After that weird lunch date with Wynonna and Mercedes, things seemed to be looking up. I mean, besides the whole Tucker situation. I was very openly dating Nicole, which got some weird looks from a few students and most of the faculty members, but I didn't care. I was happy. Genuinely happy. Which, I'd never realized I wasn't until I met her. It's so weird. My whole life seemed to be so amazing before. I thought I had it all, and then I met her. She was so much different than everything I'd been used to, but it was a good different. From the moment I met her, my life had changed for the better. And I was okay with it. My plans were the same, yet different than before.

They had to be different. I mean, I'm in a committed relationship that I want to last. I knew there were some changes that needed to be made, but I wasn't sure what they were yet. Maybe I would stay in Purgatory while Nicole went to the city for the police academy. It was quite a distance, but I could get my own car and visit whenever we had time. Maybe even convince Gus and Curtis to let me spend the night every once in a while? All this was some time away, but it still made me feel better to at least think about it. What can I say? I'm a planner!

I walked out of one of the few classes I didn't have with Nicole, about to head to my locker as I thought about this. When I was walking the halls of Purgatory High, I felt like I was the only one who actually cared about my future. Like it wasn't something these small-town kids thought about. I mean, I'm a small-town kid, too, but I at least had some semblance of a future. These kids seemed like they were only interested in drinking, partying, and having sex. Like they wouldn't have enough of that in college.

"Waverly Earp, please report to the principal's office. Waverly Earp, please report to the principal's office."

I froze, looking up at the speaker that those words had just come out of. I was being called to the principal's office?

But... why?

I sighed, turning around to head back ignoring the kids in the hallways, who were "ooh-ing" as I passed them. What is this? Third grade? Ugh.

I arrived at the office and the receptionist lady- whose name I do not remember- and she looked at me with a confused expression.

"Waverly Earp?" She asked, seemingly just as confused as I was.
I nodded. "Yeah," I replied.

All she did was nod towards the door that read "PRINCIPAL" and then look away. I looked at the door and swallowed nervously. I'd never been called to the principal's office before. That's what happened when you got in trouble. I don't get in trouble!

I sighed and walked over to the door, taking a deep breath before knocking.

"Come in," Mrs. Montgomery called out, her voice muffled through the door.

I hesitantly put my hand on the doorknob and turned it, pushing the door open slowly. I poked my head into the room and gave a nervous smile.

"You wanted to see me, Principal Montgomery?" I asked, my voice a little more shaky than I'd intended.
The woman looked up from her desk and smiled. "Yes. Have a seat, Miss Earp." She told me, gesturing to one of the chairs in front of her desk.

I nodded, pushing the door further open, stepping into the room. I closed the door behind me and walked to sit down in the chair. I took my bag off of my shoulder and set it down on the floor in front of my feet.

"What did you wanna see me about?" I asked, starting to feel a bit queasy. I just wanted to know if I was in trouble, really. I mean, I knew I shouldn't be because I never did anything wrong, but that didn't stop me from being nervous.
Mrs. Montgomery looked at me. "I wanted to talk to you about your future," she stated.
Oh. That's it? I blinked, too confused to be relieved. "Oh. Okay. What-... what about it?" I asked. I had everything all planned out. Well- mostly planned out. The only problem was that I now needed to adjust to fit my relationship with Nicole into the equation.

"Just thought we should make sure you have everything planned out and on track. You're the best student this school has ever had, and I'll be damned if you throw it all away. I heard about your relationship with Nicole Haught, and frankly, I wonder if it will affect your plans for the future." She spoke, her hands now folded on her desk. She looked at me with a smile, but I could see how serious she was in her eyes.

I swallowed anxiously, unsure of what to say. "Uh- Well. I wasn't really thinking about changing my plans. I'm sure they're going to be staying the same for the most part," I said. I didn't know how my plans would change exactly- that was something I needed to discuss with Nicole- but I had a feeling they wouldn't really change at all.
Mrs. Montgomery nodded a bit. "Of course, I understand completely. It's just that... Well, Waverly... Are you planning on staying in Purgatory?" She questioned, the seriousness in her eyes shifting to concern.
I was. But her tone made me question whether or not I should... "I mean, yeah. That was always the plan," I replied with a shrug.
"I don't think you should... This town... it's only going to hold you back. I just feel like you would have a much easier time outside of Purgatory."

Ah. I think I understand now.

"Somewhere without Earps... Where no one knows my family?" I asked.

I knew that's what she was getting at. It was actually kind of obvious. I knew that everyone in Purgatory was hesitant to trust me because of my dad and sisters. I mean, I'm the nicest person in Purgatory, but do you have any idea how long it took me for people to stop comparing me to Willa and Wynonna?

Short answer: a long ass time.

Mrs. Montgomery sighed. "I'm sorry. I know how annoying it must be to be equated to Wynonna, but-"
I shook my head. "That's not even close to what I was thinking. No, what's annoying is that everyone loves to remind me who my sister is, and then apologize, thinking it upset me. My sister is not as bad as you think," I snapped without even realizing it.

I could be a bit defensive when it came to Wynonna. The look on Mrs. Montgomery's face was the only indication I got that I'd done something wrong.

I frowned, realizing what had just happened. "I'm so sorry, Principal Montgomery. I- I didn't mean- I just- I-" I decided to quit while I wasn't ahead, and closed my mouth. I blinked, looking at her apologetically. "I'm sorry," I repeated.
Mrs. Montgomery eyed me for a few seconds before speaking. "Well. I didn't know you had that in you, Waverly. I don't appreciate it, but I'm impressed." She said, her expression shifting to one that reflected her words.
I swallowed and cleared my throat. "I-I'm sorry? You- You're what?"
"Impressed."

Why was she impressed? I just snapped at her... And she's the principal!

"All due respect, Principal Montgomery, but... Why are you impressed?" I asked, confused.
Mrs. Montgomery shrugged. "There was always one thing I admired about your sisters. Their backbones. Wynonna knew how people thought of her and didn't care," she told me.
I scoffed. "Actually, she cares plenty," I corrected.
"She's damn good at hiding it. The point is... Waverly, you can't spend your life letting people tell you who you are; what you should do. It's your life. So what's your plan for the future? What do you want?" Principal Montgomery leaned back in her seat, looking at me expectantly.

Watching her sit there like that made me realize that I really didn't know what my plan was. I was dumbfounded. What did I want?

"I- Well... To be honest with you, Principal Montgomery... I don't really know," I said. I shook my head a bit, shrugging. "I don't know what my plans are. The only thing I'm 100% sure about is Nicole. I love her, and I don't wanna let that go." I told her, speaking honestly, though I knew it wasn't what she asked.
Even so, she seemed to be touched by my honesty. "That's lovely, and I understand completely. The problem is, Waverly, that love doesn't pay the bills. I know that what you're feeling feels like the most important thing in the world. But honey, you need a legitimate plan." She spoke in a tone that seemed patronizing, and it should've felt that way. It would've if she were wrong.

I sighed. I stayed silent for a few minutes, unsure of what to say next.

"I want to study ancient cultures and languages. I want to do it online," I spoke. I looked down for a second. "I want to stay with Nicole, but I know she has to go to the city. I don't want our relationship to end, so maybe we can do a long distance thing..."

Principal Montgomery nodded slowly. "Well... it seems like you should really discuss this with her. See how she feels about it."
I nodded. "Yeah... yeah, I should. Thank you, Principal Montgomery."

I stood up, grabbing my bag. I was about to leave the room when Principal Montgomery spoke, causing me to stop.

"You're Valedictorian, Waverly."

I turned around and looked at her, eyes wide. At first I was speechless. When it finally found my voice, I squealed excitedly.

"Valedictorian?! Oh my god! Thank you! Thank you so much!" I exclaimed happily.

I'd wanted to be Valedictorian for so long, but it always seemed out of reach. Who would let an Earp be Valedictorian?

Principal Montgomery smiled. "Don't thank me. You earned it. Now go have that talk with your girlfriend," she told me.

I nodded and smiled again before leaving her office. Nicole was sitting right outside, in one of the chairs, looking absolutely worried. When she saw me, she stood up and rushed over.

"Hey! I heard you got called to the principal's office. What happened? Are you in trouble?" Nicole asked, taking my hands.
I smiled and shook my head. "No, I'm not in trouble. I'm Valedictorian, actually!" I exclaimed happily.
Nicole smiled and let out an excited laugh. "Waves, that's amazing! Valedictorian? I mean, I can't say I'm surprised, but that's fantastic. Congratulations, baby." She gave my hands a gentle squeeze.

I looked into her eyes and felt my heart flutter, my smile fading just a bit. I wanted to kiss her so bad.

"Come on," I told her. I released one of her hands, leading her out of the office.

I pulled her through the halls, taking her towards our secret spot we always went to. Nicole followed me, and I could feel her eyes on me as we walked. Her fingers moved just a bit, brushing against my hand. We reached our spot and I turned to face her, putting my hands on the front of her shoulders. She placed her hands on my waist, pulling me closer to her.

"Listen... We should talk," I told her. I felt like now was a good time. There was no one to interrupt us.
Nicole nodded. "Okay," she agreed. She didn't seem worried or upset.
"We need to figure out what we're gonna do. In the future, I mean." I said, looking at her seriously.
She nodded. "Alright. We can do that. What did you have in mind?" She asked.

She was looking at me with such focus. I loved when she did that, because that's how I knew she was listening.

"Well, I was thinking... Since you have to go to the city after graduation, I should stay here," I explained. I didn't realize how it sounded, until Nicole frowned.
"What? What do you mean "stay here"? You don't mean like-"
"Oh! Oh, no! No! I didn't mean that. I don't wanna break up!" I told her, shaking my head. "No, no, I just meant I could stay here and do my school online. Maybe get a job, a car... So I can come and visit you," I explained.
Nicole smiled a bit. "You'd do that?" She asked.
I nodded. "Of course I would. I love you, Nicole."
Her smile got bigger, showing off her dimples. "I love you, too."

I smiled, my hands moving from her shoulders to the back of her neck. I pulled her closer and kissed her. Her arms wrapped around me, holding me close as our lips pressed together passionately. I smiled into the kiss, my fingers getting all tangled up in her soft, red hair. Nicole's hands gripped my shirt, and I felt her smile against my lips. We pulled away just a bit, pressing our foreheads together.

"Oh, wow," Nicole breathed.
I smiled and chuckled. "I know," I replied. I bit my lip. "That never gets old."
Nicole smiled back. "It really doesn't."

I closed my eyes, leaning forward and kissing her again. This kiss was brief, but still as passionate as before. We pulled away and Nicole kissed my forehead before looking at me.

"I think your plan is great, baby. As long as you're doing what you want, okay? I don't want you giving up your dreams for me," she told me.
I nodded. "I know," I replied.
"Promise me?"
"I promise."

After all of this, Nicole and I went to the rest of our classes and then went out for a while. When we got home, it was getting pretty dark, so Nicole was planning on dropping me off. She pulled up to Gus and Curtis's house, but I didn't get out. Wynonna's truck was parked very crookedly on the street, and Wynonna and Gus were on the front porch, arguing. Wynonna looked drunk.

This has been happening a lot. Ever since lunch with Mercedes, Wynonna's been staying with us. She was no longer allowed to stay above Shorty's and got fired for reasons that weren't her fault. But ever since then, she's had a hard time. Drinking every day (more than usual, anyway), and coming home drunk every night. It's safe to say Gus was pretty damn tired of it. Curtis was, too, but he had his tomatoes to worry about.

Nicole sighed. "Are they going at it again?" She asked, looking outside.
I nodded. "Yep," I responded. I let out a sigh and looked over at her. "I'm gonna go see what's wrong this time."
"Okay. Want me to stay just in case?"
"Please?"
"Of course, baby."

I smiled at her, giving her a quick kiss before getting out of the car. Once I was outside, I could clearly hear the argument that was happening.

"I'm sick of this shit, Wynonna! You comin' home all wasted!" Gus snapped, her eyes narrowed at Wynonna. She was pissed.
Wynonna nearly tripped over her own foot and scoffed. "Wow, okay! So what are you gonna do? Kick me out?!"
Gus crossed her arms over her chest. "Maybe. Waverly doesn't need to be around this mess! She's graduatin' soon, and I don't want you messin' up her life!"
I couldn't see Wynonna's expression, but I knew that hit her hard. "Really? I'm gonna mess up her life?" She asked Gus, her voice emotional.
Gus gave a nod. "Yes. She had to work twice as hard in school, just get out from under your shadow!"
"You don't think I know that?! Who was the one to take her to and from school?! Who was the one who signed her report cards? The one who went to those BULLSHIT back to school nights to talk to her stupid fucking teachers, Gus? IT WAS ME! I was the ONLY ONE in that GODDAMN HOUSE who actually cared enough about her to do that shit!" Wynonna shouted.
"You know what?! You wanna shout at me? You can get the hell off my property!" Gus yelled back.
"Oh, I'll tell you what, Gus-" Wynonna snapped, moving forward.

I rushed over, grabbing her before she could do anything. "Wynonna! Stop it!" I commanded.
Wynonna stopped, pushing me off of her. "Of course you're on her side!" She yelled, turning around to look at me.
I looked at her in disbelief. "Are you kidding me? I'm just trying to make sure you don't do something you'll regret!" I told her. I can't believe she'd say that to me.

Wynonna didn't respond. She just stared at me while Gus went into the house, coming back out with all of Wynonna's things.

Gus tossed them onto the ground. "Here ya go. Take your shit and go back to the Homestead or something. I don't want you here anymore." She spat, glaring at Wynonna so hard she might as well have had daggers for eyes.
Wynonna, tears now running down her cheeks, nodded and started to pick up her things. "That's fair," she replied quietly.

Curtis stepped out of the house and looked around. "What the hell is goin' on out here?" He asked.
Gus looked at him. "Wynonna's leavin'. She's the spittin' image of her daddy and I'm sick and tired of dealin' with it." She said, turning her head and speaking pointedly towards Wynonna when she said the last part.

I actually cringed when I heard that. There was no going back now... Wynonna was beyond pissed. She stood up straight and walked up to Gus, pointing at her. "Don't you ever compare me to him. I'm nothing like that disgrace of a father, and I never will be." She told her, shaking her head. She went back to grab the rest of her things, shoving them inside of an old leather slouch backpack.
"Yeah, you keep tellin' yourself that, Wynonna," was the last thing Gus said before she turned around to go back into the house.

I shook my head, watching the whole the thing with my arms crossed. It didn't feel real. I watched as Wynonna grabbed her stuff and walked quickly over to her truck, tossing her bag into the back of the pickup and went to get into the driver's seat.

"Wynonna! Wait!" I called out. I rushed over to her and stopped her from getting into the truck. "Where are you going?" I asked her when she looked at me.
"You heard Gus. She doesn't want me here anymore. So I'm leaving," she replied. She looked sad. Not even looked, I knew she was sad. It was obvious.
I shook my head. "Leaving? Not like leaving leaving, right? You're staying in Purgatory, aren't you?"
"Don't think so, baby girl."
Tears welled up in my eyes. "What? But Wynonna-"
Wynonna shook her head. "No. No, Gus was right. I'm gonna ruin your life, kid. You'll amount to a lot more if I'm not around." She had tears in her eyes, too.
"No," I said quickly. "No. Please, Wynonna. Please don't leave. I need you." The tears began to spill and I was holding back my sobs, biting my lip to keep myself from breaking down.
"No, you don't. You'll be better off without me, I swear." Wynonna promised me, cupping my face with her hands. "Just promise me one thing, baby girl."
I looked into her blue eyes, still struggling to compose myself. I nodded. "Anything," I told her.
"Take that girl to prom, dammit." Wynonna was absolutely serious, but then broke out into a smile. "I mean it. If you don't, I'll come back here and kick your ass."

We both laughed.

"Okay. I promise," I told her.
Wynonna nodded. "Good. Now go on, alright?" She told me. She kissed my forehead and then gave me a sad smile. "I love you, Waverly. Okay?"
I nodded, a sob finally escaping. "I- I love you, too."

One last hug. I held onto my sister as tight as I could before I had to let go. When I did, Wynonna got into her truck and drove away.

There I was, standing in the street. I finally broke down, watching her truck drive away until I couldn't see it anymore. I felt a hand touch my shoulder and, knowing it was Nicole without even having to look, I threw myself into her arms. I buried my face into her shoulder, sobbing harder than I think I ever had. Her arms wrapped around me tightly, holding me in a way that made me feel safe.

"Shh... It's okay, baby. It's gonna be okay," she whispered.

She was so soothing. So sweet. I must've cried for almost half an hour before I got the courage to go inside the house and tell Gus what I thought.

I thought I would've been more angry at her... Most aggressive. I wasn't. I cried in there, too.

"How could you say those things to her?" I asked, more upset than angry, tears streaming down my face like a waterfall.
Gus looked at me, clearly affected by how upset I was, but still seeming very serious. "She was screwin' up, Waverly. I couldn't have that around you," she told me.
I shook my head. "I get to decided what I want around me. And I wanted my sister. I don't care if she screws up. We can't give up her! And now she's leaving Purgatory because you told her that she was going to mess up my life!" I snapped, finally getting mad. Now, I was seething with anger. I wanted to let it all out, but I didn't wanna do that to Gus... She's done so much for me.
Gus sighed. "I know. I shouldn't have said that, but she needs to learn. She can't stay out all day and night drinkin' and then come home wasted and expect everything to be okay," she told me. It was obvious that she didn't want to start an argument with me either, because she spoke in a calm tone.
I shook my head. "I can't believe you'd rather kick her out than help her," I muttered. I scoffed. "I'm gonna stay at Nicole's house tonight."

With that, I was out of the house. I didn't give Gus enough time to respond, and I didn't bother to pack anything- it wasn't necessary, really. I just couldn't be around Gus anymore. Curtis didn't speak. He didn't have anything to say. It wasn't his problem, it was Gus's. And as much as he loved her, he knew that this was something she needed to solve herself.

I got in the car, where Nicole was waiting for me, and silently buckled my seat belt. Nicole didn't question anything. I think it was because she could see how mad I was. She just started the car and drove.

When we got to her house, Nicole parked and turned the car off before looking over at me. "How are you feeling?" She asked softly.
I didn't respond for a little while. I wasn't sure what to say. I just shook my head and then looked up at her. "Angry? Tense? Overwhelmed? So many different things. I just need to blow off some steam... Relax," I told her.

Nicole leaned forward and pressed her lips against mine. I responded immediately, kissing her back.

Nicole pulled away and looked at me. "I can help you with that. If you want me to," she told me.
I nodded. "Oh, I want you to."

We got out of the car and I waited on the passenger side as Nicole walked around the car. She took my hand, leading me up to the front door. She pulled her keys out, and found the house key, sticking it into the lock. She released my hand and turned the key, opening the door. She pulled the key out of the lock and pushed the door open. Nicole stepped aside, allowing me to enter the house first. She followed after me, closing the door behind us and locking it.

I turned around and kissed her hard, pushing her back against the door. Nicole kissed back, pulling me into her, her hands sliding down to my ass. I kissed her desperately, pressing my lips against hers in lustful passion. Nicole turned us around, pinning me against the door. She pulled away from the kiss only to lift me up, her arms hooked under my legs.

I bit my lip as she pushed her body against mine, my legs wrapped around her waist. "You're so hot. Oh my god," I practically moaned.

Nicole didn't have a chance to respond, because I cut her off with a rough and needy kiss. She moaned against my lips and began to move away from the door, still holding me up. Nicole broke the kiss and started to walk. I wrapped my arms around her neck, holding onto her so that I wouldn't fall. Not that she would drop me, but you never know. She brought me into her room and laid me down on the bed, staying on top of me.

She kissed my cheek and then moved down slightly, kissing my neck. She was slow and tender, as always. I was enjoying the moment, my head leaned back, my eyes closed.

Suddenly, I thought about Wynonna. My brain was now swimming with thoughts of how both of my sisters are now gone. My dad was gone. My mom was gone. All I had left was Gus, Uncle Curtis, and Nicole. I opened my eyes and let out a sigh.

Nicole stopped what she was doing and looked at me. "Are you okay?" She asked. She sounded concerned.
I looked at her and shook my head. "Not really," I told her. I was speaking honestly, because I knew she would understand.
She nodded and laid down next to me. "Do you wanna talk about it?"
"I just- I can't believe Wynonna left... You know? It just feels like... like..." What did it feel like? "It feels like everyone I care about keeps leaving me."
"How so?"
"My mom left when I was four... My dad is God knows where. Willa's going to prison, so she's leaving... And now Wynonna's leaving, and I don't know where she's going. Or if I'll hear from her. I don't even know if I'll see her again. You, Gus, Uncle Curtis... You guys are all I've got left."

Saying that out loud made it so much more real, and I actually started to wish that I hadn't said welled up in my eyes and I shook my head.

"Come here, baby," Nicole whispered.

I rolled over and she wrapped her arms around me, hugging me to her chest. I sniffed and let out a sad sigh, the tears running down my cheeks.

"I'm sorry," I muttered.
"For what?" Nicole asked, sounding confused.
"We were about to have sex, but I had to get all emotional and stop it."
Nicole shook her head. "Waves, I don't care about that. I mean, don't get me wrong, having sex with you is... absolutely amazing. And I mean amazing. But your feelings are more important to me. I just want you to be okay."

I smiled a bit to myself. Nicole didn't care about the sex. She cared about me. That was such a relief to hear. Champ always seemed like sex was more important to him than anything else. Like he was only with me for my body. It was amazing to know that Nicole wasn't.

I leaned my head up to look at her. "You're the best, you know that?"
She chuckled and kissed my forehead. "You're even better."

A/N: Yo yo yiggity yo! I'm sorry for taking so long to update. I hope I made up for it with this chapter, haha. The title was (quite loosely) inspired by the song All You Got by Tegan And Sara. I changed the "You" to "I" because- well, you guys know why. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!

Happy Pride Month!

Much love,
LyricalDisaster