Wild Love ✓

40| Epilogue

Luca

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As I'm watching my reflection in the mirror while fixing my tie, I can hear Bella humming to a song while doing her hair in the adjoined bathroom.

I smile to myself.

Today I'm happy, but also slightly nervous.

Today is our graduation day.

Now we can get into the 'real life', as all the professors call it.

Bella has said—multiple times—that she has no idea what she's going to do after college. But I think she's figured it out just fine.

Last year she was bored and started a website, showcasing her clothing designs and her outfits. She even designed some shoes and jewellery. Over time, it got popular and so she started making some clothes of the most popular sketches that are up on the site and putting them for sale on the website. People loved them and now she has a small online clothing store. An investor reached out to her about six months ago. He helped her get bigger and have more connections. He's been talking about opening a boutique, but Bella says she content for now.

As for me, the hotel in the outskirts of the city, the one I took Bella to when it was still under renovation, has been open for over a year. I'm going to manage it while working on opening another hotel downtown, with the help of my father.

I look around for my shoes, when I don't see them around, I make my way to my bedroom.

After Ben, Jace and the other two seniors graduated, we moved here; Bella, Sara, Alex and me.

Although my girlfriend and I mostly sleep in her room—formally her Brother's—I use my bedroom to store all my shit and to study.

On the way to my room, just at the end of the hall, I come across Sara. She's coming up the stairs. I hear her sniffle and it tugs at my heart. She and Alex have been acting weird around each other. Bella asked her what's wrong, but she dismisses her every time.

Here's the thing about Sara: she bottles up her feelings until it gets too bad or someone forces them out of her. I even talked to Alex, but he said not to worry about it. But I did worry about it. They're both family, and if one of them is hurting, it means I'm hurting too. I also don't enjoy Bella getting sad because her best friend is sad.

Sara has been sleeping with Bella in her bed for the last week. And that alone makes me believe that something is definitely something going on with Sara and her boyfriend.

Alex is flying out to LA tomorrow. He got drafted to play for the Phoenix Suns team. We watched his name being called out live—though we were sitting in the back—I was more than proud for him. He's been working towards this ever since he was a little kid.

I reach Sara before she gets into her room, "hey." With my thumb and forefinger, I pinch her chin and lift her face up to me when she keeps her face towards the floor. Her eyes are a little red and puffy, her lower lip trembles, and I pull her to my chest and hug her tightly.

I feel her shaking against me and my chest hurts seeing her like this.

"Shh, it's okay." She inhales a shaky breath and pulls away. "Are you okay?"

She nods but it's obviously not true, she's anything but okay. Today should be a happy day. We're graduating. And Sara got the internship she wanted at some fancy law firm.

"I'm-I'll be fine." She smiles weakly at me. "Can you not tell Izzy? I don't want to ruin her mood today."

"Sara..." I hate lying to her.