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It was finally the end.

Or it felt like it, at least.

Rue stretched her arms above her head, quickly retracting them and handing over her neatly answered examination sheets over to the teacher collecting them.

For the first time in a long while, she felt satisfied.

All Rue wanted to do now was to jump up, into the air, laughing and screaming. The term was finally over and she could worry about the results of her examination later. Rue tapped her feet against the legs of the desk she sat at, waiting for the professor to give them the cue to leave. She wanted to meet her friends.

She wanted to meet Avery.

As soon as the professor wished them, she was the first one out the doors. She held onto her bag tightly, as she sped through the campus and out the gates.

Sienna had asked them all to meet at Annie's Café and Restaurant, which was located right next to the most stunning elevated garden of the town. This was going to be their last meal together that term, before they all left to pursue their own paths after the summer vacations ended.

Rue wasn't even fully sure what exactly she was going to do next. Maybe intern at that firm she had been aspiring to join?

She wondered what Avery would do.

Would he pursue photography too, or would he drop it to fully take over the family business? She wasn't sure of that either.

But she knew whatever choice he made, she would support him.

When Rue entered the café, she saw June waving at her from a table. No one else had arrived yet.

'We're free!' June exclaimed, laughing and throwing up her hands into the air.

Rue slid in beside her.

One by one, they all entered through the glass doors of the bait café. Words turned into smiles which soon turned into erupting laughter. Rue caught Avery's eyes several times, but she couldn't pinpoint what exactly he was trying to convey.

It was almost sunset when Avery briskly got up. They'd all finished their meals and we're having some drinks. Rue looked at him with questioning eyes.

'Excuse me for bit,' he said politely. 'Rue, would you care to join?'

Without a second thought, Rue followed suit. Murmured cheers and remarks of happiness came from her other companions, as she followed Avery out into the town streets.

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