𝐕𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐄, 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐫𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫.

043.

"i feel awful," cindy wept, her voice heavy with guilt, her chin resting on her forearm. the weight of the situation was crushing her. "i mean, he was so angry at us. and he has every right to be, honestly." she shook her head, the wind whooshing in her ear, a constant reminder of the world around her.

conrad's hand came to rest on her cheek, the touch was cold against her warm skin, but she didn't even flinch. "it's gonna be okay, cindy, i promise."

"how?" she swallowed hard, lifting her head to meet his gaze, her eyes searching for answers in his features. the thought of jeremiah's anger and hurt panged in her chest. "i think maybe we should hit pause."

his face twisted in confusion, a mixture of surprise and concern as he stared at her blankly. "what? no."

cindy's gaze was heavy with sadness as she met his eyes. "i don't want to make things harder for you guys than they already are," she admitted, her voice tremulous.

conrad's hand gently swept aside the side bangs from her eyes, his touch comforting despite the situation. "you're not," he insisted, his voice carrying a hint of desperation. "i promise."

she shivered slightly in the breeze, leaning into his touch. "the most important thing right now is that you and jeremiah are there for each other, are there for susannah," cindy explained, her words thoughtful and earnest. "and... us being together right now would make that impossible."

"cindy, come on," conrad pleaded, moving a bit closer to her, the sand brushing against her bare calves as he shifted. his thumb brushed against her bottom lip, a tender touch that made her heart flutter.

her eyes flicked between his, her emotions battling within her. her hand rested on his wrist, her touch both comforting and seeking reassurance. "i can't do that to him," she sniffled, her eyes stinging with unshed tears. "i hate this."

"yeah, me too," conrad agreed, his own heart heavy with the weight of their circumstances. his hand slipped from her cheek, finding its way into his pocket. cindy's eyes followed his movements, curiosity piqued as he pulled out a small bag. her lips curled into a grin, recognizing what was concealed within it.

"um... this was always yours," conrad said softly, his fingers grasping the bag's contents. he revealed a silver necklace, an infinity sign dangling from the delicate chain. he held it up, the silver glinting in the sunlight.

cindy's eyes were glued to the necklace, her heart skipping a beat as he approached her. the infinity sign had always held a special meaning for them. her smile grew as he placed the necklace around her neck, the cool metal settling against her skin. "no matter what happens," he murmured, his voice filled with sincerity, "we'll still be infinite."

cindy leaned closer to him, resting her forehead against his, their noses touching, smiles on each of their faces.

"cindy." her father's voice brought her out of her thoughts, making her shake her head and glance around, trying to refocus on her surroundings.

the vibration of the car pulled her back to reality, and she instinctively brought her hand up to fix her necklace. "sorry, uh, what?"

"is something wrong? you zoned out," sophia voiced her concern as michael pulled into the school's parking lot.

"yeah, i'm fine." she forced a smile, feeling the car come to a stop. the three of them got out of the truck, and cindy's hand shook slightly by her side. she smoothed out her baby blue maxi dress and adjusted her white headband, trying to compose herself.

the school was bustling with families, all eager and excited. smiles and chatter filled the air, and cindy found herself surrounded by a sea of anticipation. she took a seat beside belly and taylor, her parents sitting next to john and laurel. the crowd erupted in cheers as steven stepped onto the stage, his height making him slightly tower over the podium.