Infinite Love

Epilogue

[Two Years Later]

The auditorium buzzes with excitement as Millwood High's graduating class fills the seats, caps and gowns swishing in the stuffy air. I can feel my heart racing, not from nerves, but from the thrill of this moment. It's finally here. After everything, after Bloody Rose, after the Reckoning, after two years of surviving together—we've made it.

Principal Smithee stands at the podium, calling out names one by one. We all sit together, my hand brushing against Noa's as we wait for our names to be called. My eyes dart around to the rest of the girls. Tabby's fidgeting, tapping her foot. Faran looks perfectly composed, of course. Mouse is quietly mouthing the speech Smithee's giving, while Imogen's fixing her hair under her cap, probably annoyed it's not falling right.

"And now" Principal Smithee's voice echoes through the gym, "Gianna West"

I stand up, my legs shaking just a bit, and walk across the stage. When I take the diploma from him, a smile spreads across my face. I glance out to the crowd, seeing my parents beaming, and then back at my girls. The weight of the diploma in my hand feels like more than just a piece of paper—it's proof we made it through all the darkness.

"Noa Olivar"

Noa walks across the stage, wide smile on her face. She throws me a wink before taking her diploma.

"Tabitha Haworthe"

Tabby walks across the stage next, chin held high, her eyes sparkling with pride.

"Faran Bryant"

Faran walks with that confident stride she always has, giving a nod as she takes her diploma. She looks back at us, grinning.

"Minnie Honrada"

Mouse practically bounces across the stage, her grin wide as she accepts her diploma, a little wave to the crowd. I can't help but chuckle.

"Imogen Adams"

Imogen sashays her way up, like it's a red carpet, flashing the crowd a dazzling smile before taking her diploma. She turns back to us with a grin that says, Yeah, I know I look good.

"And last, but certainly not least...Kelly Beasley"

Kelly walks up with a quiet confidence, her face glowing as she takes her diploma. The whole auditorium erupts into applause, and just like that, we're all high school graduates.

[End of Summer - Pinball Pizza]

We grab our usual booth, squeezing in just like we've done a thousand times before. There's a strange mix of excitement and sadness in the air, and I can feel it settling around us.

"Well" Tabby says, lifting her soda in a mock toast, "Here we are. The last hurrah before the next chapter"

"Don't make it sound so dramatic" Imogen teases, but her voice has a nostalgic edge to it, "We're not dying; we're just going to college"

"Yeah, but it's the end of an era" Mouse says, "We're all going to different places"

I wrap an arm around Noa's shoulders, and she leans into me, "Not all of us" Noa says, "Gianna and I are going to the same school"

"True" I say with a smile, "Noa's going to be killing it in track while I try to keep up in soccer"

"And then there's Tabby and Imogen" Faran adds, "Both headed off to LA—Tabby for film school and Imogen for acting"

Tabby grins, "The dynamic duo taking on Hollywood"

"And Faran's off to study personal training" I say, "You're going to be making us all look bad with those muscles"