“I can’t wait for the day I’m able to look at our child and see the two of us in him or her. To see a beautiful little boy with your attitude. A beautiful little girl with your looks. And to know that I was a part of that. I want to build a home with you, Sarah Thompson. A home filled with love and messes and a few mistakes and ideas along the way. I don’t care if we have to struggle, because as long as I have you by my side, I will never regret choosing you.”
And when those tear-filled, heart rapidly beating words left his mouth, I fell asleep in the arms of a man who at first encounter, I hated. First kiss I liked. And slowly I gave him my heart, my body, my soul. I chose that and I would never regret it for as long as I lived.
But for now? I would fall asleep in my boyfriend’s arms. Wrapped in them safe and sound. But I knew eventually, something in my gut told me I would fall asleep in what would become my husband’s and soon after that, the father of my children’s arms.
Chapter 16
Sarah
“Knock knock,” Mom said as she came walking into my room.
Turning around in my cap and gown, I smiled at her. “Hi, Mom.”
“Hi, honey,” Mom said as she walked over to me and wrapped me in her arms. Kissing the top of my head, she said, “I’m so proud of you.”
Wrapping my arms around her waist, I squeezed. “Thanks, Mom,” I murmured as my head was resting against her chest.
As she let go of me, Mom wiped her eyes and said, “Ignore me for a moment,” with a smile on her face.
“Oh, Mom, it’s okay,” I said as I wrapped my arms around her.
“I’m just so proud of you and the woman you have become, Sarah,” Mom said.
“Thanks, Mom,” I said with a smile on my face.
Wiping her eyes again, Mom said, “Well, let’s get going, you high school graduate.”
Smiling at her, I turned to my full length mirror and took a look at myself. The way the white cap and gown and the red tassel looked against my lightly golden skin. I had gone tanning a few times before graduation. I didn’t want to look pasty white wearing the white gown.
Lifting my hand, I got my hair in the correct position to fall against my chest and not look like a jumbled mess. I had curled it and sprayed it with a shit ton of hair spray because I wanted just one day where my hair looked absolutely perfect.
As I stared at myself, I couldn’t believe the woman I had become. I used to be this frigid bitch but then I met Gabe Prescott. He changed me. He changed my life for the better and I would be forever grateful to him.
While most get to their senior year of high school, they can’t wait to graduate. Move on to college or travel the world. Sleep in their car and have the time of their life. But me? If I had the choice, I would do it all over again. I wouldn’t change a thing, I would just want to live this year over and over again for the rest of my life.
This was the year my life changed and this was my year. I’m no longer the girl who first entered senior year of high school. I’m now this funny, spontaneous, outgoing, and most importantly, I’m this happy girl... and it’s all because of a boy.
Reaching over to my vanity, I grabbed my lip gloss and applied a healthy coat to my lips. I knew Gabe wouldn’t like it because he said it made his lips sticky, but I loved the peppermint taste of it. Not to mention, I loved how it made my lips look wet.
“You ready, honey?” Mom asked from behind me.
Smiling at her through the mirror, I nodded my head and said, “Yeah, I am.”
***
Getting out of the car, I sucked in a breath. “This is it,” I whispered. My heart was beating out of my chest and I was breathing heavily. In my room at home, I was relieved and relaxed. I was excited to see what the future had in store for me.
But now?
Now, it’s like I’m finally realizing I’m not going to be in high school anymore. That after this summer, I’m going to be living away from my mom and Gabe and I are going to be at different colleges. After today and this summer, I was going to be faced with bigger problems and harder choices to make.
…I guess that’s a part of growing up.
When we’re little, our biggest problems are what Barbie we want from the toy store or who our best friend or boyfriend is for the day. But as we get older, our problems and dilemmas become much larger. They now become what college we’ll attend. What career we want for the rest of our life. And we have to choose that at eighteen years old. That’s fucked up. We have to figure out who we’re in love with and who we want to spend the rest of our life with. Whether society agrees or disagrees.