Beneath the Surface

Chapter 24

Graduation had come and gone in a blur, and Lizzie could barely remember the ceremony. The cheers, the caps flying in the air, the promises of bright futures—it all felt distant, like a scene she had watched from outside herself. The excitement, the sense of accomplishment, none of it had touched her the way it should have. She had walked across the stage, taken her diploma, and smiled for the pictures, but inside, she was numb.

It had been weeks since Y/N had disappeared. Since prom night, when everything had fallen apart. Rumors swirled through school and on social media. Some said Y/N had moved back to Russia, that something terrible had happened with her family, and she'd been forced to leave. Others whispered darker stories—that Y/N was in trouble, that she was never coming back. No one knew the truth, and no one had heard from her. Not even Lizzie.

Lizzie had tried to keep up appearances. For her family's sake, for her friends. She went through the motions—graduated, posed for pictures, attended the obligatory dinners and family events. But everyone around her could see the change. She wasn't the same person she had been before prom, before Y/N. Her friends, Mia and Jess, tried to get her to open up, to talk about it, but Lizzie didn't know what to say. She didn't have the words to describe the emptiness she felt.

The night of her graduation party had finally arrived, and Lizzie was standing in her living room, surrounded by family and friends. Her sisters had done most of the planning, organizing a celebration that should have been full of joy and excitement. The house was decorated with lights, balloons, and banners congratulating her, but to Lizzie, it all felt hollow. She smiled, thanked everyone for coming, and laughed at the right moments, but her heart wasn't in it.

As the evening wore on and guests started to leave, Lizzie stood by the window, looking out into the darkening sky. Her family and friends were outside, saying their goodbyes. She could hear Mia and Jess talking to her sisters, laughing, but their voices seemed distant. Lizzie glanced around the room, feeling a deep sense of loneliness settle over her.

She was trying to move on, or at least pretend she was, but the truth was she couldn't stop thinking about Y/N. Every day, she wondered if Y/N would come back, if she'd get an explanation, a reason for why everything had ended the way it had. But as time went on, Lizzie had started to accept a painful truth—Y/N wasn't coming back.

The thought hit her like a punch to the gut. She had held onto hope for so long, but now, standing here in her house after graduation, surrounded by people who loved her, Lizzie realized she had to let go. Even if she didn't want to move on, she had to pretend. For her family. For her friends. She had to make them believe she was okay.

Outside, her sisters were saying their goodbyes to the last guests. Lizzie walked out to join them, feeling the cool night air against her skin. Mary-Kate and Ashley turned to her as she approached, their expressions soft with concern.

"Are you doing okay?" Ashley asked gently, her eyes searching Lizzie's face.

Lizzie forced a smile, nodding. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired."

Mary-Kate stepped closer, placing a hand on Lizzie's arm. "You don't have to pretend with us, you know. We've been worried about you."

"I know," Lizzie replied quietly, her heart aching at their kindness. "I just... I don't know how to feel right now."

"We're here for you," Ashley said, giving her a reassuring smile. "Whenever you're ready to talk, we're here."

Lizzie nodded, feeling a lump rise in her throat. "Thanks. I think I just need some time alone tonight."

Her sisters exchanged a glance but didn't push her. "We'll be inside if you need us," Mary-Kate said, giving Lizzie's arm a gentle squeeze before they both headed back into the house.

Lizzie stood outside for a few moments, watching the stars flicker faintly above. The quietness of the night was comforting in a way, but it also made the ache in her chest feel heavier. She needed to accept it, she told herself. Y/N wasn't coming back. She had to let go.

Just as she was about to head inside, the front door opened again, and Mary-Kate stepped out, something small in her hand.

"Lizzie, we found this by the back door," she said softly, holding up a small velvet box and a folded note. "It's for you."

Lizzie's heart stopped. She recognized the handwriting on the note instantly—it was Y/N's. Her hands shook as she reached out, taking the note and the box from her sister. Mary-Kate gave her a sympathetic look before stepping back inside, leaving Lizzie alone with the unexpected gift.

Lizzie unfolded the note with trembling fingers. The words were simple, written in Y/N's familiar, neat script:

Congratulations, Lizzie. You deserve the world. I'm sorry I couldn't be there. Take care of yourself.
Love,
Y/N

Lizzie's breath hitched as she read the words, her eyes filling with tears. She had imagined a thousand different ways Y/N might come back into her life, but she hadn't expected this—a note and a gift, left behind like a quiet goodbye.

Her fingers traced the edges of the velvet box, and she slowly opened it, revealing a stunning diamond bracelet. It was delicate, elegant, something Lizzie could tell had been chosen with care. The sight of it made her chest tighten with emotion.

She fastened the bracelet around her wrist, her heart aching with every second that passed. The weight of Y/N's absence felt heavier than ever now. This wasn't the reunion she had hoped for. It was a reminder of everything she had lost, of the future they wouldn't have together.

Lizzie stood there in the quiet night, staring down at the bracelet, the note still clutched in her other hand. The air felt thick with the finality of it all. Y/N wasn't coming back—not the way Lizzie had hoped. This was it. This was her goodbye.

~ End of Part 1 ~

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