Caught Between a Halo and Horns

epilogue.

"Come on, Cris! You're going to be late for your own speech!" Katie hurries me. I start running towards the door and nearly trip over my gown while putting on my heels. 

"Okay, okay! I'm ready!" I say, hopping our her front door. 

"Did you text the boys? Are they just meeting us there?" I ask her while she gets into the driver's seat. 

"Yeah, Niall said they're actually already up there." She says, backing out of her driveway. 

"Well that's a shock." I smile, still fixing the straps on my heels while she nears the edge of our neighborhood. 

"Are you nervous?" She asks. 

"I mean a little bit, but I'm still over the moon about the whole thing that it kind of overshadows the nervousness." I say, feeling giddy. 

She pulls into the school parking lot and we both hop out and begin to jog towards the gym. Once we enter the building we find the teachers starting to line up students in alphabetical order. 

"Has anyone seen Cristina Montgomery?" My social studies teacher yells frantically among the students. 

"I'm here!" I tell from behind her. 

"Oh my, thank god. I was beginning to think you weren't coming! Okay, follow me please." She says and motions for me to walk behind her and into the gym. 

A hand grabs my wrist as I try to keep up with my teacher, and I look down to find a ring clad hand with a beautifully inked anchor on the wrist. 

I smile and look up to find the green eyes I know I could never get tired of looking into. 

"Hey, baby." He greets, kissing me on the cheek. 

"Hi! I'm sorry I didn't meet you here earlier but Katie had trouble with her curling iron and I couldn't find my mascara and-" 

He cuts me off by pressing his lips to mine. "No worries, babe. Just wanted to wish you good luck." He says sweetly and pulls me closer, his lips brushing my ear. 

"And also to tell you that you look insanely sexy." He says, biting his lip as I gasp. 

"Oops! Did I say beautiful? I meant beautiful." He laughs, grabbing my hand. 

"Oh my god. Okay, I should really go before I give Ms. Todd a heart attack. I love you." I tell him quickly and go to move away, but he pulls me back once more. 

"I love you. Break a leg." He says, and lets my hand go. 

The smile remains plastered on my face as I find my teacher inside the gym. "I keep losing you! Okay, sweetheart, take your seat up on the stage for me, alright?" She says, and I do as I'm told. 

I look at the hundreds of parents and siblings and family members throughout the crowd, and sadness momentarily bubbling up. It vanishes almost as quick as it came when I find my brother in the crowd, who is waving frantically to try and get my attention. 

I give him a smile and a small wave back, just as the students begin piling in. Out of my friends, I see Niall first, then Katie, Liam, Harry and lastly Louis. They all nod at me except for Katie, who blows a kiss and Harry, who winks. 

I giggle to myself before the principal, assistant principal, and dean take the stage with me a boy named David. 

"Hello, I am Brenda Fox, the principal of Manhattan High School. I would just like to take a second to congratulate the fabulous, hard working and ambitious class of 2016!" She says, and is followed by a loud round of applause.