The next few days went by in a flash. Heather and Mr. Gates both got what they deserved. Heather was sentenced to life in prison for killing Reina, stalking and assaulting Emma, and helping Thomas and Mr. Gates with the kidnapping. She complained about receiving a life sentence after giving Ms. O'Connor all the information, but no one was listening. She had killed Reina in cold blood and had to pay the price.
Mr. Gates also got a life sentence. He thought he was going to get away with everything by bringing up the fact that he was the chief of police, but once Ms. O'Connor brought out all the evidence she had against him for helping to kidnap Emma and covering up the murders of five girls, the judge didn't need to hear more to make her decision.
As for Jason, he was also going to spend the rest of his life behind bars. It didn't matter how many connections or how much money his family had; he couldn't run from all the crimes he had committed.
With all that finally behind her, Emma didn't have to worry about any of them anymore. She could now try to pull her life back to normalcy. It wasn't easy, and some days were harder than others with her anxiety, but she was making progress.
On a lighter note, Blake had thrown himself into his work to take his mind off the breakup. He and Chris were still running the auto shop successfully. The workers were skeptical at first, with them both being so young, but most of them supported the boys because they had watched Blake grow up while working there.
No one quit or asked for early retirement. It took a while for Chris to get used to helping run it and not going to The Unground every other night, but he had handed over the keys to Niki. She had practically done backflips when she found out he trusted her enough to give her the keys, and she was running it just fine.
Chris honored Philo's dying wish and proposed to Kandy, and of course, she said yes. Their wedding would be sometime next year. Kandy made Emma promise she would come back from college to attend, and she couldn't wait to be there for the ceremony as the maid of honor. Whitney and Claire were enjoying college life, with Niki and Emma coming over frequently for visits, but they kept away from parties. After everything that had happened, it had left a lasting scar on all of them.
Blake's parents decided they wanted to spend more time with their kids after what had happened to Blake. They took a lot fewer hours at work, which both their sons couldn't have been happier about. They went on a lot more trips, all four of them, with their new free time. His parents wanted to invite Emma, but Blake let them know about the breakup. They were extremely upset about it.
Apparently, they had really been hoping for them to get married at some point in the near future. The thought had also crossed Blake's mind, but he just wanted her to be able to experience her life before that, and maybe one day they could be together again. He would be waiting right here for her.
Time flew by so quickly, and it was already graduation. They were all seated in the school auditorium in cap and gowns. Their principal was talking about something motivational, but Emma wasn't really paying attention. Her eyes looked down at the blue diploma in her lap before moving up to her parents and friends in the stands. She saw them waving and smiling down at her, her father taking pictures.
Claire was waving a light stick, cheering. Whitney smiled, taking a few pictures, and Niki jumped around, excited. She smiled back at them. She was so happy she was able to find such good friends.
Surprisingly, they were sitting beside Blake's parents, and Alex, Kandy, and Chris sent her a smile. Her eyes moved to her parents. They both looked so proud.
Even from this far away, she could tell her mother was crying. It was crazy how her parents had changed so much in the past two years. They were finally letting her be whatever she wanted to be, accepting and loving her for who she was. She couldn't stop smiling this morning as they helped her get ready. Honestly, this was a happy day, but it did feel bittersweet. Reina wasn't here getting her diploma, and she wasn't with Blake anymore.
Her eyes scanned the group of students in front of her, seeing the back of Blake's head. She missed him horribly, but this was for the best. He suddenly turned his head, looking back at her. Her heart pounded in her chest as he sent her a sad smile. She tried to give one back, but it was a complete failure. She wanted to get up and run to him. She hoped this would get easier one day.
"So, the class of 2025, congratulations!" the principal said, and the students and the crowd cheered loudly, full of excitement. Her fellow students stood up, throwing their caps into the air. It was so joyous all around her, but she felt like time was going in slow motion as she slowly stood up along with Blake. He was fully facing her. He gave a soft smile that didn't reach his eyes. It was forced.
This was it. It was the beginning of their own separate paths. There was so much she was going to miss. She was going to leave this town, just like he said, and not look back.
Mia note-Where at the home stretch now yall!
YOU ARE READING
It Started With Hello
Romance***** Emma Pear knew she wasn't the most popular girl in high school. Her nose was usually buried in a textbook, and her grades were as spotless as her reputation for always following the rules. "Nerd" was a label she'd long since embraced. Her pare...
