Reign's POV.

Waking up next to someone you care about is the best part, especially if they're already awake and staring at you like you're a cute sleeping child.

This is the third time I'm waking up to Luke watching me sleep. I called him a freak the first time, I asked him why the second time but today? today I just smile.

He smiles back but the smile doesn't reach his eyes.

I know a lot of worries hide behind that smile.

I sit up, rubbing sleep out of my eyes and blinking down at him.

"What's wrong?" My sleepy tone sounds dry.

"Nothing," he tugs on the t-shirt I'm wearing, "I just never thought you and I would end up like this." He smooths his hand on my arm.

"Life is unpredictable." I shrug, nodding.

He moves to sit on the edge of my bed, resting his elbows on his knees, his fingers digging into his hair.

I wrap my arms around him from behind.

When I was starting this school year, I sat down and I predicted my last remaining days in highschool, I made big plans for myself and those plans did not include dating or hooking up with Luke Richardson.

I now realize that I was angry at the world for my mere existence and for everything else in it but this right here, me waking up next to someone I care about more than myself and also knowing that Daniel Miller is an innocent man, this is everything I've ever wanted out of the world.

"What's really wrong?" I press my lips against his shoulder.

"My grandfather left his entire life's work in my name." He answers, sighing.

I freeze.

"Oh. Sorry for your loss." I say.

"No," he laughs, "He died when I was thirteen." He looks at me over his shoulder.

"Oh." I feel stupid.

"He left everything in my name and I don't know why and my father didn't even tell me about it." He says.

"Geez." I wrinkle my face.

"Yeah, the worst part is I don't even know what I'm gonna do with sixty-five million dollars." He complains, I choke on air.

"He left you sixty-five million dollars?!" I shout, widening my eyes at him.

"Among other things, yeah." He nods like it's nothing.

It's not nothing, it's sixty-five million dollars.

"I swear some people were born with stupid luck." I mutter underneath my tone, "Well for starters, you don't have to relay on your Dad anymore, you can literally start your own empire with that kind of money." I say, he nods thoughtfully.

"I gotta go." He starts putting on his shoes.

He stands and stares down at me, bringing his hand to my chin, his thumb ghosting over my lips.

I smile.

Weirdo.

"See you at school?" I push his hand away, he smiles.

"Sure." He bends over to kiss me, I quickly cover my mouth with my palm.

His eyes turn curious.

"Morning breath." I speak into my hand, he rolls his eyes.

"God, you're so dramatic sometimes," he removes my hand and pecks my lips, my cheek, my chin, my throat, the length of my neck.

"Stop." I shove him playfully.

"Later." He walks to my window, he glances at me before climbing out, putting on that big smile that brings out his dimples. "Girlfriend."

I die a little.

"Boyfriend." I respond, laughing. He shakes his head and he climbs out. I fall onto the mattress, releasing a muffled excited scream and kicking my feet in the air.

God, I have a boyfriend.

I have a boyfriend.

It sounds so strange.

I head down stairs for a cup of coffee.

I don't even like coffee but today, I'm gonna give coffee a freaking chance.

I stride into the kitchen and I spot my Mom on the kitchen table, drinking a cup of coffee while typing something on her laptop.

My excitement dies down and my heart breaks for her.

She was right all along.

"Hey Mom?" I call nervously.

I don't even remember the last time I called her like this.

"Yes, sweetie?" She responds, meeting my eyes across the room.

"What time do you talk to Dad?" I ask, fidgeting with the hem of my shirt.

She blinks at me in disbelief then she smiles.

"He'll call in an hour, why?" She questions.

"I wanna talk to him." I answer.

A wave of all kinds of emotion run across her face. She's a very emotional person.

"Seriously?" Tears well in her eyes and she sniffles.

"Seriously." I nod, my throat becomes heavy and it hurts.

She flies out of her chair and launches towards me, engulfing me into a tight hug.

I keep my hand on my sides at first but there's nothing as comfortable as a mother's embrace, with that, I close my eyes and I wrap my hands around her.

"Okay," She laughs before pulling away, "I don't know why you're making this decision but thank you, he'll be so happy to hear your voice." She tells me, I nod while wiping my own tears away.

I take the chair next to hers and she decides to make a cup of coffee for me.

It's so strange, almost as though we've been strangers all our lives and this is when we're getting to know one another.

Either way, I'm glad it's happening.

We sit on the table, she asks me about school, I tell her that I have a boyfriend now but I don't mention his name (baby steps), she tells me about how business at the pharmacy as been going since she decided to stop using.

We're interrupted by the sound of her phone ringing on the table.

My heart hammers against my chest.

"That's for you." She slides the device to me, my eyes drop to the screen.

Inmate.

I grab the phone while Mom stands and tells me she'll be in the other room.

I take the call and I wait for him to speak.

"Hello."  His voice echoes.

"Dad."

"Reign?" The disbelief in his tone cuts me.

"Hey Dad, it's me." 

"Wow, you sound all grown up." He half laughs.

"I am, what about you? do you have gray hair and stuff?"

"I certainly do."  He chuckles.

I smile, picturing him with gray hair.

"I'm so sorry, Dad, I failed you." I frown, staring down at my black coffee.

"No, sweetheart, you didn't fail me, you're talking to me, that's all that matters." He assures me.

"This might not be a very wise question but how have you been?"

"Surviving, you?"

"Jordan said I'm not the Reign that I used to be, I think she was right." I tell him.

"People grow, Reign, I gave you that name because I knew you'd become something great one day, greatness seeks growth, tell her that the next time she says something like that." He says.

"Dad?" I smile.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Not to be weird or anything but I finally got myself a boyfriend," I inform him.

Might as well tell the whole world while we're at it.

"Every father's nightmare but okay, what's he called?"

"Luke Richardson. He told me about what really happened to you."

"Little Luke Richardson, I remember him, his haircut cost more than the shoes I was wearing." He jokes, I snort a laugh because I always told myself the same thing.

I drop my smile and I swallow.

"Are you disappointed that I'm dating him? Cause of what his Dad did?"

"Reign, sweetheart, love is love, what happened between me and Luke's father has nothing to do with you guys, if he loves you and you love him then the rest of the world can go fuck itself."

"I don't even believe in love so..."

"That's okay, love is just a word until someone gives it meaning anyway."

"I really don't want to lose him though."

"I won't lie to you, Reign, love is a bumpy ride, especially in your situation, if you want things to work out with Luke then you need to hold on and hold as tight as you can." He says.

His words make me uneasy but I know he's right, Luke and I might be getting my father's approval and not caring about what the rest of them think but what if things between us get really really serious and we have no choice but to involve our families.

What then?

"Hey Miller! Time's up!" Shouts someone from the background.

"Sweetheart, I gotta go."

"Yeah, sure, I'm glad we had this talk."

"Me too, I'd love to do it again."

"Of course, Dad, talk tomorrow?"

"Sure, bye."

"Okay, bye." I hang up.

I place the phone on the table and I feel like something heavy has been lifted off my chest, I feel light and happy and free, so very free.

********

A\N:  It's that time again, time to say goodbye. Goodbyes are overrated but necessary at times but it doesn't have to be goodbye, you could still meet them in the next upcoming stories.

Anyway, two more parts and we say goodbye to Reign and Luke's story.

But, as we all know, I had introduced so many other characters in this story, characters with love stories that didn't really pull through, I don't think it's fair to just leave those stories hanging so I've decided that I'm gonna write two spin-off stories.

I'll say more in the last chapter.