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Natalia woke up early on graduation day. She wanted to have her hair done, and she even put on makeup even though she knew she didn't need it. She wore a purple dress that Alice had picked out for her. Alice wanted her to wear it to the party she was throwing after but Natalia wanted to come up with something herself.
The gymnasium was set up with a bunch of chairs and a stage. Natalia had her yellow cap and gown on and went to find her seat. Bella and her were seated close to each other. Both having last names towards the end of the alphabet. Natalia saw Jasper looking around for her, Natalia waved and got his attention. She also saw Jessica make her way up towards the stage for her big speech.
"When we were five, they asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up..." Jessica started to say.
Natalia made eye contact with her mother who was starting to tear up.
"Our answers were things like astronaut, president, or in my case, a princess."
Natalia and the rest of the crowd laughed. Natalia knew that it was Angela that helped her come up with that line.
"When we were ten, they asked again and we answered - rock star, cowboy, or in my case, a gold medalist. But now that we've grown up, they want a serious answer. Well how bout this: who the hell knows?"
Jace and his buddies start hollering. Natalia laughs but realizes Jessica's meaning. Natalia could be whatever she wanted now that she was living forever. Natalia turns to look at Bella and she can tell that Bella is thinking about it deeply too.
"This isn't the time to make hard and fast decisions, it's the time to make mistakes. Take the wrong train and get stuck somewhere. Fall in love - a lot. Major in philosophy, 'cause there's no way to make a career out of that. Change your mind, and change it again, because nothing is permanent...."
Natalia sighs. She is permanently stuck. After she graduates college she will have to start over and go back to high school, and just be stuck in that routine. When Natalia was human she never wanted kids, but now that the option was taken away from her, she wondered what it would be like to have tiny human run around your feet.
"....So make as many mistakes as you can. That way, someday, when they ask again what we want to be, we won't have to guess. We'll know."
Natalia stood up and gave Jessica around applause. Soon, thereafter, people were able to get their degrees. Natalia walked up, shook hands with the principle and then waved at her family sitting in the crowd. Natalia knew how big this moment was for her mother.
After the ceremony, the Ramos family went out to lunch. Natalia knew that she would have to throw it up once she got home but she tried to take in this moment. It would be one of the last family moments she was going to have before she 'died'.
