Forget Me Not

70. Next Step

We sat in the classroom, and heard the bell ring "alright that's the last day have a great summer" our teacher said, "I can't believe I missed three months of school for not existing, I should use that excuse for often" I joked, "it's so anticlimactic" Stiles said, "we still have graduation" Lydia reminded us.

"For my entire life, I couldn't wait to leave school, and now I really want to just sit here" I said, we all sat in the class for a while.

"It's really the end" Malia said, "but not the end of us" Scott said, he stood up and walked out the door, the rest of us got up and started to follow after Scott, "I heard detective Stilinski is going to be in Washington, D.C." I chimed as we all sat outside his jeep.

"I'm not a detective yet, but I like how that sounds, so keep saying it" Stiles joked, "what's your plans" Lydia asked me "I'm staying with Chris, keep working at punchy's, taking a gap year" I told her.

"We're okay right" Scott asked me, "we're not going to talk about that" I said "yeah" he nodded, "no, bro I think we gotta talk about that in the car" Stiles said to Scott, grabbing his shoulder and walking him to the front of the jeep.

I looked over to Lydia, "I just wanted to say I'm sorry, I wanted to forget you just so we could keep Allison, just for a while, we had a chance to get you and Stiles, but I-" she paused "Lydia, I'm here now" I told her.

I wrapped my arms around Malia, I felt her hands touch my back, wow she actually attempted to hug me.

"We'll get Theo another time" she whispered in my ear, I pulled back from the hug and smiled, she gave me an awkward smile back.

I seen Olga walking up to me, "you taught me English" she said "I know" I said pulling into a hug, she handed me a picture, my tenth birthday, I had a tiara and I wasn't smiling, Olga and Miguel stood behind me, "why did you keep this" I asked "you turned double digits, how could I not" she said, I felt myself tearing up, all my life I felt unloved, I wanted real parents instead of Olga and Miguel but they are my real parents.

---

Vanessa walked into my apartment, "okay yes I know it's a hot mess but I'm scrap booking, because I will remember everything from now on" I told her, I didn't here her say anything so I walked up closer to her, her head hung low and and her body seemed slump.

"What's wrong" I asked, I was about to wrap my arm around her but she brushed me off, "Vanessa is everything okay" I asked "no, Aubrey I can't do this, and I know this is your life but I just can't" she said with her head down and her voice a little muffled.

"Sit down and look me in the eye and tell me what you're really trying to say" I told her, she lifted her head up, "Aubrey, I'm moving to New Jersey" she told me, "what why" I asked "many reasons" she said "which one of them have to do with me" I asked she held her head down but I moved her chin up to look at me "I can't be with you anymore, I can't handle the supernatural, I can't handle beacon hills, I can't even handle California" her voice started to crack.

"Then let me go with you" I said "my plane is leaving soon, I shouldn't have came" she started heading for the door, I grabbed her arm stopping her "you made this decision without me" I figured "you would've convinced me to stay" she said "because I love you" I told her, she just closed her eyes and opened the door, I held it open, "it means nothing to you, when I wanted to leave beacon hills I only had one reason to stay, and that kept me here" I said "I'm not you, Aubrey, I can't save the day like you or your friends can" she yelled.

I stood there silent "thank you for not texting this to me, may I drive you to your plane" I asked softly "no, I've got a taxi waiting" she told me.

I closed the door and pressed my back against it and started to let the tears slowly slide down.

---

*Graduation Day*

I seen Lydia, Scott, Stiles, and Malia walk into the house, "omg guys look what took me all night to do" I pointed at the wall with a mural of beacon hills, "and if you turn on an LSD light, you can see the telluric currents" I added "all by yourself" Lydia questioned "yes all by myself, with help from the internet" I told her.

"why aren't you dressed" Scott asked "for what" I asked "graduation idiot" Stiles rudely but jokingly said "oh yeah, well I'm not dressed so, I guess I won't make it" I said unsatisfied "don't worry we have time to get dressed" Scott told me "guys, it's obvious she doesn't want to go" Malia stated "why not" Lydia asked "it's just walking across the stage, you don't even get your real diploma there" I told them, "okay but it's still celebratory" Stiles stated, "actually, how about we all not go, let's just be with each other" Scott said, "no, you guys have to go, your parents are waiting for you" I told them, "oh, now I get it-" Malia was about to finish but Lydia spoke over her "I agree with Scott" she yelled, "guys, Aubrey doesn't want to go because her family doesn't love her" Malia said, they all sighed and looked at Malia.

"It's fine, I'd rather have no one than Peter Hale cheering me on" I rolled my eyes "well he's not, no one is" she spoke bluntly, "okay Malia, let's go take a walk" Stiles said pulling her away, "I just don't want to" I told them.

I seen Chris walk in with a long silver bag with a zipper, "thank goodness you didn't pick out an outfit for graduation" he said handing me the bag, "thank you Chris but-" I paused when I seen Lydia shaking her head, "I'll go get dressed" I said "let me go get the shoes" he said with a light smile.

Scott and Lydia looked at me with smiles "get out" I told them, "Chris wanted to go to his daughters graduation, you're the next best thing" he told me.

—

I was crossing the stage, I looked over and Olga, Miguel, and Chris clapping for me, I smiled lightly.