after the death of her mother, leighton's father sends her to a boarding school halfway across the world to be taught a lesson. she knows no one and no one knows her.
but the cherry on top is who her roommate is.
#2 in ptsdawareness
#2 in anxiety
#...
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"where'd all the time go? it's starting to fly"
-where'd all the time go by dr. dog.
⎯⎯⎯
I tug the zipper of my gown all the way up, feeling the silky fabric settle over my shoulders.
The dark blue cap and gown hang heavy on me, not just in weight but in significance.
Graduation day.
It doesn't feel real. I stare at myself in the mirror, trying to see the girl I've grown into after all these years, but instead, all I see is someone trying to hold it together.
Bailey bursts into the room, her own gown draped over her arm, hair half-curled and her makeup half-done. "I swear if my hair doesn't cooperate, I'm just wearing it in a ponytail," she mutters, plopping onto the floor in front of my mirror.
"You look beautiful," I say with a small laugh, but I know she won't believe me.
She's been stressing about this day for weeks, and now that it's here, the nerves are only worse.
She squints at me through the mirror, half a bobby pin dangling from her lips. "You're one to talk. You look like you're about to throw up."
I roll my eyes but can't hide the anxious twist in my stomach. "I might." My fingers tug at the edge of my gown as if smoothing the wrinkles could somehow calm me down. "Are we really doing this?"
Bailey fixes one of the curls, her hands flying in practiced motions. "We are, whether you're ready or not. We've worked too damn hard not to."
Her words should comfort me, but they don't.
All I can think about is everything that's changing. The idea of walking across that stage, turning my tassel, and stepping into an unknown future—it feels overwhelming.
But Bailey? She's thriving in the chaos, bouncing between stress and excitement like it's the best rollercoaster ride of her life.
"You're going to cry, aren't you?" she teases, standing up and adjusting her gown.
I laugh despite myself. "Probably. But only because you'll cry first."
"Oh, one hundred percent," she says with a grin. "I already told my mom to bring the tissues."
We stand side by side in front of the mirror now, both of us in our matching caps and gowns, ready but not really ready. I notice Bailey fiddling with the sleeve of her gown, biting her lip like she does when she's deep in thought.
"What?" I ask.
She shrugs, but there's a softness in her voice when she says, "I'm gonna miss this. Us. It's weird, right? This chapter ending."
