Chapter 1

THE BEST-KEPT SECRETS ARE THE ONES that eat you up inside, the ones you spend all night dwelling on, beating yourself up over.

Some secrets are good. Some are bad. It’s up to you to decide.

But you must always remember this: whether good or bad, someone always gets hurt in the end.

That’s just the way life goes.

“No, Paige doesn’t know,” Télyn whispered into her cellphone, easing herself closer to the edge of the bed.

The body beside her shifted, breath hitching before settling back into soft snores. Télyn froze, heart thudding, then slowly relaxed.

“Because I don’t tell her everything,” she murmured.

Moonlight spilled through the half-drawn curtains, casting pale shadows across Télyn’s blue dress, the fabric creased where she’d sat down only moments before.

“Are you already on your way?” Télyn twisted the band from her finger, hesitated, then dropped it into the nightstand drawer.

She pulled out a stuffed giraffe and set it carefully in the middle of the bed, adjusting it until the arm rested where she’d been moments before.

“I’m almost done.” Télyn looked over at the frame on the nightstand beside her, the glass caught the light just enough to reflect her own face back at her. She turned it away before the reflection could linger.

“Yeah. She’s sleeping, but I wait a little longer just to be sure,” Télyn whispered. “I’ll check now.”

She rose from the bed, her steps featherlight as she crossed to the opposite side of the room. Leaning down, she pressed a soft kiss to her cheek.

There was a small stir, there always was. Télyn smiled and kissed her once more.

“Goodnight, baby.”

This was her life now. Waiting until she fell asleep before sneaking out of the room. If she didn’t, everything unraveled.

Télyn backed toward the door, phone still pressed to her ear. “On my way,” she whispered before hanging up.

She gently shut the door, and turned to the woman behind her, thick binder in hand.

“She’s down for the night. Usually, she sleeps through the morning, but if she happens to wake up, this binder will tell you exactly what to do.”

The woman took the binder, skimming through the pages. There were sections for just about everything you could think of—dietary choices, nighttime routines, emergency contatcts, household rules. The woman looked up, a knowing smile on her face.

“Télyn, I’ve taken care of enough babies in my lifetime to know exactly what to do,” Consuela said. “You know this.”

“I know that, but this is my baby. I don’t want anything to go wrong,” Télyn replied.

Consuela smiled at her, tucking the binder underneath her arm. “You’re just like your mother, mija. She would text every hour asking for updates. Even after I had been your nanny for years.”

“I was gonna text you every thirty minutes,” Télyn said. Consuela gave her a side-eye, and Télyn laughed awkwardly. “Okay, how about three check-ins?”

“That’s fine,” Consuela said. She would’ve said zero, but Télyn would never go for that. “She’s in good hands, Télyn.”

Télyn glanced at the door, sighing. “I know. It’s just… this is my first time leaving her overnight.”

Consuela gave her a soft, knowing smile. She had watched Télyn grow from a sassy three-year-old into the careful, loving adult she was now. Nights like this had once belonged to Azure, worrying over a sleeping child, pacing the dark, making sure everything was perfect. Now, seeing Télyn hover over Juni the same way, Consuela couldn’t help but recognize the same love, the same devotion, reflected in her.

“She’ll be okay,” Consuela assured gently. “I got her.”

Télyn bit her bottom lip, glancing at the door. She exhaled slowly, nodding. “Okay. If she wakes up, can you call me?”

Consuela waved her off. “No,” she said firmly. “You deserve a night to yourself. Let me worry about Juniper.” She walked over to Télyn, nudging her toward the bedroom. “Now go.”

Télyn laughed lightly, going into the room to grab her heels. She peeked her head into Juni’s room one last time before descending down the steps.

The walk down the stairs felt strange. Each step echoed through the empty rooms, the boxes stacked neatly along the walls a reminder that this was a fresh start—a new home, a new chapter. Her heels clicked lightly on the polished wood as she descended.

Télyn didn’t fully make it down the stairs before she heard her.

“We can stay home,” Paige said, giving Télyn a thorough once-over. “I’d be surprised if we made it out the door knowing us.”

Télyn paused mid-step, her heel hovering over the last stair. “Well… technically, we could stay home,” she said, trying to sound casual. “But then you’d be stuck listening to me talk about… nothing… all night.”

Paige stepped closer. “You look… really good tonight,” she said, tilting her head with a teasing smile.

Télyn’s stomach did a little flip. Her cheeks warmed instantly. “Thank you.”

“Was this dress expensive?” Paige asked lowly, tugging gently at the strap.

Télyn smirked. “Nope. Got it on clearance.”

“Good,” Paige said, licking her lips. “Then you don’t care if I rip it off you tonight?”

Télyn shrugged. “Not even a little bit.”

“Perfect.”

Télyn smiled, wrapping Paige in her arms. She felt Paige’s warmth against her, her heart hammering in that familiar, slightly panicked way it always did.

Paige tilted her head, leaning in just slightly, her lips hovering close. “You know… I could just kiss you right here,” she murmured, a teasing gleam in her eyes.

Télyn froze for a heartbeat, her mind went blank, and then she found herself leaning in before she could overthink it. “Then do it,” she whispered.

Paige grinned, closing the small gap. Their lips met, soft at first, testing, then deepening as Télyn pressed closer, arms tightening around her. Heat bloomed in Télyn’s chest, and she felt that familiar, dizzying flutter—six years in, and Paige still had the power to leave her breathless.

When they finally pulled back, Télyn rested her forehead against Paige’s, laughing softly through her flustered breaths. “Let’s stay home,” she whispered.

Paige chuckled, brushing a thumb over Télyn’s cheek. “I would love to, but we have dinner reservations.”

Télyn groaned softly, following behind Paige as they made their way to the garage. She walked past the portraits they’d put up, each one making her heart swell more than the last: a photo of Paige when she won MVP for the first time, a family portrait with the two of them and Juni—because this was her home too—and Télyn’s personal favorite, their picture from the Olympics, which became iconic in households everywhere.

“I’m excited to see Jana,” Télyn said halfway through the drive.

Paige glanced over at her. “Wow, not even your bestie KK?”

Télyn wrinkled her nose, tapping a finger against the dashboard. “Unfortunately, I talk to KK every day.”

“She’s been teaching Juni cuss words,” Paige said.

“I know. Yesterday, she spilled her juice on the table and said ‘damn.’ When I corrected her, she said KK told her it’s not a real cuss word.”

Paige laughed, throwing her head back. “We have to keep those two far away from each other.”

“Far away,” Télyn emphasized.

Paige reached over, her hand resting on Télyn’s bare thigh. “You really do look good tonight.”

“Thank you,” Télyn murmured, cheeks warming. She glanced over at Paige, dressed in the outfit she picked out. Being a color-coordinating couple was cheesy, yes, but also kind of perfect. “You look pretty in blue.”

“You’re just saying that to get in my pants,” Paige teased.

Télyn gave her a look. “I don’t have to say anything to do that. You’re easy.”

Paige grinned, one corner of her mouth tugging upward. “Easy? Me?”

“Easy as one, two, three,” Télyn said confidently.

“Whatever,” Paige murmured.

Télyn laughed to herself, pulling down the sunvisor. She caught her reflection for a second and blinked. She still got flustered around Paige, still flushed when Paige smiled like that, still felt her stomach flip, but it wasn’t frantic anymore. She was calmer, steadier, more certain of herself. It was the same thrill, just… tempered with experience.

She glanced over at Paige, who was humming along to the music, one hand draped casually over the wheel, the other brushing against Télyn’s thigh. Her eyes softened. Even with the teasing, the hands-on flirting, she could handle it now. Handle Paige. And still love it.

“You’re thinking too hard,” Paige said suddenly, catching her stare. “You always do that.”

Télyn rolled her eyes, but the laugh that escaped was soft, fond. “I can’t help it.”

“You use one-hundred percent of your brain all the time,” Paige teased. “It’s kinda cute.”

“Kinda cute?” Télyn echoed. “Have you lost your mind?”

“Very cute. You know… in a terrifying, overthinking-genius kind of way,” Paige said, grinning as she stole a glance at Télyn.

Télyn shook her head, a smile tugging at her lips despite herself. “Terrifying? I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Paige reached over, brushing her thumb along Télyn’s jawline. “You should. Honestly, it’s one of the things I love most about you.”

Télyn felt heat rise in her chest, that familiar mix of embarrassment and happiness she never quite grew out of. “You really know how to make a girl feel special,” she murmured, her voice soft.

Paige shrugged, as if it were no big deal, though the teasing sparkle in her eyes betrayed her. “You are special. Not everyone can say they’re a genius.”

Télyn hummed, considering. “I guess that’s true.”

Kiki’s contact name popped up on the screen, and Télyn declined it without second thought. Paige glanced at her, raising a brow.

“Since when do we decline Kiki’s calls?”

“I just talked to her earlier. She probably just wants an ETA.”

“Still. You never decline her calls,” Paige said.

Télyn shrugged. “Guess there’s a first time for everything.”

The grip Paige had on Télyn’s thigh tightened slightly. “You’re being weird.”

“I’m not,” Télyn said immediately.

When she turned her head, Paige’s eyes were already on her, the blue striking underneath the moonlight. Télyn met her gaze, heart hammering in her chest. Paige’s eyes were sharp, teasing, but there was something else there too, something insistent, like she could see right through Télyn.

“Are you sure? ‘Cause I know weird when I see it.”

Télyn huffed, the sound caught between a laugh and a sigh, her cheeks warming. “I’m not being weird. I just don’t wanna talk to Kiki right now.”

Paige glanced at her for a moment longer before turning back to the road. She nodded, accepting the answer. “Okay.”

“Okay.”

The rest of the ride was quiet, save for the occasional off-key singing of the two. Every so often, Télyn would rub her ring finger, a habit she’d gotten used to over the years. Sometimes her ring was there, sometimes it wasn’t. It depended on the day, the mood, or sometimes just how nervous she felt. Tonight, it wasn’t there, and the empty weight made her fingers fidget as if they were searching for something solid to hold onto.

“We’re here,” Paige announced as they pulled up to the front of a steakhouse. “They have valet. Very fancy.”

Télyn smiled at her, opening the door. “So fancy.”

“Before we go in, let’s check in,” Paige said, stepping beside Télyn. Her eyes flicked down at Télyn’s hand for a brief second, but paused when she realized her own ring finger was bare too. A small, almost imperceptible hesitation crossed her features.

Télyn noticed it, of course, and offered a tight, careful smile. “You think they’ll say something?”

Paige shook her head. “I think they’ve learned to mind their business by now.”

Télyn let out a small laugh. “Except KK. She doesn’t care about anything.”

“You let me handle KK.” Paige grabbed her hand and walked toward the restaurant entrance. “Which Hello Kitty would you say you are right now?”

“Excited,” Télyn said immediately. “So excited.”

Télyn’s Hello Kitty board was worn from years of use, but it was still very much a useful tool. Even when she didn’t want to use it, Paige insisted, because she knew her. Télyn might tell you she was fine, but when Paige checked the board, it told a different story. Just like it had in the car.

Paige squeezed her hand. “Me too.”

“I’m excited to see Kiki,” Télyn beamed, dragging Paige toward the hostess stand. She gave the host their information and waited for a few moments before following her. “I haven’t seen her in so long.”

Between long shifts and the thick of med school, Télyn hadn’t had much time to catch up with friends, or much of a social life at all. But Kiki… Kiki always found her way to Télyn. Facetime calls and check-ins via text wasn’t enough for her. Not when she knew her best friend was juggling long hours, late nights, and endless responsibilities.

Kiki showed up in person, reminding Télyn why she was more than just a med student buried in shifts and textbooks. She’d sit in the library with Télyn while she studied, bring snacks at odd hours, and notice when Télyn needed a break, even when she insisted she didn’t. Over the years, their friendship had grown into something steady and unshakable—the laughs, the tears, the quiet moments that mattered most. Besides Sade, who had lived with her for years, Kiki was the one who had been there through it all.

It was a different kind of sisterhood. It wasn’t the same one from her earlier twenties, when Télyn was crying over a silly little misunderstanding between her and her girlfriend. This was deeper; Kiki had been there for the heartbreaks that weren’t easily fixed, the dreams that didn’t go as planned, the nights when Télyn felt completely alone even in a crowded world. She’d sit with her in silence, hold her hand when she needed steadying, and never asked for explanations. She simply was there, always.

“I’m sure Kiki is happy to see you,” Paige said as they approached their reserved room.

Not even three seconds after the hostess left, Télyn was hoisted into the air.

“Té!” Kiki squealed loudly, arms wrapped tight around her waist as she spun her in a circle. “There’s my doctor!”

Télyn laughed infectiously, her hands gripping Kiki’s shoulders. “Kiki, put me down before I throw up on you!”

Kiki grimaced, setting her on the floor. “We have so much to catch up on. Like, how’s the new house? How’s Potato? How’s everything?”

“Kiki, please relax.” Sade pulled Télyn into a hug that was calmer but just as tight, her cheek pressing briefly against Télyn’s shoulder. “Hi Spikes. I’m not sure why Kiki’s acting like we didn’t just see you last week.”

Kiki rolled her eyes at them. “Last week was basically last year.”

That was another thing. Med school had taught Télyn that time didn’t move the way it was supposed to. Days stretched thin and endless, each one blurring into the next, measured in shifts and exams and stolen hours of sleep.

There had been a time when she counted days the same way, marking them off until she could see Paige again, until she could breathe easier just being in the same room as her. Back then, a week apart felt unbearable.

Even now, it still did.

So when Télyn said she hadn’t seen Kiki in so long, she meant it. Because in her world, a single week could feel like a small lifetime.

Paige cleared her throat politely, hovering just behind Télyn. Kiki gasped dramatically.

“Oh my God, Paige,” she said, eyes widening as if she’d just noticed her for the first time. “Hi. Sorry. I get tunnel vision when Té’s around. You know how it is.”

Paige chuckled when Kiki pulled her into a hug. “Hey, Kiki.”

“Hi,” Kiki said, grinning. “Ready to lose tomorrow?”

Paige kissed her teeth. “Never.”

“Uh-oh. Té has red hair,” KK said, nudging Jana. “You know what they say about redheads.”

Télyn looked over her shoulder, KK and Jana emerging from the hallway that led to the bathrooms, drinks already in hand.

Télyn blinked, then laughed. “First of all, it’s not red. It’s auburn.”

“It looks red,” KK said.

Jana snorted. “Well, whatever color it is… it’s cute.”

Télyn smiled. She’d made the decision to dye her hair during M4. Well, really, Paige had made the decision, and Télyn had agreed after a few panic-filled minutes of thinking about how permanent it might feel.

The color had turned out warmer than she expected. It caught the light just right, bringing out her freckles and giving her face a different look. Different, but in a good way.

“I picked out the color,” Paige said, smug. “It brings out her eyes.”

KK fake gagged. “So you’re still disgustingly in love with her, huh?”

Télyn flicked her off. “You’re still a hater, huh?”

“It never ends with these two,” Jana said, taking a seat at the table.

KK bucked at Télyn, and Télyn bucked back, rolling her eyes. They had long since accepted that KK was basically her annoying child at this point. Unfortunately for Télyn, she loved KK too much to let their friendship fizzle out after college. KK still facetimed her about the most random things, and though Télyn found it just as annoying as she had in undergrad, she looked forward to the calls anyway. The random memes, the “emergency” debates about which snack was superior, the constant commentary on Télyn’s life, all of it was infuriating and exhausting at times, but also impossible to ignore.

Paige just smirked, sliding a hand lightly over Télyn’s lower back. “More than in love. I’m completely obsessed.”

Télyn groaned, pressing a hand to her face. “You’re embarrassing me.”

“There’s no such thing as embarrassment here,” Jana said. “We’re all family.”

Sade nodded in agreement. “Paige gets her all flustered, even after all these years.”

“So cute,” KK added. “It’s like watching a puppy try to act tough.”

Télyn huffed. Paige chuckled softly beside her, and Télyn felt the familiar warmth of being in the middle of her people. The ones who saw her quirks, teased her relentlessly, and somehow made the world feel a little smaller, a little lighter.

Kiki waved at them. “Okay, enough chit chatting. We have wine. Let’s catch up before Té starts thinking she’s famous or something.”

Télyn laughed, settling into her seat beside Paige.

“So, I’ll start,” KK said once everyone got settled.

Kiki gave her a look from across the table. “Uh, no. Té starts first. I mean, this is her graduation dinner after all.”

“Start with what?” Télyn asked.

KK leaned forward. “Anything. Tell us everything.”

“We’ll ask you questions,” Jana said. “I have a list.”

Télyn raised an eyebrow. “Oh, so I guess I am famous.”

“Not too much,” KK said. “We’re just nosy.”

The bottle of wine made its way around the table, everyone filling their glasses just enough. When Paige reached to hand it to Jana, Jana nodded at Télyn, but Paige shook her head.

Télyn noticed the little back and forth and said, “It’s okay. I’m not drinking tonight.”

You would’ve thought Télyn had renounced Frank Ocean himself, by the way the room stilled. Everyone shared glances, eyebrows raising, mouths twitching in disbelief.

KK broke the silence first, gasping dramatically. “You’re not drinking at your graduation dinner? Are you trying to ruin your own celebration?”

“You trying to tell us something, Santi?” Jana asked, leaning forward.

Télyn rolled her eyes. “No,” she said flatly.

KK huffed, pretending to look scandalized. “Not drinking. On your graduation dinner. If I survived four years of med school while winning a gold medal and taking care of a cranky child every summer, I’d be getting blacked out right now.”

“I’ve survived worse,” Télyn said.

“Worse than that?” KK’s eyes widened, incredulous. “You mean to tell me you’re telling us this is easy?”

Télyn nodded.

KK slapped her palm against the table. “I’m starting a rumor!”

Paige laughed despite herself. “Chill out, KK. She just doesn’t like wine. Relax.”

“Wow,” KK said, leaning back in her chair. “Your taste buds are still childish, I see.”

“Everything about you is childish,” Télyn shot back, rolling her eyes.

The table erupted in laughter, the sound filling every inch of the room. The waitress came and took their orders, so now they were catching up in their small individual groups. Télyn, Paige, and Jana were having a rather entertaining conversation about Juni when Kiki yelled from across the table.

“Té, have you talked to Cam today?”

Télyn nodded. “Earlier. She’s sad she couldn’t make it, so she wants lots of pictures. So does Lo.”

“What about Aubs and Ice?” Jana asked.

Télyn shrugged. “I didn’t invite them,” she admitted.

Everyone looked at her like she was crazy. Because Télyn was still good friends with the both of them. They didn’t talk everyday, but they talked enough to receive an invite to her graduation dinner.

“Why didn’t you invite them?” Paige asked.

Télyn picked at her napkin. “I just… I didn’t want it to be awkward. I feel like Aubrey thinks she has to walk on eggshells around me. And Ice…. Well, I didn’t invite her because she told me she wouldn’t come because of certain people.”

Télyn and Sade made eye contact from across the table. Sade just shrugged, like she wasn’t the exact person Télyn was talking about.

“What?” Sade said. “I don’t play about you.”

Sade and Ice were cool once upon a time since they went to high school together, but that was deaded the moment Sade discovered just how messy Ice was. Being messy was one thing, but being messy and thinking you could play in her face was another.

“She forgave her,” Kiki told Sade. “Plus, that was so long ago.”

“I don’t care if it was a thousand years ago,” Sade said simply. “She showed Té who she is. I believe people the first time.”

Télyn might’ve thought she could hold a grudge, but Sade was the queen of stubborn. It didn’t matter if something happened five years ago or fifty, she wasn’t letting you live it down.

Télyn groaned. “Can’t we all just get along?”

Paige and Sade gave her the same skeptical look. “No,” they said in unison.

Télyn didn’t even bother looking at Sade; that response had been expected. But Paige was supposed to be on her side. She narrowed her eyes and kicked her gently under the table.

The relationship Télyn had with the UConn girls was a touchy subject. It felt like everyone had picked sides without ever actually knowing the full story.

There was Jana and KK, easy and uncomplicated. Jana, because she was a breath of fresh air and Télyn’s most normal friend. KK, because she was basically Télyn and Paige’s child and therefore in it for the long haul, whether she liked it or not.

But this was where things got messy.

Aubrey and Jojo were still best friends, which made sense. They’d known each other since childhood, long before college, before everything else. Télyn and Jojo only spoke when it came to Juni—nothing more, nothing less.

Télyn had tried with Aubrey. She really had. But every conversation felt careful, measured. Like Aubrey was afraid of saying the wrong thing, or worse, taking the wrong side. And after a while, that distance settled in, quiet but permanent.

With Ice, it was more complicated. Because Ice was still close friends with those who shall not be named. And Télyn was okay with that. At least that’s what she had told herself. It wasn’t until the Olympics that Télyn realized how messy things could get.

Télyn had learned over the years that it was okay to love people from a distance. As much as she loved Ice, she knew some lines couldn’t be crossed, and Paige was one of them.

Paige, who had been good friends with all the girls at one point, didn’t talk to them as much as she thought she would’ve a few years ago. Paige, who had chosen Télyn over them, and would do it again without batting an eye. That choice wasn’t made lightly, but it had been effortless in the end, because when it came to loyalty and love, Paige knew where her heart belonged.

“Té is too nice for me,” Sade said. “I thought doctors were supposed to be mean.”

Télyn rolled her eyes. “I’m not that nice.”

“Juni made you soft,” KK added.

Kiki laughed. “Really? ‘Cause I thought Juni made her more… ruthless. The perfect doctor.”

Paige shook her head, smiling despite herself. “I think Juni has taught her patience. She doesn’t get mad at me anymore when I take forever in the morning because she’s watched Juni take twenty minutes to dress herself with a smile on her face. Kinda puts things in perspective.”

“Patience?” Sade echoed, raising an eyebrow. “This is the same woman who called to cuss me out yesterday because I wasn’t responding to her text fast enough.”

“I told you it was important!” Télyn exclaimed, throwing her hands up in mock exasperation. “Not life-or-death important, but still important!”

Sade laughed, shaking her head. “You did all that to ask me which hairstyle you should wear today.”

“You picked the right one,” Paige said, glancing at Télyn. She leaned forward to squeeze her hand under the table, her smile quiet but full of affection. “I love the bun on you.”

Télyn leaned forward, meeting her halfway. “And I love the low bun on you. Especially when I do it.”

“Are they about to make out?” KK whispered to Jana.

Jana leaned back, smirking. “You’d love that, wouldn’t you?”

“Can’t believe they’re one of those cringey couples who make googly eyes at the dinner table,” Sade mumbled.

Télyn leaned in closer to Paige, their noses brushing. “Are they hating down there?” she whispered.

Paige nodded, a small grin tugging at her lips. “Pretty much. But let them talk. They’re used to it.”

Télyn laughed softly, resting her forehead against Paige’s. “I think it’s funny. And secretly, they’re jealous.”

“So jealous,” Paige agreed.

Dramatic groans echoed throughout the room. Télyn giggled, pecking Paige’s lips before leaning back in her seat. Everyone just stared at them, equal parts disgust and amusement. There was a time when Télyn didn’t even want to hug Paige around other people, and now here she was, pecking her lips in front of the whole table like it was the most natural thing in the world.

The next hour was a blur of good steak, banter, and laughter that bounced off the walls. Télyn and Paige kept their hands brushing under the table, little smiles and secret glances shared between bites. Sade rolled her eyes at their subtle displays, KK muttered dramatic complaints about the couple’s “disgusting cuteness,” and Jana just shook her head, grinning at how much Télyn had changed.

Between stories about college antics, teasing about old habits, and debates over the best dessert, Télyn felt a sense of ease she hadn’t felt in years. She let herself enjoy the chaotic mix of friends around her without having to worry about classes or deadlines or annoying professors.

After dinner, Télyn cleared her throat, standing up at the head of the table. She clinked her fork against her glass dramatically, all eyes now on her.

“As you all know, I recently graduated from medical school.”

A chorus of cheers, claps, and very unnecessary whoops erupted around the table. KK stood up halfway, raising her glass like she was at a championship parade.

“Doctor Rivera,” she shouted. “Put some respect on her name.”

“Sit down.” Télyn laughed, shaking her head as she waited for the noise to die down. Paige watched her with that soft, proud look she always tried—and failed—to hide.

Télyn cleared her throat again. “I’m not with the sentimental shit, so let’s skip to the fun part,” she said. “Kiki, the bag.”

Kiki handed her a gift bag.

“Okay, this is very dramatic, but it’s very on brand for me,” Télyn said.

“What’s in the bag?” Sade asked.

Télyn narrowed her eyes. “Can you let me talk?”

Sade rolled her eyes. Télyn continued.

“I went through the match process for residency. I think everyone knows by now that my specialty is neurology, but I haven’t announced where I’m completing my residency. Since I love you guys so much, you get to find out first.”

The table leaned in immediately.

“Wait, lemme facetime the groupchat,” Sade said, pulling out her phone.

KK scooted her chair closer. “I’m nervous.”

Télyn rolled her eyes. “Okay, I am giving everyone a once in a lifetime pass to scream at the top of their lungs once I announce it.”

“Just hurry up,” Cameron said through the phone.

Télyn laughed, shaking her head. “But I’m the impatient one?”

She was practically bouncing off the walls as she dug through the bag. She’d been sitting on this piece of information for three months and could finally share with everyone else.

She pulled the hat out of the bag slowly, dragging the moment out. Everyone held their breath.

“Why are you moving like that?” KK asked. “You’re stressing me out.”

“That’s the point,” Télyn said, grinning.

She finally pulled the hat free and held it up by the brim.

A navy baseball cap with grey stitching.

The lettering across the front was bold and clean.

UT SOUTHWESTERN

“So this is where I’ll be spending the next four years,” Télyn said with a smile.

Everyone froze.

But it wasn’t until Kiki yelled, “That’s in Dallas!” that the room erupted.

The next thing Télyn knew, she was swept off her feet and spinning in the air.

“Oh my god!” Jana screamed. “Oh my god, this is amazing!”

Télyn laughed, clinging to Kiki as she was set back down, her cheeks burning from excitement.

Cameron’s voice blasted through the phone, high-pitched with excitement. “Wait… so all those years of long-distance… it’s over? She’s going to be with Paige? Like, for real?”

Télyn laughed, a little breathless, but her chest tightened with emotion. Four years. Four years of late-night facetimes, tearful goodbyes at the airport, missed weekends, and stolen holidays. Four years of missing her fiancée’s laugh, her warmth, the way Paige could make her whole after a rough shift. Four years… and now, finally, it would all end.

“I’m so happy for you,” Sade said, pulling Télyn into a tight hug. “That’s my favorite neurologist.”

“I’m not a neurologist yet,” Télyn murmured into her shoulder.

Paige stepped closer, her eyes lighting up the way they always did when she looked at Télyn. Without a word, she wrapped her arms around her fiancée, pulling her into a firm, grounding hug.

Télyn let herself melt into Paige’s chest, inhaling the familiar scent, feeling the quiet steadiness that had kept her going through four years of long-distance. Her hands found Paige’s, fingers lacing together almost instinctively.

“I can’t believe this is real,” Paige whispered, her voice catching. “You’re staying here… with me.”

Télyn leaned into her, burying her face in Paige’s shoulder. “Of course I am. I couldn’t go another four without you.”

“I love you,” Paige whispered.

“I love you more,” Télyn murmured back, letting herself melt into Paige’s warmth. “I’m so happy. No more airports, no more time zones… just us. And okay, you’ll still have road games, but—” She laughed, pressing her forehead to Paige’s. “—you’ll always come home to me.”

Paige smiled, eyes glinting with tears and amusement. “Best news I’ve heard all month.”

“I’m so happy,” Télyn repeated.

And she was. When she received the email that she matched to UTSW, she had screamed into her pillow, pacing her apartment at Stanford, trying to contain herself. But now, it was different. Now she didn’t have to contain anything. The joy wasn’t just hers; it was theirs.

She looked up at Paige, catching the soft curve of her smile, the way her eyes softened even when the room around them was chaotic with friends.

“UTSW has a top ten neurology program, by the way,” she whispered to Paige.

Paige chuckled softly, pressing a kiss to the top of Télyn’s head. “Of course they do.”

“So I didn’t just make this decision because of you. I was thinking of my future. Our future.”

Paige’s hand slid to the small of Télyn’s back, steady and grounding. “I’m proud of you, Télyn.”

“Thank you, baby,” Télyn said. “I’m proud of us. Lo hicimos. Four years is a long time, but it flew by. Thanks to my spreadsheets, of course.”

“Thanks to your very detailed spreadsheets,” Paige said softly.

Télyn pressed her lips against Paige’s neck, savoring the warmth and the steady, familiar rhythm of her heartbeat. Paige let out a soft sigh, tilting her head so Télyn could reach her more easily. For a moment, the noise of the room faded into nothing.

“Gay as fuck!” KK yelled.

The room erupted into chaos again—cheers, squeals, even a few dramatic fake faintings—but Télyn barely noticed. All she saw was Paige, the person who had made every lonely hour bearable, and finally, finally, she was home.