Justin

It turns out that Addie and I were right about Chris's situation - my father can't do a damned thing about what Chris wants. Our father's reaction was typical. He didn't believe a word of what Chris said because he seems to have this vendetta for Mom and said she made Chris write it, but he had no proof of that. The letter was written and read by Chris. Any allegations he made against Mom would be nullified because of that. So my little brother came home early with all his stuff and a grin on his face.

It's now the week of graduation and I'm waiting in the kitchen at Addie's house for my date. Zander and a couple other guys are here too, along with the parents I already know and have just met. We're all waiting on the girls to come downstairs. After that, we're going to take some pictures, socialize a little, and then drive to a large waterfront hotel in Kelowna for a march and then a banquet that's combined with dessert and a dance.

Zander nudges me. "What do you think is taking them so long?"

I shrug. "They're girls. How am I supposed to know?"

We both laugh because we know it's true. Who knows what they're doing up there?

A couple more minutes of chatting pass by before the girls come downstairs. Sophia, Jacey, and Nadira all look amazing, but when I see Addie, I'm breathless. She's wearing her stunning dress and her hair has been done up in a sophisticated style, complete with a braid crown and some curly wisps of dirty blonde hair framing her face. Her makeup is light - just the way I like it - with a light dusting of blush on her cheeks and a thin coat of mascara.

"Hi," she whispers when she's standing in front of me.

"H-hi," I stutter, still in shock.

"What do you think?" she asks.

What do I think? I can't even describe what I think, so when I say she looks amazing, I feel like I've disappointed her. "Sorry, Addie. It's the best I can come up with," I say. "I have no other thoughts I can put into words."

She blushes. "That's okay." She looks me up and down. "You look rather handsome yourself."

I smile, looking back at her. She looks stunning, but I feel like there's something missing. She's got no jewelry like the other girls do. And that's when I realize I'm still wearing the necklace she left with me. Quickly, I take it off.

"Turn around," I say, gesturing to the necklace.

Addie looks down at the necklace and her face lights up. I knew she wanted it back, I just couldn't bear to part with it at the beginning of my recovery or while I was recovering. So I think now's the perfect time to give it back.

When the pinecone pendant is resting on her chest, I ask, "Why a pinecone?"

"Now that," someone says from behind, "is a funny story."

Addie and I turn around to see her dad. "Why?" I ask.

"No, Dad," Addie begs, her cheeks flaring. "Please don't tell him."

"No!" I say, extremely curious. "You have to tell me now."

Addie's dad laughs. "So Addie must have been about seven-years-old when Mira and I taught her how to ride a dirt bike. And let me tell you, Justin, it was a fiasco. She fell several times, scraped up her elbows and knees, cried because she couldn't keep her balance. But, just like learning to ride a bike, she eventually got it. Damn, she was a natural just like her parents. So Mira and I decided to take Addie on one of the beginner trails, Mira at the front and me at the back just in case our daughter wiped out again."

Glancing at Addie, I smile. "I'm liking this story so far."

"Shut up," Addie mumbles, her cheeks burning.

"Ads did awesome up until we got into a denser forest area with loads of pine trees," Brett continues. "In this one area, God I remember it so well, there was a pine tree that had lost a bunch of its needles. With a dirt bike, those little buggers are a pain - they cause you to slip and slide. But little Ads didn't know that. She bit it hard, sliding and scraping herself up pretty good. When I got off my dirt bike to make sure she was okay, she was already standing up, fuming because she'd wiped out again. In fact, she was so mad that she picked up a pinecone and chucked it, hitting me right in the head."

I burst out laughing while I try to picture a smaller version of Addie throwing a temper tantrum.

"Dad," Addie moans in embarrassment, covering her face with her hands. "I didn't know you were rushing to come see me, okay?! I was mad at myself for messing up and I threw the first thing I could get my small hands on! If I had looked, you know I wouldn't have hit you."

"Thank God you had your helmet, hey?" I ask through the laughter.

Brett laughs. "I don't know what would have happened to me if I hadn't. My little girl had a wicked arm."

"Oh my God," Addie says. "I'm leaving. Goodbye."

I grab her arm and pull her into my arms, planting a small kiss on her cheek. "No, you're not. You might be going to grab a pinecone to throw at me for laughing."

A small smile plays across her lips. "Maybe I was."

I'm just about to kiss her again when Elle, Sophia's mom, and Mira come into the kitchen with their cameras ready.

"Photo time!" Elle says in a singsong voice.

"Mom," Sophia groans. "Stop."

I laugh along with everyone else, emotion striking me.

If anyone would have told me a year ago that this is where I'd be now, I would have laughed in their face, telling them they were daft. I feel like a completely different person now. Being surrounded by people I can trust, people that love me no matter what, people who accept me for who I am - it's something I've longed for for as long as I can remember.

I love this newfound happiness. I love that I feel whole again, like I have complete and total control over my life now. No one can understand how relieving and uplifting it is to go from carrying this constant burden to having nothing to worry about in the medical department. A weight has been lifted from my shoulders and I can finally breathe again. I can finally be happy.

But more importantly, there are no longer any doors closed. I can do whatever I want to do now - go to college or university, look forward to driving, take showers when I'm home alone.

And I have no one else to thank but Addie.

Without Addie, I don't think I ever would have realized that I had the strength to get through all this.

Because of her, I don't think I would ever have realized that sometimes bad things that happen in our lives put on directly on the path to the best things that will ever happen to us.

"Are you ready?" Addie asks me.

I look at her, taking in that beautiful heart-shaped face, her blue eyes, and that smile I've loved since the first time I saw it.

Am I ready?

Am I ready to graduate and start a life where I have control? It's a big step for me since I've been so dependent on people, but it's just like the story Addie's dad told me about her learning how to dirt bike. It'll be hard at first, but I'll eventually get the hang of it. Sometimes I'll stumble and sometimes I'll make mistakes.

But I know I have people I can count on to help me when I need it. I know I have the strength I need to get through it.

Taking her hand, I nod my head, tears pricking my eyes. "I am ready, Addie. I am so ready."

She smiles as if she understands the deeper meaning behind my words and leans forward to kiss me.

"Then let's do this," she whispers against my lips. "You and me."

"You and me," I whisper back.

Life is full of unpredictable moments, but it's at this moment that I know I'm going to be okay. Life can throw whatever the hell it wants at me, try to break me, but even when I fall, I'm still going to get back up and fight.

Because this is the life I want.

And after everything I've fought through, there's no way in hell I'm giving it up.