Chapter 124 – One Last Night in Rosehill

The summer breeze in Rosehill had a way of carrying memories. It drifted through the streets, over the café rooftops, past the basketball court, and now, settled gently over the hill where four friends sat on the hood of Ben's car, overlooking the town that had changed their lives.

Ryan leaned back, propping himself on his hands. The wind rustled through his short hair, and for the first time in months, he felt still. Not because everything was perfect—far from it—but because in this moment, surrounded by the people who mattered most, it didn't need to be.

"So, that's it," Ben said, tossing a pebble into the grass. "We're really doing this."

Savannah, legs crossed and sketchbook in her lap, smiled softly. "Yeah. Tomorrow, we go from being the Rosehill Wolves to just… college kids."

Anna chuckled but there was a layer of sadness behind it. "And Ryan leaves at sunrise. Back to California. Full circle."

Ryan nodded slowly. "It's weird. I left here angry, I came back broken, and now I'm leaving with a full heart. None of it would've happened without you guys."

They all sat in silence for a beat, letting the weight of those words settle. The sky above was streaked with pink and orange—the last sunset they'd share for a long time.

"So," Ben asked, "where's everyone headed?"

Savannah was the first to answer. "UCLA. Architecture program. I've already looked into internships with studios in the city."

Anna looked proud. "Of course you're going to L.A. too. We're all West Coasters now."

Ben grinned. "Not me. Duke University, baby. Basketball scholarship. They saw the tape of the final tournament and offered me a spot the next week. Coach Daniels wrote me a hell of a recommendation."

Ryan clapped him on the back. "You earned it. You carried us in that last game. I just yelled motivational stuff."

Anna laughed and leaned into him. "You changed the whole culture of that team, Ryan. That was never just yelling. That was leadership."

Ryan's eyes softened. "What about you?"

Anna hesitated, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Columbia. Writing program. I want to publish someday. Novels, maybe even screenplays. Big dreams, I know."

"No, perfect dreams," Savannah said. "And you'll make them happen."

Ryan smiled as he looked at each of them. "Guess that leaves me. UCLA too—coaching program. That recruiter came out of nowhere, but… I think it's the right step."

"Head coach Whitmore," Ben said with a dramatic announcer voice. "I can already hear the ESPN commentary."

They all laughed, but there was a pause after that—an invisible line drawn between past and future.

Anna looked up at the sky. "Promise me something. All of you."

Ryan turned to her. "What is it?"

"That we come back. Four years from now. Same weekend. We meet here, in Rosehill. Just for a few days. To see what changed, and what didn't."

Ben extended his pinky. "Pinky promise?"

Savannah linked hers with his. "You're such a child."

Anna added hers, and finally Ryan smiled and joined. "Alright then. Four years. Rosehill."

They sat there for a while longer, watching the town lights flicker on one by one, like stars below them.

Later That Night – The Café

They returned to the café for one last round of iced coffees, homemade pastries, and goodbyes. Sarah had insisted on making Ryan's favorite pie, and as she handed him a slice, she smiled through glassy eyes.

"I'm proud of you, baby," she said.

He kissed her on the cheek. "Couldn't have done it without you."

Richard and Evelyn arrived shortly after. Richard clapped Ryan on the back. "We'll visit, you know. Maybe even for one of your games."

"Looking forward to it," Ryan said, a quiet smile on his face.

Evelyn hugged Anna tightly. "Be safe in New York. Call often. Eat."

"I will," Anna said with a laugh and a sniffle.

Ben's dad, Jack, stopped by too. "No speeches, just a handshake," he told Ryan, pulling him in for a hug anyway.

Eventually, the crowd thinned, and it was just the four of them again—Ryan, Anna, Ben, and Savannah—sitting in the same booth they always had.

"Let's not cry," Savannah said, tearing up already.

"Too late," Ben sniffed, wiping at his eyes. "Man, I didn't expect to be this emotional."

Anna turned to Ryan. "So… this is really it?"

"Not forever," he said. "Just the start of the next chapter."

She hesitated, then hugged him tightly. "I'm proud of you. And I love you."

"I love you too," he whispered back. "Always."

Early Morning – Ryan's Departure

The sun hadn't yet risen when the car pulled up. His bags were already in the trunk, the engine quietly humming.

Sarah hugged him one last time, her arms lingering around him. "Call me the second you land."

"I will."

Richard stepped forward. "You know I wasn't always there, Ryan. But I am now. Anytime you need me."

Ryan nodded. "I know."

Ben was the last one to step up. They bumped fists, then hugged hard.

"Go show the world what Rosehill made," Ben said.

"You too, future NBA star."

They smiled, both blinking fast.

Anna came over. The sunrise was just beginning to color the sky behind her. "So… see you in four years?"

Ryan cupped her face gently. "Maybe sooner. But yes. Four years. Rosehill."

Their kiss was soft, but deep—a seal on everything they had been, and everything they still could be.

He stepped into the car. The engine roared to life.

As it pulled away, Ryan looked out the window one last time at the town that had broken and built him.

Rosehill.

Where it all began.

And where it would someday continue.