"Can I tell you something?" Conrad asked.
I only nodded.
"You're the strongest person I know."
To this day, I still think he lied to me. I should be the least strongest person he knows. How did he consider me strong when I could list dozens of peop...
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I TOOK A VERY LONG breath, my mind finally processing what was going on. Josh dragged me along with him. I knew that today was going to be hard, but I hadn't expected for my legs to feel as if they weighed a full ton and a half. I could hardly pick them up fast enough to match the fast pace that Josh was walking in. It almost seemed like he was eagerly waiting to see and talk to her.
I, on the other hand, was not. I wasn't completely sure of my feelings at the moment. After everything that I had happened, I decided that I was going to ignore the fact that the girl I considered my little sister had been ignoring my texts and calls for months now. I wanted to put those thoughts on hold as I processed everything else that was going on in my life.
Obviously, I missed her. I felt like I was missing a part of myself. Most of all, it hurt. The thought of her putting her relationship with my brother in between ours had sent me under a foggy spell that I couldn't get a cure for. I had dealt with enough relationships going to shit, so what was the point of feeling it all at once? I put it aside, but now it's right in front of me, crashing into my chest and waiting to be acknowledged. Fortunately enough, I knew that today was not the day to make it about me, so I was going to pretend that everything was perfect between us.
Later on, when she finally got the guts to apologize, maybe then things between us would go back to normal, but I knew that things didn't always go as planned and I was prepared for it to go bad, doesn't everything go bad at some point?
We were running late, like always, so by the time we finally made it inside the gymnasium, everyone was in their seats even the graduates. It was embarrassing to say the least, but fortunately enough Laurel saved our seats.
We tried our hardest to be as quiet as possible while we made our way towards them. Since they had already started the ceremony, we didn't have much time to say much to each other just a silent wave of excited acknowledgment at Laurel.
Everything about her seemed different and changed. I mean, who wouldn't change after losing someone that important to you? She was hit harder than my own mom. While Laurel's face seemed pale and dim, Alva's was changed in a different way. I couldn't help but wonder what Susannah talked to her about. What did she manage to say that changed the way Alva did things?
I guess, when someone is on their deathbed, you make promises and make sure you never break them. For them. For the friendship you shared with them. For the years you've known them. And at last, for yourself.
What seemed like hours went by as each speaker made their own speech about growth or change. I felt someone watching me. I turned to my left and saw that Belly was looking at me with guilt written all over her face. I kept my eyes and face blank. I didn't think she even deserved a subtle smile.
