This is it! Thank you and I Love you all. You're all a part of the Hayes Family in my eyes!

|| ** || ** ||

Graduation day

"Lottie?" Maddie asks as we sit and color one of her coloring books.

I look over at her, "Yeah?"

"You're going to come back, right?" She asks in a quiet voice.

I smile at her, putting down my crayons and grabbing her hand, turning her to face me, "Every chance I get."

She breathes a sigh of relief, "That's good because I would miss you too much," she casually states, picking up her crayons again. "Why do you have to leave?" she asks.

I pick up my crayons and resume coloring, "Well, when you finish high school, you then go to college and some people go to colleges all over the world."

"So when you finish school you have to go to more school? That just doesn't seem fair," she states with a frown, scrunching up her eyebrows.

"You're telling me kiddo," I mutter.

We continue coloring for a few more minutes before mom walks into the room. "Lottie, you're going to be late for your graduation! Hurry up and get ready, come on," she scolds pushing me out of my seat and towards the staircase.

"Do I have to?" I whine, slumping towards the stairs. "Can't I just go in pajamas? I'll be wearing a cap and gown, no one will know."

"Nope, I don't want to hear it, go!" She points up the stairs. "Tessa, I swear to God if I see your soccer boots in this living room one more time, I will sell them on eBay!"

Steps come rushing down the hallway and Tessa thumps down the stairs quickly.

"We have family here and may have more people stopping by later, you can't leave your stuff lying around, at least shove it in a closet until afterward," my mother says, walking around the house, straightening things out.

Tessa nods her head, picking up her boots and rushing off to put them away.

"Oh come on, Clary, your house looks fine," Aunt Jenna yawns as she shuffles into the living room with a cup of coffee in her hand, placing a kiss on my cheek. She moves over to the couch and sits down, placing her feet on the ottoman. My uncle and cousins were out at the park, trying to tire out Baby Josh so that he doesn't get fussy during my graduation. Aunt Jenna's genius idea.

"Who is coming over?" I ask in confusion.

"Well, her," mom points to Aunt Jenna, who salutes me with a grin, "and both sets of grandparents will be here."

"Oh god," Aunt Jenna groans loudly, "It's bad enough that mom and dad are coming but Delilah and Jacob gotta come and kill my mood too?"

"And Ingrid," my mom adds with a scowl, mentioning my aunt on my dad's side.

"That bitch," Aunt Jenna mumbles with a pout.

"Talking about yourself again, Jen?" My dad walks into the living room with a cup of coffee in his hand.

"Not this time, Pete. Just talking about your wonderful sister and how excited I am that she's going to be here today," Aunt Jenna gives my dad a sarcastic grin.

"Ingrid is an acquired taste," my dad starts but Aunt Jenna cuts him off.

"Yeah, like vomit," she mumbles to my mother and me; my mom gives her a subtle fist bump so my dad doesn't see. I put my hand over my mouth to stop from laughing.

Before my father and aunt get into an argument, mom looks over at me, "Why are you still down here? Go get dressed!"

I roll my eyes and head up the stairs. I walk past Sebastian's room and see both of my brothers playing a video game in their pajamas. I tap on the door twice, "Mom's in a mood, Dad's side of the family is coming today."

Harry pauses the game immediately, "What? Why?"

"Dude, I was just about to kick your ass, not fair!" Sebastian yells out.

"I don't know, maybe because I'm graduating today?" I ask sarcastically.

"Not a good enough reason for them to stop by," Harry says with an eye roll, "Is Aunt Ingrid coming too?" I nod my head and both boys slump on the bed.

"Do you think Aunt Jenna is going to actually punch her this time?" Sebastian asks with a grin.

I walk further into his room and sit in between them on the bed, "You should have seen her face when mom said she was coming."

"Yes, okay, I got fifty bucks that she does," Sebastian rubs his hands together excitedly.

"Oh, you're fucking on, mom usually gets Aunt Jenna out the room before a brawl can break out," Harry leans over me and shakes Sebastian's hand.

"What brawl?" Tessa asks as Sophie and Maddie walk into the room behind her.

"Aunt Ingrid is coming," I inform them with a grimace. Sophie's eyes widen and Tessa grins mischievously. Maddie walks over to the bed and jumps on Harry's lap.

"What am I, chopped liver?" Sebastian asks Maddie with a look of betrayal on his face. Maddie giggles as Harry pulls her closer, squeezing her to his chest and kissing her cheek, sloppily.

"Ew, Harry," Maddie wipes her face with a hand and then wipes that hand onto my arm, making me scrunch up my nose in disgust.

"Don't worry bro, I got you," Tessa says and launches herself on top of him, crushing him to the bed.

"Ow, you little bit-bat you little bat," Sebastian saves himself from the Swear Jar Monitor in the room. Laughter rings out from all of us as Maddie pouts.

Sophie walks over and sits on my lap, completing the family picture.

"Hold on, we need like a selfie of us or this didn't happen," Harry says reaching into his pajama pants pocket, bringing out his cellphone to take a picture. We take silly pictures and some nice ones to send to mom and dad later.

"Hey sis," Harry says and the four of us turn to face him, "Soph," he rolls his eyes, "I heard about Aiden, you all good?"

Sophie looks a little shocked and nods her head slightly, "Yup, I'm fine, I just kind of felt like I was leading him on and I didn't think it was fair to him or myself," she shrugs, fidgeting with her fingers. I hug her to tightly.

"Hey, I get it, you wanted to do the right thing," Harry nods his head in understanding.

"Oh yeah, like you do the right thing when it comes to relationships." Sebastian snorts.

"Hey, don't be mean to Harry," Maddie says, cuddling into Harry's chest. Harry nods proudly and pats her head.

"Traitor," Sebastian snaps at her, sticking his tongue out, making her do it in return.

"Baby," she retorts with a smirk.

"Kids!" Our mothers' voice carries down from the hallway, "Where are y-? Aw, my babies," she coos seeing us all sitting on Sebastian's bed together. She sniffles and walks further into the room with a watery smile on her face.

"Mom, please don't cry again," Tessa groans, leaning back on Sebastian, accidentally elbowing him in his side. We've had enough crying in the past week to last a lifetime.

"Don't tell me not to cry, I can cry if I want to," she rolls her eyes as a tear falls, "I just can't remember the last time you all were getting along like this, and now my second baby is graduating today," she folds her arms over her chest. "And now I feel old," she pouts.

Harry and Sebastian both move off the bed and over to mom, squishing her between them. "You don't look a day over thirty," Sebastian tells her reassuringly.

"Don't worry mom, at the rate he's going, Bass will never leave home," Harry teases with a grin. Sebastian glares at Harry over mom's head as we try and smother our laughter.

"Group hug!" Maddie yells, jumping off the bed and tackling Mom's legs.

"With Lottie in the middle since it's her graduation," Sophie pipes up as we all hug.

"Aw Lottie!" Everyone yells as I hold tightly onto my mom while everyone crushes us.

"Shut up," I mumble, wiping stray tears off my face.

********

"Okay, do I look good, or do I look good?" Olivia asks, pouting her lips as she poses in her graduation cap and gown.

I step out of the car and grin at her, "So hot," I wink. My mom takes a couple of candid pictures of us as we check each other out.

Sebastian climbs out of the car and immediately strolls over to Olivia, grabbing her face gently and kissing her.

Grandma Izzy and Olivia's dad, Johnathan walk over to us and I quickly move so that Grandma Izzy doesn't notice me.

Tessa walks over to Izzy with a grin. "Now, Tessa was it? How did you slash the tires exactly? Because the last time I did it, my hand slipped and I had to get ten stitches," Izzy points at the scar running down the length of her palm. Tessa is awed as she listens to Izzy.

"Well, I didn't use a knife, I borrowed a hacksaw from shop class, which, believe it or not, is difficult to use when slashing tires," Tessa replies matter-of-factly as they slowly walk towards the school field where the ceremony is being held.

"I can't decide whether to be afraid or impressed with her," My mother says to my dad and Johnathan, watching them laugh.

Olivia shimmy's over to me, "We're graduating," we dance around the parking lot together.

"Girls, be careful!" My mother shouts at us as a car speeds past us.

"Sorry!" We both yell, linking arms and rushing off to find Quinn and Courtney.

Over the sea of green and white graduation gowns, I spot Courtney standing, in her impossibly tall high heels with a dazed expression on her face as Quinn recites something to her.

"Quinn's, practicing her speech again," Olivia nudges me as we stop in front of them.

Quinn looks frantic, stopping her speech, and looks over at us, frazzled, "What if I screw up? What if my jokes aren't funny?"

"Your jokes are hilarious, I helped you write them," Olivia smiles, patting Quinn's head like she's a puppy.

"And I had to veto more than half of them," she rolls her eyes.

"Oh come on, you can't get in trouble, this is graduation day," Olivia laughs.

"Will the graduating students please make their way to their assigned seats," a voice blasts over the intercom.

I look over at the girls grinning, "It's time," I squeal as we grab each other's hands and move towards the field.

"Shit, fuck, why does this have to happen on the field? I can't walk on grass in these heels," Olivia complains, stumbling as each step makes her sink into the ground.

Courtney rolls her eyes, "It takes practice, amateur," she winks, strutting along the field.

"Bitch," Olivia grumbles, gripping my arm tightly as she almost face plants onto the grass.

I look over at Quinn and see her practicing her speech again. "Q, come on, you're going to do great," I smile at her, squeezing her hand reassuringly.

"Yeah, don't forget to mention how great I am in your speech, like how I shaped this school to the great learning environment it is today," Olivia trails off, pointing at Quinn as if they've had this conversation before. And they probably have, knowing Olivia.

Quinn rolls her eyes and cracks a smile, her shoulders relaxing, making Olivia nod her head, proud for calming down our nervous Quinn.

"Miss Darby, we need you on stage," Principal Johnston calls to her as he walks past us.

Quinn nods her head, moving forward but looks back at us over her shoulder and we give her a reassuring smile. Principal Johnston follows behind her walking away from us. Olivia throws up her middle fingers behind his back, causing a few students to laugh and cheer.

"Olivia," I hiss, pushing her arms back down.

She looks at me innocently, "What? He gave you an unnecessary suspension, the asshole deserves a lot worse," she growls, glaring daggers at his back, but she quickly snaps out of it and gives me a big smile. "I surprisingly didn't get suspended this year, write that down for the books," she laughs.

Oh no. "What did you do?" Courtney asks exasperated.

"You mean, what did we do? If I go down, I'm taking you bitches with me," she laughs pulling us to our seats.

Courtney shrugs as if this is nothing out of the ordinary, "Fair enough." She takes a few steps forward, looking around, "Ugh, okay, I have to go to my seat. I'm stuck next to Chris Elliot," she shudders, scrunching her nose.

"Isn't he the one that can fart the alphabet? Sounds like a winner to me, Courts," Olivia tries to stop her giggles.

"Fuck you," Courtney replies, walking away with her middle finger in the air.

"Maybe later, if you're lucky," Olivia shouts back. Courtney looks over her shoulder and winks at Olivia with a smirk.

"Come on, hoe," I tell her, pulling her towards our seats.

She places a hand over her heart, "You haven't called me that in ages, is it weird to say that I missed it?"

I squeeze her hand tightly, "Not when you're you."

We sit down next to each other- Grace, Hayes- and talk to a few people around us, waiting for the ceremony to start.

I glance over the growing crowd and see all of our families sitting together, catching up or just making the most noise in general. Especially with Cole and Sebastian sitting next to each other.

Mia and Maddie catch my eye and jump up and down waving at me and I find myself standing up and blowing them kisses, watching them do it back to me. I turn towards the back of the student's section and wave at Carter, who is taking selfies with everyone around him. Kate, my track friend is sitting next to Summer, talking her ear off, as Summer sits slumped in her chair, irritated. Serves her right. I stand on my tiptoes looking for one face in particular and when I do see him, he's already looking straight at me.

I grin and wave wildly, blowing kisses to him dramatically, making him laugh and shake his head, looking down embarrassed. I giggle and watch some of his friends sitting around him, whistling and patting him on the back. He rolls his eyes and looks back at me, I love you, mouths to me and I bite my lip to stop from grinning like an idiot.

I love you more.

"No, I love you more, Nathaniel!" Olivia yells out at him from next to me and I laugh so hard that I end up snorting in front of everyone around me. "Did you just snort?" Olivia asks loudly, laughing at me.

I sit down quickly and cover my face, embarrassed, still giggling.

A microphone makes a static noise, gaining everyone's attention, as the principal steps up to the podium to begin the ceremony. "Thank you, everyone, for coming to this ceremony where we congratulate our outstanding seniors as they leave us today," he starts and I honestly drown out his voice through his whole speech.

I nudge Olivia, bored out of my mind, "I'm hungry."

She lifts her gown and produces a small cross-body bag, "Don't worry, girl, I got you," she grins, opening the bag, showing me the ridiculous amount of snacks she's shoved into this tiny bag.

I fist-bump her and grab a small bag of cookies. Olivia starts coughing loudly, hiding the noise from the bag, as I rip open the packet, and we start eating, passing them along our row, sharing her snacks with everyone around us.

"Just so you all know, that will be five bucks each after the show," Olivia whispers as most of the students stare at her shocked.

My attention is drawn back to the stage when Quinn stands and takes her place at the podium.

"Go Quinny!" Courtney and I yell out.

"You got this, love!" Lilly cheers, making a few people 'Aw' in the crowd.

"Yass Queen!" Olivia shouts out, throwing her hands in the air. Principal Johnston takes his time glaring at each one of us, silently.

Quinn tries not to smile as she stands at the podium, adjusting the microphone. "Um, hi, everyone," she starts nervously, making a few people chuckle, "The past four years at this school have been nothing short of extraordinary, and that had nothing to with the actual school but more so with the people in the school," she smiles at the crowd. "You guys have changed my life for the better and accepted me when I thought that no one would, and for that I say- thank you." The students around us cheer for her. I squeeze Olivia's hand tightly, tears glossing over my eyes.

Olivia leans her head on my shoulder as we continue to listen to Quinn's speech. She keeps it short and surprisingly under ten minutes but she finishes with a quote that gets the whole senior class to erupt in excited cheers.

"I leave you all with a quote by Edward Koch, 'The fireworks begin today. Each diploma is a lighted match. Each one of you is a fuse.' Let's show them what we're made of. Class of 2019, kick some ass," she finishes, stepping away from the podium and back to her seat on the stage as we all stand and cheer for our Valedictorian.

Principal Johnston takes over, causing the first row of students to stand up and walk to the side of the stage, and he starts calling out names.

"Quinn Darby, Valedictorian. I am proud to announce that Miss Darby will be attending The Massachusetts Institute of Technology this coming fall," Principal Johnston announces and the cheers get louder as Quinn gingerly walks up to him and accepts her diploma, smiling broadly.

"Courtney Easton." Courtney struts up the stage and poses for the camera every chance she gets as we cheer loudly for her. She smiles at us, a hand on her hip and she holds up her diploma.

I feel my heart skip a beat as I slowly realize that this is it. This is my last moment as a high school student. This was the last year that Olivia and I could go to the same school together since preschool. This was the year that brought me out of my shell and made me the person I will be when I start my next chapter in life. This was the year that I found love.

All too soon my row is standing and I'm walking behind Olivia towards the stage. This is it.

"Olivia Grace," she walks up the few steps onto the stage, basking in the cheers from our families and friends. The principal goes to shake her hand but she dodges at the last second and walks up to the podium.

"You don't get to make a speech," Principal Johnston informs her with an irritated expression.

"I'll just be two seconds," Olivia grins, holding up two fingers, "This is a speech that would have been one for the ages," she clears her throat and I shake my head with a grin. "I have my own quote that this person never had the chance to finish. In the words of one Zachary Martin from The Suite Life On Deck- 'Goodbye seniors, goodbye class. High school, you can kiss my ass.' Thank you," she throws up a peace sign at the crowd and she gets a standing ovation from our classmates as she takes a bow, waving at people and shaking other students' hands as she leaves the stage.

"That's my girlfriend!" I hear Sebastian's voice faintly in the background as I wait my turn.

"Charlotte Hayes," My principal announces over the microphone. I let out a deep breath and smile widely as I walk onto the stage, praying I don't trip in front of everyone. I can hear my family in particular cheering loudly as a blow horn goes off in the crowd. Definitely Tessa. I smile for a picture as I shake the principal's hand and let go immediately.

"Congratulations Miss Hayes, I hope that we can leave our previous shortcomings in the past as you move toward your future," Principal Johnston says as the cameras flicker around us.

I smile brightly and say through my teeth, "You can kiss my ass, Gerald," I tell him, using his first name as I walk off the stage, waving at my family and friends, moving my tassel from one side of my cap to the other.

We wait another forty minutes until we finally get to Nathan's turn. "Nathan Ward." I stand up with the rest of our friends and families, cheering him on as he walks across the stage. I look around and see that a lot of our classmates are standing with me, clapping loudly. He looks over the crowd smiling at everyone and I give him a dazzling smile of my own.

He starts walking down the steps and gestures me towards him and I find myself moving through the row, trying to get to him as fast as I can, ignoring the looks students are giving me as I step on their feet.

He moves faster towards me and scoops me up, kissing me in front of everyone.

"Mr. Ward and Miss Hayes, back to your seats, immediately!" I distinctly hear the Principal over the microphone but I ignore him as Nathan sets me down. I grin at him, my face turning red from all the stares I can feel on us.

"Not that that wasn't an adorable movie moment, but some of us would like to graduate today thank you very much!" Olivia yells at us making the students laugh.

"Later," Nathan whispers, kissing my cheek before going back to his place. I nod my head and move back into the row to sit next to Olivia.

"Absolutely adorable, Notebook worthy even," she says sarcastically.

"Shut up," I reply, shoving her arm when she cracks up.

*************************

"We're no longer seniors!" Olivia howls as we walk out onto Nathan's backyard, where almost the entire senior class is.

"Now we're just unemployed," Quinn mutters, grabbing a soda from the many coolers placed around the outdoor patio.

Olivia gives her a blank look, "Joy killer."

"Just saying," Quinn shrugs in response, smiling as she walks off to find Lilly.

"Someone get Quinn drunk!" she exclaims to no one in particular as we walk down the steps.

"I'm on it!" Carter yells back from across the yard, giving us a thumbs up. Nathan is standing next to him and he moves towards us.

He's standing in front of me before I can take the last step off his patio as he picks me up, twirling me around. He leans his forehead on mine as he lowers me back to the ground, "I missed you."

I tap his chest lightly, "You saw me less than an hour ago," I raise an eyebrow at him, grinning.

"Too long," he kisses me softly, pulling me closer to him.

"Oh god, how are you going to survive without me next year?" I ask, giving him a cute smile, pinching his side.

"I guess I'll just have to tie you to my bed so you can't leave," he smirks, raising an eyebrow suggestively.

I tilt my head to the side slyly, "Kinky, I'm down," I wink.

"God, you guys are so mush, I'm going to start breaking out into hives," Courtney grumbles, walking down the steps over to some of her other friends.

"Well, I don't want Nate to feel like a third wheel so I'm going to go make out with my man," Olivia salutes us as she goes to find Sebastian.

"Oh my god Baby Josh is a hit with the ladies," Cole walks past us, holding a giggling Baby Josh in his arms as a few girls eye him from across the lawn. He looks at Baby Josh, "You're a better wingman than Sebastian, little man, you can hang with me any day."

I shake my head in disappointment, "Stop using my baby cousin to hit on girls."

"He is a chick magnet," Nathan shrugs and I glare at him, "What? I did the same thing with Mia when she was a baby, why do you think I deliberately stood behind you in line at that food court when you first met her?" he laughs at my bewildered expression.

"You were using your niece as a chick magnet on me?" I ask in shock. "You idiot, I was still with Chase at the time."

"Yeah but you still stayed to chat to me, I took what I could get back then," he runs his hands up and down my sides as I chuckle lightly.

"You could have just spoken to me normally, you know," I nudge his chest, letting my hand rest there.

"I know, but Mia has the cute factor," he shrugs, looking over at Maddie and Mia playing with a bunch of kids from other students' families.

"Lottie," my father calls and Nathan lets go of me immediately, taking a step back. I chuckle, mocking him as I turn to face my parents. "We want to give you and Olivia your graduation presents now."

"Okay, I'll go get her-," I gesture my thumb over my shoulder in the general direction she went but my mother already has Olivia following her towards us.

"Nathan, congratulations on getting into Vanderbilt, I was telling Clary that one day when I'm down there on business, I could watch one of your games. How're you doing otherwise?" My father asks, shaking hands with Nathan.

"That would be great sir, I look forward to it. I'm doing well, thank you, I hope you and Mrs. Hayes are doing well too," he answers like he was just called out by a teacher in class to answer a question.

"Oh Nathan, honey you can call me Clary, I've told you that already," My mother says as she stops in front of us, leaning over to kiss Nathan's cheek, hugging him tightly, "I'm so proud of you," she grins patting his cheek.

He thanks her with a genuine smile and looks over at me, "I'll find you later," he promises, walking further into his backyard.

"Okay, presents time," mom says, bouncing on her feet. "So, I know that Lottie is our daughter but Liv, darling, you are just as much family as the rest of our kids," she says, wrapping an arm around each of us.

"And your mother and I both agreed that we could have gotten you two materialistic presents," my father starts but is cut off by my mother because of her excitement.

"So we got you the same presents," she says grinning from ear to ear. I look over at Olivia and shrugs in confusion, not having a clue what they could be.

"We got you each three roundtrip tickets to each other's colleges for whenever you need to spend some time together," my father says and I freeze in shock, looking at Olivia.

"What?" She asks in a whisper, her eyes filling with tears, "Really?" My mom stands next to my dad and he wraps his arm around her shoulder, tucking her into his side. They both nod silently.

"Ahhh!" We scream, jumping up and down, hugging each other as happy tears fall. We both start talking at the same time, already coming up with plans on when we each need to visit each other.

A throat clears in front of us and we look over at my parents, staring at us. Olivia and I look at each other and then pounce on my parents. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"And-."

"There's more?" Olivia shouts, confused,

"All four sets of parents are paying for the four of you girls to go down the coast for a week during the summer," my mom smiles as we squeal even louder.

"You're kidding!" Olivia can't seem to believe what is happening.

"Do I ever kid?" My father asks her with an eyebrow raised.

"Never Mr. H, but you're full of surprises," Olivia grins, hugging him unexpectedly, catching my dad off guard. He stiffens but my mother smacks his back and he lifts an arm, hugging her back awkwardly.

"Okay, be free children," mom claps, sending us off to our friends. Olivia thanks them again and runs off to find Courtney and Quinn to tell them about the trip.

I move forward and hug them both to me, tightly, "Thank you for everything, for being the best parents a daughter could ask for."

"Oh, baby," my mother sniffles squeezing me tight and dad leans down to kiss my head, hugging me close.

"We love you so much Lottie, and we're so proud," dad says softly, patting my back. I let go smiling up at them as I move backward, towards my friends.

A few hours go by that are filled with congratulations and memorable moments with some of our classmates, including a massive group photo with most of the senior class that had come to Nathan's graduation party.

"Best year ever," Olivia mumbles, leaning back on Sebastian's chest as a group of us sit in Nathan's backyard once almost everyone is gone.

"Agreed," I reply, raising my hand in the air, my other hand is playing with Nathan's hair while he rests his head in my lap.

"Without a doubt," Quinn agrees, sitting close next to Lilly.

"And I'm still single," Courtney raises her hand in the air with a laugh. I chuckle looking at her. She's actually lying on the grass without freaking out about grass getting in her hair or clothes.

"I can change that," Lucas winks, fist-bumping Carter watching her laugh louder.

Zach walks up to us and slaps hands with all the guys, surprisingly even Sebastian, "It was awesome playing with you guys this past year," he glances at Sebastian, "Take care of the team, next year man, you're a great player," Sebastian nods his head lightly in thanks. He looks over at Olivia, "Still not feeling generous enough for a hug, Grace?"

She doesn't even bother looking at him when she looks up into Sebastian's eyes, "Still out of fucks to give, Blackwood."

He chuckles saying goodbye and moving away from us, "Thought so." He leaves the yard with a couple of his friends.

Cole and Sophie walk out of the house, laughing and talking with each other as they make their way over to us, sitting down. Sebastian eyes them suspiciously, "Where were you two?"

Cole shrugs, leaning back on the grass, "Baby Josh is adorable man, but he can get cranky. Soph was just helping me hand him back over to your Aunt Jenna, who might I add had to leave the room before she got into a brawl with your other aunt," he chuckles when Sophie starts giggling. Sebastian slumps, realizing that he now has to give Harry fifty bucks.

"What's up suckers?" Tessa asks, walking across the yard with Drew in tow.

"And where were you?" Sebastian asks them.

"We ditched and went to the arcade and candy store," Drew replies sitting next to Tessa who is holding a bag of candy in her hand.

"Without me?" Sebastian asks offended. Olivia hits him and gestures to herself like he should he's at his girlfriends' graduation.

I chuckle and lean my head back looking at the night sky, finally at peace. My mind goes through all the moments I've had this year- the good and the bad- and I grin, thankful for every single one of them. This isn't the end for us, just the end of this chapter in our lives.

|| ** || ** ||

I'm not crying, you're crying.

Okay, so this is it, the end of Charlotte's story. This has been the most amazing experience and I am so grateful for each and every one of you that took a chance to read this story.

Thank you for everything, you're all a part of the Hayes Family in my eyes.

UPDATE 2022: Tessa and Maddie now have their own books! Both are COMPLETED.
(Summer Delinquent)Tessa's takes place the summer before her senior year of high school
(Candid) Maddie's takes place at the beginning of her senior year of high school

Both books still heavily feature the Hayes Family but with a few more characters for you to enjoy! I hope you love them as much as I do!

Again, thank you so much and I love and appreciate you all,

For the last time,

Sammipott xx