Back to You

ConGRADuations!

I could never have predicted that spending that one weekend helping Conrad out would give us exactly what we needed... a fresh start. 

With my help that weekend, he had finished everything that needed to be completed, and I had successfully let go of the thought process that put all the weight of us seeing each other on his shoulders. Our roles in the relationship had never felt more equal to me. We were truly in this together. 

In the months that followed, we nailed it. We gladly shared the responsibility of ensuring we saw each other fairly consistently and kept in constant touch, either by meeting up in person, via Zoom, or late-night texts. 

Of course, Conrad and I preferred the times when we could share the same space, but the nightly calls to share our day and affirm our love for each other still had the power to make my heart swoon. After so much drama and turmoil in our relationship, we'd finally found the magic solution to make us work, and I felt like I finally had my fairytale. 

I had done well at school and spent the last remaining months of my college experience with the most gorgeous and thoughtful boyfriend ever. I really couldn't have asked for more. The best part was that the rest of my life felt like it was just beginning because Conrad and I had decided that we would find an apartment and finally move in together during the summer. Life had truly blossomed for me, with good news coming from every angle. I had an internship starting after the summer with the same publishing house representing my mom, and my best friend was going from a miss to a Mrs and had asked me to be her maid of honor. It was truly amazing to me that this wallflower who had pined for so many years to be noticed by the boy of her dreams was finally watching all her wishes come true. 

With Jeremiah and Taylor's wedding as the centerpiece of our summer, there would be a lot to do. Plus, oh my God... how could I forget this? Steven and Shayla were again engaged, and I was so happy for them. Next to Jeremiah and Taylor, they really were the perfect couple.

Life... well, it was good. 

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It was all happening so fast now, I thought as I stood next to Belly. We gazed into her full-length mirror, our caps and gowns on, moments away from leaving for our graduation ceremony. 

"This is it, Tay. We did it," Belly said as she gave me a side hug, which I willingly returned. 

"Indeed we did, Cinderbelly... officially mere hours away from being college graduates," I replied, tearing myself up at the thought. 

If not for Belly, I probably would never have gone to college. I didn't really have the aspirations she did, but thanks to her willingness to share this experience with me, I'd relented and, along the journey, found my passion for event planning. It had taken a lot of business classes and marketing classes to make it happen, but I already had a pretty good client roster I was building up due to all the successful sorority events I had put together over my time at Finch. 

Funny how the former 'party girl' had become the most sought-after 'party planning girl." 

"We should probably head downstairs. The boys will be here any minute to pick us up," Belly said, giving me one more hug for good measure. 

"I'm so proud of us," I said, still invested in the hug.

"Me too," she answered, and I could hear the raspiness in her voice at the tears she might be holding back. 

The doorbell rang downstairs in Belly's house as if on cue. It was where we had opted to get ready together. 

"Bean, the boys are here," Laurel yelled up the stairs.