“You’re pregnant?” I whisper loudly, causing more than a few heads to turn.

Shit. Word gets out like that about them and it makes front-page news.

“Sshh.” Fable glares at me, though her lips are curved in a tiny smile. “Yes, I am,” she admits.

Well, holy shit. Aren’t they just building the perfect little family? “I’m happy for you, Fabes,” I tell her truthfully.

“Thanks.” She smiles, resting her hand on her stomach. “I’m exhausted, sick half the time, but I’m the happiest I’ve been in my life.”

I agree. So am I. We’re fucking lucky, Fable and I. On paper, we should have been a disaster. At certain points in our lives, we were. The fucked-up siblings with the even more fucked-up mother and absent fathers. We should be losers. In jail. No jobs. No education. Nothing. We’d been told that time and again growing up.

Now look at us. We proved everyone wrong.

“I already promised Fable I’d hire ten nannies if the next one is anything like this little girl.” Drew jiggles Autumn in his arms, making her giggle as she keeps her head on his shoulder, her little thumb between her lips.

“Give me a break.” Fable rolls her eyes. “I told him five would be plenty.”

Drew leans over and kisses her, and I swear I just heard a collective sigh sound throughout the crowd.

These two can’t go anywhere without people watching them.

“Kayla Shroeder,” the announcer says, and I realize we’re getting close. I shush Fable and Drew, hoping like hell the baby doesn’t decide to start squalling at this particular moment, and I keep my eyes glued to the stage. Ready to watch her walk across.

“Brian Siebert … John Signorelli … Jessica Simerson … Chelsea Simmons.”

I stand up, unable to stop myself, as I watch her walk across the stage. She’s wearing a white graduation gown and one of those silly little graduation hats—I don’t know what the hell you call them. Her hair has grown a lot since we’ve been together and it flows almost to the middle of her back, straight and sleek this morning. She shakes the dean’s hand and accepts her diploma and I yell and cheer for her. So do Fable and Drew.

So does the rest of the crowd.

Chelsea glances out toward the audience, a smile on her face. She looks so damn happy, I want to grab her right now. Drag her away and tell her in private how proud I am of her. How much she means to me. Then I want to show her how much she means to me, too.

The rest of the ceremony happens in a blur. Autumn falls asleep on Drew’s shoulder, drooling all over it, which makes him laugh. Fable’s starting to fade, her skin growing paler from all the heat and the new baby growing inside her. As the ceremony is winding down, Drew tells me he’s going to take them back to the hotel. Fable needs to rest and Autumn needs a nap.

“Tell Chelsea we’re sorry we can’t congratulate her right now, but I gotta get my girls out of here,” Drew says, his gaze serious as he gathers up the heavy diaper bag one-handed, Autumn still drooling on his shoulder. Fable stands next to him, her smile wan, her eyes heavy with sleep. “But we’ll see her later tonight at the restaurant, right?”

We’re having a graduation party for her at The District. “Absolutely. I’ll let her know what you said.” She’ll understand. And she’ll be excited to hear about Fable’s news.

Drew leaves with Fable and Autumn, and I wait, standing on the sidelines as the ceremony comes to a close. All of the graduating students toss their caps up into the air at the same time, screaming and shouting, their voices loud and strong. They did it. They’re done with school.

I know the thought would have sent Chelsea into a panic not even a year ago, but now, I think she’s relieved. I’m relieved, too. Our lives are going to change, and for the better.

I can’t fucking wait.

Chelsea

I glance all around me, looking for a sign of Owen, but I don’t spot him anywhere. It’s so hot, the mid-May air is stifling even in the morning, and I use my graduation cap to fan myself, clutching my diploma in my other hand.

No one else is here for me. I called Mom and told her the date and time. I even sent her an invitation, asking her to come. When she texted me that the only way she’d attend my graduation was if she could bring Dad with her, I flat-out refused. Told her not to bother. I don’t want him here. I don’t want to see him.

That was my choice, and no matter how much it hurt, I had to stand strong. Owen told me I did the right thing and I needed to hear that, because the doubt creeps up on me still.

So Mom stayed away today, and it made me sad. She sent me a graduation present and signed the card from Mom and Dad, which irritated me, but I told myself to get over it.

I have to accept the fact that no matter what, Mom is always going to choose Dad first. Her behavior disappoints me, but I can’t change her and I can’t change him. It is what it is.

At least I have my new family here. Owen and Fable and Drew and Autumn. They’ve embraced me fully into their clan and I love every one of them so much. They’re always there for me no matter what, and that’s more than I can say about my own parents. I’ve grown so close to them, especially Fable. She’s like the big sister I never had. She’s so busy, what with Drew’s career and fame and her own celebrity, but she drops everything to talk to me. And Owen.

She loves us unconditionally.

The last year hasn’t been easy for them either, what with Owen and Fable’s mother dying in jail just after the new year. A heart attack, brought on by all the drug and alcohol abuse she’d done over the years.

No one was surprised and they really didn’t outwardly mourn her, but I know it was hard on them, Owen more so than Fable, only because of all the guilt he carried with him from the number his mom did. She’d worked him as hard as she could, since Fable didn’t fall for her manipulations.

And it worked. He still held on to that need to please his mom no matter how much he knew it was wrong. It was a waste of his time. So when he discovered she’d died, I comforted him as best I could and helped him deal with it, letting him talk, letting him be alone—whatever he needed, I tried to be the best girlfriend I could.

Despite everyone wanting him to try for the pros once he graduates, Owen is tempted to give up that dream. He says he doesn’t believe he has the skill level or the discipline that Drew has to make it. Owen gets distracted and he’s the first to admit it. I both admire his decision and worry for him, wishing he didn’t feel that way. I try to subtly encourage him that he shouldn’t give up on his dream.

Fable, on the other hand, is constantly pushing him to reconsider, which is her prerogative as his sister. He tells her he might, but I’m not sure. I think he’s afraid he’ll fail in Drew’s shadow and somehow disappoint us all.

I’m hoping this summer I can convince him he can do whatever he sets his mind to. He’s so strong, so smart, and so stubborn. All that determination wrapped up in his charismatic package, I don’t see how he can go wrong.

I plan on helping him realize that, though I’m not sure Owen knows what he wants to do. He just lives in the moment. That sort of attitude used to scare me to death.

Not anymore. Lately I’ve embraced living in the moment, too.

It’s rather liberating.

I’m postponing graduate school to gain back some time for myself. I’ve always done what everyone else wanted me to. I accelerated through elementary school, high school, and now college. Always working, always doing what I was supposed to. I’m finally taking some time for myself. I’ll work, I’ll spend time with Owen, I might even pick up a hobby.

I’m excited about all the unknown possibilities. I’ll be fine as long as Owen’s with me.

“There you are.” One warm, strong arm slips around my waist from behind and pulls me in. I lean my head against Owen’s chest for the briefest moment before I turn in his embrace, gazing up at his handsome face.