guarding my angel || "guardian angel" sequel

35

3 WEEKS LATER

**Jessica's POV**

My engagement ring hung on a silver chain around my neck as I threw my graduation cap into the air with the rest of my class. I turned to see Ponyboy, standing maybe a hundred feet away, smiling at his classmates beside him.

We did it. We finally graduated.

My white graduation gown hung above the black dress Kayla and I picked out. The white was almost symbolic of the purity of the last few weeks; everything seemed to finally be on the right track. Throwing my graduation cap into the air was more freeing than I had ever dreamed it would be.

Before rushing off to find the rest of the gang, I feel my feet fly off the ground as Ponyboy runs up behind me, grabbing around my waist and spinning me around. The ring bounces against my collarbone as he sets me down and kisses me passionately. 

"We did it, baby," he says with a smile. "The world is ours."

I smile and hug him tight as my friends begin to swarm around us as well. We all cheer and smile as various people take our photos, including Soda.

When the crowd clears, we find the gang standing together, waiting for us to see them. Darry and Lauren stand together, smiling prouder than I've ever seen, as though everything they ever wanted had finally happened. I rush over to Darry and allow him to nearly suffocate me in a hug. Tears sting my eyes as I look up at the only man who has ever treated me as anything close to a daughter. I think back to all the late nights of studying, Darry helping me into late hours of the night until I finally figured everything out; the middle of the night conversations we had, the midnight snacks during studying, all of it. He was the guidance I needed.

"You did it, kiddo!" he says happily. He pulls Ponyboy into the hug as well, and I find myself squished between the love of my life and the father figure I never had. My heart feels complete.

"Let the rest of us get a chance!" Soda yells as he steals Ponyboy from Darry's grasp. Victoria takes Darry's place and we squeeze each other senseless.

"I'm so proud of you, best friend," she says to me. "We all are."

I exchange hugs with every member of the gang, even Grayson, Charlotte, and Bryce. We're the last people to leave the field.

"Alright, dinner's at 7, don't be late!" Lauren says with a smile as she climbs into Darry's truck.

"Are you headed straight home?" Soda asks Ponyboy. He shakes his head.

"We're gonna make a quick stop on the way," Ponyboy says with a smirk, the one that means he has something up his sleeve.

"You better be careful, it's nearly 5," Kayla says with a laugh as she takes Grayson from Soda.

"Tell Darry we won't be late," Ponyboy says with a smile before grabbing my hand and leading me off the field. I wave to everyone as they begin to disperse.

Still in our full graduation attire, he leads me to a door on the outside of the school. He picks the lock for a bit before it swings open, and he grabs my hand again and quickly pulls me inside so he can shut the door. The room we entered is filled with electrical switches, wires, and various other items that don't look safe. Ponyboy can seem to sense my fear because he brings me close to him.

"Trust me," he says as he leads me further into the dark. I see a ladder, and he has me climb up before he does with instructions to open the door at the top. I do as he says and when I reach the top, the door reveals the roof of the school.

"How did you..." I start to say, completely in awe of the beautiful view of the sunset we're about to see.

"Johnny and I found this place a few years ago," he explains, pointing at their names scratched into the panelling via switchblade. "I wanted to watch the sun go down on our high school career together, one last time."