Em shoots me a wink. “I’ll take lots of pictures for you!”
I give Em a quick smirk, “Yeah, yeah, just don’t get too close with that camera. I don’t need a hundred photos of me looking awkward.”
She flashes a grin, holding up her phone like a weapon. “Too late.”
I take a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. Inhale through my nose, slow and deep, filling my lungs until my chest tightens.
Hold it. Let it go.
Straightening my gown, I glance around at the sea of faces, familiar and not-so-familiar, but they all blur together. I nudge through the crowd, weaving past family members and students, dodging a toddler running loose with a juice box.
D’s eyes flick to mine, still smirking, but I’m not having it. I give him a quick eyebrow raise, letting him know I ain’t falling for that shit.
I reach the lineup of graduates, slipping into my spot. The girl behind me leans forward, whispering, “God, I’m so nervous. Is your family here?”
I turn, ready to give some snarky reply, but the words die in my throat. The girl’s eyes are red-rimmed, as if she’s been crying.
“Yeah,” I say instead, softening. “They’re here.”
She nods, a wistful smile on her face. “That’s nice. Must be great to have people you love supporting you.”
I follow her gaze to the crowd, searching for my misfit crew. There they are, right in the front row. D’s sitting ramrod straight, looking like he’s ready to take on anyone who even thinks about messing with this ceremony. Alex is bouncing in his seat, held in check only by Lenny’s firm hand on his shoulder. Em’s got Nikoon her lap while Sophia’s wrangling Natalya. Luka’s there, too, looking amused by the whole spectacle.
Holy shit. They’re all here. For me.
The realization hits me like a freight train. Three years ago, I was a mess, convinced I’d never amount to anything. And now…
Don’t you fucking dare cry, Wren. You’ve got mascara on.
But it’s a losing battle. I can feel the tears welling up, my vision going blurry. I blink rapidly, trying to clear it.
“You okay?” the girl behind me asks, concern in her voice.
I nod, not trusting myself to speak. She pats my shoulder awkwardly, and I have to bite back a laugh. Here I am, getting comforted by a stranger at my own graduation.
“Wren Davis.”
Oh my God, that’s me.
I’m walking across the stage toward the dean, trying to look as confident as I can, but something feels off.
The dean’s got this strange smirk plastered on his face.
What’s going on?
As I reach for my diploma, the dean pulls it back. “Ms. Davis, I’m afraid there’s been a slight change of plans.”
My eyes nearly pop out of my skull. “Excuse me?”
The dean chuckles. “It seems someone made a rather generous donation to our nursing program. Half a million dollars, to be exact.”
I whip my head around to see my whole crew holding up giant cardboard signs. “Marry D Already!” “Say Yes!” “Do It For The Free Booze!”
“What the actual f—?” I catch myself, remembering where I am. “What’s going on?”
Suddenly, D appears on stage, looking like he just stepped out of a movie scene. The audience gasps and cheers. I swear I hear someone faint.
“You…” I hiss.
