The Good and the Bad

Graduated

"Your tassel is on the wrong side." Aspen says reaching pout and fixing it before I go on stage to make the biggest speech of my life. "You would've looked stupid out there."

"Do you think its wrong I'm mentioning him?" I ask looking down at my brown strapy wedges.

She lifts my head up with her finger faintly smiling at me with her pink lips. "Its perfect that you are. " she looks behind me where Mrs. Blackwell is waving me up. "That's your cue, go kill it."

I turn around and wave my sweaty hands walking up slowly. All eyes are pressured on me. I wish they weren't. I step up to the podium looking down at my primly prepared speech. I revert my eyes back to the crowd.

Fuck it.

"Look around at your class and for others the people behind you. Did you make their day better or make them smile brighter? Probably not. In April, Damien Hunter was found dead.  Shot precisely three times in the chest.  He bled out and died. None of us had a chance to at goodbye. Most of you lived in fear of him. But none of you saw the side I saw. The side I believe he was. He wasn't bad. He was good. He as sweet and caring. You were all so quick to judge the exterior before knowing what be had inside of him. Now I know I'm not the only person upset they didn't get a proper goodbye or loved your time with him to the guest. But what I do know, is I was there for him. I was the person who made his day brighter and put a smile on his face. This world, is messed up. In so many ways. I mean look at it this way: you have two choices in life. Each one different for the next. To be happy or unhappy. To be good or to be bad. To be happy or to be sad to be living or dead. To be depressed or impressed. To be dull or shining. To be anything or simply nothing. The list is infinite. So why are we all sitting here? I mean is college what we really want? What bout traveling the world. Exploring not only that but ourselves and each other. There's is many opportunities out there and were sitting here. Live your life up to the fullest. You only get one." I clear my throat. "Now if you would am please move your tassels over. We are the official! Class of 2017!" And the hats go flying.

I look up at the shining sun and blue sky "Thanks Loser."

***

We pile out of my aunts SUV singing to the song that was just on the radio. We laugh and stumble into the house so incredibly loud. My aunt left for Cali after Graduation. Its three in the morning. We were at some beach house. Thank God Johnathan stayed Sober and drove us home.

"Whoa, slow your roll." Johnathan says holding me up.

"Whoopsies. " I say giggling.

"Oh my god! You're so pretty!" Aspen squeals.

I smile giddily.

"Bed, both of you. Now." Johnathan orders.

"But I don't think I can make it upstairs." I say wobbling.

"Yeah I'm just gonna crash here." Aspen says falling on the couch.

"God, how much did they drink?" Andrew asks as I plop down.

"Like," I hold up my fingers showing the smallest amount possible. "This much."

"Right...." Andrew says and him and John roll their eyes.

"I miss Damien." I whine. "Where is he? Can you tell to come here."

"Slacker, Damien is dead. He has been for a while."  Johnathan says.

My heart wrenches. I hate my drunken self. "I miss him so much Johnny." I say crying. "I wish he was here. I wish I said bye."

Johnathan wraps his arms around me. "Its fine, B. It'll all be okay."

And in a way it was.

****

Three months later

"Is that really where we want it though?" I ask Francis, Vanessa and Aspen.

"Nah move it." Vanessa answers shaking her head.

"Right there." Aspen shouts from the kitchen and Francis stops moving it.

"Perfect." I say. I look around at our cutesy house. A cutesy house that gave five bedrooms, the fifth one being for Reece. Okay so jot cutesy but its cozy.

"I'm so pul led for college. I mean, its fucking hot here, but I love it. Were going to make this the year of us. The year everything changes." Francis concludes. "Aspen is going to be a doctor. Vanessa is going to help build a better bond with her sister whilst making college worth wild. I will be hoping from party to party finding the next hot guy to feast on and Bronx will find her forever."

"But Damien,"

"Its been too long B." Aspen says.

"This is what he would have wanted." Vanessa agrees.

I sigh. "I know. I'll just never be ready for that specific step."

"You will be. I know you will." Aspen says draping an arm over my shoulders.

"This year is devoted to ourselves. Let's make it worth while." Francis says grinning and we pull each other in for a group hug.

Ourselves.

The year of us.

Damien

The real question js, Damien Hunter is really dead?

I have the answer.

Ha, you thought.

∆°∆°∆ T H E   E N D ∆°∆°∆

I'm sooooooooo excited that this book has ended.

Wow that came out wrong.

What I meant to say is that I'm pumped for the next book because this one is over. Yeah, that sounds better.

This book is at #902 in teen fiction. Not super high but still pretty amazing. I'm glad you guys liked it because I had fun writing it.

Now the next book will be about Bronx... Just wait until its released oh my goodness you'll go crazy. I'm not going to tell you guys the title until the day before releasing it.

Let's just say its super interesting and you'll be flipping out

That's all my loves! Until next time.

•gracie•