Page 148 of Crew Princess
I hadn’t asked. I didn’t know what had transpired after Taz hadn’t left the dinner to be there for him, but they seemed fine now. I supposed time would tell, but time would tell for everyone. Myself included.
Me and Taz. We’d figure it out. I knew her head was messed up right now.
Broghers returned to the podium, and the clapping faded. Everyone returned to their seats.
Line by line, we stood and moved to the end. One by one, we were called up.
Zellman went first. The cheers were loud.
I was next. The cheers were even louder.
Jordan wasn’t far behind me.
Then Race. Cross. Taz.
Flashes went off. People whistled. They shouted congratulations, and then the time was done. Our tassels were moved from the right to the left. We took our diplomas, and at the end, we had officially graduated.
I was in the moment, for once. I felt everything and wasn’t shutting it down—the sadness, the regret, the happiness, even the excitement, and I was blinking back tears when Channing found me.
“You crying?”
“No.” I scowled, but one slipped out. “Maybe.”
He laughed, and picked me up in a hug. “Congratulations, little sister. I love you,” he whispered before setting me back down. Stepping back, he said, “I’m proud of you.”
Then Heather was there, crying and hugging me.
Moose was next. Congo. Chad. Lincoln. Scratch.
There was a line, and I looked over, seeing Cross and Taz standing with their parents. The girlfriend wasn’t there, and neither was Blaise. So it was just their family. And not far away was Jordan with his family, his little sister. Zellman was in a pocket of his own, his mom wiping her face and his grandmother. But he kept looking over at Sunday, who was standing with her parents, her head bowed, a protective hand over her stomach. She still wasn’t showing, but I wondered if they knew by now.
“You okay?” Channing drew my attention back.
“What?”
His eyes were steadfast, his brow wrinkling a little. “You seem different today. What’s going on?”
I shrugged. “Just…looking toward the future, I guess.”
His face cleared of all concern, and he shared a quick look with Heather before smiling at me. “Yeah?”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
His eyes were sparkling now. “Good.”
I couldn’t see myself, but I knew my eyes were sparkling back at him.
Goodwas good enough for me.
One week later
“Bren?” Heather called.
“Hmmm?” I was on the front porch of Heather’s house. Well, it was still technically hers, but most of her stuff had been transported to our house. The official move was scheduled for later in the summer. When I went to Cain with the guys, Heather was going to sign the papers so her house would go to her brother. It was a big move. Those seemed to be happening everywhere now.
Heather opened her screen door as we both heard gravel crunching under tires. A black SUV was pulling in, passing Manny’s and parking in front of us.
My stomach shifted, tightening, but Heather was all about these new arrivals. A wide smile on her face, she came out and let the door slam behind her. Her hands found her hips just as two doors opened. The football star got out on the driver’s side, and the Olympic runner from the passenger side.
