Fan Behavior (Georgenotfound)

Thirty Three: "All that really mattered" - December 11

"You're on speaker, Lilac," He informed her. "Repeat that, Clay.

"I want to come to your graduation!" Clay yelled, coming closer to the phone. "I want to meet your siblings, you always make them sound like so much fun, it'll be like having another two Dristas around. Plus, Sap and I can live vicariously through you since neither of us ever got one."

"My siblings will die if they get to meet you, so that works well. Also, doesn't George have a college degree?" Lilac asked, laughing. "Live vicariously through him, I don't know if I can deal with the pressure."

"Speaking of George, have you called him?" Sap asked, and Lilac shook her head.

"Not yet. I'm kind of nervous to, I don't know why," She admitted. "But I'm going to, after this call."

"Don't be nervous," Sap said, rolling his eyes. "You could literally call him and say absolutely nothing and he'd still lose his mind over you." Lilac shook her head, knowing it wasn't true but loving the fact that Sap said it anyway. True to her word though, she did call him after she got off the phone with Sap and Clay. Lilac couldn't sit still, so she decided to go walking outside while she talked to George. She dialed his number, and he picked up just before the second ring.

"Georgie!" Lilac said, using the nickname both of them had a love-hate relationship with as soon as he picked up the phone.

"Poppy!" George replied just as excitedly, giving her a new flower nickname. "How are you? It's been so long since we last talked."

"We were literally on the phone yesterday," Lilac reminded him as she walked along, pulling her jacket closer to her body to shut out the cold winter wind.

"Too long," George declared dismissively. "But no matter. What's up?"

"Good news," Lilac said, a bright smile making its way onto her face at just the thought. "In 9 days, you will no longer be the only college graduate in the Horsemen!" George was silent for a moment as he processed what that meant, but when he did, he gasped.

"What! Lilac! That's so awesome!" She couldn't see it, but he hopped out of his chair, dancing in place in excitement (a habit he'd picked up from Lilac without realizing it). "Congratulations, I knew you could do it!"

"Thanks, George," Lilac said, warm cheeks keeping the blistering cold winds at bay. His compliment meant everything in the world to her.

"So what are you going to do? Are you hosting a party?" George asked, sitting back down in his desk chair on his end and swiveling back and forth. Lilac swung her legs a bit as she walked, deciding to stop for a bit and sit down on a low stone wall.

"A party with my family, sure," Lilac chuckled, "But a real party? With, like, other people besides my family and friends? Never." They both shared a laugh.

"Well, that should be fun," George said, and Lilac nodded.

"It really will be," She said, gearing up to voice the whole reason she'd called. "Andi and her family are coming over to ours for dinner, and Clay and Sap will be there, too. For the ceremony and the dinner, everything. So... I wanted to ask if you'd like to come, too." Silence reigned over both ends of the call for a few moments, and Lilac began to panic a little.

"I mean, you don't have to! I know it's pretty short notice, I just thought I'd offer-"

"No, I'd love to," George said, cutting her off in a soothing tone. "I really would. But..." He stopped talking, and Lilac felt her hopeful heart drop a little.

"You can't," She guessed.

"I've got a family wedding on the 20th, it's been planned for months," George informed her, and she felt her entire body lose a little bit of its sparkle. "I'm so sorry, Lilac."