Chapter 23
MOST LIKELY TO LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER
I search for my cap trying not to bump into any of my classmates as they all do the same thing. It’s no easy task finding it on the ground of the auditorium. All the rows of seats make it difficult to maneuver, not to mention the fact that some caps have slipped under them.
Eventually, I see the one with a stained-glass rose and my name painted on the top.
I pick it up and wipe the dirt off. Everyone thinks I picked this design because I worked on the school musical this year, but it’s actually an homage to the moment I first knew I was falling for Connor.
He had the same idea of wanting to put something instrumental to our relationship on his cap and painted a peach on his—a throwback to when we spilled fruit all over the kitchen at MASE.
I told him that there was no way that he knew he liked me back then, but more importantly, that everyone was going to think he painted the universal symbol for butt on his cap. He said he didn’t care. =
Of course, he doesn’t.
“Ah!” Lily pulls me into a bear hug. “Your speech was so good. I got a little misty-eyed when you talked about not forgetting our past as we move into the future.”
“It wasn’t too heavy-handed?” I ask when she releases me.
“Are you asking if it was obvious it was about your family?”
I nod.
She takes the cap out of my hands and places it on top of my head. “Maybe, but wasn’t that the point? Learning to live with the life you’ve been given? Everyone here knows about what happened with your dad. Now they know that you’re not letting it affect your life. I thought it was perfect.”
I adjust my cap so it’s not slipping into my face. “Thanks.”
Connor comes up from behind and lifts me into the air. He pulls me out into the aisle and spins me once, knocking my cap back off, before setting me down. “You owe me a meal from McDonald’s, and you should know I’m going to order a large.”
Lily’s face scrunches up in confusion as she picks up my cap and hands it back to me.
“Connor and I had a bet,” I explain. “We couldn’t agree on how many conspiracies Taylor was going to sneak into her valedictorian speech.”
“There were only two. Which means I win.” Connor does a little dance.
“You’re just happy you finally beat me at something.”
“Seriously?” He stops swaying and reaches out to start tickling me. I giggle as I try to twist away from him.
“Ew, is this what it’s going to be like going to the same college?” Hardy says, walking up. “Is it too late to go somewhere else?”
“I think so.” Lily sighs loudly. “I guess we’ll just have to work hard to out-cringe them.”
“Like this?” Hardy scoops up Lily in his arms and starts making loud kissing noises. He takes a step closer toward us and sticks out his tongue like he’s French kissing the air.
Connor pulls his hands back from me, but Hardy continues to pretend to make out with Lily.
She smacks him and wiggles out of his arms. “My parents are going to freak out if you don’t stop.”
“I thought we were one-upping them,” he asks.
“When we get to Gainesville, not in front of the families of every senior at Citrus Prep.”
Connor taps my shoulder. “Speaking of, here they come.”
All of the parents are moving toward the front of the auditorium to reunite with their children.
My mom and Chad find me. She pulls me into a tearful hug while Chad shakes my hand.
While my relationship with my mom is complicated, and I still don’t like Chad, I’m not angry anymore.
I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’m not the only one who was hurt by what Dad did.
While I don’t agree with how my mom has coped, I don’t get to tell her what she can and can’t do.
Thankfully, she doesn’t have any desire to boss me around either.
“We are so proud of you, Ella,” she says, pulling out her phone. “Let me get a picture of you.”
I smile for the camera.
“Okay, now let me get one of all of you.” She motions with her free hand for the four of us to squish together.
She doesn’t seem to care that Connor is there, and doesn’t flinch when puts his arm around my waist and pulls me close.
I guess I’m not the only one letting go of family grudges.
She takes a couple of pictures of the group. “Now just the two of you.”
I wait for her to elaborate. Does she mean me and Connor or me and Lily? I’m standing between them, and I really don’t know which one my mom wants. Turns out, she wants both. Then Lily and Hardy. Then Hardy and Connor. She gets every combination possible before she lets the other parents get close.
Hardy and Lily disappear almost immediately with their families, and my mom starts flipping through the pictures she just took.
That leaves me and Connor alone as his parents approach. I hold my breath and brace myself even though Connor insists that he’s not being disowned and that there isn’t a secret plot to destroy me.
Mr. Williams’ posture is stiff as he shakes his son’s hand. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you,” Connor responds with equal formality.
I debate trying to slip away when Mr. Williams turns to me. He sticks out his hand. “And congratulations to you, as well. I found your speech to be enlightening.”
I force a smile as I shake his hand. “Thank you.”
Mrs. Williams clears her throat and Mr. Williams adds, “We would be delighted if you would come to dinner on Saturday to celebrate Connor’s and your accomplishments.”
The way he says ‘delighted’ makes me think he’s not exactly thrilled to have me over, but I find some small comfort in thinking he’d be more excited if he was planning on poisoning me. “Thank you for the invite. I’ll look forward to it.”
He turns to Connor. “We’ll see you tonight.”
Once his parents are far enough away they can’t hear us, I start laughing. “Well, that was awkward.”
“You’d better get used to it, Adams.”
I raise my brows at him. “Is that so?”
“If you’re going to be my girlfriend, you’ll be expected to make appearances every once in a while.”
I debate making a snarky comment about not dating him if I have to deal with his family, but I don’t. We both have our share of family drama—it’s part of who we are. Everything that has happened, good or bad, has shaped us into the people we are today and brought us to where we are.
I shrug. “I think I can live with that.”
“Oh, yeah?’
“You’re worth it. And maybe it’ll get easier with time.”
He chuckles. “That’s awfully optimistic of you.”
“I have a lot to be optimistic about. I graduated as salutation and I get to go to college with my favorite people.”
“Trust me, nobody is more excited about that than me.” Connor pulls me close.
I lean into him. “I’m not so sure about that.”
I can’t know what the future holds, but as Connor likes to remind me, why let fear of pain hold us back?
Things may always be tense with my parents.
Dinners with the Williams may never feel comfortable.
Connor and I will surely face difficulties in Gainesville.
But none of those things are going bring me down.
Right now, I feel like the luckiest girl in the world and I can’t wait for what comes next.