After Cooper got kicked off the team, he was still able to stay and finish his degree. As for Mickey, he dropped the assault charges when I threatened to press charges for not only what he did to me the night Cooper got arrested, but for all the times in the past, including high school.
That didn’t mean he got off easy. He was still expelled from school. After I went to the Dean’s office to beg them to let Cooper back on the team, I spilled all my dark past moments.
Theo isn’t a fan of bullies and no amount of money could pay him off. Believe me, Mickey’s parents tried. The fact was, Mickey filmed us having sex and tried to blackmail me with it. Public sex might not be legal, but neither is distributing a sex tape taken without consent.
It’s the best outcome I could have asked for honestly. I’m not sure how much ground I’d have to stand on for years of unreported incidents being brought up years later.
Cooper wanted Mickey to go to jail for what he’s done to me, but all I want is to be free to live my life with him, and just enjoy being happy.
“We’re going, we’re going,” Cooper huffs.
I’m dying of embarrassment right now. “Have fun you two. Be safe,” Chase yells after us. “Wear a condom, we don’t want any unwanted pregnancies.”
“I’m going to kill him,” I hiss, shooting him a murderous glare over my shoulder as we walk away. The fucker just grins and waves, giving me a wink.
I like Cooper’s winks so much better.
“Don’t, he’s worse than Val. Val takes the hint most times, Chase will feed off it and make it much worse.”
“No unwanted pregnancies. We’re men.” I roll my eyes.
“You weren’t thinking that just a moment before when you offered to have my babies.” Cooper chuckles. “A very sweet offer, by the way.”
“Fuck off.” I groan, wanting the ground to swallow me whole. Sometimes I really should think before I speak.
We find our seats just in time for the ceremony to start.
It’s honestly boring. I don’t bother listening to the speeches, too busy looking behind me where Cooper is sitting a few rows back. Stupid alphabetical order bullshit.
One by one, people get called up. When it’s my turn, I swallow down the nerves and walk across the stage.
I’m expecting some courtesy claps, maybe a little shout from my mom for how proud she is of me. What I don’t expect is my name to be screamed, followed by not only my mom and sister, but Cooper, Val, Ellie, Lexie, Tabitha and Bailey whooping and hollering.
My head snaps to the side, lips parting in shock. A wave of emotion hits me at the sight of my people.I have people.Friends. A found family.
I look back at younger me and I want to cry. All the times I’d come home defeated, ready to give up, wondering what I did to deserve such cruelness. Who knew all it took was a goldenboy football player and his sunshine smile to change my whole world?
I owe him my life. He’s the reason all my dreams came true, and more. He gave me someone to love and be loved by, he gave me some of the best friends in the whole world.
But most of all, he taught me how to love myself for the first time in my life.
My eyes find Cooper’s and there it is, the smile that melts my heart. I give him one back, only mine is a little wobbly, as I try my best to hold back tears.
I finish my walk, grab my diploma and go sit back down. I’m a ball of nervous excitement, eager to get this done and over with, and to start the next chapter of my life. With the man of my dreams, the best of friends and a family who I’d die for.
I’ve gone from the boy who had nothing, to the man who has everything.
Each time one of my friends walks across, I bite down my anxiety and cheer just as loud as they did for me.
Cooper’s name is called and I’m pretty sure I scream so loud my voice gives out. I’m beaming ear to ear with pride, clapping so hard my hands hurt.
He did it. He worked so damn hard to get here and I’m so fucking proud.
When everything is done and we’re all dismissed, a part of me feels a small bit of sadness. Not because I’m going to miss college, just the moments this past year that shaped and changed the rest of my life. But that time isn’t over yet, if anything life is just beginning.
Making my way over to Cooper, I run towards him, laughing as he waits for me with open arms.
He catches me and we both laugh. “We did it.”
