One year later...
"Are you married, sir?"
"No, I am not," Oliver says calmly.
I squeeze my mom's hand, hoping this question doesn't affect the hearing.
"So you will be raising him on your own? Are you prepared for the task?" The judge asks, looking at Oliver attentively. "He is an adult now, but will you still be able to provide care if he so wishes?"
"With all due respect, he had a falling out with his biological parents a little over a year ago, and I have been looking after him ever since," Oliver informs with ease.
"Oh, so you've already known this young man?" The judge raises an eyebrow.
"Yes, I've known him since he was born."
The judge's lips slightly quirk up.
We're so close.
I glance over at my boyfriend. He hasn't been able to sit still since we've been in the courtroom. I think he's more excited than he is nervous, though. He sits at the defendant's table while Oliver stands among the intimidating but friendly male judge.
Ash turns around, and his eyes immediately connect with mine. I quickly make a dramatic gesture with my hand, telling him to take a deep breath. He easily mimics my actions before breaking out into a soft smile. I blow him a kiss and watch from the distance as a pale pink rises to his face.
Even after a year and a half of dating, he still blushes so easily.
Asher then glances back to the other five people who decided to join us in this important moment. Sawyer gives him a big thumbs up, Vincent smirks, Cecilia winks, Jordan nods his head encouragingly, and for some reason, Hayden is flexing. Ash has to hold in his laughter before turning back to the front of the courtroom.
My mom squeezes my hand from beside me. I look over at her to see her eyes filled with happy tears.
"He deserves this," she whispers with a fond smile.
My mom has always treated Asher like a second son for the past four years, even before we started dating. I can't imagine how emotional this is for her. She's watched Asher grow into a glowing ball of light after all his hardships, and now he is going to have the support of a legal and caring parent. You could say that this is one of the happiest moments of her life.
"—once adopted, this child will have all the same inheritance rights as any child born to you?" the judge asks, his rugged exterior gradually fading away.
"Yes, I understand," Oliver nods.
"Oliver Carson, do you believe it would be in Asher's best interest for you to adopt him?"
Oliver turns and gives Asher a quick wink before facing the judge again.
"Absolutely," he says without missing a beat.
"And Asher King," the judge says, directing his attention onto my boyfriend. "Do you agree with him adopting you and becoming your legal parent?"
"Absolutely," he replies. Even though I can't see his face, I can hear the smile in his voice.
The judge's once scary face immediately fades into a big smile. He gestures to the pen and paper in front of him.
"By signing this final adoption decree right here, you will be Asher King's legal parent and guardian. You may sign when you are ready."
"Don't have to tell me twice," Oliver smirks, immediately stepping forward and planting his signature on the paper.
"Any last words?" The judge says.
"T-Thank you," Asher chokes out, barely holding back his tears. "Thank you so much."
The judge's eyes light up like nothing is better than forming happy families.
He stands up, gives a soft bow, and silently leaves the courtroom.
After months and months of struggle since Asher turned eighteen last December, Oliver is finally getting the son he always wanted.
Asher immediately scrambles up from his chair and rushes toward Oliver. He slams into his chest and sobs. Oliver's arms hastily make their way around my boyfriend. He hugs him back just as tight.
"Holy crap," Oliver chuckles. "You're finally my son."
"I love you so much, Dad," Asher cries, clutching Oliver's jacket so tight, almost like he's scared to let go.
I watch about a million different emotions flash through Oliver's face as Asher calls him dad for the first time. Even Oliver becomes teary-eyed as he embraces Ash.
I know that word meant a lot to Oliver, but it means a lot to Asher too. He's never felt safe enough to call anyone his dad, especially not Bradley.
A lot has changed over the past year, but one of the things that makes me happiest is that Bradley and Susannah haven't said a word to Asher after his speech about stepping down from the company. They must have finally realized that Asher wasn't going to deal with all their shit and decided to leave him alone. I know Asher hasn't tried to contact them either. He's much stronger without them, anyways.
"Stop making me cry, kid," Oliver laughs tearfully, squeezing Ash to his chest one more time before holding him at an arm's length.
"Dad," Asher giggles cheekily.
Oliver can't help himself when he pulls him to his chest again.
I look around the room at my friends and family who came to support this big moment. None of them can keep the happy smiles off their faces for my boyfriend.
After Ash and Oliver finally soak up their moment entirely, Asher goes around the room, giving hugs to each of our friends and my mom. When he pulls back from his hug with my mom, he looks at me with the same amount of love in his eyes as he had when we first started dating.
He happily stands on his tippy toes and throws his arms around my neck. I still have to lean down to get to his level, though.
I miraculously grew two more inches before my body finally decided to stop giving me growing pains. I turned eighteen last week, the same day as me and Ash's high school graduation, so I don't know where the extra height came from. All I know is that it makes Asher look that much more adorable when he's in my arms.
My arms coil around his waist, and I litter the side of his face in soft kisses.
"I'm so happy for you," I whisper in his ear.
He sniffles into my neck but doesn't reply. It's okay, though. When you are with someone for a while, it becomes easier to understand that person. Ash goes really silent when he is insanely happy; like he can't believe it's possible to feel that way after all these years.
He pulls away, and I softly wipe his tears away with my thumb. He closes his eyes at the soft touch, embracing the warmth of my hands.
Oliver comes up behind him and places his hands on Asher's shoulders.
"Come on, kid," Oliver laughs. "I'm taking you to lunch." Oliver then looks at me. "Don't worry, superstar. I won't take him for too long. You can swing by the apartment later and see him."
I smirk, "You got it, Ollie."
Oliver just rolls his eyes, still not accepting the nickname even after all this time.
I lean down and kiss Asher's cheek. "See you later, beautiful. Hope you have a great time."
He smiles up at me. Even when he is completely speechless, I can feel the strength of his emotions.
Oliver throws his arms across his shoulder before leading Ash out of the courtroom. Their happy moment is on repeat in my head.
I turn to my friends.
"I-It was just...so so cute, a-and heartwarming, a-and it m-made me so happy," Hayden sobs, happy tears streaming down his face.
I can't even say I'm surprised.
Cecilia is just laughing her head off and pointing a finger at Hayden.
"Pffft, I can't with him," she wheezes.
Jordan joins in with Cecilia's laughter.
"W-Why are you laughing?!" Hayden says defensively, wiping his eyes. "Heartless bitches," he mutters.
"Come on, you fucking cry baby," Vincent pats his shoulder. "We'll see you later, Leo. Don't be a stranger over the summer."
My friends all give me cheesy waves before leaving the courtroom, including Jordan.
I turn to my mom, who is looking at her watch.
"Your flower shop duties await?"
"Yep," she smiles. "I better get going. We are supposed to have a lot of people coming today."
Along with the growing popularity of my boyfriend and me comes the inevitable amount of people who follow us around.
My mom wanted me to stop working at the flower shop my senior year and focus on myself. It took a lot of convincing, but I eventually agreed. Her shop definitely has had a boost of attention after finding out that Ash and I go there after school every day. Nobody bothered us too much, but the flower shop isn't the same peaceful environment it once was. It's now booming with business. As a matter of fact, my mom is getting ready to upgrade locations and find some more employees.
It's kind of sad, though. The flower shop isn't somewhere Ash and I can go as a safe place anymore because too many people are there. However, I still find a way to sneak some Lisianthuses to my boyfriend when nobody's looking.
"Text me when you get home. Alright, honey?"
"Of course, Mom," I say, kissing her on the cheek and walking out to the parking lot.
The second I get in my car to start driving home, I realize how free I am.
High school is now over, and I'm an adult ready to step into the next chapter of my life. College starts in only a couple of months, and of course, I'm nervous, but I'm so excited too.
I can't wait to see what the future holds, but one thing I can tell you is Ash is going to be with me through it all.
»»————- ★ ————-««
I am sitting on the couch, just scrolling through my phone, when my boyfriend walks through the front door.
We decided to meet at my house since my mom isn't here. I don't expect anything from him in any way, but it's nice to have a moment alone with my boyfriend without the fear of anyone ruining it.
He waltzes in, showing off his brand-new Florida Gators sweatshirt. Although we have the same exact sweatshirt, I can tell that the one he is wearing is mine, and I have no idea how he got it.
I committed about three months ago. They were honestly so surprised that I accepted their offer out of all the ones I had, but Ash and I decided it was what was best for us. Besides, I can still make a name for myself at a school like that.
Not only that, but the Coach is so supportive of me. A problem that arose during my recruitment search was homophobic coaching staffs who respected me as a player but not as a person. However, the UF Coach, Coach Michael, is probably one of the most accepting people I've ever met. He assured me the team was very open and honored to have a player like me.
As for Ash, he had to work his ass off this past year. After he already had two years of bad academics, he was really putting his best efforts forth for senior year. He did volunteer service, student council, and joined many different clubs to hopefully make his application much more compelling, which definitely worked since he got in.
I silently watch as he strolls over to where I am on the couch. His curls are equally cute as they are messy, and his soft features are beautiful as always.
I will never understand how I got this lucky.
He giggles as he moves my legs onto the couch. He then easily throws himself on the sofa between my legs as he rests the back of his head on my chest. I gently drag my fingers through his hair, and he makes a small noise in contentment before resting his hand on my thigh.
"How was your time with Oliver?" I ask softly.
I lean to the side and gently kiss his temple. He immediately turns his head and connects his lips with mine in a long, deep kiss.
"It was so great," he smiles, his eyes as bright as starlights. "I can't believe that he's my dad."
"I can," I say without missing a beat. "You deserve good things in your life, baby."
"I see that now," he whispers. "That's why I have you."
"Very cheesy," I laugh.
"I know," he says shyly with tinted cheeks. "But it's true."
I gently pinch his chin between my two fingers, tipping his head up to meet mine again. I slot my lips with his, the kiss feeling just as memorable as the first. He unintentionally shivers when I slide my hand under his shorts and rest it on the outside of his thigh. It's not even in a suggestive way; I just love touching his body in every way possible.
He happily hums into the kiss. I gently nip his bottom lip. He immediately opens his mouth, allowing my tongue to explore his.
Nothing between us turns heated. We've been together for a while now, and we can always tell what the other person wants. However, at this moment, we just want to softly express our love for each other.
One of my hands travels to my boyfriend's hip while the other grabs his leg tighter, moving his body so that he is now straddling my waist. I gently rub small circles into his hips as he continues to kiss me. His luscious lips bounce and return to mine like they can never get enough.
He pulls away breathlessly, but I continue to leave small kisses down his jaw. I peck and nip his neck, causing tiny melodious giggles to pour out of him.
"That tickles," he whispers, placing his hands on my biceps to stabilize himself.
"Oh really?" I smirk.
I don't give him any time to react as my hands lash out and tickle his side.
"Leo, stop!" he squeals, thrashing over my body.
I don't listen as I continue to pull little shrieks out of him with my sneaky fingers.
"L-Leo!" he chokes out, trying to push my arms away, but he, of course, has nothing on my arm strength. His smile is so wide that it feels like the room is lighting up. "S-Stop!"
I am about to relent my evil tickling, but before I have any time to catch him, he thrashes around so harshly that he falls off the couch and onto the hardwood floor. He lands with a thud.
"Oh my god," I say, half-laughing and half-concerned. "Are you okay?"
He doesn't reply as he clutches his stomach and lets out hysterical giggles on the floor.
"Come here, baby," I laugh, immediately reaching out to help him.
"Leo," he pouts but accepts my help. "You're not supposed to throw your boyfriend on the floor."
"I'm sorry," I chuckle.
He giggles in response, easily squishing himself between the back of the couch and my body. He rests his head on my shoulder, puts his hand on my chest, and throws a leg over my body.
"I'm sorry for real," I say again with a soft smile. "Did that hurt?"
He giggles, "I'm okay, Leo. I promise."
"Okay," I smile. I gently rub my hand on his side, and he sighs in bliss at the action. "How did you get my sweatshirt, by the way?"
"That's a secret," he says cheekily.
"You could've just bought a bigger size, you know?" I chuckle, continuing to touch my boyfriend's flawless body as the fabric hangs off his porcelain skin.
"Where's the fun in that?" he retorts. "Besides, I like stealing yours."
"Of course you do," I playfully roll my eyes.
"Don't act innocent. You like seeing me in your clothes anyways."
"You're right, I do," I say, planting a wet smooch on Asher's face. "But it doesn't help when half of my wardrobe is missing."
"I can't hear you," my boyfriend giggles, lightly kissing my jaw.
I roll my eyes and laugh before settling my eyes on the T.V. screen. Asher draws random shapes onto my chest as we watch television together.
Moments like these are always my favorite.
"Um...Leo?"
"Yes, my love?"
"Can I talk to you about something?" he asks hesitantly.
"Of course," I say, sitting up on the couch.
He sits up, too, immediately planting himself in my lap. He bites his lip nervously before he looks at me. I watch as his cheeks gradually turn pink.
"No need to be embarrassed," I assure, tucking a hair behind his ear. "You can talk to me about anything."
He nods and gives me a soft smile.
"I just wanted to tell you how my last session went," he confesses.
Ash has been going to therapy for a few weeks now. He still feels a little weird and embarrassed about it, so I usually don't try to bring it up. Even though his anxiety has improved a lot over the past year, there's still a lot that he needs help dealing with, and that's perfectly okay. Sometimes he tells me about his sessions and sometimes he doesn't, but I never push him to talk about it. This is about him bettering himself and doesn't personally involve me in any way. I just want to see him not have to shy away from the world, especially since, within the next couple of years, our popularity is going to grow.
"We took it easy yesterday," he starts. "We didn't practice any potential social situations or anything like that because the therapist said that I've been doing so well and I deserve a break. We just talked."
"What did you talk about?" I offer softly, holding my hand out.
"Just regular things," he answers, fiddling with my hand. "The things I like, how I feel about college, what's been going on in my life recently...and then we talked about you."
"Me?"
"Mhm," he nods. "He asked me about my biggest support systems, and you came up."
He laces our fingers together and gives me a cute smile. He leans forward and pecks me on the lips.
"I told him all the little things you do for me. Like how you support everything I do, how you're so patient with me, and you know how to comfort me when I'm having a hard time with my anxiety. The more I described my perfect boyfriend to him, the more he said that you're probably a big part of why I'm doing so well in therapy. He said a positive support system like you is proven to help reduce anxiety and stress. He was a little worried at first that I relied on you too heavily, but the more I talked about us, he could clearly see that we help each other equally, you know? He said that too many people come to his office not realizing that their significant other is affecting them negatively or not compassionate enough to be with someone who is still healing. He said you were someone he hopes I keep in my life. I know I said it so many times, Leo, but you make me feel so safe and loved. I can't wait to spend the next four years with you in college...and even more after that."
"Come here," I beam, wrapping my arms around his slim waist. He instantly throws his arms around my neck, giggling. "I love you so much, Ash."
"I love you too, Leo," he sighs, giving me a soft kiss on my neck. "More than I can put into words."
I was scared that, eventually, our love and passion for each other would die down, but I don't even think that's possible. Every time we hug, or kiss, or hold hands, it still feels just as special as the first time.
"I have an idea," I whisper.
"Hm?"
"You wanna go dorm shopping?" I ask, already knowing the answer.
"Yes!" he says excitedly, jumping off of my lap. "Come on, let's go." He tugs on my arm, and I easily stumble after him out of the door.
Sometimes it's just the little things in life that can make both of us smile.
»»————- ★ ————-««
Ash and I have been at the store for about thirty minutes. The cart is full of things we want for college, but I don't have the heart to tell Asher that we probably don't need a ten-pack of candles.
The paparazzi have laid off as Ash and I aren't the talk of the town so much anymore, and I'm so grateful. It's nice to watch Ash be himself without the fear of paparazzi invading his privacy.
"Okay, which one?" he giggles, holding up yet another item we don't need.
"Okay, Ash, I love you but put the dinner sets down," I laugh, taking the different colored silverware boxes out of his hands and putting them on a shelf nearby.
"But why?" he pouts.
"Baby, we don't need those."
"But—"
"Asher, we both are getting meal plans. We are going to be eating in the dining hall," I explain.
His pout only deepens.
I laugh and palm both of his cheeks.
"You'll thank me later when we are both in student debt," I say. "Buy only what we need for now, okay?"
He sighs but nods.
My boyfriend is the biggest impulse shopper I have ever seen, so thank goodness I'm here with him.
I take my hands off his cheeks and continue to push the cart.
"Well..." he starts. "Can you make an exception from our future student debt with some ice cream?"
"I'll go get the cones and you get the tub?" I smile.
"Yep," he says, racing to the back of the store to get it.
I laugh and shake my head before venturing down the store aisles to find some ice cream cones. Once I make it to the appropriate aisle, I pluck them off the shelf and throw them into the cart. Ash hasn't shown up yet, so I start walking to the back of the store to see if I can catch him still looking at all the flavors of ice cream.
I am about to turn down the aisle when I hear him talking. I stay out of sight but peek my head around the corner and see him talking to a girl I've never seen before.
"Hm...probably vanilla," he answers.
"Really?" she says softly. "I think strawberry is my favorite ice cream."
"Oh, I l-like strawberry too," Ash says, grabbing a tub of ice cream and holding it under his arm.
I know that Asher doesn't see it, but the girl is definitely flirting with him. She's twirling a piece of hair around her finger with dusty pink cheeks. Even still, I sit back and quietly watch, wanting to see how this situation plays out.
I know how hot my boyfriend is. It's not every day that he gets hit on, but he still doesn't see how beautiful he is. I can't tell if he's that oblivious because it doesn't happen much or he is choosing to ignore it, but knowing him, it's probably the first option.
"Well..." Ash says, holding up the ice cream and turning to leave. "I'm gonna g—"
"Wait!" The girl with long, silky black hair exclaims.
Asher's eyes widen in surprise at the outburst, and he looks back at her.
She gulps, and I watch as her cheeks turn a shade brighter.
"U-Um...sorry," she says, sweeping her hair out of her face. "I didn't mean to yell like that. I just...I-I wanted to know if I could get your number."
"M-My number?" Ash says, confused.
"Um, yeah," she smiles nervously. "I was wondering if y-you wanted to talk sometime?"
Even though my boyfriend is terrible at dealing with people who are flirting with him, I have to say that it must've taken the girl a lot of courage to ask.
"Oh," Ash says, surprised. He rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. "I, um...I'm actually taken."
"Oh..." the girl says, disappointed. She immediately tries to mask it with a smile. "I-I'm so sorry then."
I actually feel kind of bad now. She looks like such a sweet person.
"It's okay," Asher assures with a smile. And then, like the angel he is, he says, "I hope you find someone else to share your strawberry ice cream with."
She lets out a small laugh. "T-Thank you."
Asher gives her a slight nod before I scramble back from the aisle, trying to ensure he didn't see me. Within a matter of seconds, he steps out of the aisle and in front of me.
"Got the ice cream?" I ask, pretending that I wasn't just eavesdropping.
He burst out into tiny giggles. "Leo, you're terrible at hiding."
"Dammit," I sigh. "I was trying to be subtle."
He tosses the pint of the frozen dessert into the cart.
"It's kind of hard for you to do that when you are so tall that I can see your hair sticking out above the shelf," he laughs, placing his hands on my sides and standing on his tippy toes to kiss my cheek.
Right as Ash pecks me on the cheek, the girl walks out from the aisle as well. Ash turns and gives her a soft smile, but she just stares at me with wide eyes.
I'd like to think I'm not that intimidating, but I guess I can look that way when I'm 6'2 and she was just flirting with my boyfriend.
"Oh my god," she sputters. "I-I'm so sorry! I wasn't trying to make moves on your boyfriend or anything. I swear I didn't know he was already seeing someone. I—"
"I promise, it's okay," I laugh, tugging Asher close to my side but giving the girl a big smile nonetheless.
"Wait..." she says, narrowing her eyes at me. "You look kind of familiar."
Ash and I glance at each other awkwardly as the girl continues to stare straight into my soul.
Suddenly, realization dawns on her face, but instead of feeling relieved, she only looks painfully embarrassed.
"Oh my god, oh my god," she mutters to herself, cringing with shame. "Leo Gaines? That's you, right? The famous football star, the golden boy?"
"Um...yea?" I say, feeling weird about the high honors associated with my name.
"That's so embarrassing," she says with red cheeks before turning to my boyfriend. "And that makes you Asher King?"
Ash gives her a little nod but judging by the expression on her face, it looks like he just added salt to the wound.
"You are my little brother's biggest role model," she claims, directing her attention back to me. "How am I supposed to tell him I met his football idol by trying to get with your boyfriend?"
I've never seen anyone get redder cheeks than Ash, but man, does this girl come close.
It's strange to think there are some kids out there who idolize me. I mean, I'm only eighteen years old, and I've barely scratched the surface of my potential. Not only that, but I'm just a kid from Greenville who loves playing his sport. I guess that I'm more special than I let on. Maybe I'm realizing that the 'Golden Boy' title isn't the curse that I made it out to be. I'm inspiring others to be themselves and strive for something great without even knowing it... And honestly, that feels so great.
"U-Um...I really don't mean to bother you anymore, but c-could I possibly get your autograph for my little brother?" she asks wearily.
I raise my eyebrows at the request. Nobody has ever asked for my autograph before. It feels a little surreal.
My boyfriend taps my hand, and I realize it's taking me way too long to answer.
"Uh...sure," I reply, still not wholly wrapping my head around the idea.
She hastily digs through her soft pink purse, pulling out an old receipt and a pen to write with.
"S-Sorry," she mutters, embarrassed. "I don't have anything else at the moment."
"It's okay," I laugh easily, plucking the items out of her hand. I quickly scribble my best cursive signature on the blank side of the receipt before handing it back to her.
"Thank you so much," she says happily with a little bow. "This will absolutely make his day! And, um...sorry again for hitting on your boyfriend. You guys seem perfect for each other."
I squeeze Ash a little tighter and watch as he gives her a soft smile.
"T-Thank you," he says with a small giggle.
If I'm being honest, that will always be my favorite compliment.
She says a quick and nervous goodbye before making her way toward the front of the store, leaving Ash and me standing at the end of one of the aisles.
"So, how did it feel?" Ash asks, barely able to contain his smile.
"Huh?" I say, confused.
"Leo!" he exclaims, lightly swatting my chest. "You just gave out your first autograph!"
"Oh, yeah," I chuckle. "It definitely feels kind of weird."
"I'm happy for you," Ash sighs blissfully, hugging me close in the middle of the grocery store.
Last year around this time, even though we had been dating for a couple of months, Ash would've never wanted to be this affectionate in public for the fear of what people would say about him, but now he's so carefree and happy that it truly warms my heart. Also, I think part of it is that he likes to show me off a little–like he's so proud to say we're dating. To be honest, I'd be lying if I didn't want the same. I want everyone to know that this beautiful angel is only exclusive to me.
"Just imagine, sometime in the future, you're are going to be giving out thousands of autographs just like that," he claims.
"How can you be so sure that I'll make it?"
"Because I know you will," he says softly, putting his chin on my chest. "Because I believe in you. You've worked so hard for your dream. Even if you have moments of doubt or stop believing in yourself, I'll be there with enough strength to believe for both of us. You will get to the NFL, Leo. I know it."
"God, I love you." I give him a long kiss on the forehead.
He giggles before skipping in front of the cart. "Love you too," he says easily, finally leading us to the checkout area.
I push the cart and follow.
"By the way, I call your second autograph," he smirks, loading our items onto the belt.
"Okay, gorgeous. I promise it's yours."
»»————- ★ ————-««
By the time I got home, Jordan and my mom were home.
Ash said that he was going to go to my room and relax for a little bit a while ago, but I just checked on him, and he was, in fact, dead asleep on my side of my bed.
I'll forgive him, though, because his obnoxious but cute snores always make me laugh.
If dating him for eighteen months has taught me anything, it's that Asher needs his beauty sleep. He can sleep anywhere and on anything, and I don't know how he does it.
I quickly cover him with a blanket and kiss him on the forehead before walking out into the central open space.
The whole house still smells of the delicious pork chops I just made. I was going to tell Asher about dinner, but he obviously isn't hungry right now.
Jordan is sitting on the couch with a steaming plate of food, but my mom is nowhere in sight.
"She completely knocked out after this amazing food," Jordan laughs, reading my mind.
I finally grab my own plate before plopping myself on the couch beside Jordan.
For the next few minutes, the living room is only filled with light background noise from the television and the sound of us scarfing down our food.
After we finish, we both slump into the couch, sighing in peace after the full Thanksgiving meal we just had.
"Goddamn, Leo. You're cooking is criminally good," he sighs.
"Practice, my friend, practice," I smirk.
He lightly chuckles.
"You doing okay?" I ask, changing the subject.
"Leo, you asking me every week isn't going to magically change my answer," he rolls his eyes.
"I know, but—"
"I promise I'm okay," he assures. "You'd be the first to know if I wasn't, and I wouldn't hide it from you."
Jordan and I are closer than ever, but part of that closeness came with great tragedy.
A couple of months ago, Jordan's parents died in a drunk-driving accident. And worst of all, the innocent people in the car they hit died too.
The last time Jordan told me about his parents was only days before when he said they promised they would get better...but he knew it was an empty promise. He was undoubtedly right.
Honestly, I don't think he cried at all. It sounds a bit wrong to say, but I think he knew that it was coming. A long time ago, Jordan said goodbye and cried for his parents because he knew that the addiction was far beyond help.
I always ask if he's okay, but truthfully, I think he is...at least more okay than anyone else in his situation would be.
Legally, he's an orphan, but in reality, nothing has changed. My mom still treats him as if he's her own child, and I still treat him like a brother. I think one of the reasons he feels okay is because he knows that he has us now to be with him through thick and thin...the same way Lucas wasn't.
"So you're good?"
"Yes, I'm good," he rolls his eyes but shows me a little smile.
"Okay," I nod. "How's that job search going, by the way?"
Since Jordan has zero financial support, he wanted to jump straight into the workforce and not go to college. I totally understand why he wants to, but I can't help but think how much fun we would have together.
If I wasn't on a full-ride scholarship, I'm sure I'd be thinking the same thing, especially if I didn't know what I wanted to major in.
As for our other friends, they surprisingly all have plans too.
Cecilia decided that she actually does want to take over Circle X Electronics. After her parents stopped being so strict and let her be a little more free, she discovered that she loves the hustle of business life.
Sawyer is going somewhere close by so that he can get an education but stay close to Cecilia. As for what he is majoring in, I have no clue because he keeps changing his mind.
Hayden and Vincent are going to some college in California that I've never even heard of before. They are going to a relatively small school with a nearly perfect acceptance rate, so something tells me that their choice was solely based on Hayden's hideous grades and the little number of places that would accept him. Vincent could honestly go to Harvard if he wanted to, but I think that he wants to continue making memories with our crazy friend. They're definitely a weird duo, but I can't lie when I say that I'm relieved that someone is going to be watching Hayden in college because he still doesn't seem to know how to live life like an average person and not like every day is his last.
"I actually have an interview on Tuesday," Jordan informs.
"Oh, cool. What's it for?" I ask curiously.
"A warehouse," Jordan shrugs. "It doesn't sound like the most entertaining job, but we all gotta start somewhere, you know?"
"Yeah, I get it," I sigh. "When I'm off in college, do you promise to call?"
"Like you should be worried about that," he laughs. "I'm scared that you will be the one who forgets to call."
"Me? I could never," I smirk.
"Yeah, okay," he says sarcastically. "You are gonna have so many people wanting to hang out with this cool new football star that I'm sure you'll be too busy."
"Please," I scoff. "I'd rather hang out with you more. You know, just because we're far away doesn't mean that I want to stop hearing about what's going on in your life."
"Okay," he laughs. "I promise I'll call you."
"Often?" I tease.
"Once a week is the most you're getting from me."
"Works for me," I smile.
Honestly, I'm not too worried about my friends and me splitting up for the next four years. We are the type of group that can go months without talking, but once we see each other again, it's like everything falls back into place. Hell, maybe even Vincent will get desperate enough during the time that we are apart and give me a call.
I'm so excited about the future. I get to play for a D1 college that accepts me for who I am. I'm going to experience the best four years of my life. And lastly, I may not be going to college with all of my friends, but I'm going to college with my best friend.
The future looks so promising, and I can't wait.