Far From Home Read Online Free

I put the heavy maroon gown over my black dress, it wasn’t completely unbearable.  I finished putting my cap on and went downstairs to where my parents were waiting.  My grandma was sitting in her usual chair reading through Reader’s Digest , while my dad and Robin sat on the couch and my mom and Jack sat on the loveseat watching the Royals and Tigers game.  My mom flipped off the TV when she heard me coming down the stairs.  Surprisingly, it didn’t seem as awkward seeing them all sitting around together as I thought it would.
    “Ready to go?” I asked once I entered the living room, anxious to get to the football field and see my friends. 
    My parents stood up and they were both smiling.  For a moment it felt as if we were a family again.  The realization quickly swept through me though that we weren’t.  Still, I was thankful that no matter what the differences between my parents, they always put me first and I loved them for that. 
    “I can’t believe you’re graduating,” my mom said, walking towards me.  I could hear her voice cracking and she wrapped her arms around me, hugging me tightly before letting me go.
    “It feels like I just dropped you off at kindergarten,” my dad said, taking me in his arms.
    “I actually remember that day,” I told him.
    “You wouldn’t stop crying.  You made me stay with you long after all the other parents had gone.”
    He hugged me again and I started feeling teary eyed.  As much I agreed with my decision to stay in Kansas, I missed seeing my dad.  There were so many things I wished I could’ve changed, like my parents staying together, but I knew if they’d never broken up, I’d never have come to Carver, and I’d never have met Jesse.  I was starting to become a firm believer that everything happens for a reason and even when those reasons don’t seem to make sense, things work out the way they’re supposed to.  Too many things had happened in my life to believe otherwise. 
    “Okay,” I said, pulling back from my dad and discreetly dabbing at a tear with the sleeve of my robe. “Enough of this mushy stuff.  Let’s get these pictures taken and get to the football field.”
    My grandma stood up and grabbed the camera.  After what seemed like a million different pictures, we all piled into our cars and headed to the graduation.  The parking lot was packed when we arrived, but we found spaces and my family went to find their seats.  I scoured the crowd for my friends, but it was hard to pick anyone out since it was a sea of maroon and everyone looked the same. 
    I looked over to make sure my parents were settling into their seats and then I smiled, having spotted Jesse’s dad.  His Uncle Glenn was there as well.  I jumped when I felt a pair of hands slide around my waist from behind and I instantly knew it was Jesse. 
    “Hey,” he whispered as he kissed me gently on the neck.
    I spun around so I was facing him and reached up with my hands, pulling his face to mine as I kissed him.
    “Are you ready for this?” I asked him.
    “I’ve been ready.  I can’t wait to get to Manhattan in the fall and start college life.”
    “Me too,” I said, reaching up and kissing him again.
    “Seriously.  Can’t you two keep your hands off each other for two seconds?” Laura’s voice broke through our moment and Jesse and I grinned at each other before turning to see our friends walking towards us. 
    “Sorry.  We’ll try and refrain from anymore PDAs this evening,” I said, but Laura just shook her head.
    “That is an impossible task for you two,” she said.
    “It’s finally here.  Can you believe it?” Mandy squealed.  I thought she might burst like balloon from her overwhelming excitement. 
    “We’d better go get in line,” Holly said as she turned towards the already forming string of students. 
    Brandon glanced down at his watch and agreed.  I gave Jesse a quick peck on the cheek and heard Laura sigh, before we all went