Six Months Later
"And so it is my honour to announce that this year's Senior class of Eleanor James Academy have officially graduated. If each student could please collect their diploma and make their way back to their seats, that would be wonderful." The principal, Mr McCormack, spoke into the microphone with a cheery tone, his arms opened wide as if embracing his pupils.
I waited behind a girl named Shelley Cole to receive my diploma, praying to the heavens that I wouldn't trip over on stage.
"Isabelle Marie Conway." Mr McCormack pronounced my full name clearly, offering me a warm smile as I took the each step at a time, being careful not to step on the long red graduation gown.
He reached out to shake my hand and congratulated me on placing third in my class-- a position that I was extremely proud of considering that most of the kids who went here's parents paid for hours and hours of tutoring in all subjects, whilst I just had a textbook and good ol' Mr Google.
The photographer snapped a quick photo of us (which I was completely not ready for so I probably looked like a walrus) before I made my way back to my chair to watch the rest of the graduates receive their rightful certificates. I glanced back at my father, who was sat a few rows from the back in his work attire, a huge proud smile slapped across his face. He winked at me when I caught his eye, and mouthed 'I love you'.
Back up on the stage, Matilda was being handed her diploma, followed closely by Luke, Levi and then the twins, and my hands clapped together thunderously as pride burst through me.
As unexpectedly not-terrible as my Senior year in New York had turned out, a small part of me still wished that I was graduating back home in Connecticut with the people I had spent my whole high school life with.
I mean who knew where I was going to be this time next year, and who knew where Sam, Avery, Tommy, JC and Noah would be too.
Yes, ladies and gentleman, I could say Noah's name without having a breakdown. I'd come to terms with the fact that it had been nine months since Noah had broken up with Sabrina and I'd left Connecticut, and I'd accepted the fact that we were moving on. The last time I'd heard from him had been a vague little Facebook wall post on my eighteenth birthday four months ago wishing me a happy birthday.
Sam had kept me updated in our daily phonecalls, letting me know that she and Kiely were about to celebrate their one year anniversary, Tommy had started dating Zachary from the football team (who knew he really would turn out to be gay?) and neither of us would ever mention Noah.
Which was exactly how I liked it.
I didn't want to know if he was back with Sabrina or dating someone else or being a player and dating fifteen girls all at once. I just didn't want to know.
"We did it! We did it!" Ash squealed, breaking me out of my reverie as she pulled me into a hug and rocked from side to side with laughter.
"We are officially college bound! Stanford here we come!" Ari sung in the same high-pitched voice, making me laugh.
"Yeah not quite, Arzi." Levi appeared from beside the stage, calling Ari by her pet name. "We still have the whole Summer before we start thinking about that."
I'd been accepted into Princeton a few weeks ago, but the letter had sat on my desk sadly, taunting me with it's stupid smug congratulation. Getting accepted was the best feeling in the world... until I realized that I couldn't go because no scholarship meant no way to afford it.
I'd been accepted into NYU and a few other colleges, but I'd held off replying to those too, reluctant to face the truth.
"Yeah, stop wishing our summer away!" Luke hooted, throwing his arm around Matilda and pulling her in to kiss her forehead.
"Hey kiddo!" My dad's voice rang through the crowd, and I turned to fold him into a hug. "Congratulations!"
"Thank you. Mom couldn't come I assume?" I asked with pursed lips, rolling my eyes when dad frowned in confirmation.
"She couldn't take the day off filming even though she really wanted to."
Sure she did. She probably didn't even know that I was graduating at all.
My dad checked his watch with a frown and I knew that he had to get back to Connecticut and to work, so I pulled him in for another hug and thanked him again for coming to see me before shooing him off back to work. Seeing that everybody was laughing and celebrating with their families and knowing that I had no one else to talk to, I made my way out into the courtyard and sat down on the water feature ledge, pulling the annoying tassled hat from my head and propping it next to me on the ledge.
Wasn't it weird how this time last year I'd had everything planned out; graduate in Connecticut, get into Princeton, spend my last summer with my best friends before moving on campus and beginning my life, without any contact with my mother. Now I had no idea what the future held, and it was scaring me to death.
I didn't know where I was going or what I was doing, and I had no one to try and navigate the real world with here in New York.
I mean-
"Hey, you're that Cupid lady's daughter aren't you?"
I fought the urge to groan as I closed my eyes and let my head fall back. Not again.
I'd intentionally dodged any and all conversation about my mother or anything to do with her, for this exact reason. Once people knew me as Cupid's daughter, all they wanted was to meet my mom or get an autograph. No thank you.
"Look," I said through tight lips to the stranger, still not turning around, "my mother's not here so please leave me be."
The person didn't respond, but I felt a presence beside me a moment later and forced my eyes open in frustration. "Would you-"
The chocolate eyes that stared back at me took my breath away, and the end of my sentence was never to be heard.
Noah smirked, his white teeth sparkling in a way that was so beautiful I wanted to cry. "Hey Little Cupid."
I stared at him.
"Hi." Was all I managed to get out.
My fingers itched to reach out and touch him, to make sure that he was truly here.
"Happy graduation." He winked, holding up a blue tassled hat that I assumed was his own. I shook my head in disbelief.
"What are you doing here?"
Noah bit his lip and stared down at his hands, seeming nervous all of a sudden. "I couldn't let you graduate without anyone to celebrate with." He rubbed his hand through his curls. "I told you I'd be supporting you from a distance, and I meant it. I'm proud of you, Issy."
I continued to stare at Noah as if he'd just grown three heads. Was this actually happening right now?
Noah's face grew worried at my lack of response, but I was still busy trying to produce a coherent response. He wiped his palms on his jeans and turned away from me, biting his lip. "I'm sorry, I should have called first. I understand if you don't want me here, I didn't mean to intrude—"
"Shut up." I whispered, my lips turning up into a smile. I vaguely noted Levi, Matilda and the gang walking out towards us in the courtyard, but I didn't pay them any attention."It's really nice to see you. I'm glad you're here."
Noah froze, and his frown slowly became a grin as his eyes gleamed with relief. I leaned in to hug him as the excitement of Noah being here in New York finally set in, and I pressed my cheek against his chest.
"Who's that guy?" Luke muttered, but no one responded.
I pulled away slowly, leaving my eyes closed as I smiled. Noah leant his head against mine and when I finally opened my eyes he was already looking at me.
"Oh yeah." He jumped with a smile, "I almost forgot." He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small envelope, handing it to me with a knowing look. He grabbed my hand and led me back down to sit on the ledge of the water feature. My eyebrows crinkling in confusion, I opened the letter, cautiously looking at Noah.
Dear Miss Isabelle Conway,
Congratulations! It gives me great pleasure to inform you that you have been selected as one of Princeton University's Vice-Chancellor scholarship recipients commencing in the selected semester of study.
All information and FAQs regarding your admission and scholarship can be found on our website.
We hope to see you at Princeton University soon.
Warm Regards,
Janet Lavin Rapelye
Dean of Admissions at Princeton University
I screamed. The kind of scream that made everyone turn to stare at me, but I couldn't have cared less. I was going to Princeton!
I was going to Princeton?
I was going to Princeton!
I jumped up and down and hugged Noah again, shrieking like a fan girl seeing One Direction in concert for the first time.
"But how?" I yelled, unable to contain my excitement and confusion.
Noah grinned at me. "I found the edited version of the recommendation on my dad's computer and forced him to change Sabrina's name back to yours. Turns out he had no idea that Sabrina had sabotaged the recommendation in the first place. As far as he was aware he was still recommending you."
My heart raced in my chest and I squealed again, throwing myself at Noah so hard that we both stumbled backwards.
"Thank you." I murmured against him, and he stroked my hair gently in response.
"Anytime."
A throat cleared from beside us and I turned to face an amused looking group of people, my face burning scarlet.
"Want to introduce us to mystery boy?" Ash said, leaning over to shake Noah's hand.
"And spill whether he has a cute brother." Ari continued with a giggle.
I introduced everyone to Noah and they all, thankfully, got along like a house on fire-- Levi especially.
"Is this who you were looking for that night at prom?" Levi asked me once everyone had met and mingled.
"Yeah." I mumbled, feeling slightly embarrassed. So now Noah knew that I'd gone to prom hoping he'd show up. Great. I felt Noah shake with silent laughter beneath me, and I buried my face in my hair shyly.
"Don't worry," Noah whispered with a smirk, "I've been looking for you forever." He teased, playfully wiggling his eyebrows.
I smacked his arm gently, turning even redder. "Oh shut up."
Noah laughed and leaned even closer. "No really I have. I had no idea where your school was and it took me forever to find you."
"So are you two dating?" Ari asked without even a hint of subtlety, her curious eyes wide. I pulled away from Noah, suddenly self-conscious that I was being too touchy-feely for a friend.
"No, we're not." Noah answered, and then turned to give me thousand kilowatt smile. "But now that you mention it, nothing in the world would make me happier than to take you out on a date, Isabelle. Would you do me the honor?"
My breath caught in my throat, and happiness bubbled up inside me, threatening to overflow. This felt like a fresh start, and I was so willing to take it. I beamed.
"Only if you promise not to put a tooth in my water or serve me spider leg spaghetti."
The rest of my friends shot me weird looks, and I held back my laugh. Noah offered me a cheeky grin. "Don't be stupid. I would never do that. Everyone knows that a hair in your soup and jalapeño in dessert is where it's at."
I rolled my eyes and grinned as his arm snaked around my hips and he kissed the top of my head lightly. Glancing around at my laughing friends the bustling festivities, suddenly the prospect of my future didn't seem so dreary.
With amazing people at my side and a wonderful school on the horizon, the future was looking better and better with each passing moment.
As hard as it was to believe, maybe Cupid's daughter had finally met her match after all.
THAT'S THE END GUYS. WHEWWW. EPILOGUE COMING SOON. I LOVE YOU ALL. SO MUCH.