Daddy Dearest

Chapter Eighty Three

(here's a hodgepodge of scenes I wrote for fun. The 2 epilogues are coming soon. Think of this as a "wrap-up" episode)

Lottie

Graduation day. The sun was shining so brightly it felt like a scene from a cheesy high school movie, complete with the smell of freshly cut grass and the sound of our classmates laughing nervously as we stood huddled together in our caps and gowns.

"Can you believe it's finally here?" Charlie asked, his green eyes wide with excitement and disbelief. His messy blond hair peeked out from under his cap, adding to the whole "lanky teenager" vibe he had going on.

"Right? I feel like just yesterday we were freshmen, terrified of getting lost in the hallways," I replied, my own heart pounding with a mixture of anticipation and nostalgia.

"Seems more like a decade ago to me," Charlie said with a grin. "Remember all the crazy stuff that happened this year?"

"Ugh, don't remind me." My mind raced through the whirlwind of events that had occurred in the past year: breaking up with Steve Mason, realizing high school boys were absolutely not my thing, and deciding that a mature, college guy was what I needed in my life.

"Hey, there's always college to look forward to," Charlie said, trying to cheer me up. "You'll meet plenty of new people there."

"True." I sighed, knowing he was right but still feeling the sting of disappointment over the way things had ended with Steve. He wanted to go to college on the East Coast and spend the summer driving cross-country with his cousins - leaving no room for me in his plans. "I just wish I could find someone who gets me, you know?"

"Hey, I get you," Charlie joked, nudging me playfully. "But seriously, Lottie, don't stress about it. You've got time to figure things out."

I glanced over at him, seeing the sincerity in his expression. Sure, Charlie was my twin brother and sometimes drove me crazy, but he was also my best friend and always had my back. "Thanks, Chuckie."

"Anytime," he said with a smile.

We stood there for a moment, basking in the warmth of the sun and the camaraderie we shared. It was strange to think that this chapter of our lives was coming to an end and that we'd soon be heading off in different directions - Charlie to Stanford and me to Pasadena Community College before transferring to UCLA or USC.

"Promise me you'll try to enjoy yourself next year, okay?" Charlie said, his gaze steady on mine. "You deserve to have fun and make some amazing memories."

"Only if you promise the same." I grinned, holding out my pinky finger. He wrapped his around mine, sealing the deal with a solemn nod.

"Deal."

***

"Hello, everyone, it's a wrap-up show!" I announced as Charlie and I entered Melody's house, our arms loaded with graduation caps and gowns. The familiar, comforting scent of Nancy's homemade lavender candles wafted through the air, instantly putting me at ease.

"Hey, you two," Melody greeted us, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she snapped a quick photo for her Instagram story. "I can't believe this day is finally here!"

"Neither can we," Charlie chimed in, grinning from ear to ear. "But first, we need to get all dolled up."

Melody led us upstairs to her bedroom, where we began the process of transforming ourselves into graduates - adjusting our robes, securing our caps with bobby pins, and applying the finishing touches to our makeup.

As we fussed over our appearance, Nancy wandered into the room, a nostalgic smile on her face. "You know, it feels like just yesterday that you three were running around in elementary school together, and Lottie, you were taller than Charlie."