after graduation 22
814 Words
chapter 22
Ivory POV
Today was my graduation.
I was finally graduating, and I couldn’t stop smiling. I wore my best dress under my cap and gown. For once, I left my hair down instead of putting it in a bun like I do when I train. It keeps my neck cool during workouts, but today I wanted it loose so my cap would sit right…After the ceremony, we went home. Dad said he had a surprise waiting for me…When we pulled into the driveway, I gasped…There it was.
A black Dodge Ram truck with a huge red bow stretched across the hood….It was gorgeous. Big. Shiny. Powerful.
And it was mine….I squealed and threw my arms around my parents before running toward it. My fingertips brushed along the trim, and I laughed. It was a little big for me, but I didn’t care. I felt unstoppable.
“So, honey,” Mom asked, smiling warmly, “when do you start college and your new job?”
“I move into my dorm tomorrow,” I said. “And I start the job tomorrow night. It’s just a deli job. I’ll be a cashier, ringing people up until closing.”
Dad crossed his arms, giving me that look.
“Have you figured out what you want to study?”
He’d been asking me all week. He even threatened to choose for me if I didn’t decide. So last night… I made sure I had my answer.
“Yes, Dad. I’ve decided. I want to become a doctor. I’ve been studying up on it, and that’s what I want.”
The pride in their eyes made my chest swell.
“We’re proud of you, honey,” Mom said. “Come on, let’s get your things packed so we can spend the rest of the day together.”
So we did. We packed everything, leaving out one set of clothes for the morning. We ate dinner as a family, joked around, told embarrassing stories about me as a kid, and laughed until our stomachs hurt…Then it was time for bed.
I lay there staring at my ceiling, knowing it would be my last night in this room for a long time. Four years at college. Maybe more.
Dad had already transferred enough money into my account to cover tuition, food, and bills for four years…. even a little extra just in case. The deli job would just be play money. Then he handed me a black card.
“Use this wisely,” he said seriously. “There’s enough in your account to last four years. Maybe eight if you need it. I don’t want you to go… but I won’t let anyone stop you from chasing your dreams. Not even your mate. If the Dragon King is your mate, I don’t want him standing in your way.”
I nodded…I didn’t tell them I already knew…I knew he was my mate…I’ve known for a while…But I’m keeping it to myself.
I’m going to do what the book says. He’ll never know. I want college. I want to become the best warrior I can be. I want my own life before I accept a mate…Maybe he’ll even find a chosen mate in the meantime…That would be fine…He’ll never know.
The next morning, I showered, got dressed, brushed my teeth, and carried my last bag downstairs. Everything else was already packed into the trucks so we wouldn’t be exhausted this morning.
“Are you ready, honey?” Mom asked softly. “It’ll be different being off pack lands. But we’re only a mindlink away. Call us and we’ll be there.”
“Yes, Mom. Yes, Dad. I know.”
I climbed into my truck, and they followed behind me as we drove off pack lands….Inside my head, Kelly finally spoke.
“This is going to be weird,” she muttered. “We won’t even get to see our mate.”
She’s barely spoken to me since I told her I don’t want a mate right now. I just want to live first. That’s all.
“Yeah, I know,” I told her gently. “But we’ll be fine. He’s a dragon. The King of Dragons. I don’t want him to want me just because I’m his mate. I want him to fall for me because of me…. not because of some bond.”
She whimpered and retreated deeper into my mind…I felt bad.
I really did….But this is what I want.
No mate is going to stop me from living my life first. If he rejects me, fine. I don’t care…I have the book…Twenty full moons.
That’s all it takes…Once I do what needs to be done, I’ll burn it. No one will ever know what I did. I’ll cover my scent, erase the bond, and go on with my life…My life…Before anyone else gets a claim to
It
- Writer
