03 | light, rosalie hale

14.

IT was finally June eleventh—graduation day. Elexia picked out a lacy dress that ended at her mid-thigh to wear underneath the gown at the ceremony. She just couldn't believe she was actually graduating. As she stared at the dress that hung on the handle of her door, a strange mix of emotions churned in her belly.

Before she could get too emotional, she forced herself out of her haze and called Rosalie into her room to come help her get the dress on and zip up the back of it. Austin had to forcefully hold back tears when Elexia walked down the stairs, holding hands with Rosalie, who was holding Gaia.

"Oh, Lexi," Austin breathed. "I can't believe how amazing of a woman you've become."

After sharing some teary hugs, Elexia, Rosalie, Gaia, and Austin all got into Austin's car, driving to Forks High School for the graduation.

Rosalie opened the door for Elexia once they were parked at the school; she had a soft smile on her face. "You feeling okay?"

"A little nauseous," Elexia admitted. "Though I'm not sure if that's from nerves or the baby."

Rosalie's smile cracked into a grin. "Probably both."

"Finally graduating high school, huh, Lexi?" Austin playfully asked when he rounded the hood of the car to where Elexia was standing with Rosalie, who had Gaia perched on her hip, wearing a white dress identical to Elexia. "You've been waiting for this day since you were fourteen."

"Fresh out of the slammer at last," Elexia dramatically said. "High school—my personal hell."

"Slammer and hell are certainly two ways to accurately describe high school," Rosalie agreed, as Austin nodded in his own agreement.

"I just can't believe how mature and intelligent you are now, Lexi," Austin said, looking down at his only daughter with watery blue eyes identical to hers. "You moved here, and in a blink, you're a grown woman—no longer my baby. I'm so proud of you, Elexia Gina, you have no idea."

Elexia bit her bottom lip to hold back the cries that wanted to escape her. "I'll always be your baby, Dad."

"Yeah. Yeah, you will," Austin whispered with a nod, pulling his daughter into his arms for one long hug that Rosalie stared at with complete affection and love in her eyes for her family.

Pulling away from the embrace after a few moments, Austin quickly wiped his eyes. "Enough of the sad crap—this is a happy day. You said Alice is throwing a graduation party tonight, right?"

Elexia nodded. "Yes. I'm only going to stay for a bit, though."

"We know you're a grandma that likes to be in bed by nine o'clock," Rosalie playfully teased.

"Oh, you're one to talk," Elexia shot back, sticking her tongue out childishly at her fiancée. Rosalie cast her a wide grin, picking up the inside joke in her words.

Austin, Rosalie, and Gaia had to drop Elexia off at the gym entrance, as she was a student, while they headed off to the main entrance of the red-colored school where the rest of the families would be.

Elexia's heart was pounding as rapidly as a jackhammer when she walked inside. Ms. Cope, the secretary, and Mr. Varner, one of the math teachers, were all yelling at everyone as they lined the whole class up in alphabetical order. As she was walking closer, Mr. Varner was yelling at Edward. "Up front, Mr. Cullen."

There were a million noises in front, behind, to the left, to the right—all around Elexia. It was beyond overwhelming. She turned as she heard Jessica Stanley and Bella waving her over from the back of the line. There were a couple of people between Elexia's spot in the line and Jessica and Bella's spot, but it was close enough that she at least had someone to talk to.