The Rejected Luna’s Prince By Aurora Archer
Chapter 68 – Graduation
“Come here, Mama.” Emmett tugged at my arm, Cali and I were sprawled on the couch the day after our results.
I didn’t care that I would probably never see the inside of a cla*s*sroom again. All that mattered was, for some reason, somehow, I passed.
Like everything else recently, I did it, but I accepted the help of others.
I think they call that growth
I rolled my eyes and looked at Emmett. He was wearing a little black tie suit, and his hair slicked back.
“Emmett, whats going on?” I asked.
I had a ring, the title, the royal crowning ceremony, or whatever was being planned. Maybe I slipped on an event? That wouldn’t be surprising.
“Mommy,” Loreli came up in a little floor-length green dress.
Cali looked between me and her daughter and I shrugged, she looked just as confused as I was.
Was this something for both of us?
“You look lovely,” I said to Emmett and his smile widened, “So do you, Loreli,” She did something that looked like a bow.
“She learned that from Holden,” Cali shrugged, smiling down at her daughter, “Where are we going, Lor?”
“Shh,” She put a finger to her mouth, and I tried not to laugh.
We followed them out and to the elevator.
“Now what?” I asked, “Do you know where we go next?” I amended.
The elevator door opened and Griffen was standing there in a button-down and slacks, “Ladies,” He said with a slight nod.
We followed him into the elevator, and he stood in front of us, not saying a word. I didn’t bother even trying to ask.
Emmett and Loreli were giggling, shifting on their feet looking at each other.
The elevator doors opened and we followed Griffen out on a floor that I hadn’t been to before. If I didn’t trust him so implicitly I would say this was borderline creepy.
Griffen opened a door and held it for us.
“Thank you,” I said following Emmett who was trying to tug me. Loreli bumped into my back.
“Slow down, honey.” Cali chided lovingly.
Emmett stopped, and I took in my surroundings. A large conference room, bigger than I had seen even in Caspiens’ work office was brightly lit. A stage was on one side of the room and chairs were lined up and filled with – filled with my parents, our mates, Nora and Oliva, Rachel, and Caspien’s parents, and h.oly c.rap.
“Lola!” I shouted running up to her, her parents were sitting next to her and I wrapped them all in a hug or tried to, “What are you doing here?”
“Wouldn’t miss this,” She saig giggling into my ear.
Miss what? I still didn’t get what was happening. Lola pulled back, her eyes sparkling.
“Your graduation,” Caspien came up to me in a white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up over his tanned skin, “You might need these,” He held up a black gown and a hat.
“What?” I looked behind him; our school’s colored balloons were strung to the stage, “Why?” I asked him.
He shrugged, “You might never get this, I know you might not continue on with college so I, well we, thought we would do something for you.” I grabbed the paper-thin gown that felt like plastic somewhere.
“Not great material, but they are authentic,” Caspien frowned, almost wincing at the feel of it against his skin.
“Caspien,” I didn’t know what to say, were there even words for it.
“Holy sh–.” Cali shut her mouth I turned back, and she bit her lip looking down at the kids. Holden was next to her and already placed the black cap on her head.
“But why?” She asked Holden.
“Because we can, and we want to, and you deserve it, and,” He took a breath, “Should I just write you a list?”
“You’ve missed a lot, given up a lot because of me, us.” Caspien said, drawing my attention back to him. Emmett was in his arms now, and the matching suits almost undid me.
“I didn’t.” I breathed.
“You didn’t get the time you wanted. I know it wasn’t intentional that I stole you away from that,” He swallowed, “I don’t know how to put it, but I do regret for your sake that you didn’t get that time to be on your own-”
“Stop,” I smiled at him, “It’s no one’s fault and I don’t regret this, not anymore, not a single part of what my life has become with you.”
He nodded seemingly at a loss for words, so unlike him. I took a step towards him and ran a hand over his cheek, not caring who was watching.
“Thank you,” I whispered, “Both of you,” I looked at Emmett.
“I’m proud of you, Mama,” Emmett said, and my heart burst.
“So let’s do the darned thing,” Cali said from behind me.
Caspien put Emmett down and helped me get the robe on, and Cali pinned the hat after I helped her.
“Ready?” She said, rolling her eyes, but her face held nothing but sheer joy and affection.
“As ready as I’ll ever be to celebrate the end of my first and last semester of college.” I joked, but I was actually c.hoked up.
The thought and effort they put into this and planning enough so that Lola and her parents could be here. Caspien continued to surprise me.
Cali grabbed my arm, and Griffen led us to the side of the stage. Holden played a video from our professors and other students that I had never even talked to. I looked at Cali, and she had her eyes closed, laughing.
“What would you say about Cali?” He asked a girl he stopped in the hallway.
“Who?”
“This high, long blood-red curls looks like she might accidentally kill you?” Holden said
The girl’s face was blank.
“I think you have a cla*s*s with her, Professor Smith?”
“Oh, yeah,” The girl said, “I’ve seen her before.”
Holden turned around the camera,” That was beautiful,” He wiped a fake tear away.
Cali was laughing so hard she was holding on to her sides, I had never seen her like this, and it was contagious.
Caspien said some words, briefly, more formal but when he looked at me, pride shone through his face.
He called Cali’s name, and she bounded across the stage, shaking Caspiens, Holden’s, and Griffen’s hands after Caspien handed her something that looked like a scroll.
Cali bowed with a flourish and basked in the round of applause.
I took a few steps to the stage and shook Caspien’s hand; he pulled me close to him and leaned down.
“I am so indescribably proud of you, Willa.” His warm breath fanned over my neck, and the sincerity of his words made my stomach drop.
It seemed so small, something that I was throwing away but the way that he talked about this he acted like I won The Nobel Peace Prize.
“Thanks,” I finally found my voice, and he reluctantly dropped my hand, replacing it with a scroll of paper.
I f*orc*ed myself to tear my eyes away from his and shook Griffen’s hand. He awarded me with a rare genuine smile that made his obsidian eyes seem to light up.
“I’m proud of you. Despite it all, you persevered and stuck to it, staying true to what you wanted. I admire that, Luna.” My face scrunched up I could feel the hot tears prick at my eyes.
“Thank you, Griffen.” I released his hand and went to Holden.
He wrapped me in a hug, lifting me off the ground, “You brilliant b*itc*h. Next step your Doctorate.” I laughed, hugging him tight.
“Maybe we just get through the next weekend, and then I can see about my future in academics.” He laughed at set me down.
“Congrats, Willa.” He looked serious and sincere and proud, and I nodded, not finding any words for what I felt.
I joined Cali at the other end of the stage, and she grasped my hand, squeezing it tightly. I saw all my emotions mirrored on her face.
Unadulterated joy, self-pride, and acceptance of our accomplishments. For a moment not diminish what we achieved despite the circumstances stacked against us.
We weren’t the same women who met at orientation. I was confused, lost, overwhelmed by a city I didn’t know.
Now, I practically owned that city.
In a few short months, my life was upheaved, overturned, and then when everything settled, it was overturned again.
I wasn’t the same person I was a few months ago, and my life was completely changed. I marveled at that thought, the complete parallels from the beginning of the summer to the end. I reveled in my accomplishments and didn’t shy away from them.
I took a deep breath looking at everyone I loved, their faces held pride and love and affection, and they all chose to be here to support me in this. I wanted to be here for this.
Caspien’s mom clasped her hands, her eyes misted over, my mom and dad were wiping away tears, and Lola was bouncing up and down in her seat.
I earned this, and I would bask in it.