by Cassie James
My throat tightens painfully as her somber words wash over me. Tyler reaches over to grab my hand, rubbing his thumb over my knuckles with gentle reassurance as I seek out Brennan and Jude sitting a few rows ahead of us. Both of their heads are turned in my direction, and I offer them a soft smile as Macie continues, even though the Headmaster looks seconds away from ripping the microphone away from her and ending the melancholy speech. “What you should have learned this year is what it takes to be a better human, to live a life worth something deeper than the next party, or the best grades, or who’s going to the best colleges. What you should have learned is that there’s beauty in those dark places, that even though something might be dark in the moment, there’s always light waiting for you on the other side. Your lesson, fellow graduates, is that you owe yourselves a life worth living, and now the chance is in front of you. You just have to take it.”
I’m still thinking about Macie’s speech hours later. She, Rhys, and the rest of the guys are sprawled over the couches in the entertainment room, bone tired from a long day of spending time with their families, but opting against going to graduation parties when I tell them I’d rather just spend a quiet night in with them. We only have a couple weeks before everyone starts getting busy for the summer, and I want to spend as much time with them all in one place as I can.
I made a passive excuse that I wanted to go grab some more snacks and drinks for them from the kitchen, but the second I left the room, I turned in the opposite direction. I wander along the dark hallway toward the more expansive lab I’ve gotten used to finding Stan in late at night. I knock on the door before I push it open, and his head pops up from the papers spread out over a desk in front of him.
“Is there something wrong, Piper?” he asks as he starts to stand, but I wave my hand dismissively in his direction.
There’s nothing wrong technically, but a general sense of unease makes my stomach ache as I pace closer toward him. He settles back into his chair as I stop by the desk, crossing my arms over my chest as I stare down at him. He pulls his glasses from his face, dropping them on the table and running his hand down his wrinkled face before turning tired blue eyes back up at me. I chew my lip for a long second as I consider all of the questions slipping through the cracks of the wall I’d built in my mind for them over the past couple of weeks.
I heave a sigh before asking him the one that seems the most important in the moment. “What do I do with myself now, Stan?”
His smile is gentle and reassuring as he leans back in his chair. His head tilts slightly to the side, and my heart soars as he answers, “You’ve far exceeded all my expectations, and even though what happened with the Hawthornes isn’t ideal, you’ve still come a very, very long way. Your life is yours, Piper, and I rather imagine it’s up to you to choose what you do with it.”
Epilogue
Piper, One Year Later
The sound of traffic whizzing by isn’t enough of a distraction from the buzzing anxiety running through me. I heave a long sigh as my eyes slide in Stan’s direction. He’s standing out in the middle of the walkway as he talks quietly on the phone, smartly dressed people skirting around him with annoyed faces as they dodge him to get up the stairs to the courthouse.
I don’t spend long focusing on those other people. Not today when so much is hanging in the balance. There’s too much at stake to risk looking too far outside of my own little bubble at the moment. Especially when I feel so sick to my stomach before we’ve even made it inside. This is it. Today is the first day of the trial where I’ll fight for my right to be considered my own citizen. After today, our arrival won’t be so peaceful. Anne’s already warned me that once the media catches wind of what we’re doing, there’s going to be a serious media frenzy at the front of the courthouse each day.
Some of the tension does give away when I finally catch sight of Tyler hurrying my direction from the other end of the long sidewalk. I rush to meet him, wrapping my arms around his neck as he whispers gentle platitudes into my ear. He kisses me softly before pulling away, and even though his presence normally calms me, the sight of his tousled hair reminds me that I’m not the only one with something at stake today. There’s a nervous glint in his eyes, and I know his hair looks like shit because he’s been running his hands through it all day.
“I’m glad you’re here,” I say as I reach up to flatten his hair. He scoffs, as if to tell me I’m stupid for thinking he wouldn’t be here, but he doesn’t get a chance to respond because Jude appears behind him, and I’m launching myself at him too.
He wraps me in his arms, kissing me with a demanding sort of urgency. My body shakes as he holds me tightly against him, and I wish it was from anything other than the fear and dread that are making themselves at home in my gut. “It’s going to be fine,” he whispers against my lips, and I try so fucking hard to offer him a smile in response, but I can barely muster one for him.
“Sorry I’m late!” Brennan sounds far off, and I wrench myself out of Jude’s arms so I can search him out. He’s literally running down the sidewalk toward us. Brennan’s arms circle my waist the moment he reaches me, and he drops a kiss on my lips before pulling back to cup my cheeks.
“Everything going to go perfectly, Pi.” He says it like there’s not a doubt in the world. “And hey, no matter what happens in there, we’re all in this together, just like we always are.”
“Nothing changes between us, Piper. Not now, not ever.” Jude gives me a very serious look as he says the words. Tyler nods in agreement from behind him. And my heart swells with love for all three of them, the way it does every time any of us are together. It’s a big day, and god there are a million things that could go wrong, but I also know they’re right. Whatever happens, we’re facing it together.
Stan clears his throat from behind us and we all turn to look. “It’s time,” he says.
Insecurity starts to rear its ugly head again as we all start up the steps, but then I feel the hands. All three of The Thorns reach out with reassuring touches, reminding me that I’m not walking into this battle alone. They have to stop touching me for all of us to walk through the metal detectors inside, but after that they don’t let go again until we enter the courtroom and they’re forced to take their seats in the row behind where I’ll be sitting.
I walk through the short swinging doors and take my place, Stan joining me on one side as Anne comes to join us on the other.
I take one last comforting look back at The Thorns as the bailiff announces the judge. I square my shoulders as the man enters, his eyes sweeping over the room before landing on me and my support group. And I might be imagining it, but it almost looks like the man smiles.
“Good morning, ladies and gentleman. Calling the case of the People of the State of California versus Piper Hawthorne. Are both sides ready?”
I’ve never been more ready for anything.
Books By Cassie James
Pawns of Patience
Sinners
Saints
Savages
Saviors
The Thorns of Rosewood
The Replacement
The Proxy
The Living
Books By Christine Kelsey
The Thorns of Rosewood
The Replacement
The Proxy
The Living