Suddenly, caps are flying in the air, and I realize belatedly that I haven’t thrown mine.
I’m not with it today.
I pretend to toss mine off, but I really just lift it off and drop it back in my lap.
Everyone stands and the crowd in the bleachers descends onto the football field.
I lift my head in search of Rae and Nova. I spot Nova headed back toward me from the front so I wait for her.
“We did it.” She smiles widely and hugs me. She steps back, her brown eyes bright and her freckles standing out across her nose.
“We did,” I echo.
“Let’s find Rae.” She loops her arm through mine and pulls me through the crowd.
We finally meet up with Joel and Rae, and then we all look for everyone else.
I spot Xander and take off running into his arms.
“Whoa.” He chuckles, catching me.
He lifts me up and I take his face between my hands, the scruff rasping against my palms, and lower my head to kiss him.
“What was that for?” he asks, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
“Because I can,” I answer as he sets me down.
He wraps his arms around me, and I turn to see Rae kissing Cade, and Nova and Jace going at it in a way that is not at all appropriate for the public. It makes me laugh, though, since those two were so anti-relationship, but now might be the worst of all of us when it comes to PDA.
I spot my mom and her boyfriend, James, hovering behind the group.
I was so happy for my mom when she finally started dating again. What she had with my dad was a toxic and unhealthy relationship and she deserved to find a good guy. I think James is that guy, but if he turns out not to be, I’ll kick him in the balls.
My mom is in a better place now. She’s not the same quiet and meek woman she used to be. She’s absolutely radiant. She smiles and cracks jokes. She bakes us cookies and drops them by the house. She calls regularly. She’s there.
I extract myself from Xander’s arms and go to hug my mom. She squeezes me tight.
“I’m so proud of you, Thea,” she whispers in my ear.
“Thank you.” Hearing that means more than she’ll ever know. My first year of college I had no idea what I wanted to do. I think that’s true for a lot of people. It’s hard to decide what you want to do for the rest of your life. But I finally decided that I wanted to help kids and women affected by domestic violence. Social work isn’t the most glamorous of jobs. I know it’ll be long hours and hard work for little pay, but if I can make a difference in only one person’s life then I’ve done my job.
I let her go and hug James.
“Come here, little sis,” Cade says, opening his arms.
I smile and dive into my big brother’s arms. I might give him hell and vice versa, but at the end of the day we really love each other. I think our bond is even stronger for having lost our little brother. When you lose a sibling like that, and at a young age, it makes you band together more.
“I love you,” he says, kissing the top of my head.
“I love you, too.” I don’t know what I’d do without my brother. He’s the one person in the whole world beside Xander that I know I can count on.
I let him go, feeling overcome with emotion.
We’re all about to go separate ways. I’ve known it for months, been dreading it for days, and now the time has come.
Xander’s hand slips into mine and he lowers his head to my ear. “Are you okay?”
I nod, because if I open my mouth to speak I might cry, and I really don’t want to hear Jace make a snide comment about me being emotional. I swear, I must be about to start my period because I’m not normally such a weak ass bitch.