"It was really long though," Easton said with a yawn. “I didn’t know it was possible to find that much to say about finishing high school.”
"It was supposed to be that long, but thanks. Congrats on graduating."
"You are the reason I passed math, so thank you instead." Emerson put a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Easton and I have been saving to get an apartment while he goes to community college. I know you have somewhere else to stay, but we want you to know that when we move in, you’re welcome there."
The months prior had been a rocky journey with my siblings and me. They did reach out to me, and they didn’t act like I was invisible when they saw me at school. It was awkward and unnatural at first—it would probably always be a tad uncomfortable— but it was gradually getting easier.
There were times where I could visibly see them struggling to change their attitudes. I knew it was going to be difficult for them to correct the way they've behaved and felt for their entire lives, but it stung.
It had gotten better as time went on. Now they would check up on me every week and it stopped seeming like a chore for them. They were trying and that was all that I could ask for.
"I'll keep that in mind. You're not going to college?"
Emerson shook her head with a scoff. "I barely passed high school. I want to try in the future, but for now I'll just work. I don't even know what I want to do with my life."
"Neither do I," Easton muttered. "That's why I picked a random major."
A laugh escaped my lips. "I hope that works out for you."
Easton was smiling genuinely at me, something that I rarely got to see from him. Then, his expression softened. "Mom and Dad would be so proud of you."
"You think so?"
"We know so," my sister stated. "You went through a lot this year and you still came out on top, no thanks to us. That was all you. They would be so proud."
"Just like we are…or whatever," Easton added awkwardly. I suppressed a laugh at the way tenderness was almost physically painful for him. "By the way, your friends are not-so-subtly staring at us."
I turned around and found them all grouped together facing my siblings and I. Their heads turned away in unison when I caught them. I was friends with the least stealthy people on earth.
"We won't keep you any longer," my brother told me. "We'll keep in touch, okay?"
After saying my goodbyes to the twins, I made my way over to my friends. They were pretending like they weren't stealingglances at me just a few minutes ago. They greeted me like I showed up unexpectedly, everyone booming with excitement and joy.
"Eli!" Bella called my name happily. "Your speech was amazing! I didn't know words could be so moving."
She was exaggerating, but it still made me smile.
"You can thank me," Ricky said as he puffed out his chest with pride. "I put in the work to make that speech great."
Kailey pursed her lips. "We all know that you didn't do that."
Everyone fell into laughter as Ricky rolled his eyes. He couldn’t hold back his grin, though.
"Guys, we graduated!" Paxton jumped into the air as he yelled. "The torture is finally over!"
"Until college," Bella drawled. "What's this mean for us?"
Bella and Ricky were moving to different states for college. Bella got into her dream school while Ricky just wanted to get away. They would be back for holidays, but we would go without seeing them for a long time and the thought was depressing.
Kailey was staying in state, but she was going to a college two hours away. It was a lot closer than Bella and Ricky would be, but we would still be separated. Kailey and Ricky were going to do long distance.
Paxton wasn't going to college. He also did not know what he wanted to do, and he did not believe in wasting money before he figured it out. He was taking a gap year.
I so happened to choose the college closest to where we currently lived. I wanted nothing more than to move far away at first, but after everything that had happened in the last two months, I didn't mind staying.
Since I was salutatorian the college I chose would pay for my school. It made a lot of sense to go where it was free and convenient. Plus, since Emerson, Easton, and I were makingprogress, a part of me didn't want to leave them. I could always move away later.
Javier was also going to the same college that I chose. It wasn't intentional, but I wouldn't lie and say that it didn't play a factor in my decision. Javi was fine staying close to home for the time being and the college was going to pay his tuition as well.
