“We love the music and we love the band, but it’s time to do other things. Life happens. Our man Piper is gonna be a dad.” Cue the sighs from the female contingent.

“Our man Garrett is moving to Boston with his lady.” Whoops followed.

“And good ol’ Mitchie boy finally got the girl. Way to go man!”

Gracie flushed red and hid her face behind her hands. I grinned so hard my cheeks hurt.

“As for me, well I’m still planning to go out there and fuck the stage. So be ready for a whole new level of Cole Brandt!” The screams started up again The man really did know how to work a crowd.

“But before that, I’ve been wanting to do something.” Garrett and I shared a look. What was he doing?

I watched as Cole reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small, velvet box.

What the actual fuck?

“Guys, seriously shut the fuck up. I’ve got something important to say.” Our front man took a deep breath and for the first time since I’d known him he looked nervous. Like he was going to throw up all over the stage. But then he pulled himself together and flashed his cocky grin.

“I’ve been thinking it’s time to make my girl an honest woman. What do y’all think?” Cole looked down at Vivian and held out his hand. She looked shell shocked as she let him lift her up onto the stage.

Then in front of the crowd, Cole Brandt dropped to one knee. He plucked the diamond ring from the box and held it out for Vivian.

“What do you say? Vivian Baily, will you mar—” he asked her.

Vivian didn’t even wait for the words. She snatched the ring and shoved it on her finger, holding it up for everyone to see.

“Is that a yes?” Cole laughed.

“That’s a hell yes!” Vivian shrieked, launching herself at him.

Everyone started clapping, and Garrett immediately began to play the opening chords to our song Donkey Punch. Interesting song selection but given Cole and Vivian, it was pretty appropriate.

“Guys, we have a show to play,” I said into my mic, earning some laughter from the audience.

The lovebirds pulled apart and Vivian climbed off the stage. Cole touched his mouth for a minute, his eyes glazed over but happier than I had ever seen him before.

Cole Brandt was gettin’ hitched. Stranger things had happened.

I walked over to our front man and patted him on the back. “Congrats, man,” I said.

“Thanks,” he replied with a smirk. “She’s gonna be a fucking tigress tonight. I can’t wait!”

I shook my head and went back to my spot, adding rhythm to Garrett’s melody.

“Let’s get this party started!” Cole shouted and the audience roared.

And for the last time we were four guys, playing our music.

Tomorrow we’d be something else.

But for now, we were Generation Rejects.

Six Months Later

The sun was hot on my shoulders as I walked down the makeshift aisle, a small bouquet of flowers in my hand. The air was perfumed with roses and hyacinths. I could hear the rippling of the stream fifty meters away.

And the squeal of guitar strings filled the air, followed by an ear-splitting scream of Jordan’s favorite heavy metal band.

“Oh my god, seriously? This is a wedding, not a concert!” Vivian grumped once she, Riley, and I were all stood in a line.

Riley shrugged. “It wouldn’t be a Rejects wedding without melt your face off rock and roll.”

I snorted. “You should do this at your wedding, Viv.” My friend gave me a death glare and repositioned her hands so that she providing her engagement ring with ample exposure. It glinted in the sun, nearly blinding me.

“Mine will be a very tasteful affair. White lace and linens. Three course meal, champagne fountain. The whole nine yards,” Vivian sniffed, looking across the aisle and smiling at her fiancé who stood with Garrett and Mitch behind Jordan.

“I think this is awesome,” I said, looking at the small grouping of people that had gathered in the meadow behind Garrett’s house for Maysie and Jordan’s wedding.

“It is, you’re right,” Vivian agreed. “It’s perfect for Jordan and Maysie.”

The rock music came to a stop and the familiar strains of Pachelbel’s Canon replaced it.

Jordan looked like he was going to burst. But in a good way. And then his face split into an enormous grin as he watched the love of his life make her way down the aisle, holding onto her father’s arm.

“She looks beautiful,” Riley said softly as our best friend seemed to float towards us. Maysie was radiant in a simple white dress that fell to the ground in straight, elegant lines. The material stretched over her very prominent belly and she wore a ring of flowers in her hair.

I sniffled and discreetly wiped away my tears.

“Here,” Vivian whispered, handing me a tissue.

I glanced over at Mitch and wasn’t surprised to find him watching me. His eyes were soft and filled with so much love. And it was all for me.

One day, I knew that this was going to be us. I would be in white and he would be waiting for me at the end of an aisle with a smile on his face.

We’d have the white picket fence with the dog and the kids.

There wasn’t any question.

Our future was an absolute.

Maysie finally reached Jordan, and her dad gave her a kiss on the cheek. I was glad that he and Maysie’s mother had come. They had warmed considerably when they learned they were going to be grandparents. I hoped, for Maysie’s sake, that they learned how to be decent parents and grandparents.

Jordan, not standing on tradition, took Maysie’s hands and pulled her close. Then he kissed her. Long. Hard. Maybe a little inappropriate for the occasion. I was pretty sure I saw some tongue.

There were a lot of catcalls from our friends and family and finally the minister cleared his throat. “We haven’t gotten to that part yet,” he said with an indulgent smile at the couple.

Jordan pulled away and suddenly dropped to his knees, his hands on Maysie’s stomach. “I love you and your mom so much. I’ll be the best husband and daddy I can possibly be,” he said tenderly, kissing her belly before rising to his feet again.

After that, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. I gave up on trying to hold in my tears and blubbered with the rest of them.

I met Mitch’s eyes again and saw that his too were wet.

“I love you,” he mouthed.

I placed my hand over my heart and smiled. Mitch knew. My heart was his.

I watched my best friends get married and it was bittersweet. Because this weekend, after Maysie’s wedding, Mitch and I were leaving Bakersville, Virginia and were moving half way across the country.

I had gotten a job as a content writer for a fashion magazine based in Houston, Texas. Mitch and I had flown there last month and found a small apartment in the ’burbs. Mitch had secured a few interviews with guitar manufacturers and custom shops for next week. Everything had fallen into place with an ease that surprised me.

When I had brought up the possibility of leaving Bakersville, Mitch hadn’t hesitated for a minute.

“Where you go, I go. If you want to move to the fucking moon, I’ll follow you happily. We’re on this road together, Gracie. You and me. Always.”

After the reception we had to head back to my apartment and finish packing. Then we had to load the U-Haul so that we could leave in the morning.

We were leaving. It was our next chapter.

One that we were writing together.

After the minister pronounced Jordan and Maysie man and wife there was a loud cheer and everyone was on their feet, rushing towards the newly married couple.

There were a lot of tears and even more laughter.

This was the last time all of us would be together for a while. Not until Vivian and Cole’s wedding in a few months.