Chapter 476. It All Comes out

My heart pounds over Sydney's voice, his words clear and steady. 

“My mate,” he says proudly, and the rest of his words are drowned out by the thrum in the room. Some people stand in shock, but everyone is smiling, everyone is turning from us to Sydney’s parents, who are beaming with pride and I’m…

In a dream. This has to be a dream because, suddenly, I’m on my feet and people I don’t know are hugging me, shaking my hand, raining blessings upon blessing on us. 

I look through a part in the fray and find Ella turning every so slightly to Maddy, her dark brows arched as Maddy mouths something that can only be, “I told you so.”

They disappear as more people come up to us, the dinner forgotten entirely. 

This goes on for at least another twenty minutes. Eventually, Sydney sits me back down at our snug table, shoulder to shoulder with Kenna and Misty, and piles my plate high before walking off and dipping into conversations with excited f