Page 134 of Daydream
As we walk back into the house, Henry looks at me. “I’m not going. I need to practice sprinting so I can get away from your brother.”
“Yes you are, c’mon.”
“ILOVE WHAT YOU’RE WEARING,” Henry says to me loudly. “You look so beautiful.”
About five people I don’t know turn around and look at me with a mix of jealousy and appreciation. “Shhh,” I say, laughing. “But thank you.”
He leans in closer, nuzzling beneath my ear. “You’re welcome.”
“Can you two cool it?” Jaiden snaps. “Some of us are single and honestly don’t appreciate this kind of treatment.” He looks along the line of couples. “Never mind.”
I try to cool myself with the paper fan I was given when we walked onto the hotel terrace. It was more gratefully received than the spritzy fruit drink they handed me.
“They’re coming!” Aurora yells, followed by an apology when Henry asks if yelling was necessary.
A round of applause starts as the patio doors to the terrace open and Stassie, Lola, Mattie, Bobby, and Kris walk through in their graduation cap and gowns.
“Christ, that was long,” Bobby groans, making a beeline for an ice bucket filled with beer bottles.
“Not doing that again,” Mattie adds.
“That’s what she said,” Kris yells, following them closely toward the beer. “Both times.”
“Will you three ever mature? Like, genuine question,” Stassie says, putting her cap on the table. I can see the Long Story Short, I Graduated design we did together with a hot-glue gun and too much supervision from Henry stood the test of the day.
“No. Probably not,” Robbie says as he appears with Nate.
More friends and family start to arrive, and the terrace fills up quickly. I keep myself stuck to Henry’s side so I can run interference when it gets a bit too much for him. He said he has a face that parents like to talk to, and he needs me to make that stop.
Nate organized the event for everyone because he wanted to celebrate Anastasia and she said it was obnoxious to do it alone and to make it a group party. People moving on from college and starting new journeys is going to be a weird adjustment for me after making so many new friends this year. Henry promised it wouldn’t be the end, and that he can almost guarantee that we won’t be able to shake anyone. I cut him off when he started weighing the pros and cons of streamlining our friendship group anyway.
“Can we skip our graduation?” Henry asks. “I don’t think I can do this amount of socializing two years in a row.”
“At least finish your classes before you start trying to ditch your graduation, bro.”
We both look to the person talking and I have no idea who it is. Henry hugs him immediately, something I don’t see him do a lot with anyone other than me and his parents.
“Connecticut fucked your hair up,” Henry says as he lets the man go. “You should move back to LA.”
Then I realize the guy is Joe. “That’s the plan. Give me another couple of years to survive law school, then I’ll be back. Tell Damon I miss him, and I’ll never cheat on him again I swear.” They both laugh and look at me. “You must be Halle. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“I’ve heard a lot about your dates with Henry.” He bursts out laughing. “It’s really nice to meet you.”
We chat about New York and promise that we’ll all hang out when Henry and I are there next month. We talk about books, since Joe is a big reader, and when someone yells for a speech, he tries to convince Henry they’re talking to him.
Nate stands at the top of the patio steps and fake-bows when someone wolf whistles at him. “Thank you, Colin, Stassie’s dad, for that warm welcome.” The crowd laughs and Henry wraps his arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer and kissing my temple. “I won’t make this a long speech because I know everyone is eager to celebrate, and at some point, one of you will start booing me.
“I’m so proud to be here to celebrate all our friendship group has achieved. My best friend of far too long, Robert Hamlet, is the newest UCMH faculty member, and the owner of a shiny new master’s in athletic coaching. Lola’s heading back east to try to take over Broadway and continue her lifelong mission to be the scariest person in New York City. Mattie and Bobby are continuing their hockey careers…”
“God, he loves the sound of his own voice, doesn’t he?” JJ says, coming up behind us and making me jump. “He didn’t make a speech about me when I graduated.”
Henry’s eyebrow quirks. “He didn’t make any speeches. You guys got really drunk and performed theMamma Mia! soundtrack on the karaoke all night.”
“Oh yeah,” JJ says, sipping his beer. “Did anyone bring karaoke?”
Nate is still talking as JJ and Henry chatter behind me. “Kris is going to med school, which terrifies me, and should also terrify the rest of you.”
“How many more people do we know? Surely it’s nearly over,” Henry says, looking at his watch.