Page 32 of Beautiful Delusions

“We have to leave after the ceremony. There’s a celebration event in Dubai tomorrow evening, and our parents thought–”

“You’re going today?!” I gasp. “Like leaving the country…already?!” I can’t control my tone or my breathing. Kyan looks at the ground.

“Our private jet is being prepped as we speak.” The room begins to spin. I knew today was the last, that we’d be preparing to go our separate ways from tomorrow morning. But not today, not right after graduation. Hands grip mine and bring them between our chests.

“Sophia,” Ezra states my name without room for arguing. “This was the deal. Fuck, I wish we’d never taken you on now.” Tears swim in my eyes, my lips parting on a choked gasp. Ezra’s eyes widen. “Fuck, no. That’s not what I meant. I mean–” he grapples for words that don’t come. Kyan nudges him aside and grips my shoulders.

“What he means is that parting with you is proving harder than we anticipated. We hoped the fun we’d had would be enough. But it doesn’t have to be goodbye forever. You can come visit Ezra and I when we’ve returned home.” My chest caves inwards. Lucas keeps quiet, remaining a few steps away. His green eyes cut into me as I try to maintain a coherent thought. He’s not coming back. He’s going to Dubai, and he’s not coming back.

“The…the celebration,” I breathe. Lucas looks away, and that’s when I know. They aren’t leaving for a festival or lavish gala I’d see splashed all over the news. It’s his wedding. My eyes slowly trail back to Kyan, grounding myself in his black gaze. “Yes, I’ll try to visit,” I nod weekly. The lie tastes like ash on my tongue. I can’t bear visiting the Thorn’s childhood home without Lucas there. He’s the light, the jokester.

“Come on,” Lucas closes in to drape an arm over my shoulder. There’s no sign of his typical smile. “Let’s get you graduated.” His words echo in the empty room, and a stab of pain pierces my chest. With every step I take toward the door, I grow more aware of the distance between us. Their presence at my back, usually a comfort in my life, now feels like a reminder of what I'm about to leave behind.

The ride in their sports car is filled with silence no one dares to break. My hand clings tightly to the hem of my robe, my knuckles turning white while I stare at the clock on the dashboard. It's unnerving how time seems to rush forward mercilessly, not caring about our sentiments or wishes. I'd give anything for it to stop right now.

Upon reaching the parking lot outside the auditorium, Kyan helps me out of the car. His touch is gentle as if every caress is laced with regret. We head inside as a unit, hands on the small of my back.

The auditorium is alive with excited chatter. Friends and families catching up, congratulating each other. I quickly scan the room and sigh in relief that my mother is nowhere to be seen. That's a drama I don't need today.

The stage is adorned with banners and streamers in the school colors, a backdrop for the podium where graduates will receive their diplomas. My stalling has meant we're just taking our seats when the lighting is dimmed, all except for a spotlight on the stage.

“Psst,” someone taps my shoulder. Letty leans forward when I look back, her smile stretched wide. “We did it!” Pulling me in for an awkward hug, she physically vibrates from excitement.

Regardless of my reservations, Letty has been nothing but supportive these past several weeks. Not as much can be said for the other girls, who let their jealousy hinder any kind of friendship we could have had. But not Letty. She’s been a constant comfort both in Mrs. Patrick’s lectures and out.

Dean O'Sullivan keeps his introduction short before calling for Letty, our valedictorian, to take the stage. The applause is deafening; rambunctious clapping from every seat while Lucas is whistling through his fingers. In the front row, Letty's parents can't resist rushing in for a quick squeeze, her mom already sobbing. I smile warmly.

“Aren't your parents here?” I whisper to Kyan. He scrunches up his nose.

“They’ve already flown out to Dubai,” he murmurs. “There are lots of preparations to make.” I nod slowly, refocusing on the stage. Letty is shaking hands with the board of directors, gripping the speech I’ve helped her memorize in her hands. Kyan’s lips remain by my ear. “I am truly sorry it has to end like this. I hope you’ll agree it was worth it. To me, at least, it definitely was.”

Turning my head, my nose brushes his cheek. Those black eyes I’ve never been able to resist sinking into appear even darker in the low lighting.

“I could never regret what we’ve had,” I admit softly. My heart squeezes tightly. As if sensing the weight of our conversation, Lucas’ hand slips into mine. Interlocking our fingers, he brings them to his lips, pressing a kiss to my knuckles. Wetness dampens my skin, and I almost whimper, refusing to look at him. Rogue tear drops patter my hand until Iforce it down onto his lap. I can’t take it. This feels too much of a goodbye.

“Welcome, friends, families, faculty, and fellow graduates,” Letty's voice rings out clearly through the auditorium. “As this year’s valedictorian, I stand before you with a profound sense of gratitude and humility. Today, we stand on the precipice of a new chapter in our lives, ready to step into a world where we are the leading characters.” Ezra, sitting past Lucas, snorts.

“You can tell she majored in creative writing.” I smirk at my lap. That chapter and character malarky was my own input.

The rest of Letty's speech washes over me like a distant echo. My mind is consumed by everything else. Of the trio of brothers who swept in and turned my life into a manageable chaos, one I could handle. They’ve fixed the broken parts of me, opened a future I otherwise would have struggled to achieve. I can only hope I gave them what they needed from their pet. A sense of togetherness, memories they can hold close when they’re separated.

I squeeze Lucas’ hand in mine, hoping to convey everything I cannot put into words. His fingers tighten around mine in response, the warmth from his touch both comforting and heart-wrenching. In such a short space of time, I’ve come to rely on all three of their personalities to keep mine in check. Kyan's calm demeanor, Lucas' bold energy, Ezra's steady mind. My Thorn Brothers in all their glory.

As Letty's speech progresses, inviting cheers and applause intermittently from the crowd, I keep my gaze fixed on the stage. Somewhere deep down, a faint twinge of joy surfaces. She’s so beautifully confident, standing tall in front of an auditorium full of people, delivering an eloquent speech that we had spent hours perfecting.

"Finally," Letty finishes with a flourish of her hand, "I would ask all graduates to rise." As one, we all stand. The momentfeels surreal. There’s a pause before names start being called out for us to go on stage. A soft hum of anticipation lingers in the room, occasionally interrupted by bursts of laughter or animated whispers. Fuck, this is happening.

“This was always how it was going to end,” Lucas dips his head. I brush my cheek against his stubble like a lioness needing to feel closer to her king. “I’m so glad it was with you.” I squeeze Lucas tighter, worried he’ll disappear in the excitement of it all. One by one, graduates cross the stage when their names are called. Every face is beaming with a satisfied smile, stopping for the flash of a camera to cement the moment forever.

My throat constricts, a mixture of tears and terror ripping me in two. My pulse is hammering, my chest is flushed. I’m going to pass out. I’m sure of it.

"Sophia Chambers," Dean O'Sullivan calls out. The cheers from the crowd are a muffled roar in my ears as I slowly walk towards the stage. My legs shake, my toes scuffing on every step. This is everything I’ve worked towards for years, everything I’ve made of myself against all odds, and I don’t want it. Each step towards the outstretched hand is one further from my boys.

Snap out of it, woman!Jazzie growls in my head as I stop before Dean O’Sullivan. I peer up at his face, swallowing thickly.This is still your moment, and now you have your own personal cheerleaders. Embrace it.

Tightening my jaw, I nod once and grip the hand before me with a little too much force. The Dean matches my strength, handing me the paper rolled and tied with a red bow. As it grazes my free hand, the auditorium erupts. I startle at the hollers and wolf whistles, my personal cheerleaders standing on their chairs above all others.

“Whoop! That’s our girl!”

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