X-man had convinced Nick to celebrate graduation at his fraternity, so he walked around the house party. It was a kinder frat than the one the football players joined. People were talking about the arrest of the popular linebacker. The school was investigating the fraternity, and the rumors were they were shutting it down. So far no one knew the victim.
Trinity had stayed with Nick until her mother arrived the next morning. While her father demanded action by the administration, she and her mother packed her belongings. Trinity's trauma would affect her forever. Needing to channel his anger, Nick went to help carry suitcases to the car.
The sorority house was quiet. Everyone was asleep or at classes. Nick missed a lecture, but he didn't care. He had never skipped a class in four years.
She laid on her bed in a fetal position while her mother took pictures off her wall. No one spoke, except in harsh whispers. When one of her sorority sisters woke and asked what was happening, her mother said there was a family emergency and she was leaving school.
It was odd to Nick how easily people accepted things. Before long he heard a rumor that Trin's father was dying. Honestly, he doubted Trinity spread it. People believed what they wanted, so they didn't put her disappearance with the arrest. Just like the old Trinity, most people believed it was a false accusation.
Nick checked his anger as he sipped his warm beer. Trin's ex was in the corner feeling up a girl. He had to know the truth. It happened in his room. Did he believe his frat brother or his girlfriend? Nick knew the evidence revealed the truth.
He turned to find X when he nearly bumped into April. "Hey, you too?"
"You know, one last hurrah." She rolled her eyes.
"So you're off to Chapel Hill?"
"Yeah, I can't wait to get the hell out of Florida."
"Me too." Nick wondered if the disdain his fellow students had for victims of sexual assault was a Florida thing. The state had officially gone off the deep end with targeting gays and suppressing historical facts. His mother had been ranting to him over the phone.
Nick honestly thought it disappointed her that his and Sophie's graduations weren't on the same weekend. Megan would have happily volunteered to go to Boston instead of Florida. Peter would have come to see his sister.
Aunt Liz was putting his family up, but they were arriving late. Nick looked at his watch. He could drive over to his aunts to greet them, but everyone would be tired.
"Hey, good luck with med school."
"I'll miss you. You were a great lab partner."
He smiled. "You too. Keep in touch, doc."
She laughed. As he walked away, he decided he would miss some things. Once in his room, he sighed. Unlike Trinity, he didn't have things plastered all over his walls. Besides his clothes and electronics, he had very little. After one more night, his sheets belonged in the trash. He could start packing, but his mother was coming over first thing, before the commencement ceremony.
His gown hung on his wardrobe. He took a picture and sent it to Ivy. His phone buzzed. "Hey."
"Hey, yourself. How does it feel?"
"Like I've been waiting forever for it to get here."
"I'm glad you'll be home."
"Did my family get off okay?"
"I didn't get home until they were heading out. They stopped for dinner."
"Have you seen Kat?"
"Not yet. I heard she's doing better. Easter weekend she had dark circles under her eyes. Any word on Will?"
"All I know is he's taking care of some stuff in Buffalo. I haven't been bugging him."
"So you'll be home on Sunday?"
"Yup. After the ceremony, we're having a family thing at my aunt's. We leave early on Sunday."
"Back to work and school on Monday morning."
"Do I work?"
Ivy laughed. "No, you start Tuesday training."
"Oh right. I hope it wasn't a mistake to volunteer."
"I'll help."
"Thanks Ivy. You're the best." She didn't respond. When his phone buzzed, he thought it was his family. He frowned. "Um, I have to take this call."
"Okay. Good luck tomorrow. Don't trip."
He stifled his laughter as he switched calls. "Hi. How are you?"
"Alive."
Unsure how to respond, he let silence take over. Last thing she needed to hear about was graduation or frat parties. They spent a lot of time on the phone listening to each other breathe. Nick figured if it helped her, it was the least he could do.
His heart ached for her. The old Trinity would have savored every moment leading up to graduation. He could see her with her sisters in their decorated mortar boards and bottles of champagne. It made him angry how another person could force his will and crush her spirit.
"I, um, looked at socials. It looks like everyone is partying."
"Yeah. I suffered through a warm beer for a few minutes, but I'm in my room now. I can't wait to get the hell out of here."
"You never did like it."
"Not enough, but I hate it even more now. First it was that young girl and then you know. It makes me angry."
"Tell me about it. I started counseling."
"I'm glad."
"Is it okay for me to keep calling?"
"Yeah. Of course. If I don't pick up, it means I'm busy."
She sighed. "I know you work. You know they think my father is dying or something."
"Yeah."
"They don't understand why I wouldn't come back to party and march. If my dad was sick, I wouldn't want to do that would I?"
Nick wasn't sure, but he knew the correct answer. "No. You would want to be with him." He stifled a yawn.
"You're tired. You should go."
"We don't have to hang up." Many nights since she left they kept the phone connected until she fell asleep.
"No. It's okay. You have a big day tomorrow. You need to rest."
"Okay. I hope you sleep. Hey, congrats, graduate."
She sighed. "I suppose I am."
Nick didn't ask about the job she had lined up. He didn't think she was in any shape to start a career. Mostly, he was afraid to ask her questions. After he hung up, he called Ivy back.
"Nick?"
"Can you talk to me about something nice?"
"It was her?"
"Yeah. I don't know how to help her."
"You're a good guy."
He sighed. "I try to be. Something nice."
"How about an incredible kiss?"
Nick wanted to laugh. For months they pretended it never happened. "Are we talking about it now?"
"It depends."
"On what?" She made him smile.
"If there will be more?"
"You're one of my best friends. I don't want to end up like Sophie and Kevin."
"They were kids. We will be like Ben and Keira."
"But I have two more years and then a career." Or a PhD.
"I don't care. We don't have to rush anything. I just want to be together."
"Let's take things slow."
"That's not a no!"
He smiled. "It's not a no."
Instead of Trinity, he fell asleep with Ivy on the line. His sleep was restful, and he woke to his phone vibrating. Ivy must have hung up in the night. Nick sat up. His mother was on her way over. His first thought was he hoped she had coffee with her.
He should have set an alarm. Throwing on his shorts, he had to rush downstairs to let her in the building. As soon as she saw him her face lit up. He hadn't expected Sophie to get up early, but was equally glad to see her.
Every time he hugged his mother it was as if he forgot he was bigger than her. At some point, he stopped being the smaller of the two, but his mind kept going back to the way it was before.
Sophie clung to him. "We did it!"
He laughed. "I'm not done yet."
"But you're coming home."
As they walked towards the elevator bank, he said, "I figured you'd still be asleep."
Sophie rolled her eyes. "I figured you hadn't packed so I'll help."
He felt the heat creep up his neck. "I was busy. It's just clothes."
Megan frowned. "You haven't showered."
"Mom, look at him. He just woke up."
"You're lucky I did or you would be standing outside waiting for me."
"We'll get it done." Megan had her mom's can do anything look. Growing up, she was like a superwoman. She worked full time and put dinner on the table. Even though she had papers to grade, she always had time to read long chapters to them every night. Nick used to listen when she read to Abbie years later.
When they entered his room, he watched them look around. Sophie bumped his shoulder. "It's a little sparse."
"I didn't need to cover my walls with half naked heartthrobs."
He pulled his large suitcase out from under his bed. "Then he opened his shirt drawer and started throwing shirts in."
"Hold up. We need to roll them to maximize space. What are you wearing to graduation?"
He pointed to the gown he paid sixty-five dollars for. "That."
"Underneath?"
He shrugged. "Shorts and a tee shirt."
Sophie rolled her eyes. "I bought a new dress for my graduation."
"Guys don't care. It's not like anyone will see." Both his mother and Sophie were dressed in summer dresses and sandals.
"What about your feet?"
He smiled at his mother. "Flip-flops." She sucked in her disappointment. "Just kidding. I bought new Vans. Believe me, my feet will be overdressed."
"Go get dressed. We'll roll shirts."
He pulled a short sleeve button down with palm trees out of the closet. Then he grabbed boxers and his nicest shorts. That look was dressed up for Florida Nick. Smiling, the Florida Nick would not exist in twenty-four hours.
After he finished showering, he threw the rest of his shampoo and soap in the trash. When he returned to his room, his mother was packing his underwear and socks. He froze when she held up a box of condoms. "Thank goodness for these."
Sophie laughed. "Busted."
He bit his tongue, but he wasn't the one having sex as a junior in high school. He had more sex in college than his sister, although she dated a few guys.
Nick shrugged. "Should I pretend?"
Sophie frowned. "How is she?"
Nick frowned. "It's hard to tell."
His mother looked at them. He hadn't told her because she worried too much.
He stepped further in his room and said, "I plan to throw all my bed stuff away."
Megan looked at him and shook her head. "Bring it to Liz's. I'll wash it and she can donate it. Remember to..."
"Reuse. Fine, as long as I'm not bringing it home."
"Not for the memories." Sophie continued to tease.
"I should have stayed up and packed myself." He mumbled as he wound up his power cords and chargers.
By the time they were done, he only had a few minutes to report to the commencement area. His mother kissed him. "Good luck. We'll be the cheering section."
He found April and his fellow biology majors. They formed a line and marched in. In high school, they reported to marching practice every morning for a week. It seemed ironic that they had come full circle, Aunt Becca talked about teaching her kindergarteners to walk quietly in line and the last thing they learned before being sent off to college or jobs was to walk in line again. At least in college, they assumed they knew how to walk.
The champagne bottles came out during the speech while a politician told them how they could do whatever they set out to do. Achieve anything and oh by the way try to make the world a better place while you're at it. Nick interpreted it to mean don't screw it up like his generation had by passing laws to keep kids from learning how to think for themselves.
April whispered. "He's such a hypocrite."
Nick nodded. "My thoughts exactly."
It took forever to give out degrees. Biology was towards the beginning of the bachelors of science, but the college of the bachelors of arts went first. Honestly, he felt sorry his family had to sit through it and groaned.
"What's wrong?"
"I have to sit through my sister's next Saturday."
"Sister?" April looked at him.
"Twin."
"Seriously? No wonder you're a good guy, you grew up with a girl. Hey, what happened to your girlfriend?"
Nick looked straight ahead and whispered. "We broke up."
"I know, but she hasn't been around campus."
"I heard her father is sick. She finished her classes at home."
"I'm sorry. No one deserves that, even a bitch like her."
Nick nodded. If he didn't know the truth he might have laughed. Finally, their section stood. Each student had a printout with their name, major and accolades on it. Their real degree certificate would arrive by mail later. Eventually, he walked across the stage and shook hands with the dean and the president.
"Nicholas Edward Brenner, Biology, Chemistry minor, Magna Cum Laude."
Way in the back the Maine rebels stood and yelled. He smiled at his father's whistle. He had made his parents proud.
Once in their seats, April whispered, "How many people came for you?"
He shrugged. "Just my parents and two sisters."
Later he learned he was wrong. Liz had joined the cheering section too.
After a pool party and cookout with his cousins, Nick took out his phone. He had two missed calls. One from Ivy and the other from Trinity. He wanted to call Ivy, but he called Trinity first. She needed him.
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