The Wallflower of Parkview High

Epilogue

Two Years Later

From my spot on the little bench outside the PAC, I could hear the screaming, the squealing, the music and the pure excitement of it all.

Yet here I was, sitting outside, sketchbook in my lap, my graduation cap and gown, my phone and my diploma all in a neat pile next to me. Looking across the street, I could see the Chili's where just last week, Zander got up on one of the tables and danced to this song that he really likes. That was something new that I learned about him when we first started dating - he was infamous for pulling all sorts of random stunts at public places and getting himself (and sometimes the people who tagged along with him) kicked out.

Sighing softly to myself, I looked back down at my sketchbook. It has been a couple of days since I had picked it up and so far I had barely gotten started on my latest drawing. It was one of me and Alicia and I was going to give it to her next week when we went to California's annual summer carnival together. Zander begged me to do a drawing of him but I refused. I already drew him tons of times and half of them, I've already given to him. I've only drawn Alicia one or two times and I wanted to give her a present before we both went off to different colleges in the fall.

Speaking of Alicia...

"Hey, Noah, watcha doing out here in the dark?" she asked, making her way towards me. She had her graduation gown draped over her shoulder and was now wearing a white button up. When she sat down next to me, I instantly closed my sketchbook.

"Hey! I was just trying to, um, get some fresh air..." I told her, trying to sound natural. She looked at my sketchbook for about a second before turning to look at me.

"So, this is it, I guess. In the fall we'll all be going off to different colleges."

"Yeah..." I murmured, trying to ignore the little pang of sadness in my chest. Every time someone discussed colleges, I was reminded of how I wasn't going to be going to the same one as either my best friend nor my boyfriend. It was silent for a few minutes between us before Alicia spoke again.

"Why aren't you inside at the party?" she asked and I sighed.

"It was too noisy and I didn't know what to do so I decided to go out here-"

"Come on, Noah. I think you should go live a little. It's our senior graduation party after all. This is the last time we'll ever see this school."

I didn't answer and instead thought about what Alicia said in my head. Yes, it was the last time that I would ever set foot on the PVH campus. I know that many people would think that it was no big deal, but for me, it was. This school had some sort of odd sentimental value to me. It was the place where I made my first real friend, met my - first and hopefully only - boyfriend, and (as much as I hate to admit it) got into my first major scene of drama. I couldn't just forget it all like that. I know it will sound cheesy, but if I hadn't gone to this school, I probably wouldn't be where I was today.

"Zander's probably standing by one of the tables sulking around and wondering where you are." Alicia added, snapping me out of my thoughts.

In an instant, I was up out of my seat, shoving my phone in my back pocket and racing back inside the PAC. Alicia just laughed and grabbed my graduation gown and cap and my sketchbook and followed me back inside. As soon as I walked through the entrance, I started to look around for my boyfriend like I was a person from the FBI looking for a clue to a crime scene

"ZANDER!" I screeched once I saw him standing near the drinks table and when he looked at me, I made a beeline towards him. I didn't care that people were looking at me like I was crazy. I. Just. Needed. To. See. Him.