As her shoulders relaxed, Lindie stepped back, letting my dad take over again, falling to the edge of the group.Present but not looming.Not threatening.Not hurting.
Just there.
The moment my family gave me space, I was attacked by Toby.
“Candy pop, you did it!”He grabbed me and spun me around before I could protest.
“Toby, put me down!”
“No can do,” he said, laughing into my hair.“Graduation requires ritual sacrifice.Which I will accept in the form of a hug.”
I gave him the hug he desperately needed and whispered to him.“Congratulations.You managed to pass physics.”
He laughed.“Damn right, and it looks beautiful on my transcripts.”
Justin was next, pulling me into a quieter, steadier embrace.“Proud of you,” he murmured, as if it were a secret.
“Same,” I whispered back.“We both made it.”
He squeezed me hard, knowing exactly what I meant.He was another one as lucky as me to survive our pasts, and I was grateful for that every fucking day.The thought of a life without him—of him not making it after his father’s final beating that landed him in the hospital—was horrifying.Too close to my own story.
Bryan followed with a soft smile, his own grey graduation gown somehow managing to stay immaculate while all ours became ruffled.“Knew you’d get there,” he said.“You’re unstoppable.”
“You too,” I whispered, playing with the yellow stole dangling from his shoulders, representing his standing as valedictorian.
He pulled me into a tight hug.“Congratulations.”
“Same, congratulations.”I returned the tight hug, closing my eyes.
Seth appeared behind me, ruffling my hair when we finally pulled away.“Gang’s all graduated now.”I laughed and pushed his hand away from my hair.If Lillian saw the mess he made, I was the one who’d suffer for it.
And then Paxon was there.He didn’t grab me or spin me or ruffle my hair.He just stepped close, taking my hands in his.
“You made it,” he whispered.
“We made it,” I corrected, squeezing his fingers.
It was still hard, but we managed to go on some dates and just talk.We were slowly getting back on track, even if some days I had to fight against my insecurities, wondering if he was going to disappear on me again.But it was getting easier each day and Paxon kept promising he wasn’t going anywhere, and proving it too.
He finally pulled me into a gentle hug, tucking his head into that space between my neck and shoulder.He pressed a light kiss against my neck, and I shivered from the touch.I ran my hand through his silky hair and sighed.
This was what I’d been missing for so long.Him.The guys.My family.Friends.Support all around.Proof I wasn’t alone in this world.
Later, when it finally quieted down after ten too many photos, I stood at the edge of the field, watching the wind rustle the leftover programs scattered on the ground.There was a team going through, picking up the litter.
I took in a deep breath until my lungs ached and then slowly blew it out.I had done it.
I survived.
I healed.
I grew.
And I wasn’t alone, not anymore.
The future was still terrifying, still shifting, still unknown.But for the first time in my life, I wasn’t afraid of what came next.
Epilogue
