Jesse pokes the fire with a stick. “She might have celebrated you leaving, but she missed me.”
Brent gives him a playful shove.
“We have some rules to work out. Nightly check-ins, things like that.” Wyatt’s lips quirk up, and I know he’s teasing.
“Yeah, like Brandon gets a key in case he needs a place to stay.” Brandon holds out a hand and Wyatt high-fives him.
Ashley wraps her arms around my waist. “I’ll make sure she’s safe, Wyatt.”
Wyatt gives me a look of approval. I never realized how heavily the way I hid my feelings weighed on him. I smile to let him know I understand, and I place my hand on Ashley’s—because I want to.
“Are we ready?” Wyatt stands and pulls Cassidy up beside him. She grabs her camera.
“Yeah, as ready as we’re going to get.” Ashley and I stand, and everyone else follows suit.
We all walk toward the deck. Wyatt drapes an arm over my shoulder.
“You okay?”
“I’m better than I ever thought I would be.” I reach for Ashley’s hand. “Much better.”
“You know that even when you live at that apartment complex, you can call me anytime, right? I’ll drop what I’m doing and come over.” Wyatt’s voice is so serious it’s a little startling.
“Wyatt, you know I’ll be fine, don’t you?”
He nods. “It’s a twin thing.” He leans in close and whispers, “I’ll miss you.”
I smile and hug him close. “I’ll miss you, too.”
Wyatt reaches for Cassidy’s hand as we walk up the stairs onto the deck, where Jesse and Brent have already begun untying the balloons from their tethers. They give each of us a handful of ribbons as the yellow balloons bob above us. Wyatt and I were going to have a goodbye ceremony for our parents, but we decided instead to have a ceremony to celebrate the start our new lives.
“Army, you care if I go first? I kinda want to get the sappy stuff over with.” Brandon looks up at the balloon and shakes his head.
“No, man. Go for it,” Wyatt answers.
Cassidy lifts her camera to her eye and snaps pictures as Brandon prepares to speak.
Brandon holds the ribbons up over his head. “Here’s to new digs, new loves—for you guys, not for me—and to a whole hell of a lot of partying.” He releases his balloons and they float up toward the clouds.
“They’re so pretty,” Charley says. “Brooke and I want to release ours together. Is that okay?”
“Absolutely.” They hold their balloons up and both close their eyes.
“To a year full of hot guys and great grades for me,” Charley says, then looks at Brooke, who adds, “And a successful party-planning business.”
We all cheer as Cassidy snaps picture after picture.
Wyatt nods to Jesse.
“To the success of the Taproom and our new restaurant, which is still nameless.” Jesse releases his balloons and nods at Brent.
“To massive waves and safe rides.” Brent watches his balloons rise.
“Tristan? You want to go next?” Wyatt asks.
“Sure, Army.” Tristan holds up the balloons, and his eyes roll over each of us.
“To good friends and good times.”
“Loser,” Brandon teases.
Tristan elbows him, and they fake punch each other in the gut and laugh, while Cassidy captures it all on film.
“Wy?” I offer for him to go next.
He takes Cassidy’s hand. She hands the camera to Charley. “Do you mind?”
“Not at all.” Charley gets the camera ready. “Okay.”
They hold the balloons between them and gaze into each other’s eyes, and as I watch them make their wish, I realize I’m not pining for someone I can no longer have. I am finally capable of giving Ashley the love she deserves, no matter where we are. It won’t always come easily, and I know I’ll still get nervous sometimes, but I also know she’ll be right here by my side.
We both look up at the balloons. We haven’t discussed what we want to say when we release them. We both thought we’d know when the time was right.
I know.
“To moving forward.”
I don’t see the balloon rising toward the stars, and I don’t see the look of happiness that I know is on our friends’ faces. But I feel it all as I kick that fictional closet door open and take a giant leap out, gather Ashley in my arms, and press my lips to hers.
—The End—