The Rest Is History | ✓

42 | the goodbye

The wait finally ended as we received our A-level results.

To say I was a nervous wreck before they came out would be an understatement. And it wasn't just me. All of us were scared out of our wits.

But when the results were finally out, I realised I needn't have worried that much. I got better than what I expected, and did quite well if I do say so myself. At least, I had a good enough result and resumé to get myself into Trinity College, Oxford. That was my ultimate dream.

Archer as well as my best friends had also done well. Archer had of course done exceptionally, as was expected, and he had a really high chance of getting into the University of Westminster or the Royal College of Art, which were his primary choices.

But as happy as I was with our performance and our university prospects, I felt my heart lurch with a deep sadness everytime I thought of leaving Bloomwood, for good. I hadn't ever prepared myself for this time, but it couldn't be helped. I had to toughen up and open a new door in my life. The Bloomwood chapter was over, I told myself. It was time for new beginnings.

Speaking of new beginnings, Archer and I were finally doing great. Our official relationship was still new, so every moment felt fresh and nostalgic at the same time. But even then, this time I had a sense of security with him, a sixth sense that it would work out. Things would turn out well for us.

I could only hope and pray my instincts were correct.

Today was the final day we would step foot in our school, the day we would bid goodbye to Bloomwood after the graduation ceremony.

I wore my uniforn with special care, since today was the last day I'd be wearing it. I got tears in my eyes thinking about it. Quickly blinking them away, I had breakfast and then got into my car to head towards my second home.

I reached the grounds where the ceremony would take place, and hugged Angie and Kate. Beth was standing nearby and I went and talked to her for some time too, before embracing her. I heard she was planning to attend UCL, to study Physics. I had no doubt she'd get in, she'd always been prodigious. She also told me she'd met this girl on the bus one day, and that they'd started talking and she really liked her. Beth was planning to ask her out sometime soon. I was elated for her, also because she'd finally gathered the courage to come out to her parents, and after a difficult few weeks they'd accepted her at last.

After talking to Beth, I mingled through the crowd of students to talk to my other classmates and Archer's friends, like Jack, Edwin and Freddie. Even Dean was there, hugging Kate and kissing her temple. I swooned seeing them together.

All this while, my eyes had been multitasking and searching the grounds for a certain dark haired, brown eyed boy. But he was nowhere to be found. Just when I was starting to worry, I heard someone run up behind me and cover my eyes with their hands.

I heard his deep voice in my ear, causing me to shiver. "Guess who?"

I grinned. "I don't know, could be James Dean."

He groaned and removed his hands. "That man is dead for god's sake!"

I gasped. "Do not speak ill of the dead."

He rolled his eyes and brought his head down to give me a deep kiss. By this time, we didn't care who saw us and who didn't. Even though I wasn't a big fan of PDA, I couldn't resist this one kiss.

We pulled away after two seconds and soon after, we heard Mr Richards' voice booming through the microphone.

"Everyone, please take a seat as we will begin our ceremony right after."