"You ungrateful bitch. I keep a roof over your head, and this is the thanks I get?"
"You could have killed her," I retort, trying to muster up confidence that I don't possess. "What if she goes to the cops, Dad? That bruise on her face is enough to...
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I stare at my reflection in the mirror, chuckling at the too-large graduation gown that hangs off of me like a burlap sack. My cap is pinned awkwardly to my head, tilting a bit too far to the left. I look ridiculous. At least I won't be the only one.
"You're beautiful," Damian purrs, circling his arms around my waist from behind. Despite my protests, he takes out his phone and snaps a picture of us.
"No more photos!" I giggle before squirming out of his embrace and searching the bedroom for my shoes.
He disappears before my eyes, only to return three seconds later with my flats in hand. "Here you are."
"Thank you." I give him a quick peck on the lips and slip them on.
"So... are you nervous?" he asks.
"Why would I be nervous?"
"Because we've never done this before."
"Baby," I whisper, recalling the dozens of times we've had this conversation, "there's plenty we haven't done before, but I'm excited to take on the world with you."
A smile tugs at his lips, lighting up his face like an explosion of fireworks. He kisses me hard, holding me against his chest and exploring my body with his hands. I moan into his mouth, reveling in the feeling of his lips on mine.
"Damian! Layla! Are you two ready?"
The sound of Moira's voice causes us to jump six feet apart. I love her like a mother, but she is the biggest cockblock.
"We'll resume this later," I promise Damian.
Right now, graduation awaits.
<><><><><><>
Declan stands at the podium, adjusting the mic so that it's level with his mouth. If he's nervous, he doesn't show it. I'm glad he earned the spot of valedictorian. He and I were tied for months, both possessing perfect GPAs. Conveniently, I did less than stellar on my English final; I passed, but just barely.
Let's just say I have a thing against public speaking.
"Good afternoon, everyone," Declan begins. "Before I commence my speech, I would like to thank my parents, who constantly pushed me to succeed, and my beautiful girlfriend, Cordelia, who picked me up every time I fell. I would also like to thank my friends, my teachers, and everyone else whose path crossed mine during this crazy ride we call high school. Without all of you, I would not be standing here today.
"To start, I want to go all the way back to freshman year. We were all so young and naive the first time we walked through those doors. I know I was, anyway. I had no idea who I was or who I wanted to be. My only goals were to pass my classes, not get horribly bullied, and maybe, if I was lucky, make a friend or two along the way.
