#NoFilter

-Chapter 41-

Okay... okay, I can do this.

You've come this far, Max.... there's no point in turning back now.

Just get out there and be yourself...

Compared to everything you've been through, this should be the least scary thing you do.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath, once again standing in front of my mirror, staring at myself.

It's taken a while for me to simply look at myself beyond the scars and bruises that always seemed to cover my body, see myself with No Filter. I'd been so accustomed to hiding the secrets that I'd kept close for so many years, that I almost forgot what the real me looked like. I'm just a girl, a girl who has a fucked up passed but a bright future in front of her. I have friends who are always there for me, a girlfriend who loves me more than anything, and a genuine family who will always have my back.

It's... odd, seeing how far I've come. I've quite literally been through hell and back, and I'd do it again if it meant getting to the place I am now. I mean, I escaped the abuse of my parents, helped the girl I loved out of the relationship that nearly ended her life, and gained lifelong friends.

That brings a small smile to my face, and I brush back the brown and red hair out of my eyes, doing my best to look good for the rest of today's festivities. Honestly, I'm surprised I made it this far, considering how many time I almost died and was expelled, but... here I am.

Graduation Day.

I'm... I'm graduating.

I survived high school.

Actually, I survived a lot worse than high school.

"You did it, Max," I mutter to myself, subconsciously scratching at the scars on my arms, "You actually did it". I close my eyes and sigh, letting the smile widen as my mind filled with a sense of calm and content, "You survived".

It's an odd feeling, a mixture of pride and accomplishment, and I run my hands down the smooth fabric of my deep red graduation gown, feeling over the sash that Principal Wells gave me yesterday evening. The large gold lettering reading: STUDENT OF THE YEAR.

A big honor for someone who could barely maintain a decent GPA, but I guess it was Wells way to try and make up for the hell I went through during.

*knock knock*

I jump out of my momentary daydream and rush to the door, yelping in surprise when Carmen lunges herself at me and holds me in a tight hug. "Today's the big day!!" She says, spinning me around as I look at her in confusion, my mind barely catching up to what's going on.

"Carmen!" I say, giggling nervously when she sets me back down on the ground, my heart pounding a little too hard for my liking, "What are you doing here? I thought you'd already left for San Diego".

"Oh please... like I'm going to miss the most important day of your life!".

I giggle again, "You're making it sound like I'm going to get married. It's just graduation, Carmen".

She simply scoffs, "'It's just graduation,' she says. Max... this is a big deal, trust me".

I roll my eyes and laugh, "Sure... whatever you say. But you need to tell me why you're still here!".

"I'm going to stay here for one more day and see you off!" She exclaims, walking in our (still technically hers) dorm and sitting on the bare bed. The whole dorm is cleared out, being the cleanest I'd ever seen it considering the state it was in when I first arrived.