My Toxin

Chapter 36: Graduation

Two years had passed since that unforgettable night in Paris. Marjorie and Alex had grown closer than ever, their bond deepened by shared experiences, love, and the challenges they had faced together. Now, in the final months of their university journey, they found themselves on the cusp of a new chapter—one filled with uncertainty, expectations, and the looming realities of the future.

Marjorie sat in her dorm room, the familiar scent of old textbooks and fresh coffee filling the air. The room, once a sanctuary of learning and late-night study sessions, now felt like a pressure cooker, ready to burst from the weight of unspoken anxieties. Piles of job applications lay on her desk, each one representing a different possible future. Her parents had always envisioned her as a corporate lawyer, climbing the ranks in a prestigious firm, securing a future that was as stable as it was prosperous.

But Marjorie's heart tugged her in a different direction. The passion she had discovered during her law studies wasn't in mergers and acquisitions or contract law. It was in advocating for those whose voices were often silenced—in fighting for human rights, justice, and equality. The cases she had worked on in her internships, those involving asylum seekers and victims of injustice, had ignited a fire in her that corporate law could never quench. Yet, the thought of disappointing her parents, of diverging from the path they had meticulously laid out for her, weighed heavily on her.

As she stared out of her window at the campus she had come to love, Marjorie couldn't shake the feeling of being at a crossroads. The world beyond university was vast and unpredictable, and the decisions she made now would shape the rest of her life. The pressure to succeed, to live up to the expectations of her family and society, was overwhelming. But beneath that pressure was a quiet voice, urging her to follow her own dreams, to carve out a path that was truly hers.

Across campus, Alex was grappling with his own set of dilemmas. As the only heir to his family's private bank, there had always been an unspoken understanding that he would step into the role his father had prepared for him. The bank was his birthright, a legacy passed down through generations, and with it came the expectation that he would continue the family's proud tradition of wealth and influence.

But the closer Alex came to graduation, the more he questioned whether this was what he truly wanted. He had a sharp mind for finance, yes, but his heart wasn't in the boardrooms or the high-stakes deals. He had seen too much of the world beyond the glass walls of his father's bank, and he longed to do something more meaningful with his life. He wanted to build something of his own, to forge a path that wasn't dictated by family legacy but by his own passions and values.

One evening, as the weight of these decisions became too much to bear alone, Marjorie and Alex found themselves sitting together in the common room, the familiar comfort of each other's presence offering some relief from their worries.

"Alex," Marjorie began, her voice soft but tinged with the seriousness of the moment, "have you thought about what you really want to do after graduation?"

He looked at her, his blue eyes filled with the same uncertainty that she felt. "Honestly, Marjorie, I don't know. My father's bank is the obvious choice—it's what's expected of me. But part of me feels like I'm just following in his footsteps, not making my own mark on the world."

Marjorie nodded, her heart heavy with empathy. "I understand. I've been feeling the same way. My parents expect me to become a corporate lawyer, to secure a future that they've always wanted for me. But I want something different. I want to fight for human rights, to be a voice for those who don't have one. But going against their expectations... it's terrifying."

They sat in silence for a moment, the enormity of their decisions hanging in the air between them. The future, once a distant horizon, was now a looming reality, and neither of them wanted to make the wrong choice.

"What if we took some time after graduation to figure things out?" Marjorie suggested, her voice tentative but hopeful. "We don't have to jump into anything right away. We could take a gap year, travel, experience life outside these suffocating responsibilities. I mean, we are graduating with honours, for goodness' sake."

Alex looked at her, a small smile breaking through the storm of his thoughts. He was surprised the idea had come from Marjorie; the growth was evident. "That sounds perfect, Princess. Let's do it. Let's take a year, explore the world, and figure out who we want to be—together."

As they made this decision, a sense of relief washed over them. The future was still uncertain, but they had each other, and that made all the difference. The gap year wasn't just an escape; it was an opportunity—a chance to breathe, to grow, and to discover the paths they were meant to walk.

In the months that followed, as they prepared for graduation, Marjorie and Alex found themselves increasingly excited about the prospect of their gap year. They began to plan their travels, researching destinations that would challenge and inspire them. They talked about the experiences they wanted to have, the people they hoped to meet, and the ways in which they could use this time to better understand themselves and each other.

The job offers and expectations would still be there when they returned, but for now, they chose to prioritise their own growth, to take the time to figure out what they truly wanted from life. And in doing so, they took the first steps toward creating futures that were not only successful but fulfilling.

On graduation day, the sun shone brightly, casting a golden glow over the sprawling campus. The air was thick with anticipation and the bittersweetness of goodbyes. Marjorie stood before her mirror, adjusting her cap and gown, her reflection showing not just the young woman who had walked into university years ago, but someone who had been forged in the fire of her own doubts and dreams.

They met outside, their fingers naturally intertwining as they walked towards the ceremony. The campus, bustling with graduates and their families, felt like a world unto itself, a bubble of celebration and nostalgia. But beyond that bubble lay the vast unknown, the world that they would soon step into.

As they stood among their peers, waiting to be called to receive their diplomas, Alex squeezed Marjorie's hand. "Are you ready?" he whispered.

She turned to him, her eyes bright with a mix of emotions. "I'm ready," she replied. "For whatever comes next."

When their names were called, they walked across the stage, accepting their diplomas with smiles that reflected both pride and anticipation. The applause that followed was a culmination of years of hard work, but for them, it was also a signal that the journey they had chosen was about to begin.

After the ceremony, as they walked away from the crowds and towards the quiet edges of the campus, Marjorie looked out over the familiar landscape, taking in the view one last time. "We did it," she said softly, more to herself than to Alex.

He nodded, pulling her close. "We did.I'm proud of us."

Their gap year lay ahead of them, a blank canvas waiting to be filled with experiences, discoveries, and growth. The world was wide open, and for the first time, they felt truly free to explore it on their own terms.

As they walked hand in hand into the next chapter of their lives, there was no doubt that whatever paths they chose, they would do so together, their love and partnership the steady compass guiding them through the unknown.

And with that, Marjorie and Alex stepped forward, leaving behind the expectations of others and embracing the adventure of creating their own future.