Chapter Thirty-Seven
Amelie
Monty finally got word to us that we will all be graduating tomorrow.
Talk about cutting it close. Thankfully, Elsie was prepared with wardrobes ready for all of us.
Sawyer also looked into the hit on Debbie and as I expected, there was nothing.
Nothing official anyway. So from an Order standpoint, Debbie is free to do what she wants.
Aadi is still pissed at Bex for drugging him, and he’s even mad at me for keeping a secret from him.
He’ll get over it, his pride will just be hurt for a while.
Everyone has gathered tonight for our end of year performance.
Butterflies pool in my stomach; this is the first time that my family will hear me sing live like this and not karaoke style with a couple of drinks inside me.
They all take up the entire front row, along with my friends.
It’s so weird to see my parents, my grandmother and my biological mother all sitting together – even if they’re carefully spaced out with Aadi, Smalls and Bex between them.
Chelsea is sitting next to Baxter of all people, and when I manage to pick my jaw up off the floor, I see that she’s charming the pants off him and has managed to engage him in an animated conversation.
Just please don’t let it be about the best way to sharpen knives or remove blood stains from linen.
My hands shake as the MC for the night introduces me. The crowd cheers and applauds, and I know my brother and Smalls will be the ring leaders of that.
The music starts and the dancers move onto the stage.
I keep my eyes trained on a spot at the back of the room because I know if I make eye contact with my family, that I’ll cry.
I’ve come so damn far in the ten months I have been here.
It might seem like everything happened really fast, and it has, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.
I don’t know what the future holds for me, but as long as I have my family, my guys, and my best friends by my side, it’s all a girl could ask for.
When my song finishes, thunderous applause rings out through the auditorium. I shuffle backstage quickly to hair and makeup. The curls that I have in for this song now need to be changed for my duet with Slate, but I have plenty of time since I only have the two performances.
“You know, if I knew you could sing that well, I might have fought harder for you.” I snort and stare at Baxter in the mirror.
He steps up behind me holding a huge bouquet of black roses, the very edges tinged with red.
They look so beautiful. The lady fixing my hair finishes straightening it and excuses herself.
I turn the chair and he hands me the flowers.
“You know, for someone who claims to hate feelings and friendship, you sure know how to impress a girl.”
He pffts me. “All girls like flowers. I figured if you give them to dead people at funerals, then surely this occasion calls for them.”
“You have a point. Are you skipping out on me early?”
“Yeah, duty calls. I have a lead and need to follow it up. If it pans out, I’ll let you know. I’ll see you tomorrow. You know, since we are all graduating. I don’t know why I even have to be there.”
“Because you stupidly went and made a friend, and I want to see you graduate. So get the gown and cap ready, buddy. And before you say it, you won’t kill me. You love me too much.”
He smirks at me and I remember the first time we met in the school office. I never would have thought we would end up with a lifelong friendship. Ugh, Chelsea is rubbing off on me today, I’m so emotional.
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Remember you have to wear clothes under the gown!” I call out after him.
“Tell that to Kalen, not me!”
Shit he’s right.
Baxter leaves, and I’m given a five-minute curtain call, so I go in search of Slate.
His whole face lights up when I walk towards him, and he takes in my very tight, black all-in-one bodysuit.
He looks amazing in his dark ripped jeans, black shirt so damn tight it could be a second skin, and red jacket.
We enter from different sides of the stage so he blows me a kiss as the music starts and he walks out onto stage.
I peep around the curtains. There’s a verse before I even need to go out.
The metal poles set up on stage illuminate purple every time the words leave his mouth.
I love that they are flashing to the music as he sings.
We have to weave between them as we sing.
Smoke starts to fill the room – my cue to walk onto stage.
I swing my hips and sing as I walk towards him.
Our sexual tension is off the charts when we perform together. I can feel his passion for his gift.
When the chorus rolls around, I glance down at the front row and everyone is on their feet clapping in time with the music.
We work the crowd. The atmosphere is alive, and I can see what Slate loves about this; that adrenaline without having to risk your life.
As the last line approaches, we close the gap between us and look into each other’s eyes and we sing the last few bars.
I’m mesmerised by him. It wasn’t rehearsed, but I don't care, I step closer, and as the last word leaves his lips, I kiss him.
The curtain drops, and I hear Smalls whistling at us. No one else in the crowd would be capable of making that ear-splitting sound. Our kiss turns heated until a petite girl claps her hands at us and shoos us off stage.
Slate takes my hand and we rush off. He has to go and get ready for another performance but I’m done for the night. I ask him to bring my things out once he is done so that I can go and sit with the others and watch the rest of the performers.
Slate smashed his other songs. Him and Sean finished the show with a duet.
They did Justin Beiber’s ‘Love yourself’.
I wouldn’t have classed it as R Monty stands this time.
“I never expected all four of my sons would graduate, let’s face it, Kalen was just along for the ride.” Everyone laughs. “When Slate and Onyx came to live with Maggie and me, we didn’t know how we could help them, they were such angry boys.”
“What do you mean were? Onyx still hasn’t changed,” Adrianne yells out and Onyx flips her off.
“But day by day, Kalen would pester them. They wouldn’t let him in at first, but after a while I think he grew on them just enough that when he was in trouble Onyx took the fall.
Maggie and I always knew it was Kalen. And we could see it from that day, the unbreakable bond between them.
I’m proud of you boys, every day you surprise me with the wonderful loving men you’re becoming and I owe it all to my ex-wife, she did an amazing job raising you, and I will be thankful for the rest of my life. To my boys.”
We all drink to my guys, and idle chatter breaks out around the table as our food is served. With Sawyer on my right and my father on my left, I turn to my dad.
“You didn’t have to invite them.”
“I know, but after you left breakfast with Debbie we all sat down and had a conversation. I can’t be mad at Debbie, she gave me you, but me and your grandmother?
We have a lot left to mend between us. But we’ve cleared the air for now.
At least enough to be able to sit at the same table together and not rip each other's throats out.”
“Thank you. You’re my favourite dad.”
“I’m your only dad kiddo.”
“Sawyer’s your daddy too, isn’t he?” Bex calls out, followed by a cackle. I slap my hand to my forehead. I don’t know how I’m going to survive being related to her. She has no filter and doesn’t give a shit where she is, it all just comes out.
I mouth ‘shut up’ to her and she just smirks at me and shakes her head no.
“Little sister, we have a lot of lost time to make up for, and if I don’t embarrass you at least once a day, I’m never going to catch up with that loser,” she yells, pointing to Aadi.
“You’ll never catch me. I am and always will be, the superior sibling.”
“Challenge accepted,” she crows.
What the hell am I in for now?!
I head up to the bar to order another drink and Kathryn appears by my side.
“I’m sorry that dinner was here. If I’d known sooner, I would have made sure to go elsewhere,” I say as the bartender greets us. Kathryn orders her drink and a round of shots for the table, then I order. Once the bartender is busy she turns to face me.
“Don’t be sorry. I have made peace with what happened. I’m grateful for the opportunity that you’ve given me to make a life for myself. I don’t know if I would have even tried to forgive myself if it wasn’t for you know what. That day was confronting, but I realised I’m actually okay.”
“I’m happy to hear that, now let’s get back to the insanity.”
I take my drink and Kathryn grabs the tray, Bex and Adrianne yell ‘shots’ at the same time and then shout ‘jinx’ which has them both laughing. Everyone is having a good time. Sawyer sidles up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist and rests his chin on my shoulder.
“Did you think the first time that we met that we would end up here?”
I snort. “No, all I wanted to do was seduce you as part of my plan to get sent home.”
“And how did that work out for you?”
“It was fine, until my teacher flew all the way to Australia to drag me back again for round two.”
“I was also your future stepbrother at that time.”
“Seems to me that everything worked out just perfect, though I am open to being your stepsister and pupil again for just one night.”
“I’m sure that can be arranged. But in my kitchen this time.” We both laugh. I don’t know if that’s a memory either of us will forget in a hurry.
We both stand back for a bit and watch our friends and family laughing and having a good time.
I’m going to miss my dad, Chelsea and Smalls when they have to go home, but at least I have Aadi and Bex for a bit longer while we get them on their feet with Order stuff.
With the way they keep looking at each other, they will either kill each other or admit to their feelings before they leave here… only time will tell.