Crush Crush

Epilogue

{ Six Months Later }

"Congratulations, Class of 2014!"

The convention center erupted in cheers and whoops and hollers. I didn't toss my cap with everyone else. Instead, I just took it off and hugged Chloe tightly. "I can't believe high school's finally over!"

She giggled. "We're college girls now!"

After I applied to over a dozen colleges, I committed to one in-state, barely an hour's drive from home. Chloe was going to the college a little farther from home, but promised to visit as often as possible. My mom and dad were just happy to have me close enough that they could come to my rescue should I ever need them.

We followed the rest of the graduates flowing out of the convention center to find our parents and be showered with flowers from family members. I spotted Miguel jumping up and down like a fool. When I reached him, he wrapped a heavy arm around my shoulder, pointing with his other hand, "Ma and Dad are over there with your lover boy."

I elbowed him in the ribcage. "Don't be a jerk."

He yelped in pain. "Jeez, take a joke, chica."

I rolled my eyes. My mom pulled me into a tight hug when I reached her. Dad pulled me into an even tighter hug, slapping me on the back and shouting his congratulations over the buzz of the crowd surrounding us.

I grinned when I saw Ryder, standing beside my parents in his normal, impeccable attire, eyeing at me with his smoldering gaze. He pulled me into his chest, kissing the top of my head. "Congratulations, grad," he whispered in my ear.

"Pictures!" Mom squealed. Ryder took her camera from her and snapped a few photos of me with my family. "Now you two!" Mom ushered Ryder and I to stand together. He wrapped his arm around me, pulling me back into his chest. I molded my body against him and smiled widely as my mom snapped several photos at different angles. "Dios mio, you two are so cute!"

Mom liked to take responsibility for Ryder and I finally dating, thinking that her permission officially started our relationship. It took a while for her to get used to me constantly going over to his house and staying over for a days at a time. When my brother had steady girlfriends, she allowed them to stay the night in his room—after she got to know the girls, of course. The fact that my parents knew Ryder for most of his life helped them accept my relationship with him, despite the age gap between us.

We went back to our house, where my many family members were already flooding the backyard with decorations and homemade food. I smiled and took dozens of photos with each aunt and uncle and cousin and grandparent.

I stuck close to Ryder most of the party. I feared one of my mother's aunts might try to scold him for dating a girl my age while trying to seduce him at the same time. Disgusting, but it happened before, at Christmas and Easter when my family had gathered together to celebrate. When I did have to part with him to make the necessary rounds, taking pictures with people and catching up with family members I hadn't seen in a long time, I would often catch his gaze across the room. My family welcomed him with open arms, though, engaging him in conversation and making sure he was always included in activities.

Music came from inside the house and my family cleared the patio for a makeshift dance floor. Some of my younger cousins started dancing all together. My aunt and uncle joined them on the dance floor, rocking to the soft pop music.

After a minute, Rihanna's voice came through the stereo: "'Want you to make me feel like I'm the only girl in the world.'"

I grinned and turned to search for Ryder. He was suddenly behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. "I put in a request to the DJ."