The one he never claimed. (Complete)

24.

I haven't been in a place filled with so many people in a while. I look around me to see too many familiar faces - some of which I used to be close with and some I used to just see around. All of which I haven't seen in a while.

I let my eyes wander around the gigantic hall before they stop a little longer on a figure I could spot with my eyes closed. I feel my heart melt at the sight.

She has her back turned to me and she seems to be having an interesting and genuine conversation with the person in front of her. I feel my cheeks forming a smile.

I didn't know how much I'd missed her until now. It's been so long that I've learned to somehow live without her.

She's looking really great, like herself again. For a while she'd stopped being the bubbly person everyone knew and loved, and well - I knew why.

Liz went from being one of the most known and liked figures in our district to someone you'd be lucky to see at a grocery store.

I know she took what happened very heavily but I was too upset with the whole thing to notice. I'd been too caught up in my own healing to pay attention to her drowning. But looking at her now, I feel my heart breathe a sigh of relief.

Even though we're not friends anymore, I want her to be ok. I want all the best in the world for her and then some.

I'm so stuck in a haze that I don't see her looking back at me with a smile. I turn my head quickly back to the podium feeling my heart beating a mile a minute. I wouldn't even know what I'd say to her if she came to me, it's been so long and I know the whole exchange would be odd and maybe even uncomfortable.

"It's been a tough few years." I hear the dean start his speech and I couldn't agree more. The noise dies down in the hall as people have their seats to listen to the tall scrawny looking old man.

I know he probably says that at every graduation ceremony but I'm letting it mean what it means to me.

It's been a really hard few years!

Beyond even my situation. We somehow managed to survive a virus that left our world at a standstill and claimed too many lives. The world experienced an incredibly dramatic shift that left too many of us living in fear.

"I know this is a little delayed but we're finally here." He says in an understatement because it certainly wasn't a 'little delayed'. We were supposed to have graduated a year ago.

"Myself and all of my colleagues would like to thank you for your patience and understanding. So to show our gratitude, we invited someone who actually is supposed to be one of you guys right now. But unlike you, our guest today has had the most wonderful few years of his life."

Why is he dragging this? We know who it is.

"He started as one of you guys, seeking a place in this world. He didn't come from the greatest background but that didn't stop him from achieving his goals and making the best out of his situation."

I hear people cheering at that. It's not a lie.

"Everyone, please give a warm welcome to the one and the only Ezra Michaels."

We all stand up to clap for him as he makes his way to the stage.

"Ok ok, that's enough." He says jokingly earning laughs from his peers.

"I know how hard everything has been, believe me, I felt it too." He says getting more serious.

"I would first like to send my deepest condolences to those who've lost a loved one. I too lost someone near and dear to me. My grandmother."

I feel my heart fall to the ground. Grandma Michaels?

"She was someone who took me in when I had no one, she raised me and supported me in every way possible, even when she could barely support herself."

I force my tears to stay in my eyes. I can't imagine what he's going through.

"But I know that she's at a better place now. I know that she's not hurting anymore."

Even though he's seemingly accepted the loss, you can still see he's in pain. When did this happen?

"I didn't want to come here and be all sappy, truth is her death was in a way my awakening."

Everyone can't seem to help but awe at that.

"So whatever it is you're going through right now, it could be because of the pandemic or not, just know that it doesn't stay like that, it's not meant to stay like that. It is something that was supposed to happen to strengthen you and make you a better you. Our struggles are what make us! Remember that!"

I swear I don't even recognize who this man is, but I'm proud of him nonetheless.

"We're on our way out now. We're about to journey through the unknown and I know it's scary but we're gonna make it through." He continues now making everyone roar in excitement.

"Lastly, I would like to apologize to someone I've caused so much pain to for so many years."

Oh no.

"Alex..."

Now did he have to say my name?

"You are an amazing soul that I should've treated like a queen. I know you've moved on now and you're happy but it's important to me that you know how sorry I am, and if I could, I'd take it all back. But looking at you, you're doing so much better now that I'm not in your life."

I mean yes I'm doing better, but I don't want him to think he was the main source of my pain. Yes he was a big part of it, but it was my naive-ness that had me fall in so deep.

I ignore all the looks directed my way as I look at the man I used to love apologizing to me.

"And to all my fans, those who are here and those who aren't. If you're really about me and my happiness, you will leave this woman alone. The worst thing she's ever done was settle for me."

He finishes and everyone stands up to clap for him.

I see him leaving the stage with a smile as he looks at me and I reciprocate it.

I really appreciated that.

After a few other people have spoken, we get right into name-calling and we're handed over our degrees.

The whole thing manages to go along painlessly, to my surprise. This is the first time everyone is seeing me since the memoir came out and I'm surprised no one's even making a big deal out of that.

Maybe it's because of Ezra's speech or maybe it's because everyone is just concentrating on the fact that they're graduating. Either way, I'm thankful.

My name is soon called and I too am given my degree.

Soon the whole thing is done and the first thing I do is run to give my dad and Cody the biggest hugs.

But just as I'm conversing with them. I hear,

"Hey."

I ignore my trembling heart as I turn around to see the most perfect shade of green that I'd once become so accustomed to.

"Hey," I respond. Praying my voice is not shaky.

"So..." we find ourselves saying in unison and then we laugh at that.

"Uhm... congrats." I decide to break the short awkward silence that followed.

"Yea, you too." She says back to me with a smile.

"Uh, so I guess I'll see you around?"
The whole exchange is even more uncomfortable than I thought it was going to be. So I had to end it there for both our sake.

I hope Liz and I will make up one of these days but today is not one of them.

We say goodbye and dad, Cody and I stick around for a while before we make our way home to relish in the savory meal that dad's new girlfriend made for me.