Real Girl (Aston Creek High 4)

I look back at Slade with a wide grin. “The dipshit king has spoken.”

Slade rolls his eyes and releases my hand so he can open his door. We both jump out and I meet Slade around front before following Blake in.

We walk in silence, him as light as a feather with not a problem in the world while I feel as though I have the weight of the world resting on my shoulders. This moment is no doubt going to affect Blake and I want to be prepared as I can’t get a read on how this is going to go. I don’t know if this is going to set him back, have him in tears, or have him sitting between their graves, telling them ghost stories about the past thirteen years.

To be honest, I’m leaning towards the ghost stories.

As we walk down to their graves, we pass a familiar tatted man and I can’t help but smile. Noah Cage. He walks out with a girl, discreetly nodding to me. I never got a chance to thank him for what he did to help me, but now that I’m here, that’s where I’ll be heading after this. Rivers would have had his baby by now so maybe we’ll make a whole trip of it.

Noah keeps walking and I’m grateful. A cemetery isn’t exactly the place to catch up with the guy who helped you burn down your rapist’s home. Though, I know the people who usually do shit like that probably are inclined to have creepy meetings in cemeteries.

Blake stops up ahead and looks down, his body slumping with a heavy sigh and I realize that he must have found them.

My heart breaks. He looks absolutely shattered.

Slade holds back as I race toward Blake, hurrying to be by his side.

I step in beside him and the emotions hit me like a wrecking ball. It all comes flooding back and I find myself latching onto Blake’s hand while he clutches mine all the same.

We stand there for what could be minutes or hours with Slade standing back, giving us this moment as a family.

It’s exactly what I needed.

Blake starts talking, just as I thought he would, telling mom and dad about our lives, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the amazing. As he talks, I feel that weight lifting off me and before I know it, we’re laughing together, sitting in the grass by our parent’s headstones, laughing about all the good times growing up.

Before I know it, the sun is setting and Slade steps in. We must have been here for at least six hours. “Come on,” he tells me, giving me a warm smile as he takes in the happiness on my face. “I called Rivers. He’s invited us for dinner.”

My brows shoot up in excitement as Blake helps me to my feet. “Really?”

“Yeah, Virago. He’s invited Noah and his girl, Henley, too. Said we could crash the night if we wanted. Then you guys can come back here in the morning and spend all day if that’s what you need.”

I look to Blake who nods, not nearly ready to have this moment over.

“Alright,” I smile, stepping into Slade’s warm arms. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

We walk away with Blake trailing behind and my heart feeling as one, all the small little cracks slowly disappearing.

I miss my parents so damn much, but today has empowered me and I’m walking away feeling as though nothing and no one will ever have the power to hurt me again.

I’ve finally come full circle.

For a while, I believed that this shitshow all started and ended with Maria, but I was wrong. This is the moment that proves once and for all, that it started with the love my parents had for me and Blake and that’s exactly how it will always be.

There is no end, just the rest of our lives living in peace, happiness, and love.

Six Years Later

I stare down at the court, screaming for my man as the game cuts into halftime. It’s been an incredible season. It’s his second year in the NBA and to say that he’s kicking ass is an understatement. His name is mentioned on ESPN every two seconds, he’s getting sponsorship requests every other day, and his ego is the size of our fucking huge-ass house that was bought with money that was earned.

It’s insane.

I knew this was always going to be his life. It’s what he worked for, what he dreamed about, and I had all the faith in the world that he was going to make it happen, but there’s no way I could have foreseen the incredible fanbase that came along with it.

He has girls lining up for his autograph after every game, even if it means waiting out in the cold for hours. Every week we have trespassers trying to get into our home, we’ve had to hire bodyguards and have one of the best security systems money can buy. Just yesterday we found a fan hiding in the back of Slade’s SUV. Don’t get me wrong, we love his fans. The majority of the time he can sign their shirt or whatever they’ve got on them, smile for a photo and they’re on their way. Other times, you’ve got to lay down the law.