I want to tell her that he might like her, but I don't want to make it even more awkward for her if she doesn't like him back. I'll have to tell Dylan to tell Anthony to just calm down. While at the drink table, I spot a familiar face. Jacob is standing off to the side, holding a drink against his chest. He's talking to a pretty brunette. When he sees me, he says something to the girl, and walks over to me. Disappointment fills me. That girl seemed interested in him and he just left her to talk to me. "Hey," he says, putting on a bright smile. "You look great." "Thanks, so do you." He has on a simple black suit with no tie, but a silver pocket square. "Who is that?" "Oh, she's in my Trig class," he waves it off. I recall the conversation I had with him the day after I got out of the hospital. He admitted to having feelings for me and that was why he kissed me in the warehouse. I couldn't return them, and he knew that. According to him, spending time with me brought the feelings back and that's why he escalated into fighting Dylan at the ice cream shop. "She's into you," I tell him. He glances back at her before looking at me. "I know what you're doing." "What do you mean?" "You're just trying to get me to get over you," he smiles, almost sadly. Kind of. "I'm just looking out for you." He tips his cup at me. "I'll see you later." He looks at Casey. "Nice seeing you too, Casey." He walks off and Casey gives me a look. "What?" I ask her. "I don't know about that boy," she shakes her head. We take the drinks back to the table and talk for a bit as the music gets better. Dylan stands up and grabs my hand. "Dance with me," he says, smiling. On the dancefloor, we dance to an upbeat song with Anthony and Casey joining us. I feel Dylan behind me, with his hands on my waist. We move to the fast rhythm and I laugh when Anthony busts out some weird moves. When I look at Dylan, he has possibly the biggest smile ever on his face. I've never seen him so happy and it makes me giddy inside. A slower song comes on and Dylan spins me around so I'm facing him. I snake my arms around his neck and he does the same around my hips. His lips gently brush against mine and I feel fireworks in my stomach. His hands grip onto my waist tightly and they feel like fire against me. We stay on the dancefloor for what feels like forever. It's the first time since my parents' accident that I feel truly happy. Surrounded by my favorite people, I couldn't have asked for a better night. Once we grow tired of dancing, we sit back down. Anthony, Reece, and Dylan start talking to each other so I turn to Casey. "Thanks for sticking by me," I tell her. "This year was rough, and I didn't mean to cast you out." She grabs my hand. "I'll always be here. I'll be here for your college graduation, your wedding, all three births of your kids—" "Who says I'm having three kids?" I interrupt while laughing. "Well, I'm not having kids, so you have to have one for me. I'll be the cool aunt. Like your aunt Jade," she shrugs. I can't argue with that. "She is pretty cool." I have to give her more credit for taking care of me for the past year. She could've shipped me off to my grandparents, but she didn't. While she's been strong on her own, James helped her too. He makes her light up and that's all I want for her. I haven't told Dylan that I'm going to cover my tattoo before graduation with James' help. I don't want to walk across the stage with something that doesn't mean anything to me anymore. Something else needs to cover it. The night draws on and we dance and laugh some more. Reece is convinced he can sneak in a bottle, but Anthony and Dylan manage to change his mind. There will have to be an after party for that. Dylan places his hand on my knee. "No one is going to be home, so I'm going to invite some people over. We'll have to leave a little earlier so I can clean up a bit." Dylan sure does like to throw parties. I wonder if his dad or even his mom knows that he throws parties regularly. Things slow down and word gets out about the party at Dylan's house. We leave the hotel earlier than everyone else so we can pick up the house. "Where is everyone tonight?" I ask Dylan once we walk through his front door. "My mom wanted to take Ethan camping, so that's where they're at now. Derrick should be with Jared." "So we're alone?" He gives me a wicked grin and slides his arm around my waist before he plants a kiss on my cheek. "I know you want to, you know, and don't get me wrong I want to too, but I don't have any condoms and I don't want you to be the cliché girl who gets pregnant on prom night." As disappointed as I feel, I know he's right. "Let's just enjoy one more high school party before the real world comes creeping up on us," he says before kissing my forehead. There is no longer a feeling inside me that feels like Xavier will pop out at any moment. The only thing I have to be afraid of is adulthood. I can't allow myself to worry about my future with Dylan. Things have to happen naturally, as they always have with him. Forcing ourselves to think about what's next won't work out. If it's meant to be, then it will be. I stare at my wrist and let my thoughts wander as the speaker's voice vibrates in my ears. My original infinity-heart tattoo is now covered with two detailed sunflowers to represent my parents. The original will always be a part of me, being the first time ink ever touched my skin, and I accept that. The sunflowers stand as a reminder that no one is forever, no matter how much I want them to be. How silly it was to think Jacob and I would stay together forever, and how silly it was to think that I had forever with my parents. And here I am, crossing the stage as the speaker says my name to receive my diploma. Here I am, after the ink, growing into myself and accepting everything that comes my way. I can hear the cheers from my aunt over everyone else and I know for the rest of my life I only want to make her proud. In the sea of students, I know Dylan is cheering me on. I know, that as long as he's around, he'll push me to be a better version of myself, and I'll do the same for him. If not forever, for the small moment of us.