Today is the big day. Graduation day. Sherry cooks a big breakfast for everyone to eat together. Pancakes, eggs, bacon, and hash browns. With a house full of ten people she's sure that it will all get eaten. As she expected, it does. It's eaten fast as everyone rushes to start getting ready.
Roni, Nessa, and Niyah all get ready together with the help of Mariah. Niyah clicked with them and is close with them now. It was a little awkward at first without her being Lauren and all, but nonetheless it all worked out. Malaya hangs out with them like she's their age. She enjoys watching them doing their makeup and hair.
"Niyah, how are you feeling about graduation?" Roni asks.
"Excited but sad. All of our high school years are gone."
"That's the worst part. High school was so fun." Nessa adds.
"I'm going to miss it, but I can't wait to move on." Roni says.
The boys get ready. As always, Alex takes the longest.
"Can he take any longer?" Kian sighs.
"It's his hair." Luke complains .
"Done." Alex says.
"That took you an hour." Aaron says.
"It takes time to look good."
"How do you even get your hair like that anyways?" Kian asks.
"Some products that Niyah put me on to. I have some curls and I didn't even know."
"Better than frying your hair off with a perm." Aaron jokes.
"Boys, time to go. We're going to be late!" Lear says. They scramble to grab their stuff and leave.
Outside of the school kids and parents line up waiting for instructions from administrators. Of course the news outlets are their. They've left the group alone since the anniversary of the shooting. They only come for major events. It still gets quite annoying to see them. They knew they're going to have to be interviewed and under the camera all day so they just accept it.
The students are finally let in and can put on their caps and gowns. Emotions and excitement are high. There's loud chatter between the students. An administrator comes and tells them to quiet down. They finally get to come to their seats before everyone else is let in. Five minutes before everything starts, Alex gets up.
"Where are you going?" Aaron asks.
"I'll be right back, cover for me." He says. Aaron shakes his head. The b names are pretty high up on the list and if Alex misses his name, it's going to be a big deal. Alex runs up into the seats of the arena. Niyah spots him. "What is he doing?" She thinks to herself. Alex puts something at the top of the stands. He comes back down and runs to his seat before everyone comes in.
"What did you do?" Aaron asks.
"I put a camera. I can control it with this remote. Niyah's family couldn't make it so I'm going to record it."
"Alex doing something romantic? I never thought I would see the day."
"You and Roni aren't the only ones in love." He jokes.
The ceremony starts. Graduation music plays over the speakers. Everyone quiets down. You can here a few "shhhh" and "it's starting". The principal and superintendent come across the stage. They give their speech of how proud they are of the class. Before they start calling names, they go over the rules. After all that, the names are called. They start at the A's and work their way down. Both Aaron and Alex walk across in the B group. The rules were not to cheer until the very end, but does anyone ever listen to that? Lear and Sherry couldn't be happier so of course they cheer . Kian walks across the stage and being his typical goofy self, he does a little dance. He sees his buddy JC laugh and that's makes him happy. Roni and Nessa walk across and their family cheers also. It feels good to have support even if it can't be from their mom and dad. Lauren walks, and despite all that happened Lear and Sherry and all the other cheer for her to. Last is Niyah. Being an online student, she didn't have many friends. She was enrolled in the same school that Aaron, Alex, Roni, and the other's are, but had to go to another for certain classes. Her family isn't there so she doesn't expect anyone to cheer, but when she walks across she hears cheers. From Lear and Sherry. This warms her heart. Maybe she does have family here after all. Alex makes sure to capture every moment of her walk.
Finally the ceremony is over. Everyone has graduation parties and things to go to. Before anyone goes, they visit a special person. Andrew. Each having their own special message and promise to him. Though they are moving on in life, he's something that no one can move on from. Aaron and Alex stay back for a minute and talk to their parents There's only one parent they want to talk to and that's their dad.
"Well, this is it. I graduated. I don't know if that's what you wanted me to do or not, but I did it. I know mom's proud but I'll never know with you father. I'm going home soon. Not to my house, but to North Carolina. I hope you don't have any skeletons in your closet because they'll be uncovered. Hopefully Alex has it in his heart to come clean your grave because I don't know anyone else who will. Mariah can't even come look at your grave. I hope you feel accomplished, but your not my burden anymore." Aaron says. He leaves a flower on his mom's grave but not his dad's and leaves the spot for Alex.
"It's been almost ten years. Wow, time flies. I can't believe I'm finally talking to both of you. Enough of the sentimental stuff, I'm mad at both of you. For one you were both on drugs, so how do you expect your child not to do them? Mom why did you enable dad to keep doing that? I used to think that was a normal thing, but now that I'm in a healthy relationship I see it isn't. Dad why did you keep doing them? I know it's hard to quit but if you have the right motivation it helps. Were we not enough of a motive? So many questions that'll never get an answer, but it doesn't bother. I'm a better man than you'll ever be and I'm going to make it farther than any of you ever thought." Alex leaves without leaving anything at the grave.
Roni and Nessa have Paul as ashes. They speak to him often. What made Roni's dress so special is that when she dyed some fabric, she mixed his ashes in. That dress is her heart. Nothing else she will ever make will be as special as that. When she gets to college, she going to hang that dress up and never touch it. Since they graduated they look at each other and know they have minimum time left together. No one is as close as twins. They know they'll always be connected but their moving on. They hug each other and have the exact same thoughts.
Some how after the busy day and all their task, the group ends up back together. They all sit on the beach as it gets darker outside.
"Well guys, we did it." Aaron says and sits a blanket on top of Roni.
"It was a long journey." Kian says as Nessa sits on his lap.
"We met new people along the way" Alex pulls Niyah closer.
"We've mended relationships." Roni says and holds Nessa's hand.
"We've changed as people." Nessa says.
"And we've made new memories." Mariah says with sleeping Malaya in her arms and Luke head laying on top of hers.
"I'm going to miss you guys." Luke says.
"Promise you won't forget us." Mariah says.
"You know that'll never happen." Alex reassures them.
"We're moving on in life but we'll never forget who and what got us here." Aaron says.
"Let's make this our meeting spot. When we all come back home, let's meet here." Niyah says.
"I like that." Roni adds. They sit and enjoy the moment in silence. It gets really late and they all need to get home.
"Well I guess that's goodbye to this place until we return." Kian breaks the silence.
"Until we return." They all say together.
THE END. (Well until the next story. lol.)
