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“That’s mean, but I love it.”
“Good.” Her face turned serious then. “Just keep in mind that perfection is a notion that’s unrealistic. Love each other as you are, mistakes and all. Don’t be afraid, and jump in with both feet, baby. This time, he won’t let you fall.”
“Bailey Jones.” The moment my name was called, a section near the center and back erupted in applause and cheers. Tears rushed to my eyes, and I waved back at them from the top of the small staircase that led me toward the stage. Our school’s principal stood there next to the small podium with a sheet of white copy paper rolled and tied with a gold ribbon.
“Congratulations, Bailey. So proud of you,” Principal Marshall said as I shook his hand. The lights were blinding on that stage, the crowd a bit rowdy. Flashes of light came from somewhere off to the left, and I felt it in my bones that it was Hunter documenting this moment.
I hadn’t seen him yet, and the need to pull him in for a kiss was near maddening.
“Thank you, sir.” I took my fake diploma and waved it toward my peers with a roll of the eyes. They laughed, and Emily high-fived me once I came down the stairs.
This was it.
We were done with our high school careers and moving on to the rest of our lives. Chapter closed, we were now adults.
For the next twenty minutes, the rest of my class walked across that stage. Posed ridiculously for that final picture, and at the end, tassels were shifted and caps thrown in the air.
Goodbye was always bittersweet, but I was ready for my after to begin.
“I can’t believe we’re finally done,” Emily squealed as we walked through the corridors of our school a final time. A few people waved at us as we made our way toward the nearest bathroom to fix our makeup.
Emotions had been high. A few tears were shed and laughs shared.
That, and we were dressed to kill. I’d chosen my outfit with the hope of making my Miles a bit weak kneed.
Silly man always thought that I used his last name when pissed, but the truth of the matter was that I felt special calling him that. Just me.
No one else ever had.
I was going for sexy vixen beneath my cap and gown. A short, pale lilac body con dress that stopped mid-thigh. It was sleeveless with a ruffled neckline that left my collarbones bare and accentuated my chest.
In short, it was hot.
“Where are we meeting everyone?” I asked before she could spot Thomas a little way down the corridor, because once she had, I’d lose her to his lips. Those two were nauseatingly cute.
Emily pulled out her phone from the pocket of her eyelet white dress. “Five minutes, according to Hunter.”
“Good, but why hasn’t he text me?” The ass.
“Because I wanted to forgive you in person.” A voice suddenly spoke from behind me, too close, and I froze.
My eyes locked with Emily’s, and she looked pissed. “Brad, don’t. We already talked to you—”
“Back off, Emily,” Brad hissed out, interrupting Emi. He sounded pissed, his proximity scaring me. “I’m not Thomas, and you don’t have me by the dick.”
“Don’t talk to her like that.” Thomas appeared next, coming to his girlfriend’s defense. He stood in front of her while pulling me next to him. “Get out of here, bro. Leave Bailey alone. Enough with this shit.”
“Fuck you. This is between Bailey and me.” Crazed blue eyes locked on mine, and Brad extended a hand out for me to take. “Come with me. This is the last chance you’ll get to be my girl.”
“Are you insane? I don’t like you.”
“Why the fuck not?” The sad part was that he seemed shocked by my refusal. “I’m good looking, popular, and have a football scholarship to one of the best schools on the east coast. You should be so lucky as to be with me.”
“This is your final warning. Walk away and let her be,” Thomas hissed, fist clenched.
“This is none of your business, Thomas. This is between me and the little cock tease.” In a move I didn’t expect, Brad reached out and grabbed my arm. Hard. He squeezed, and I winced, trying to shake him off while he pulled me toward him.
Thomas’s hand stopped him, but it was a fist that flew past my face that knocked Brad to the ground. The solid blow caused him to let go immediately as he tried to block a second punch from the man I loved.
