A Lover's Decision

Chapter 28

After winning the first round of the national tournament, the basketball team lost in the second. They put up a good battle in the first half, but they were playing against a Division I team. No one faulted them for the loss. Naturally, they were heart broken, but they'd played their best.

March turned into April, and April crept into May. Finals were upon them before they realized it. Myles and Rhys had to finish their final projects. Rhyn wrote the first five chapters of his manuscript and turned it in. If he didn't have to edit too much, he could turn it into a writing contest and hopefully get a book deal. If he lost, he could still self-publish.

Rhyd had the hardest time. He had a massive presentation with Dixon, and it all went to his final grade. They'd spent long nights fine tuning their algorithms and other aspects to do the best they could. Rhyd had never worked so hard for one goal in his life.

Somewhere along the way, Myles started staying with the Easleys. He would go home to get clean clothes and his project materials before turning up to study and sleep. He had taken up to the empty side of Rhyn's room and his bed.

Rhyn didn't mind sharing his room. At least it meant he knew MYles was sleeping well. Now that they basically lived together, it was easier to have more intimate moments. They obviously had to be quiet, but they'd figured out how to manage their voices and other noises. The floor tended to be piled high with blankets and pillows at any given time.

They'd managed to make it through finals. From Tuesday to Thursday, they had presentations. Rhyn was first as he presented his manuscript. He had been given the all-clear to send it to any competition he desired. Rhyd was second, having to defend his project with Dixon. The other three sat in the back and listened to the presentation.

When the results came out on the engineering board, Rhyn was tasked with looking at them. Not surprised in the least, Rhyd and Dizon managed to top the class with their project. A day later, they both received a call to work on a government project. They would move to the capital and start a month after graduation.

The last finals had been Rhys's and Myles's. They had to present their presentations on the muscle groups they'd been assigned. Even though they'd been nervous, they'd done well. They weren't at the top of the class, but they graduated. That was all they really wanted.

Graduation day finally arrived. Rhyn stood in line with the others in his college and waited. His parents came to greet him before they inevitably had to find his brothers. Having three sons graduating on the same day had to be tough.

"Pomp and Circumstance" started playing. Ever so slowly, the two lines began to play their parts. They moved slowly so everyone could be seen by their families and friends. It would only be a brief moment until diplomas were handed out, but to some it meant the world. Some were the first in their families to go to college.

Rhyn glanced around. Across the aisle was the College of Health and Human Performance. He spotted Rhys and Myles sitting in the middle of their row. They were three rows ahead of him, and he could see them chattering.

Rhyd was somewhere in front of them. Engineering was a small college because of how competitive and difficult the major was. Rhyd and Dixon graduating at the top of their class meant they not only managed to work hard, but that they'd gone above and beyond the scope of their requirements. To get into engineering was one thing. To graduate with honors was another beast in and of itself.

The president took the podium, and the music stopped. He said a few opening remarks before the campus Baptist minister offered the prayer. Then the national anthem was played followed by the school's alma mater. Finally, everyone was allowed to sit for the commencement speech.