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Chapter Thirty-One

"Asher Lawton."

That name stops me as I lift my eyes to see him take the stage. He doesn't flash a smile, no he lets his signature smirk stretch across his lips as he shakes the principal's hand and takes hold of his diploma. His friends go wild shouting and cheering him on before he takes the stairs down from the stage.

The sun frames him perfectly as he takes a walk down the aisle next to me. He's almost too bright to look at with the sun and it seems to fit him perfectly. Too hot, too bright, too blinding.

I think he's going to ignore me completely, as he has done for the last week, but then his dark eyes catch mine. He holds my gaze for a mere second but it feels like a lifetime as I watch anger, longing, confusion, more anger, and then something that looks dangerously close to love flash in his midnight eyes. But then it all fades away and he turns from me and goes back to pretending I don't exist.

He walks away from me without a second glance and a sudden wave rushes over me and I feel oddly at peace.

Something about it felt final, and within that finality I feel calm and content. I can never change my past, but a part of me doesn't want to change it. Without it I wouldn't know whom I want or what I want. I wouldn't know me or discover the woman I can truly become.

My row is finally called and ushered forward to take the stage next. My graduation gown brushes my calves and I fuss with my cap making sure my curls are still intact. I rarely curl my hair because they fall out way too fast, but I wanted to make today special. Which means actually trying with my hair and some makeup.

"Maeleigh Winter."

My name is called and accomplishment fills my chest as I step forward and shake my principal's hand and grab onto my diploma. I let my pale eyes search the bleachers and they come to land on my mother. She's standing in the crowd clapping like a mad woman and a laugh escapes my lips at her reaction. Warmth blooms in my chest at her and I can't stop the tears that line my eyes and threaten to fall.

The rest of graduation passes by quickly after that and with the iconic cap toss it's all finally over.

I am a high school graduate moving to college in two weeks. Change is happening and I'm excited and nervous for it all at once.

I can't stop my eyes from seeking out Francesca in the crowd as parents and faculty now take the field to take pictures with the newly graduated class.

My feet lead me forward without a second thought when I see her standing along the sidelines awkwardly as her friends are greeted with their parents and she stands there alone.

"Hi," I breathe as I step up behind her. She flips around and I take in her dark hair, and amber eyes that instantly flare at the sight of me. Her gown is now open and parted to show a gorgeous white lace fitted dress underneath.

Her jaw tenses as she fiddles with the graduation cap in her hands. "What do you want?" she asks heatedly.

I wet my lips. "I just wanted to say congrats," I start as nerves eat away at me and make me second-guess my decision to come over here. "And good luck with college."

Francesca hesitates for a second as if she's surprised by my words. "You don't have to pretend you care Mae," she tells me before lifting her hand to wipe her cheek as if she's concerned she may have any evidence of her tears from earlier. But she looks just as perfect as she always does, at least from the outside.

"I know we will never be friends again because of what I did, and I know I don't deserve for you to forgive me," I tell her earnestly. "But believe me when I say that I do still care about you and I hope you're happy." It's all I have left to say to her. I'm not hoping my words change anything because I know they won't. I just wanted her to hear them. Because I'm afraid she won't hear them from her parents today.