Chapter 22
TWENTY-TWO
Fall Semester, Senior Year of High School
GEMMA WAS IN PURE BLISS. Almost an entire year had passed since she and Caitlin had become official.
The two had recently begun planning their futures together at The University of Pennsylvania as they entered their final year of high school.
They had applied for early acceptance to the university, but it would still be a few more weeks before the girls could expect the letters that would reveal their fates.
Gemma couldn’t tell which one of them was more nervous. If they didn’t get into the same school, would they find another college to attend together, or would they be forced into long-distance? Gemma worried that being apart would put a strain on their new relationship.
Fall had brought cooler weather than usual. Leaves were bursting with flashes of yellow, red, and orange as the town readied itself for the Harvest Fall Festival.
The year before, when Caitlin and Gemma first started dating, Caitlin had taken her to the festival and won her a tiny blue teddy bear that now sat on Gemma’s bed.
This year, the event felt charged with a bittersweet urgency.
It would be the last one they shared before college threw them into the unknown.
Gemma was hoping to tuck one more perfect evening into their memories.
First things first, however. It was Friday, which meant that the festival would have to wait until Saturday. Friday nights were for football.
Gemma was a religious attendee of Westmore’s varsity games—even though she couldn’t name a single boy on the team. She was there to cheer for her girlfriend, soaking up the fierce joy of watching Caitlin lead the squad through four packed quarters.
Darbie nudged Gemma with her elbow from her spot beside her on the cold metal bleachers. “You haven’t looked away since we got here.”
“I can’t help it. Have you seen my girlfriend?” Watching the bounce of Caitlin’s copper ponytail, Gemma knew she had never stood a chance.
“You’ve got it bad.”
Gemma smiled, denying nothing.
When halftime came, Gemma went to get peanuts from the snack stand while Darbie saved her seat. Pushing through the crowd, she felt a hand wrap around her forearm and tug, almost knocking Gemma off her feet. She steadied herself and let the pull lead her away from the herd.
“This is a surprise. I never get to see you during a game.” She was under the bleachers now, alone with a pair of twinkling blue eyes.
“I couldn’t stay away any longer.” Caitlin slipped her arms under Gemma’s jacket, wrapping them around her waist. “I love when you wear my shirt.” Her lilac cheerleading T-shirt clung to Gemma’s body the way Caitlin herself currently did.
Gemma sank into her embrace. “I’ve missed you.”
Caitlin touched her forehead to Gemma’s. “Wanna come home with me tonight?” She sealed the question with a kiss, her lips lingering against Gemma’s skin.
“I’d go anywhere with you.” She meant it. Gemma would do anything for Caitlin after a kiss that soft.
Caitlin knew it too, flashing Gemma a playful grin.
Gemma hummed as Caitlin tugged her bottom lip. “Don’t start something you can’t finish.”
“Tonight,” Caitlin promised before they stepped back into the chaos of students and families, sparklers crackling through the air.
“Where’re my peanuts?” Darbie called when Gemma returned empty-handed.
Gemma shrugged, looking guilty yet totally unapologetic.
The crowd roared to life as the two teams ran back onto the field. Gemma kept glancing at the clock, begging for the second half to go quickly.
At last, Gemma lay curled in Caitlin’s bed, cradling her girlfriend in her arms. Westmore had won the game, making the playoffs, but it wouldn’t have mattered to them either way. The stadium lights and cheers now felt far away as Gemma’s world narrowed to this moment.
“I love you so much, babe.” Gemma kissed the top of Caitlin’s head as she rested upon her chest. “I can’t wait to do this every night for the rest of our lives—starting with UPenn.”
Caitlin murmured in agreement and gave Gemma a squeeze.
Gemma hoped she hadn’t jinxed it.
THE NEXT MORNING, CAITLIN APPEARED on the sidelines of Gemma’s soccer game like clockwork. Gemma was proud to have the captain of the cheerleaders there, rooting only for her. Since they had started dating, Caitlin had never missed a single game, home or away.
Caitlin’s presence came with risks—Gemma’s focus kept shifting, away from the game and towards the stands, hunting for a glint of sunlight on auburn hair.
More than once, her coach had to shout, “Quinn! Get your head in the game,” causing Gemma’s cheeks to flush with embarrassment.
They secured the win that day, and when Caitlin ran up afterward and leapt into her arms, Gemma felt like she’d won far more than just a soccer match.
Later that evening, she arrived at Caitlin’s for the festival, her heart kicking against her ribs as her girlfriend answered the door.
Golden-hour sunlight caught the strands of copper in Caitlin’s hair, a fiery halo that had been twisted into a braid.
She looked ethereal, standing before Gemma in a cropped V-neck sweater and low-rise jeans.
Flustered, Gemma didn’t know where to land her eyes.
Caitlin cleared her throat. “See something you like?” She asked, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth.
“Everything,” Gemma admitted, blushing after being caught. It was hardly the first time Caitlin had caught Gemma’s gaze roaming, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last.
Caitlin’s grin widened as she observed Gemma in return. “You look amazing, Squish. We must be the hottest couple in the tristate area.” Caitlin’s eyes scanned over the puffer vest and flannel, half-unbuttoned at Gemma’s chest and tucked into the front of her jeans.
“What’s that?” Caitlin asked, pointing to the object in Gemma’s hand.
“Oh,” Gemma said suddenly self-conscious. “I have something for you.” She carried the gift through the doorway and laid it flat on the kitchen table.
Caitlin ripped the brown paper off, eager to see what Gemma had given her.
“Do you hate it?” Gemma asked with concern when Caitlin had no response.
“What? No!” She insisted, seeming to look for the right words. “I’m just… you made this for me?” Caitlin’s voice was shaky.
“Yeah,” Gemma said shyly. “I thought maybe we could hang it in our dorm next year. Unless you don’t want to.”
“No! I do. Gem…”
Gemma held her breath while Caitlin examined the gift—a large, framed collage. Notes with softened corners, sun-faded polaroids, ticket stubs, and a few candy wrappers were carefully tucked inside, all souvenirs from their first year together.
“It’s amazing, Squish. I can’t believe you kept all this stuff.”
Gemma blushed. “I keep everything of ours. I thought maybe we could continue adding to it.”
Caitlin carefully laid the frame back down onto the table and wrapped her arms tightly around Gemma’s neck.
“Thank you so much, that’s the best gift anyone has ever given me.” Caitlin kissed Gemma deeply, long enough for Gemma to become breathless. Every hour she had spent crafting the collage was worth it for that moment alone.
They arrived at the Harvest Festival that evening, hands entwined as they slipped into the warm chaos of lights and laughter.
They collected a small group of friends as they walked, stopping to play every silly carnival game and to sample each freshly roasted pecan and caramel apple.
They even rode the questionable Ferris wheel, laughing and sketching out their future together—assuming they survived the rickety carousel.
Whenever they thought no one was watching, Gemma and Caitlin would slip behind a stand of trees and steal a kiss as the season’s final leaves drifted down around them.
Their friends would pull them apart with exaggerated groans, teasing them for being inseparable.
Even then, Gemma would find Cailtin’s eyes and grin in silent victory.
The festival glowed with sugar and string lights, an image that Gemma knew she’d carry with her forever. Little did she know, her favorite memory of the night had yet to come.
“Where are you taking me?” Gemma asked as Caitlin gently tugged her out of the dying crowd and toward the car.
“You’ll see.”
A short drive later, Caitlin eased into an empty lot just outside of town and parked the car in the darkest corner, away from the streetlights.
“Put your seat all the way back,” Caitlin instructed.
The two girls lay flat on their backs, shoes kicked off, feet propped on the dashboard, and the sunroof open above them. With their fingers intertwined, they stared up at a sky freckled with a million tiny stars.
The hush that fell over them felt sacred. Gemma breathed it all in. The crisp night air, the warmth of Caitlin’s hand, and the ache of realization that she never wanted to live without her.
Growing up as a military brat, Gemma had never understood the feeling of home, had never felt that steady confidence that she belonged somewhere—until now. Her home was the brave, loving girl in the driver’s seat. Gemma would follow Caitlin to the ends of the earth if she asked her to.
SENIOR YEAR MELTED INTO MEMORY, each week folding into the next until suddenly, high school was almost behind them.
Over winter break, Gemma and Caitlin had both been accepted into The University of Pennsylvania.
Without hesitation, they had completed and submitted the housing forms to be roommates for the following year.
Gemma felt limitless as she and Caitlin created their own future, a mix of giddy relief and nervous excitement.
Still, there was one last big event on the calendar to look forward to before she put Westmore in her rearview mirror.
It was a sunny April morning when Gemma arrived at Caitlin’s house early, waiting on the curb with the most enormous bouquet she could afford.
A colorful mix of roses, tulips, daffodils, and peonies spilled out of the brown paper.
After a year of binging rom-coms together, Gemma knew that her girl was a sucker for a grand gesture.
When Caitlin stepped out, the surprise and delight on her face were impossible to miss. She practically skipped down the driveway to where Gemma leaned against her car, eyes bright and hands already reaching for the flowers.
“What did I do to deserve this?” Caitlin asked, folding herself into Gemma’s arms and stealing a smell of the soft-pink, white, and pale-yellow blooms. “Flowers and a morning kiss before school. Tell me quick, so I can keep doing whatever it is.”
“You deserve all of this and more simply for being you.” Gemma handed the bouquet to Caitlin. “These are for you, my perfect, beautiful girlfriend. But there is one question I need to ask you.”
Caitlin’s brow lifted as Gemma took her hand and led her around the side of the car.
Caitlin squealed at the chalked message on the rear windshield.
“Will you be my date to prom?” Gemma repeated, voicing the question aloud.
Caitlin’s cheeks met her eyes with a wide smile as she bounced up and down on her toes.
“There’s no one else I’d ever go with.” She laid her lips against Gemma’s, quick but full of promise.
Caitlin’s happiness flooded Gemma with a rush of warmth, a high that she knew she would chase for the rest of her life. Every time she thought that she could not possibly fall any deeper, she would find herself tumbling again, more head-over-heels than before.
The last three years had been a mosaic of young love, including everything from heartache to the promise of forever.
As high school drew to a close and the reality of starting over, in yet another new city, sank in, Gemma knew that her next move would feel different.
New Hope and Westmore High School would be more than another backdrop in the story of her life—it was the birthplace of love itself.
And just like that, it was over.
They had danced and laughed their way through prom and late into the night in stunning coordination—Caitlin in a royal blue gown and Gemma in a fitted blue suit, a matching deep, vividly shaded vest peaking from underneath the jacket.
Gemma’s favorite moment of the night came when Caitlin drew her close for a slow dance.
Their bodies had melded together seamlessly, taking turns resting their heads on the other’s shoulder as they swayed.
The moment had both passed in a heartbeat and stretched for a lifetime.
Gemma had watched it all, as if from a far-off version of herself, savoring one of the last beautiful nights of youth.
They stepped across the graduation stage as names rolled like a gentle, driving drumbeat through the auditorium. Caitlin leapt to her feet when Gemma’s name was echoed, whistling and cheering as Gemma posed for a photo of the diploma settling into her hand.
A few minutes after, Caitlin's name rang out, Gemma returned the favor, clapping so hard that her palms stung as she watched her love stride across the stage. Gemma beamed with pride as Caitlin threw her arms wide into the air, the whole cheer squad chanting for their captain.
They left the ceremony and high school behind, holding tight to that shared moment—a shining thread that promised to connect them through whatever came next.