Maddie rushed into the bathroom. “What’s the matter with you?”
“I won!” I whooped. “I won the contest!”
“You did? No way!” She grabbed my phone. “Let me see that.”
Mom came from her room. “Did you just say you won the writing contest?”
“Yep.” I couldn’t believe it. Nothing this good ever happened to me. My heart was bursting with joy. How could such an amazing thing be true? “Now I can give you guys the money so you won’t be so tight financially when I’m gone to college.”
“No, Shannon. I can’t take your money. Don’t even think about giving us your prize money,” Mom said.
“But I’m leaving you high and dry after I leave.”
“Actually, you aren’t,” Mom said. “My boss just gave me a raise. We’ll be just fine.”
“And I’ll be out of here in two years anyway, Shannon. That’s your money,” Maddie said.
My eyes welled up with tears. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was. Not only did I have a chance to become a published author, but I had a loving mom and sister too.
All I needed now was to make things right with Ryker.
17
Ryker
I stepped from my car into the school parking lot and wiped the sweat from my brow. The last day of my senior year was a scorcher. I’d already finished all my final exams, but I still needed to pick up my cap and gown. That and my yearbook. It was a big deal to get your senior yearbook signed. I’d watched the other seniors passing their yearbooks around every other year. It was a way to say goodbye. The last time to see each other. Sometimes maybe ever. Many of us would end up going off to college. Some would stick around, and some would come back to Sweet Mountain years later to settle down with our families. It was strange to think about what the future held for all of us. I’d always thought that my future included Shannon, but now I wasn’t so sure.
I walked through the halls of the school, mentally saying my goodbyes to the building. I’d spent the last four years of my life here. It was strange to think I wouldn’t have a reason to come back on Monday. I’d be graduated and flying out to California by then.
Mia and Jimmy sat side by side on the floor against the lockers. Their yearbooks were open on their laps, and they looked over them together, pointing out the parts that caught their attention.
I scanned the crowded halls, looking for Shannon. I had something important to tell her. I’d been sure to give her as much space as possible to let her have time to sort out her feelings. But I’d thought about her every day. And now I had some news that would change everything.
Mrs. Gentry, our principal, and her husband, who happened to be the vice-principal, sat behind a folding table outside the front office, handing out graduation caps and gowns. Bella and Logan stood at the table, gazing into each other’s eyes. Mr. Gentry cleared his throat, and Bella jumped. “Oh, sorry!” she said, blushing, before taking her cap and gown from him. I got in line behind them and then took my cap and gown. I tucked the bundle into my backpack and searched the hall for Shannon again.
I turned the corner, looking into one of the classrooms where I knew Shannon had classes. Maybe she was still taking one of her final exams.
Down the hall, I spotted Mara and Taggish standing by her open locker. She put on her graduation cap and checked out her reflection in her locker mirror. He reached up and batted at the tassel, causing the strands to fly into her face so she couldn’t see. She swatted his hand away, but he just laughed.
I pulled out my phone and sent Shannon a text.
Me: Are you at the school right now?
Harper stood at her locker, cleaning out the contents into her backpack. Her boyfriend Luke said something to her with a smile, and she punched him in the gut.
“I thought we were past this!” he exclaimed.
She laughed and said something under her breath to him that I couldn’t hear. His eyes widened, and then he laughed with her.
I checked another classroom and then headed toward the lunchroom. Outside the lunchroom, a table was set up where Mr. Nelson and a couple of the juniors were selling yearbooks.
Kate stood in line to pick up her yearbook, and Miller was behind her. He had his arms around her waist as she leaned against him. I got in line, and my phone buzzed.
Shannon: Yes. I was just meeting with Mrs. Drake. Are you here? I need to talk to you.
My heart rate picked up at the last line of her text. She needed to talk to me. My mind jumped from possibility to possibility of what she might have to say. Most of all, I just wanted her to tell me that she wanted to be by my side as much as possible.
Me: I’m in line to get my yearbook. Over by the lunchroom. Have you gotten yours already?
Shannon: Not yet. I’ll be right there.
Shannon appeared around the corner just as I got my yearbook. I bought a second one and handed it to her. “I got one for each of us to save you the trouble of going through the line.”
“Oh, thanks. Do you want me to pay you back?”
I frowned. “Of course not.”
“Okay. I wasn’t sure.”
We walked for a bit in silence.
“What happened with Mrs. Drake?”
Shannon’s smile brightened. “You’ll never believe what happened. I won the contest.”
“Wow! That’s great. Congratulations.” I stopped and hugged her. She felt so amazing against me. I’d missed holding her so much. “Does this mean you’re going to be a published author now?”
“I guess you could say so!” she said brightly.
“And you’ll have the money too?”
“Yes. I was planning to give it to my family to help them out after I go to college, but my mom won’t accept it. She said she got a raise from her boss and insists she’s going to be fine without my help. So I guess I’m going to use it for living expenses so I won’t have to take out any student loans to pay rent. My scholarship only goes so far.”
“That’s incredible.” For a moment, it felt like old times between us, and my heart sped up. I had hope that this day was going to go better than I’d thought. So I took a chance and said what was on my mind. “I don’t want to put distance between us. I hope you know the only reason it seems like I am is out of respect for your wishes.”
“That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about.” She stopped outside the auditorium doors. “Do you want to talk in here for a minute?”
“Sure.” My pulse picked up again. I had no idea what she was going to say. I didn’t want to get my hopes up. I followed her inside the auditorium.
A few lights shone on the stage, but the room was empty. We climbed the stairs on the side of the stage and settled at center stage. We sat with our legs stretched out in front of us. I looked out into the empty sea of seats. I hadn’t been in here since my film audition. I’d spent the last four years in various musicals or plays, and now, I had a promising acting career ahead of me. I hadn’t really stopped to think about what that meant for me and my life. I’d been so focused on everyone else the entire time. My family’s needs. Shannon’s needs. Never my own or what I wanted.
Being here on this stage brought back so many good memories. It was my happy place. Then it hit me. I hadn’t given myself permission to feel excited about being in the film. Because the entire time I’d been too worried about what Shannon was thinking and feeling. But the last few weeks of giving her distance had left me with plenty of time to think about what I wanted. I’d spent my time speaking with my agent and focusing on my own preparations for moving to California. And now I realized that a film career really would make me deeply happy. It was what everyone had been telling me all along, but I just now saw it for myself.
“Ryker,” Shannon said, her voice breaking through the peaceful silence that hung over the room. “I’m so sorry for the way I’ve been treating you. Last night Maddie showed me the video of the interview you did when we were in California, and I was getting my hair do
ne. I had no idea the response had changed like that. I’m not sure what it means for us, but I wanted to let you know I reacted badly. I know I hurt you, and I feel terrible.”
“Thank you, Shannon. That means a lot to me.”
“You’re welcome.”
“You said you don’t know what the video and the positive online response means for us. It means that my agent is backing off now. He’d already started backing down when he heard how my interview had gone. But you hadn’t read that part of my texts.” She’d just made an assumption and jumped into the drastic decision to break up with me.
“I realized something else last night.”
“What was that?” I asked.
“It was something my mom pointed out to me. I tend to self-sabotage.”
“What gives you that idea?” Wasn’t that what I’d just realized about myself? I was self-sabotaging by not even wanting to audition at first.
She scooted closer to me, staring up into my eyes with her crystal blue ones. “Because I chose Austin instead of you.”
My breath caught in my throat. She was only inches from me, and she smelled amazing. Like Shannon. Sweet like honey and vanilla. “Which time?”
“Every time.” Now her lips were only centimeters from me.
“Really?” I murmured. But I didn’t get to say anything else because her lips were on mine. Fireworks exploded in my head in a burst of color and joy. My heart swelled, full and happy. I reached over and pulled her closer to me, my fingers getting lost in her incredibly soft hair.
She pulled away, looking deep into my eyes. “I’m so sorry, Ryker. I’m a really stupid person. The past few weeks away from you have been pure torture. I’m in love with you, and I don’t know how I could ever be away from you again.”
“You’re in love with me?”
She nodded, a smile beginning to grow on her face. “I have been all along. But because I was self-sabotaging, I kept choosing Austin. I didn’t think I deserved a good guy like you. But the time we spent together changed me, just like you said. And you’re right. I can never be with a guy who treats me like that. I realize now that I’ve been struggling with the way my dad treated my mom and the fact that he left us and started a new family. I told my mom I’m ready to start my path to healing. I’m starting therapy next week.”
“I’m so proud of you, Shannon.” I kissed her again. “I can’t even express how much I love you.”
“I think you just did. But you can do it some more if you want. I won’t complain.”
“Deal.”
“Do you know what my book was about?” Shannon said.
“What?”
“It was the story of us. A guy and a girl are best friends, and he becomes a famous actor. I changed a few things like their names, of course, and they weren’t as poor as we were, and she doesn’t act as jealous as I did.”
“You weren’t that jealous. You’re too hard on yourself.”
“Okay.” She nudged me, grinning. “Maybe you’re right.”
“Of course, I am. I’m always right.”
She rolled her eyes. “Sure. Whatever you say, Ryker,” she said in her most sarcastic voice. “Anyway, I wasn’t finished.”
“Go on,” I said.
“By the end of the story, the two best friends realized they were in love, and they lived happily ever after.”
“Just like our characters in the fan fiction,” I said.
“That’s right. I hadn’t thought of that,” Shannon said.
“I did. I think it was a sign that we both had deep feelings for each other the entire time. It was coming out in our writing, and we didn’t even realize it.”
“That’s actually what I was about to tell you. As I wrote my story, I began to recognize my feelings for you.”
“That’s incredible,” I said. “I’m so glad you decided to write it.”
“Do you know why I did?”
“Why?” I asked.
“Because you stopped writing on the fan fiction. I got bored, and so I took Mrs. Drake up on her challenge.”
“One day, we’ll finish our fan fiction,” I promised.
“Sounds like a plan. Maybe once you’re done filming, and you’re not so busy. I’ll probably be in college by then.”
I smiled and kissed her again. “There’s actually something I need to tell you about college.”
She sat back and looked at me. “What is it?”
“I have a way for you to go to UCLA.”
She tilted her head, a confused look on her face. “What do you mean?” A small light of hope lit in her eyes.
“You’re being offered a scholarship.” I pulled a letter from my backpack and handed it to her. “It’s already been opened because I opened it.”
“It’s addressed to you.”
“You’ll see why in a minute.”
“I’ve been awarded the White Foundation Scholarship. Why are you getting a letter for my scholarship?”
“Your letter is still coming in the mail. This one is just to inform me that your scholarship has gone through. You couldn’t get your own scholarship from UCLA, so I created a way for you to get one.”
Realization dawned on her face. “White . . . as in Ryker White.”
“I knew you wouldn’t allow me to just pay for your tuition, so I created this and told them to reconsider your scholarship application. And in the future, I’m going to help other people who are struggling financially to have a better opportunity to go to school.”
“Ryker,” Shannon said. “I’m speechless. I honestly don’t know how to thank you for this.”
“You can thank me by coming out to California and accepting my scholarship.”
“Of course, I’ll accept it. I just can’t believe you were able to get all this done so fast.”
“I started the process pretty much as soon as the advance hit my bank account.”
“Yeah. But still. You would think this stuff would take forever.”
“Not really. But that may have something to do with all the news coverage over my new role.”
“You mean they sped up the process for you because you’re famous now?”
“I’m not saying it. But it’s a possibility. And why question it? I’m just grateful.”
“I can’t believe you did this for me, even when you knew I already had a scholarship for UNC. I’m sure you could have found a thousand other ways to spend that amount of money.”
“What good is my money if I can’t be near you?”
“How did I get so lucky to be with a guy like you?” She entwined her fingers with mine.
“I think I’m the lucky one.”
“So we’re going to California,” I said.
“And we’re starting a new life. A new adventure,” Shannon said, her voice full of hope. It was all she’d ever wanted. To go on an adventure. To see something new.
I looked at her, my heart bursting with love. “Who says dreams don’t come true?”
The End
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Cindy Ray Hale loves writing Young Adult Contemporary and Sweet Romance.
She was born and raised in the hills of Tennessee and has moved all over the United States. She’s finally settled down in a small town in the wooded hills of Virginia.
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My Best Friend Prince Charming: A Sweet YA Romance (Sweet Mountain High Book 6) Page 12
