Daughter of Ali Krieger

Chapter 6;

Ali's POV

"What's she doing?"
"Thinking back on the memories in her head."

We all watched Emily as she just looked at her cap. I walked down the seats and walked over to her.
She looked at me and then around the hall.

"It's all over. It's really all over. I was kind of hoping this was all just a dream."
"Welcome to the real world baby girl."

She chuckled and wrapped her arm around my waist and leaned her head against my chest. I kissed the top of her head and hugged her tight.

"I'm so proud of you. Like incredibly proud of you."
"Thanks mom. Actually while I have you alone, can I ask you something?"
"Sure, what's up?"
"Last night, when I was with Hope, something happened."
"Good or bad?"
"I'm not sure. I-"
"There's out little graduate. Aunt Pinoe is so proud of you."

Emily chuckled at Pinoe and went and hugged her. I felt arms wrap around my waist and I immediately smelled Ash's perfume. She kissed the back of my neck and rested her chin on my shoulder.

"She grew up fast."
"She did didn't she. I feel so old."
"Well you don't look it."

I chuckled and turned around to face her. I pecked her lips and rested my head against her chest and wrapped my arms around her waist. I watched as Emily laughed with all the girls. I saw Kelley looking at me sadly so I motioned for her to come over. She snuck away from the girls and walked over to Ash and I.

"What's wrong Kel?"
"I'm not ready to say goodbye again."
"This time around is different. I can feel it."

We all looked over at Emily as she laughed with some of her classmates. Her head was thrown back and she was clapping like an idiot while laughing. I couldn't help but smile at the sight. I felt a tap on my shoulder and I turned to see Ash pointing to the corner of the hall. I followed her line of view and saw Hope sitting at the top row of seats with her head in her hands. I sighed and was about to walk away but Ash grabbed my wrist.

"But-"
"Someone beat you to it."

I looked back and saw Emily walking up there and sitting next to her.

Emily's POV
I looked over and saw mom and Ash looking up at something. I followed their line of view and saw Hope.

"Excuse me girls."

I walked over to the seats and walked up the steps and sat next to her. She didn't know I was there because her head was still down.

"I went home you know. Back to Carson. I haven't been myself for a while and I didn't understand why. I went to the graveyard and visited them."
"E-"
"I thought it was just that I was missing them and needed closure, but here's the thing. It's not them that I needed closure from, it was you. That was until yesterday. Something about seeing you again made me realise how much I loved you. I don't know why but you're different from the rest. I feel like whenever I'm with you that I am loved. More than my mom, more than my dad, more than anyone until yesterday. When I asked you if you hated me and you didn't answer it was like my heart got ripped out of my chest. And then last night-"
"What happened last night?"

She looked at me in confusion and her voice was cold. I felt like my heart was beating 100 miles an hour.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing."

I stood up and ran down the steps. I wiped my eyes and brushed past mom and the girls and then dad and ran out of the hall crying. I was just outside the school when I felt someone grab my wrist and pull me into their embrace. I tried pushing them away but they only tightened their embrace and I broke down completely.