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“Okay.” She nodded. “But if you ever want to talk about it… about him. I’m here.”
“Thanks.” I grabbed a stack of menus and walked to the booth with her.
“What’s good, Myers?” Bryan smirked.
“You’ve eaten here enough to know what’s good by now.” I chuckled.
It was true. Bryan stopped by all the time to eat; sometimes just to hang out until he gave me a ride home. Our friendship was stronger than ever, and I knew I was lucky to have him in my corner still, after everything.
“Do you want to order some drinks and I’ll take your food order when you’ve decided?”
“Sure,” Poppy said, and they all rattled off their orders.
I went to ring them through the system and Cindy helped me prepare them. “I still think you should give him a shot,” she said, glancing in Bryan’s direction. “He’s a looker.”
“It’s not like that between us. He’s one of my best friends.”
“Friends can become more.”
“Cindy!” I scolded.
“Fine, I’ll stop. Hey, maybe he fancies himself a cougar?”
“Oh my God, you’re so bad.” Amusement played on my lips. I loaded the tray and headed back over to my friends.
“Drinks.” I handed them around. “Are you ready to order?”
“Yeah.” Lily smiled, ordering her and Kaiden’s. Poppy went next, and then Ashleigh and Bryan.
“Great, it won’t be long.” They’d beaten the after-school rush. “Where are Sofia and Aaron?” I asked.
“Bennet family drama,” Ashleigh grimaced.
“Ezra?”
“Who else?”
“I wonder if he’ll come tomorrow,” I said. The Fords had organized a small graduation celebration at a fancy restaurant in town. I hadn’t wanted anything elaborate so we’d compromised on dinner.
“I wouldn’t hold your breath.”
“Don’t worry, Myers,” Bryan chimed, “I’ll be there.”
I grinned at him. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
Senior year hadn’t gone the way I’d hoped. I’d lost my mom, my home, I’d even lost myself along the way… But I wasn’t alone. Not really. I had good friends and a family who treated me like one of their own.
It was enough.
Iwas enough.
And I had to believe there was a happy ending out there for me.
* * *
“They did knowI wanted this to be low key, right?” Spying the balloons and banners, I clutched Lily’s hand and we made our way through the restaurant. Her dad had booked the entire back room which was at least something. I wouldn’t have to survive the night with the other patrons all gawking at me.
It wasn’t everyday a student graduated early from Rixon High, and everyone had heard my story by now. But they didn’t know about Xander. Jason had managed to keep that under wraps. I don’t know how exactly he’d gotten Coach Huckley to stay quiet, but he had.
