When in Rome

Epilogue

Epilogue

Adeline

"...Congratulations to the graduating class of 2015!"

We all erupt in cheers throwing our blue caps in the air as our family members in the bleachers erupt in a thunder of clapping.

We did it. We graduated.

I look around the sea of blue graduation gowns before my eyes finally land on Mia. We both maneuver our way through our peers before tackling each other in a hug.

"Ade! We did it!" She squeals.

"Ah! I know!" I squeal back as we both pull away and look out at the bleachers as people are now filing off them. My eyes find Mia's again, but am taken back when I see water in them.

"So this is it..." She sniffs as one sole tear treks down the contour of her cheek. "No more high school."

"No more high school," I repeat as tears begin to swell in my own eyes. "This is real life."

"And I'm going to Boston." She sniffs again and I wipe away a traitor tear.

"You're going to be six hours away..."

"I'm going to miss you so much!" Just like that her arms are wrapped around me again and I have no doubt that my nose is now red from tears.

"I'm going to miss you too!" We both stand there for a few more seconds before Mia rubs my back and pulls away.

"Okay," Mia says as she tentatively wipes away the rest of her tears, not wanting to ruin the little makeup she has on. "No more crying, we're not supposed to be the ones crying, our parents are." I let out laugh wiping away the rest of my tears as well.

"Mia!" Mia's mom calls from a few feet away with her dad standing next to her.

"Mommy!" Mia yells and then jogs over to her parents and tackles them in a bear hug. A laugh escapes me as I look around for my own parents.

I finally spot them standing by the black fence that's surrounding the football field. I lock eyes with my mom and finding the tears pooling in her eyes, I feel my own tears coming back, but I force a smile instead.

"Oh, Ade, we're so proud of you," my mom says when I run over and wrap her and my dad in a hug. She rubs my arm as I pull back and sends me a smile even though I see she's still holding back a few more tears. "Okay, now go stand over there so I can take a picture." My mom grabs the camera that's dangling on her arm and I walk back a few feet and smile as both my parents begin to take pictures. My mom with her camera and my dad with his cell phone.

After my mom's satisfied with pictures of just me she looks around for Mia and then waves her over. Mia squeezes my arm as both our parents snap pictures of us, our eyes going back and forth between all the cameras. Once they're done our parents start talking leaving Mia and I to glance around, but then someone taps my shoulder. I turn and almost do a double take seeing Natalia standing in front of me.

"Adeline, I just wanted to apologize for being so rude and trying to take Mason away from you at the beginning of the year," she says and my eyes widen as I glance at Mia only to see her wearing the same shocked expression.

"Uh, thank you," I say unsure if I really should be, but ultimately decide forgiveness is the best policy.

Natalia nods and then puts her hands out. "So no hard feelings?" I hear Mia scoff beside me while I let out a laugh.

"Yeah, no hard feelings."

A pearly white smile breaks out across Natalia's face. "Okay, good, because I actually just met this really cool guy when I went to early college orientation. I got accepted to Berkley University in California," she flips her blonde hair over her shoulder, all sincerity gone, and I internally let out a laugh. That's the Natalia I know. "And well - I'll just show you a picture," she says pulling her phone out of her bra.