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.

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

Sure, they wanted Stanford.

bit salty about

they accepted UCLA and they’re even hooking me up with something huge for my first year there—something I haven't told Harper yet, but I'm going to surprise her

to see her face when

smiling as I take

approach me just as I'm getting ready

of you, honey,” my mother says,

worked so incredibly hard this year and your grades couldn't have

the moment where I bring up Leigh

is going to my

the grades I needed to and that's all

with my decision over UCLA’ She adjusts my tie as my father says, "Are you sure I can't

phone and shakes it in

take and I can tell them you've changed your

this is the lawyer

doesn't stop until he

going to win this and his eyes tell me

where I'm

“I understand, son.

tell them, and I say good—bye to the rest of my family and hurry

get to the auditorium, minutes before we line up,

want to give her this gift and knowing we're not anywhere near each other in line, this feels like the

her

what she's wearing underneath, but she looks gorgeous in

whispers, clasping her hands with

before we walk across the stage.” She

nervous.” “Nervous? Why,

She shrugs.

feels like the whole world is watching and—you know, all the things.” I give

worry about it,

“I know ...

"Maybe this'll make you feel

widen as

But I didn't get you anything

“It's not like that.

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

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

parents rented me