thunder -- michael clifford

chapter twenty-five

>> twenty-five.

"How do I look?"

I stood in front of Anna with a tight black dress and black heels, my hair pulled up neatly. My blue graduation robe wrapped around me and my cap sat carefully on my head, the tassel reading 2014 in my peripheral vision. Anna was clad also in a black dress and red heels, her red locks tightly curled and her lips painted in red lipstick.

"You look absolutely stunning, Lia. I can't believe that this is it." Her eyes began watering.

"If you cry, I'll fucking punch you."

We both giggled. 

"You have the tickets for the boys and Momma?" Anna asked me.

I nodded and picked them up off the table. "Right here."

"Okay. I'll meet up with them and give them to them. But it's time for you to get to the school. I'll see you afterwards, alright?" Anna leaned in and hugged me. "I'm so beyond proud of you, Lia. I love you so much."

I squeezed her back. "I love you, too. And I'll see you soon."

I walked out the door and to my car, hoping to catch the boys pulling up before I went to the school. I hadn't seen them since they left for Dallas, and I practically considered them family. They were supposed to be coming in for my graduation, but I wasn't positive. I mean, their flights could have gotten cancelled or something.

I tried to push the thoughts of them missing my graduation from my mind. I climbed into my car and headed to the school. Once inside, I found my homeroom classroom and met up with Alexandra and Quentin. 

"Hey, you guys." I smiled.

"WE MADE IT! WE FUCKING MADE IT, LIA!" Quentin cried, picking me up and spinning me around. 

I laughed. "I know! We fucking made it! Class of 2014, bitcheeees!"

"Is your boyfriend coming, Lia?" Alexandra asked.

"Um, I think so." I mumbled. "He's supposed to, I mean."

She gave me a reassuring smile as Ms. O'Sullivan began instructing us and preparing us to enter the gymnasium, where we were having the ceremony. "He'll be here." She whispered.

We all lined up in alphabetical order and made our way down the hallways. The band was playing the graduation march, and it grew louder as we grew closer. My heart was pounding in my chest. This was what I'd been working for, this day was everything. 

The kids in front of me began entering, and soon enough, I was following. We walked in pairs, one entering through one door, and one the other. I ended up walking side by side with Violet, and once we reached the chairs we were supposed to sit in, we squeezed each other's hands and sat down. I looked around the room, trying to find the boys, trying to find Michael, but I couldn't see all the way around.

The principal began his speech, and we all stared up at him with smiles. After what seemed like years, he began calling out names, and students began walking up onto the stage set up in the gym. The names went by quickly, and before I could even blink, he was calling out Alexandra.

"Alexandra Maison." The principal grinned, and I watched my bestfriend march across the stage and grab her diploma.

"Austin McAdams."

My heart beat even faster. I was after Austin. I couldn't breathe, but still yet, a smile was painted on my face.

"Lia McAllister."

I felt as if I were in a dream. My feet carried me onto the stage, and that's when I heard their voices. The boys accents' stuck out like red thumbs in the applause. My smile grew wider, and when my hands took hold of the diploma, I looked out into the crowd. My eyes locked immediately with Michael's, as if no one else were in the room. I started giggling softly in happiness as I returned to my seat in the lineup.

Once all the names were called, our principal made one final speech. At the end, we all stood up. We all looked at each other, seeing tear-stained faces and the widest smiles on our peers and classmates we'd been with for the whole year, some even our whole lives.

We took our tassels in hand and moved them to the other side of our caps before pulling the caps off of our heads and throwing them into the air. With our caps, we threw our highschool career, our time left at Sierra Canyon. We kept all of the memories and friends we'd made, but our days in highschool were done. It was almost surreal to me. We all began pulling each other in for tight hugs, as this could be the last time we'd see each other. I found all of my friends together, Quentin, Alexandra, Violet, Connor, Ella, Gabriel, and Brady. We squeezed each other tightly.

"I can't believe this is it.." Ella said, tears falling down her face.

"Hey, this isn't it. We'll see each other again sometime." Violet assured. Ella nodded in response.

"Uh, Lia?" Alexandra said suddenly with a smile.

"Hm?"

She pointed behind me. There's someone here for you I think."

I turned on my heel to face a mop of blonde hair on top of a suit-clad body. My heart stopped for a moment as I took him in. Everything seemed to move in slow-motion as I threw my arms around him and squeezed.

"I'm so proud of you." Michael whispered.

I felt the tears fall from my eyes. "You made it." 

"Of course I did. You think I would miss my girl's graduation? Hell no." He smiled. 

I grinned back. "Can you give me one minute with them? I just wanna say some goodbyes and stuff."

He nodded. "Of course, love." Michael backed up and allowed me to finished up with my friends.

"I love you all so so much. Thank you for making this year so great." I wiped the tears from my cheeks and went around, hugging all of them.

"We love you, too, Lia. And if you're ever back here in LA, please tell us so we can meet up for coffee or something." Gabriel said.

"I definitely will."

As I pulled Violet in for a hug, I felt her sobbing on my shoulder.

"You've become the bestfriend I could ask for." She began through tears. "Don't forget about me, alright?"

"Wouldn't dream of it, V. If you ever want more ink, you know my number." I chuckled.

She pulled me back in, even tighter. "I love you, Li. Really. I'm gonna miss seeing your bitch ass face everyday."

"I'll miss you so much. And I love you endlessly." I backed away from her slowly and gave everyone one last smile.

"We did it." Quentin said again.

All of us laughed. They waved goodbye to me as I headed back into Michael's arms and we approached my family.

Beau, Mom, and Anna all hugged me first. They all told me how proud of me they were, and they planted sloppy kisses on my cheeks. The boys each picked me up and spun me around, causing me to giggle uncontrollably. Michael once again hugged me tightly and kissed me softly and carefully, as if I were glass.

"You do realize how proud of you I am, don't you?"

I nodded.

"And now, you get to come tour with me. I can't wait to wake up to your beautiful face everyday." Michael grinned.

"I've never looked forward to anything more. My bags are already packed."

"I love you so much." He whispered, his hands cupping my cheeks.

I planted another soft kiss to his lips. "I love you more."