It’s still hard to believe this part is real, especially since the only people I’ve talked to since the game are Amber and my family. “I did.”

“And?”

“And he said he’ll be back next year to check me out for real for UWF, and we’ll stay in touch, but it’s looking good.”

“Holy shit!” Miguel engulfs me in a huge hug, and Malcolm and Amber join in, and soon we’re laughing and dancing and truthfully if Sanchez and Devlin are even still in the room, I have no idea.

This is a goddamn Pride parade, and I am proud as hell to be here.

People who’ve never spoken a word to me before come up all night to congratulate me on the game, to compliment my hair or my suit, and to tell Amber and me that we make a cute couple. It’s all a little surreal from a school that’s hated on me so hard, but if this is my chance at a fresh start, I’m gonna take it.

My phone beeps with a text, and I pull it out to see a message from my mom with a picture of my family—my whole family, minus me—blowing kisses, our white clapboard house in the background. We had a long family night after the game, all of us squeezing in at the breakfast bar in the apartment and pounding on-the-house takeout from Maggie’s while we talked about where we’re gonna go from here. We agreed to try having my mom spend a few days there and Dad and the twins spend a weekend here every month, and tonight marks my first night on my own.

Well, I don’t really plan on spending it on my own, but.

Sage and Morgan are still on the road; they texted from a rest stop halfway home, begging for pictures, mostly so Morgan could brag endlessly about their impeccable eye. It was awesome to get to spend the day with them, and not just because they took me shopping and convinced me to buy this suit. I still can’t believe Amber reached out to everyone to get them over here, but the truth is, I should’ve done it myself. Sage and Morgan would have dropped everything if they’d known I needed them, which is part of why I refused to tell them. Needless to say, they were not thrilled about that.

There’s been a lot of pride swallowing this weekend, that’s for damn sure.