A DARK BLANKET covers the sky for a second. Light eventually breaks through and Camila can see the clouds again. That was the result of a hundred and more graduation caps thrown into the air.
"I'm feeling alive," Jeremy exclaims.
Diploma clutched in her hand, Elle gives a fervent kiss to Roma, who's caught by surprise. When they part, Roma's hands get tangled in the tassels around Elle's robe—marks of her high school achievement. Camila only has two tassels, one for her GPA and another for being president of Tri-M.
The graduation ceremony proved her wrong—Disneyland wouldn't be a last night but would only join her memories of ephemeral magic she'd ever feel as a teenager.
"Okay, I'm going to say goodbye to my parents and then we can go," Camila says.
The rest of them nod their heads in agreement and they decide to meet at the same place after they're done hugging their relatives.
It isn't as emotional as she thought it'd be. Although her dad's eyes are glazed over and he's grinning ear to ear, Camila just feels the ultimate joy of emancipation—that'll only continue four months from now, when she's breaking her fingers in Juilliard. Her mom is busy handling Cameron and she asks where her friends are.
"Do you want to see them?" Camila asks.
"No, that's fine. I never see you alone these days," Audrey says. "I'm proud of you, Amlan. So sorry Aunty couldn't make it but I have plenty of pictures to send her."
She squeezes her daughter's shoulder with her available arm and kisses her on top of her head. Camila closes her eyes shut and breathes in her mother. Laurent wasn't wrong in buying his mom the same perfume every year because Camila can't imagine her mom smelling any other way.
"I'll be gone, now. I've got everything ready and I'll give you a call when I get there."
"Have fun and don't stay out too late," Robert reminds her. "I didn't raise you this long and see you through high school just for you to be reckless."
"Ease up, Mr. Bean," Elle says, joining them. She gives Robert a tight hug when she sees him and Camila realizes how much of her family extends to her friends.
"Mr. Bean!" Jeremy says.
"Okay, okay. Let's go, let's go now," Camila says and rushes them away.
"Why are you embarrassed of me, Cam?" Jeremy grumbles.
"She is so you don't have to be," Laurent says.
So these are the last days, the last nights between them, before they all find their respective homes in different states. The group joins their grade at the hotel where they'll stay for the night, seniors celebrating the death of another school year, and the birth of adulthood.
After bonding activities and taking turns diving into the pool, Camila tires herself out prematurely and finds solace in her hotel room, one she shares with Elle and Roma.
"Tired?" Jeremy walks in and throws himself onto Elle's bed.
"Yeah. And sad. Are you sad?"
"Don't tell me you're feeling this way again."
"How couldn't I be? I'm going to miss you so much," she says and hauls him in for a hug. "I'm going to miss you, Elle, Roma, Laurent, even Isaac."
"Is Andrew still sick?" Jeremy asks.
"Yeah but I gave him a call just now and he seems to be doing much better. He'll be joining us on our trip," she replies.
"Cool," Jeremy says. "And I'll miss you too, by the way."
"I love you so much."
"Whatever."