announced excitedly. "OMG, thank you so much, Sarah! I'm on my way!" Jess responded, her voice bubbling with happiness. "What’s going on?" Chris asked, his curiosity piqued. "You’ll see," Jess teased, pulling both Topher and Chris out of the police station, but not before they completed the necessary paperwork.

Once outside, Jess filled Chris in on everything, and it didn’t take long for him to grasp the situation. Determined to make a grand surprise for Harper, they hit the road to the hospital without delay.

When they arrived, they hurried directly to Harper’s room. Inside, they found her sitting calmly on the bed, engrossed in an art magazine.

"Is that my little artist?" Chris called out as he entered, a grin lighting up his face. Harper instantly recognized her father’s voice. She turned toward the door, wide-eyed. "Daddy?" she asked, disbelief tinging her tone. "Daddy!" she exclaimed, jumping off the bed as Chris rushed toward her. Jess and Topher followed closely behind, enveloping them all in a warm embrace. "You're here, with me," Harper said softly, tears of joy glistening in her eyes.

"Come on, wipe those tears, pumpkin. I’m not going anywhere," Chris reassured her, crouching down to her level. Harper looked over at her mom, seeking confirmation. "Yes, baby, this is real. Your dad's back for good," Jess affirmed with a smile. Harper squeezed Chris once more, her heart full. "Thank you, Mum," she said, catching Jess off guard. "You called me Mum?" Jess asked, her eyes wide in astonishment. "Yeah, I guess I did," Harper chuckled. The family shared a touching moment until Sarah knocked on the door.

Entering with Griffin and the twins, Sarah beamed. "I'm so happy you’re safe, kiddo! And don't worry about Ben. I filed for divorce, and he's already behind bars," she informed them. "Thank you, Mrs. Campbell. For everything," Harper expressed sincerely. "Please, call me Sarah," she replied. Harper nodded, still processing the warmth of their reunion. "You're alive!" the twins shouted in unison, leaping into Harper’s arms for a tight hug. "Of course I'm alive! I haven't even finished exploring Tremont yet!" Harper laughed, delighting in their innocent excitement.

Topher, eager for a hug, wrapped his arms around Harper again. "I'm so glad you're alive, sis," he said sincerely. "You didn't think I was gonna leave when I'm not done embarrassing you, did you?" Harper teased, playfully nudging him.

"I love you so much, pumpkin," Chris said, pulling Harper into yet another embrace. "I love you more, Dad," she replied, squeezing him back tightly. After sharing a few more moments together, everyone except Griffin and Harper left, leaving them in the quiet room.

"Griff, you literally saved my life," Harper said, her gratitude shining through. Griffin shrugged off the compliment. "It’s no biggie," he said nonchalantly. Harper extended her hands out, and Griffin took them in his own, feeling a comforting warmth.

"I can't thank you enough. If you hadn’t been there for me, I probably would have just given up. I pushed you away, but thankfully, you didn't let that stop you. And turning in your own dad for me? Seriously, you're the best friend a girl could ever ask for," Harper said, sincerity evident in her voice.

For some reason, Griffin felt his cheeks heat up as he pulled Harper into a warm embrace. She melted into him, and as they started to pull back, their gazes locked for a fleeting moment before they instinctively leaned in.

Their lips met in a soft kiss, and in that instant, a whirlwind of emotions surged through Griffin—nothing he had ever felt before. It was as if time had halted, and all that existed was the sweetness of Harper's lips against his.

Harper experienced a spark igniting inside her too. Until this moment, she had only seen Griffin as a friend, but now she understood her feelings ran much deeper than that.

Breaking apart, gasping for breath, Griffin wore a shy smile that radiated warmth. "I've wanted to do that for a long time," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

Harper's cheeks flushed a deep pink as she grinned back at him. "I've wanted you to," she confessed softly, excitement bubbling beneath her composed exterior.

Just then, the hospital room door swung open, and Jess, Chris, and the rest of the family burst in, all beaming with joy.

"Hey, kiddo! We brought your favorite food!" Chris announced, triumphantly holding up a bag filled with Harper's beloved snacks.

Harper's face brightened instantly with excitement at the sight of the treats, but Griffin felt a pang of disappointment wash over him. Their sweet moment had been stolen away, leaving him uncertain when they would have another chance to connect like that again.

As the bustling family gathered around Harper’s bed, chatting animatedly and laughing, Griffin quietly slipped out of the room, feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the sudden shift in atmosphere.

He meandered down the hospital corridor, lost in his thoughts, when a familiar voice called out to him from behind.

"Hey, Griffin! Wait up!"

Turning around, he spotted Topher jogging toward him, a broad grin plastered across his face.

"What's up, Topher?" Griffin asked, trying to keep his tone casual.

"I just wanted to say thanks, man," Topher said earnestly, giving Griffin a friendly clap on the back. "You saved Harper's life, and we’re all genuinely grateful."

Griffin shrugged, suddenly feeling bashful. "It was no big deal, Topher. Anyone would have done the same thing."

Topher chuckled, his expression brightening. "Yeah, right! You’re a hero, Griffin. And I think Harper might feel the same way."

Griffin's heart raced at the thought, recalling the kiss he had shared with Harper. Was it possible that she felt something for him beyond friendship?

A smile crept onto his face, filled with hope and excitement for what the future might hold. Maybe, just maybe, he and Harper could turn their budding relationship into something special.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

That's the last chapter for now. Please vote, comment and follow me if you liked it. And let me know if you guys want a sequel to this. The sequel is gonna be about their romantic and dramatic high school life. And it will be in another book. Always remember that I love you all. TOODLES RAINBOWS💖💖