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23

"Let's go. You don't want to be late for this," Aunt Wendy yelled from outside.

"Just a second," I shouted back as I slid on my white pumps and walked out with Ashton shutting the front door behind me.

"Shotgun!" Ashton screamed, running past me and sitting in the front passenger seat, leaving me to sit in the back all by myself. Aunt Wendy soon pulled us out of the driveway and drove towards the university.

It felt like a dream. My heart was racing in my chest, anxious about stepping into a new phase of my life. It was just yesterday that I was a nerdy college freshman and now I was about to graduate with my brother and best friend, and I couldn't ask for anything more.

We slowly reached the university's parking lot through the ridiculous traffic, unable to find a spot. "You've got to be kidding me," Aunt Wendy mumbled.

"Just park there," Ashton pointed out.

"That's not a parking spot," I muttered from the back seat.

"No one is going to notice and there's no parking spots left, so might as well park here."

Aunt Wendy agreed with him and parked where he told her to. I straightened the wrinkles on my black graduation gown after I got out while Ashton did the same.

"Hurry!" Aunt Wendy grabbed my wrist and hauled me away. "I want front row seats and you guys need to graduate. Let's go!"

We pivoted around the massive herds of people, trying to get into the large football field. "I'm going to be sitting on this side, so look for me when you guys get seated," Aunt Wendy informed us before parting ways. Ashton and I strode onto the field where students were already getting situated.

"Bitch!" I turned my head in the direction of the yelling girl. "Finally! I've been waiting for so long." She wrapped her arms around me and squealed. "We are fucking graduating!"

"I know." I patted her back. "You can let go now, Soph."

"I'm just so happy," she pulled away with a massive grin and faced Ashton who stared rather astonished. "You can have one too." Ashton met her warm embrace right after.

"Thanks, Sophie!" He smiled at her after pulling away.

"Did you guys decorate your caps?" She inquired.

"Fuck yeah!" Ashton chirped up while removing his cap and showing it to her. 'NFL' was shabbily engraved on it with a white marker.

"You got some skills," I laughed at his pathetic attempt.

"Well, at least I did something to it, unlike you," he fired back.

"Look at mine." Sophie lowered her head for me and Ashton to see, 'If you can't impress them with your intelligence, baffle them with your bullshit', written on the cap with a few gems decorating the corners. I chuckled at her silliness while Ashton cackled hysterically.

"That's fucking genius," he barked out after he calmed his laugh. "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Because I'm the genius here, not you," she poked his chest.

"Guys! The ceremony is going to start soon, so get your asses seated!" A man yelled at all the students that were standing and conversing with one another.

"Okay, Fatty McMuffin," Soph mumbled under her breath as we walked towards the rows of chairs lined up for the graduating class. She went and sat in the third row while we were assigned a few rows behind her. It was alphabetically assigned, so Ashton sat to the right of me while a random girl that I had never seen before sat to the left. I didn't even know half of these people. Well, more like seventy-five percent of these people were complete strangers to me.

"Excited, sissy?" Ashton asked, smiling cheekily at me.

"Nervous and excited. What about you?"

"I'm happy to get out of here and go to upstate New York for the Giants."

"Wait, what?" I shook my head the information, startled. "You got drafted for the NFL?"

He nodded slowly and grinned. "I'm afraid so."

"You're kidding," I gaped at him in bafflement. He shook his head sideways as his grin grew wider. "Oh my God," I tried to control my excitement and whispered in order to not draw unwanted attention. "When and how?"

"The recruiters had been present during my games and liked it, so this morning I got an email. The email that I had been waiting for, Arie." The happiness literally protruded from his eyes that were smiling as wide as his mouth.

"I'm so proud of you." I smiled, squeezing his hand tightly. "You've done me proud, son," my voice echoed in a deep, manly manner.

He laughed at me. "Thank you, father. Now let's pay attention to the ceremony. The first row is being called up. In a few minutes, it'll be us."

"I'm a little scared, Ashton." I looked over to him with a slight fear of what was to come next. The unknown that was waiting for me.

"Don't be, sissy. You're going to be a good doctor." He interlocked his hand with mine and pecked it. "We have come so far together. Mama and papa would be so proud of us."

"I'm sure they are watching us right now and smiling down on us." I flashed a smile before staring into my lap, trying to restrain my eyes from shedding some tears. Mama and papa really would've loved to be here with us on our big day. The day we got out in the real world and faced it head on. I have more schooling to do, but Ashton was going out to be a man now, not a boy. I was proud of him and myself too. I was already facing the horrible real world for the past month, but I hoped he had a better luck with it. I didn't know what the future held for me. Hopefully no more tragedies. Hope is what I was clinging onto with all my power and what little of everything I had left.

"Get up, Arie. It's our time." Ashton shook me and forced me onto my feet. "What are you so lost in anyways?" He questioned as I began walking towards the stage behind the girl in front of me.

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