Jizzie | Hand on Heart

Epilogue

Breathe.

Breathe.

BREATHE WHY AM I NOT BREATHING.

This is ridiculous. This is so ridiculous.

I can face off with an clan of murderers and psychos, but calming my nerves today?

God I need to get a grip.

Which is exactly what I do, grabbing a grape between my fingers and crushing it gives a temporary outlet to my anxiety, but not much.

"Fuck." I cuss myself out as I get grape guts on my shoes.

One year, one whole year has passed since my life went back to normal.

Well, mostly.

I still get looks at school.

"Oh look, it's the girl who got shot."

"Isn't she the one who brought a bunch of criminals to the school."

Yes yes that's me, we get it.

I almost roll my eyes at the thought.

Retaking year 13 was not my ideal return to normalcy, but it wasn't all bad.

But I still wouldn't miss it.

Because today, today was graduation.

I'll admit I am feeling slight PTSD.

Knowing that I'll be standing in that field again, exactly one year on.

It's fine though, because now, everything is different.

The police used the men they arrested to weasel out more and more information until they completely shut down the Scourge, Sebastian and Katia jailed alongside them.

And for the past year I'd been living, a pretty normal life.

Focusing on school studies, putting more time into my YouTube channel.

And most importantly.

Joel.

The past year we'd had a lot of time to talk.

We'd decided to press pause, to take the time to get to know each other again, since so much had happened it felt wrong to jump right back in where we were.

And while it was hard, I'm glad we did.

I straighten up in the mirror, fiddling around with my blazer for the millionth time.

"No matter how many times you pull it, you aren't going to change how it looks."

I turn around to see Joel standing at the door, with a bouquet of flowers and a smile on his face.

"Congratulations! You're graduating! I wanted to get you a lame card but they weren't lame enough."

I laugh, throwing myself into his arms for a hug, "we couldn't have a sub lame card now could we."

"Of course not." I pull away, taking the flowers as he hands them to me and smelling them.

I pluck one out the bouquet, carefully snapping the stem and sliding it into my blazer pocket, right above my heart.

"There! Now I'll have you near my heart the entire time."

"Forget the lame card, that takes the cake."

I shove him playfully, sticking my tongue out.

"You look amazing, you'll knock them dead."

"This is graduation, let's try not to knock anyone dead this time."