You’re Mine by Penny Brooks

Chapter 192

Easton

Me: Just a few more hours and we're graduated, dude, that's fucking crazy.

Harper: Right? These last few weeks have flown by.

It's what I wished for and now it's here and gah! Me: That graduation practice was a total joke today, but are you comfortable with it all, do you know what you're doing? Harper: Wait, you're asking ME if I know what I'M doing? I'm the one who was paying attention to where we're supposed to line up and all that.

You're the one who was high as hell with my brother, laughing non-stop.

Me: lol truth ...

I'm just always worried about you, baby.

Harper: I love you for that, but I'm all good.

I'll see you there very soon.

I smile at her last message and put my phone down.

Then, I take my black tie out of my closet and wrap it around my neck.

Once the knot is where I want it, I carefully place the graduation gown over me and I put the cap on my head.

I take a final look at myself in the mirror, knowing the minute I get downstairs, my family is going to want pictures.

They're all here—my brothers and their girls, aunts and uncles, everyone coming to the auditorium to watch me walk across the stage.

Being the youngest, I know this is a big deal for my parents, so that's why I don't lose my patience when I join them downstairs and pose in every fucking direction while they snap a million pictures of me.

And since some of my family hasn't seen me since I decided to go to UCLA, I accept the small digs they shoot in my direction for being the rebel of the family and not going to Stanford like the others.

Whatever, I can handle it.

In fact, bring it on.

I don't want to be like my brothers.

I don't want to get into law.

I want to be my own person and go my own direction and kick ass ina way that isn't expected of me.

the people I was most worried about— Mom and Dad—didn't kill

Sure, they wanted Stanford.

they're a bit salty

and they’re even hooking me up with something huge for my first year there—something I haven't

see her face when I tell her the

I take

over, my parents approach me just as I'm getting ready to

of you, honey,” my mother

incredibly hard this year and your grades couldn't have

moment where I bring up Leigh and her help

is

together and I got the

adjusts my tie as my father says, "Are you sure I can't

his phone and shakes it in his

and I can tell them you've changed your mind

this is the

doesn't stop until

not going to win this and his eyes tell me he's

happy with where

“I understand, son.

last time.” “I'll see you both at graduation,” I tell them, and I say good—bye to

the auditorium, minutes before we

this gift and knowing we're not anywhere near each other in

down and curled and her

not sure what she's wearing underneath, but she looks gorgeous in her

she whispers, clasping

hoping you'd come find me before we

so nervous.” “Nervous?

She shrugs.

and it feels like the whole world is watching and—you know, all the things.” I give her a kiss, holding our faces together before I reach into my pocket and

about it, it's

“I know ...

feel better.” I place the small box on her

widen as

gift? But I

“It's not like that.

the flap of the hack wrapping job I'd done and pulls the rest of the paper off, slowly opening the lid

takes out the key

me an apartment