Page 32 of Break: Vol. 2

Roxi slid an arm through Oliver's and then Bastian's. "We're heading to the same party," she said. "Meet you there soon!" She tugged and dragged her friends away, Bastian continuing to call her a brat and Oliver watching the two of them as his blush slowly faded away.

"Okay," I said, flipping around to sink my hands in his hair. "Fess up, where are we really going?"

"You didn't hear Roxi?" Darren grinned down at me before pressing a quick kiss to my lips. "We're going to celebrate."

"I know for a fact that Roxi was lying—probably so that Bastian and Oliver didn't catch onto her plans—she's going to get them and herself drunk as hell."

"Planning to take advantage of those two?" he asked, curious, as his hands fell to my hips.

I shrugged. "She's been trying for years," I reminded him.

"True." He tipped his head to the side. "I know where she's going, though—Maroon's Bar—we'll see them there later."

"We will?"

Darren nodded as he took my hand and began to lead me towards the parking lot. I narrowed my gaze on him when I noticed my vehicle was the only one left; the guys had arrived in one of theirs. "Keys." Darren held his hand out. I rolled my eyes and tossed them at him before hopping into the passenger's seat.

I stretched forward and fiddled with the radio as Darren drove. Once I found a tune that I mildly liked, I sat back and hummed to it. Soon, Darren was humming right alongside me. I was so focused on his humming and my own that I didn't realize where we were until he was pulling into the parking lot.

"What are we doing at the library?" I asked.

Darren winked my way. "It's a secret." He parked the car and got out. I followed.

"It's closed today," I reminded him. "Everyone was at the ceremony."

"I know, but I still have a key," he said. "I have to turn it in."

"So, this is just a stop? Should I go back and wait in the car?"

"Nah, come in with me. I have to drop it in the box. The door will lock behind us when we leave."

"Oh, okay." I followed him to the front doors and watched him unlock it. There was something off about him. He was still humming, I realized.

I laughed as we ascended the stairs to the second floor—where his boss's office resided. "You really like that song, don't you?" I asked.

He shrugged. "I guess. Hey, let's go take a look at that study room," he suggested suddenly.

I paused and frowned. "Now? Don't we have somewhere to be?"

"Just a peek," he promised, grabbing my hand and pulling me behind him.

I couldn't say no to his boyish smile. I shook my head as he dragged me towards the study room doors, past the rows of bookshelves to the study room where it all began—the guys and me. My chest tightened as we neared it. Four years ago, I had met Darren, Dex, Cody, and Taylor—well, I had more than met them, I had fallen in love with them.

As we neared the room, a shifting sound drifted to my ears. "Darren? Are you sure we're the only ones in here?" I asked.

The lights were out, but I swore I heard moving. I opened the door and flicked on the light. It didn't occur to me that Darren never answered. My lips parted, my mouth dropping open.

Dex, Cody, and Taylor all dressed in the suits they had worn under their graduation gowns were down on their knees—one knee, to be precise. I looked behind me and my eyes widened even further as Darren, too, fell to one knee. The exact way someone might if they were about to...

"Jamie Houston," Cody said.

Oh shit.

"You have made us the happiest men alive for the last four years," Taylor said.

I was not going to cry.

"And we want you to make us the happiest men alive for the rest of our lives," Darren said.

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