Blake looked out at the crowd before he exited the stage. The lights made it hard to see any details, but he could just make out Farrah in the crowd. She sat stone-faced, like she was watching a comedy that wasn’t particularly funny.
They hadn’t spoken since their breakup. They’d barely seen each other, even though they lived in the same dorm. That was probably a good thing, because every time Blake so much as thought about Farrah, pain scissored his insides and shredded his heart all over again.
He heard from Luke—the only one of his friends who spoke to him anymore—that Farrah won the design competition. Blake wished he could say something. He knew what the competition meant to her. He remembered the nights they spent together in the library—him working on his business plan, her working on her designs—taking breaks to laugh and kiss in between.
Blake’s jaw tightened at the memories.
Get it together, man.
He returned to his seat and examined the certificate in his hands. It wasn’t his official college diploma, but it may as well be. It signaled the end of the carefree student chapter of his life. The next chapter as an actual adult and father loomed in front of him like a storm cloud. Beautiful, inescapable, somewhat exciting but mostly terrifying.
It didn’t matter th
at he wasn’t ready.
The future was coming, whether Blake liked it or not, and that meant he had to leave the past behind.
Onstage, Wang laoshi passed out the last certificate and gazed around the auditorium. “It’s been a pleasure. Class, you’re dismissed.”
The room erupted into cheers, although Blake saw more than one person wipe tears from their eyes.
The chatter intensified as everyone stood up and filed out the door. They had an hour before the official end-of-semester dance.
Outside, the scent of an impending storm hung warm and heavy in the air. The humidity clung to Blake’s skin like Saran Wrap. He needed to shower before the dance.
A part of him wanted to skip the dance altogether, but FEA deserved a proper goodbye.
“You’re in for hell later,” Blake said when Luke fell into step with him. “Courtney was already glaring daggers at you for sitting with me.”
Luke shrugged. “Tonight’s our last night. What’s she gonna do, kick me out?”
Blake cracked a smile. “That’s brave of you.”
“Hey, I’m pissed you didn’t tell me about your girl back home but…” Luke clapped him on the shoulder. “You’re my best friend here. I got your back.”
Another lump formed in Blake’s throat. “Thanks, man. That means a lot.”
Awkward silence.
“So—” They spoke at the same time.
“This moment never happened,” Blake said.
“Never.”
“Cool.”
“Yep.”
When they reached the dorm, they found their friends—or in Blake’s case, ex-friends—huddled in the courtyard. Farrah stood in the middle of the group, her hand resting at the base of her throat. Her necklace, the one from her father, was missing.
“Are you sure you didn’t leave it in your room?” Olivia asked.
“I had it in the auditorium, but it must’ve fallen off. I don’t know where.” Farrah’s voice tightened with stress.
A flash of lightning lit up the sky, followed by a crack of thunder that made them all jump.
“We’ll find it. It has to be around here somewhere, and the auditorium isn’t too far from the dorm.” Sammy placed a hand on Farrah’s shoulder. “For now, let’s go inside. It’s going to pour.”