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.

miracle, the people I was most worried about— Mom

Sure, they wanted Stanford.

they're a bit salty about

for my first year there—something I

to see her

me smiling as I take some

is over, my parents approach me just as

of you, honey,” my mother says, kissing my

so incredibly hard this year and your grades couldn't

where I bring up Leigh and her help with

secret is going

pulled my shit together and I got the grades I needed to

with my decision over UCLA’ She adjusts my tie as my father says, "Are

phone and shakes

is all it'll take and I can tell them you've

Dad.” I know this

stop until

not going to win this and his eyes tell

happy with where

“I understand, son.

one last time.” “I'll see you both at graduation,” I tell them, and I say good—bye to the rest of my family and hurry outside to my

auditorium, minutes before we line up, I find Harper in the

and knowing we're not

down and curled and her lips are glossy, just like

sure what she's wearing underneath, but she

clasping her

you'd come find me before we walk across the stage.” She

so nervous.”

She shrugs.

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 pull

it, it's

“I know ...

wreck.” "Maybe this'll make you feel better.” I

eyes widen as she looks at

gift? But I didn't

“It's not like that.

I'd done and pulls the rest of the paper off, slowly opening the

her face as she takes out the key and holds it in her

parents rented me an apartment off