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Naomi lets out a soft laugh. We’ve been together for almost seven months now, and she’s definitely picked up on all my little sensory quirks—things sticking to my neck while I’m sweaty, for example. I look up to see Naomi standing in front of me. She has her hair out and curly, embracing her natural texture. She decided on a pale blue floral halter dress that hit her mid-thigh and a pair of white leather pumps, a sweeter take on a pin-up look.

“Are you graduating or am I? You always look so much better than I do,” I say, gently pressing my lips to Naomi’s forehead, trying to ensure none of this mauve lipstick transfers to her skin.

Her face heats, embarrassed by the compliment. It’s cute how Naomi still gets so bashful around me, even months later. “Stop, you look amazing. And I said it when you bought it, but that romper matches your eyes perfectly.”

Now it was my turn to blush.

“Come on, we have to get going now. I still have to find your parents to give them their tickets. You have the card, right?”

I nod. At Pinebrook University, graduations are broken down by degree type and program. Thankfully, we don’t have to sit alphabetically, but we do have to sit in the section with our departments. So, when lining up to cross the stage, we have to hand the emcee a card with our name, pronunciation, degree, majors, honors, and so on.

They gave us our cards this morning when we checked in for our ceremonies and picked up our tickets, so it’s our responsibility to bring them back for graduation. They have blank cards and pens if you forget your card, but it’s much easier to just bring it back. I pinned mine to the inside of my grad cap when I got home so I wouldn’t lose it.

Naomi grabs her purse and heads out the door, with me following behind her. Since her apartment is one of the townhouses right along the edge of campus, behind the field house where graduation was being held, we decide to take a shortcut, crossing the street and then walk about halfway around the track to reach the lower floor of the field house. From there, we take the elevator up to the main floor, heading out the front to meet Mel and Ken.

“There’s my girl! You did it, honey,” Mel says, her face lighting up when she sees Naomi and I step outside.

“Hi, Mom, Dad. Glad you guys made it,” I say, bending down to give my mother a hug.

“Of course we made it. We wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Ken says, giving me a brief hug once my mom lets go.

“So proud of you, Sis, you’re finally done here,” her voice a little distracted. I follow her line of sight to see her ogling Dr. Bennett, who was standing outside talking with one of the other faculty members, his regalia draped over his arm.

I lean in, unable to keep the smirk off my face. “Girl, you are in love with that man. Stop undressing him with your eyes in front of Mom and Dad.”

She blushes before turning her attention to me. “I’m just thinking about the fun we had last night with that cap and gown,” she says, grinning. I turn to see Dr. Bennett checking out Theia right back. “Gross.”

“Y’all are not being very discreet. Did you finally tell your mom and dad? Or the school?” Naomi chimes in, seeing Theia and Bennett.

Theia nods. “I told them last night about Sam, though they haven’t met him yet. We have our meeting with the ethics board this coming week,” she says with a small sigh. I can feel the nerves radiating off her.

“You’ll be fine, sis. You and Sam don’t even work in the same department. Not to mention, it’s been what? Three, four years since he was your professor or advisor? Despite the age gap, you guys are colleagues now, and there’s nothing against that in University Policy,” I say, giving her shoulder a squeeze.

“Sage is right. I’m sure it’ll all be fine. They’re probably just going to require you to sign some disclosure forms and confirm that there was nothing romantic going on between y’all when you were a student.”

Theia adamantly shakes her head. “Oh no, definitely not. He was just a fantasy then, and I don’t think he even paid much attention to me at that point. This honestly didn’t start until this year when he saved me that night.”

My mom pokes her into our huddle. “Sage, I think they’re calling for the students to start heading into the fieldhouse.”

I give Naomi a kiss on the cheek and Theia a hug before heading into the gym.

This is it.

This is the moment I’ve been waiting for.

Between going through foster care, my mental health, and my ADHD, I honestly wasn’t sure if I would make it through high school, let alone college. But here I am, on my graduation day,being cheered on by an amazing woman I’m in love with and the family that’s chosen me. I couldn’t be more grateful for where I am right now.