Page 60 of Born in Sin (Phoenix #3)

Chandrashekhar got up from his seat on the dais to a thunderous round of applause. The Head of School walked over to the podium, folding his hands over the top and gazing out at the auditorium filled to the brim with teachers and students.

“Today,” his booming baritone echoed through the hall, “Is the first day of the rest of your life.”

Virat fought the urge to roll his eyes. Amay sat beside him, his gaze on the back of Dhrithi’s head. Varun and she sat two rows ahead, right behind the school dignitaries, with their parents.

At the far back, in a dark corner, Ishaan sat with his mother. His father hadn’t come. Virat assumed another drunken binge had kept him away. Neither Amay nor Virat’s family had bothered to come. Thank God for that. Neither of them wanted them around.

It was done. The board exams were done, the last exam finishing two days ago.

Unlike other schools, theirs waited until the end of the exams to hold graduation, with the children staying on an extra week to finish packing and complete formalities.

The parents who’d arrived for tonight usually checked into nearby hotels so they could help their kids pack and tie up all loose ends.

Virat had been on his best behaviour. He’d kept his head down ever since the suspension had been lifted and Chandrashekhar had agreed to keep it off his record so it wouldn’t impact his college admissions.

“Consider it payment for services rendered,” he’d told Virat with a small smile before dismissing him.

“It’s finally done,” he’d told Celi, the other night. She’d been leaning back and looking up at the stars, as usual but quieter than normal. “We can get out of here and never come back.”

Celina didn’t say a word, her mind clearly not in the present, with him.

“Hey.” He tapped her hand lightly. “What’s worrying you?”

“I think my parents might be getting a divorce,” she said, her voice small. “That’s what my father said.”

“Oh Celi, I’m so sorry.” He gathered her into his arms. “I wish I knew how to make that better.”

“You know something, don’t you?” she asked, her face smushed up against his chest. “About my mom? That’s why she hates you so much. You know something bad.”

His heart stuttered in his chest as Celina pulled out of his arms and looked at him, her gaze steady. He knew he couldn’t put this off for long. He’d promised her that he’d tell her everything after they graduated and now Graduation Day was only days away.

But how did he tell her that he’d caught her mother cheating on her father? How did he tell her that the abusive piece of shit her mother had been involved with was blackmailing her and wouldn’t allow her to go back to Celina’s father?

Another thunderous round of applause shook the auditorium, drawing Virat back to the present.

Chandrashekhar had finished his long-winded speech.

He’d promised Celina that he’d tell her everything tomorrow.

Tonight, she was going out with her parents.

Her father had finally agreed and flown in to celebrate her graduation, a rare family moment that Virat knew meant everything to her.

And Virat would spend tonight with his family, Ishaan and Amay, celebrating the end of their hellish time at Crestwood.

Tomorrow, he’d tell Celi everything. Lay all his cards out on the table and hope she didn’t blame him for any of it.

A lie of omission was still a lie. He looked to where she sat between her parents, her presence a beacon of energy that always drew him in.

Almost as if she could tell he was looking at her, she looked over her shoulder at him, smiling, a wide beam of happiness and sunshine that warmed his heart.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow was when everything would fall into place.

“And now,” Mrs. Choudhry said from the dais. “It’s time to announce the Student of the Year – Academic Excellence and this is none other than Ishaan Adajania.”

Virat and Amay were on their feet, clapping, whistling, and making enough noise for a bashful Ishaan to turn bright red.

He shuffled towards the stage from his seat at the back and collected his trophy, looking straight at his friends as he lifted it high up in the air.

And then, for the first time in forever, Ishaan Adajania smiled.