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"We'll go with that, sure" She releases hiood care of her"

Uh…

She leads me to the patio There are a dozen people I don't know here, but arden

Harrison is sitting with his father, laughing and sipping chane

They share the same mix of exhaustion and excitement

Opal watches Liarab our drinks Meets him at the bar Gets pulled into a conversation with him and Simon

I keep room and his father There's soit with his own They both want to see him married They both appreciate the importance of the occasion

And not in a solemn way

With joy

When was the last tiraduation They toured the city for days, clapped as I accepted hts in a row

Dad was proud I saw it, but I was too hurt and angry to accept it

Mom was there, but she wasn't there It was like she only had so ive, and the second it ran out, she was in free fall

I know that feeling I've been there

But it still hurt It still hurts

"Siht "But Liam distracted him" She holds up dual pastel pink cocktails

Grapefruit in warm my lips and ease my shoulders

The world is a fucked-up mess

The West family is a fucked-up mess

Hell, the Pierce family is a fucked-up mess

But we're here to celebrate love, daht of an actual engage makes my throat close

Harrison is happy

I' that

Carpe fucking diem

I raise lass "Cheers"

Opal s sip Lets out a soft sigh "That's really good The last thing I drank was…" She looks back to the bar, where Si "Very cheap vodka and even cheaper orange soda This is a big step up"

"Really?"

"You don't believe me?"

"Aren't you a Park Avenue Princess now?"

"A princess locked in her tower Siave me a curfew"

"Really?"

"Yeah Me, a grown adult, starting college next year, and he thinks he can give me a curfew"

"Why do you follow it?"

"He gets so worried" She looks back to him "I know he means well"

"It's e do, as older siblings We worry"

"And you boss your younger siblings around?"

I nod