warmth {complete}

32||we're never done with killing time, can i kill it with you?

My stupid last name is Worthington, so I'm the last person in this stupid line. Griffin's back in his seat with his diploma in his hand and a loose smile on his face as he chats with the boy to his right. I wish I was with him, but instead I'm being forced to stand here and listen to the two girls in front of me rant about how much they'll miss each other when they go to college.

I'd rather be sitting with Griffin, eyes closed while I attempt to catch up on the sleep he costed me last night. I don't know how long we kissed, but his thumb was brushing the skin right below my breasts when Stephanie knocked on the door and I made him leave.

His eyes find mine in the crowd, and a smile lights up his face. He gives me a dramatic thumbs-up and blows me a kiss. I just roll my eyes and look at the person in front of me, but there's an impossible-to-ignore grin blossoming on my face, and it's making me look a little insane.

"Congratulations," Principal Mitchell says as he shakes my hand and hands me my diploma. "Good luck at Yale."

"Thank you, sir."

He flashes a smile, and I make my way back to my seat. I'm staring at the back of Griffin's red head now, and all I want is to crawl into his lap and sleep. The only good thing about being last is that it's over now, and Griffin is elbowing his way through the crowd to get to me.

He grins when he sees me, and my English teacher blows a whistle. As we throw our caps in the air, Griffin grabs me by the waist and pulls me in for the sweetest, longest kiss I've ever experienced. A stranger's cap lands on my head, but I don't care because Griffin is kissing me like the world is ending and all he has is this kiss, and I'm returning it just as eagerly.

We kiss steadily until I receive a tap on my shoulder. I'm a little busy with Griffin as his lips trail over my neck, but I manage to turn my head and take in the sight of my mother and Steph, both with wide smiles on their faces and tears streaming down her cheeks. Stephanie looks shaken again, but when she throws her arms around me and buries her face in my neck, I tell myself it's because she's happy for me.

"I'm so sorry, honey," Mom tells me when we wrap our arms around each other. "I'm sorry if I ruined your relationship—judging by what I just saw, though, I didn't—and I'm sorry if I ruined ours. I love you." She kisses my cheek and pulls away with a grin.

"I love you, too," I reply. "And it's fine."

We smile at each other for a minute, and then she laughingly tells me I can go back to Griffin. I all but fall into his arms, covering his lips with mine and hooking a leg around his waist. My graduation gown makes the movement difficult, but all that matters is that I'm close to him. His hands slide along my leg, pushing my gown up, and I press myself closer to him.

"This is extremely severe PDA, Katherine," he murmurs against my lips.

I laugh and break the kiss, returning my leg to its spot next to my other one, and he tucks me under his chin. My eyes land on the school, in all its brick glory. Griffin's hand glides along my back, his fingers soothing every bit of tension in my body.

My shoulders sag and I relax against him as he glances at the school and says, "Well, glad that's over," and buries his face in my hair when I laugh.

A/N: and that's a wrap.