𝔹𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝔹𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕣𝕤

𝕖𝕡𝕚𝕝𝕠𝕘𝕦𝕖

Two years later, a day that I never thought would come has arrived.

My high school graduation.

Many of my friends have already graduated before me, but I never expected to be the one in the black gown and cap. I wasn't planning to live to 18, but here I am.

I peek into the audience, trying to find my family. They're all here. I see Medda sitting next to Jack. Jack kept his promise, he came back to our house every weekend. Next to Jack is Les, who's a teenager now. He still lives with Medda, Charlie, and I.

I look towards another section. My friends that have already graduated. They came back.

And then I look around myself. My friends that I'm graduating with. Albert squeezes my hand, pressing a kiss to my temple.

"You ready?"

"I never thought this day would come."

"Me neither. We did it, Racer."

"We did."

I'm going to Columbia, like Davey did. Specs ended up going there as well. Both boys have said good things about the school. I was so shocked when I found out that I got in, I cried on the spot. I guess my traumatic backstory makes for a good essay, huh.

I was the class valedictorian, another thing that Davey did, and another thing that I didn't expect. My knees wobble as I walk onstage.

Soon after, we get forced into a alphabetical line, and we get called up, one by one. It takes everything in me to not break down in tears whenever one of my friends names is announced.

"Antonio Higgins-Larkin."

My name. My real name. Not Sofia. Antonio. I take a deep breath as I go back onstage to claim my diploma. I can hear my friends and family cheering for me. Medda's taking a bunch of photos. She does the same thing when it's Charlie's turn.

We get taken outside next, much like we did at Jack's graduation. More speeches, more performances. One last chance to say goodbye.

"Five!"

Tears burn my eyes, but I hold them back. I've always been very good at that.

"Four!"

I think back to everything that has happened since I moved in with the Larkins.

"Three!"

I think about everything that will happen once I go to college.

"Two!"

I put my hand on my cap, which Jack helped me decorate.

"One!"

As the cap soars into the air, I release all the tears and sobs that I have been holding back. As I bend over to pick it up off of the ground, a locket falls in front of my face. My hand flies over my mouth as I sob, running my fingers over the material. Turning my face to the sky, I take a few deep breaths.

"Hey, look Ma," I sob. "I made it."