𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐊𝐄𝐓 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐄 ᵍⁱˡᵐᵒʳᵉ ᵍⁱʳˡˢ

sixty-six

Rory's graduation was the weekend before Mollys, she got to watch her sister, valedictorian of Chilton walk proudly across stage with her family cheering for her. Even Luke had showed, to Molly and Wyatt's surprise as he claimed to be to busy to come. Molly couldn't imagine, that her grandparents and all the people who watched her grow up would be just as enthusiastic for her as they were for her sister.

Hell, Molly wasn't even going on their backpacking trip, not wanting to miss the day Wyatt was drafted. She felt, meaningless, as if she could've done more the last four years. The only class she had ever gotten by with straight A's was art, but that came natural to her. She didn't have a special talent like Wyatt and she could never be valedictorian like her sister and Izzy.

Molly wasn't excited for graduation, instead of getting ready like she meant to, she sat in her bed, crying as she stared at the dress Wyatt bought her. He wanted her to look good, for pictures, he had claimed, saying that if he was going to be an All-Star his wife needed to look good at his side.

"Firecracker, you almost—" Lorelai froze as she stood in her daughter doorway. "Molly, what's wrong?" Lorelai asked, rushing over to engulf her youngest child into her arms.

"I'm never going to be anything special." Molly mumbled, "when Wyatt gets into the NHL im just going to be his girl. I-I don't have anything special about me and I'm nothing but an embarrassment to the Gilmore name." Molly wiped her tears, feeling as if her words were true.

"Have you seen your art? I don't think anyone in our family could do what you do. I know someday you'll have millions of people wanting to buy from you, people who couldn't ever amount to how incredible you are." Lorelai was honest, though Rory was smart, she knew Molly was gifted. In ways that none of them could comprehend. "The Gilmore name will be known because of you, Molly. Not because you're with some famous hockey player but because you will be a famous, talented artist." Lorelai wiped her daughters tears, wishing she understood how incredible she truly was.

"What if I fail? What if I'm just a nobody, like dads parents said i would be." Molly mumbled, and Lorelais eyes rolled back.

"They are the nobody's. They'll never amount to anything but rich pricks."

"Right." Molly sighed, knowing she needed to be getting ready. "I should get dressed, i graduate in an hour." Molly stated, sitting up from her bed and grabbing the dress to put on.

—

"Can you believe we're graduating?" Wyatt asked, bouncing in his seat with anticipation to walk across the stage. They had been listening to Taylor and their principal ramble on for nearly thirty minutes, both arguing over the microphone.

"I can't believe you're graduating." Izzy joked, leaning back in her chair to whisper to the two sat behind her. Being valedictorian meant she sat front row, with Wyatt and Molly directly behind her in their alphabetical seating.

Wyatt rolled his eyes, "oh, yeah? How bout the fact we're both going to Yale." Wyatt grinned to Izzy, though his hand was intertwined with Mollys, thumb rubbing along her knuckles.

"That still amazes me." Izzy mumbled, her head turning back as then men on the stage began to call out names.

"Don't trip." Molly told her, earning a hidden middle finger between the chairs.

Mollys heart was racing, hearing as Wyatts name was called over the microphone. She knew he would say something, but then she would be two people after him (he had swapped seats with someone to sit with her). She had looked through the crowd, searching for her family as she stood beside the stage.