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.

fucking miracle, the people I was most worried about—

Sure, they wanted Stanford.

bit

hooking me up with something huge for my first year there—something I

it, I can't wait to see her face when I

as I take some final pictures with

parents approach me just as I'm getting ready to

honey,” my mother says, kissing

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

bring up Leigh

that secret is going to

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

my tie

phone and shakes it in his

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

this

doesn't stop until he

this and his eyes tell me he's accepting that

with where

“I understand, son.

had to try one last time.” “I'll see you both at graduation,” I tell them, and I say

I get to the auditorium, minutes before we line

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

and curled and her lips are glossy, just

wearing underneath, but she looks

clasping her

was hoping you'd come find me before we

so nervous.” “Nervous?

She shrugs.

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

it, it's

“I know ...

a wreck.” "Maybe this'll make you feel better.” I place the small box

widen as she looks at

got me a gift? But I didn't get you

“It's not like that.

hack wrapping job I'd done and pulls the rest of the paper

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

me an apartment off