Graduation Day

The last few months of high school were filled with celebrations for Ella— prom, pep rallies, yearbook signing, and her beautiful love story. 

On this particular exuberant morning, Ella woke up to get ready for school. She had butterflies in her stomach and there was certain queasiness. She felt like she had misplaced something or she was forgetting something. She finally got ready and heaved a long relieved sigh.

She squealed as she saw her acceptance letter. For the past few months, she had been thinking about what she wants to do with her life. One day alone with a clear mind and soul, she realized what she wanted.

She wanted to be an architect.

She applied to many colleges. She was a little heartbroken when she got rejected from Harvard, Stanford, and Yale. But she couldn't believe it when she got into the University of California, Berkeley.

She ran down the stairs. "Matthew! I'm ready!"

She saw her father at the bottom of the stairs waiting for her, she jumped in his arms as he twirled his daughter around. "I'm so proud of you, pumpkin" he kissed her head multiple times. Caroline joined the hug and they squished Ella between them.

"I can't believe you're leaving. It feels like yesterday when it was your first day of school and now my baby is graduating and leaving for college soon" Caroline cried hugging Ella as her life depends on it.

"California feels so far away, pumpkin" Matthew sniffled, trying to hold in his tears.

"Mom! Dad! I'm not leaving tomorrow. Come on! You guys are making me cry," she said in a trembling voice as tears filled up in her eyes. 

The Carter family cried for few minutes before they all left for Ella's graduation.

Matthew glanced at his daughter through the rearview. "Do you remember what we used to do when I used to drop you at kindergarten?"

Ella grinned. "Yes," she squealed happily.

Ella, Matthew, and Caroline sang in unison. "Fifty little duck went swimming one day over the hills and far away, mommy duck says Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack! And only forty-nine little ducks came back"

They laughed wholeheartedly. "Oh god! Dad. I made you sing that rhyme every single day till that last duck. Didn't you get annoyed? I mean like ever?"

Matthew smiled warmly. "Never, it was the most wonderful time of my life. If I could do it all over again, I will in a heartbeat. If you had asked me to sing about a thousand ducks I would've, Ellie."

Ella's chin trembled. "I'm gonna miss you guys so damn much"

"Please, I don't want to cry again. It'll ruin our makeup baby" Caroline sniffled.

Upon reaching the school building, she inhaled and exhaled deeply.

"Wow, this is finally happening!" She smiled

She got out of the car and looked for certain someone. She found him and smiled. He looked annoyed as always. His mother was adjusting his robe and graduation cap like he was three years old. Their eyes met and he smiled.

They ran towards one another and engulfed each other in a hug. Arms wrapped around one another comfortably; sparks flying, heart fluttering, emotions building.

"I love you, Hunter" she whispered in his ear.

"I love you more, Ella"

"Come on, I think I'm finally ready to introduce you as my boyfriend to my over-protective dad... It's time, he can't do anything anymore" she laughed

"Okay, now I'm scared"

Hunter had already introduced Ella to his parents. They invited her to dinner and they both loved Ella. She could see where Hunter got his good manners and kindness from.

Ella dragged him towards her parents. "Mom, Dad, remember I told you that I was seeing someone"

Matthew and Caroline shifted their attention completely towards Hunter. Ella bit her lower lip. "This is Hunter Grey... My boyfriend"

"Wow! Boyfriend?! Really?" Matthew asked

Caroline passed him a smile and shook hands with Hunter. "It's nice to finally meet you, I have heard a lot about you. Hunter this, Hunter that, and I also know that you're the most amazing guy on earth. Ella never fails to remind me of that"

Hunter grinned. "She said that?"

"Mom!" Ella playfully glared at her.

"I knew something was going on between you two when I saw you walking her home everyday day. I want to hate you... but I can't" Matthew shook his head. "You just make her so happy"

They all talked, had a good time, and as time passed. They got seated. Ella waited patiently. The superintendent made his speech and then called the Valedictorian. It was a guy named Theodore. He was a scholarship student. Ella's heart drowned as she thought about Chloe. It should've been her; she thought to herself. She looked to where all of them were sitting... Axel... She hated his face. It was his fault that Chloe wasn't here today with all of them. It was his fucking fault. He also shouldn't be graduating! She calmed herself and sighed. It was like Hunter sensed her distress, he held her hand, intertwining their finger, and smiled at her sweetly. After the Valedictorian speech, they all listened to their principal congratulating and wishing them a bright future.

They started calling the student's names alphabetically. And the first name they called was Ace Clarke-Harding. They hadn't talked after that encounter in the classroom. She had nothing to do with him and he respected that and left her alone. It felt weird, such a big achievement and they weren't together. Axel and a few other kids came and then they called Ella's name.

She confidently walked across the stage, smiled, shook a lot of hands, and got her diploma. "I know we had a love-hate relationship, Ms. Carter but congratulations." Mr. Felton smiled.

Ella smiled. "I'm so glad I wouldn't have to see your face anymore" saying that, she hastily got off the stage.

They were taking pictures when Hannah and Sebastian approached them. "Congratulations, Ella sweetie." Ace came strolling behind his parents with a slight smile.

"Congratulations little Ella" Sebastian smiled

"Thank you"

"Congratulations, Ace!" Caroline hugged him.

"Thank you"

"I heard you got into Harvard. That's amazing, honey" Caroline said. "You must be so proud, Hannah"

"I'm... And I'm also so proud of Ella. They both have come a long way"

"I know... Do you remember their first day of school?"

Hannah smiled. "How can I ever forget?"

"We should recreate their first day of school picture," Caroline said

Ella and Ace's heads whiplashed in their parent's direction. Their parents still didn't know what had happened between them. They both made excuses to their parents whenever they asked about them.

"Come on, Ella" Sebastian gestured for her to come towards him.

Ella looked at Hunter who had a smile on his face.

"I won't take that picture if you don't want me to. I know you're not comfortable with Ace---" she whispered to him.

He smiled. "No, go on. It's fine. It's just a picture. I trust you"

Ella meekly walked toward Ace as they both stood before their school's name board. They stood side by side leaving a visible distance between them with their hands to themselves. 

Hannah noticed their discomfort. "You guys were hugging each other," she said, she opened their picture on her cellphone and showed it to them.

They were standing side by side, hugging each other and grinning while looking at the camera.

They awkwardly stared at one another. Sebastian's voice caught their attention. "You are Ella and Ace. Act like Ella and Ace. What is wrong with you both?" He asked.

Ella shook her head. "I don't think Hunter would like that" she lied just to get out of this awkward situation.

"Hunter?" Sebastian asked confused

"Her boyfriend, dad" Ace told him.

Sebastian frowned and looked at Ace, he noticed him staring at Ella with a solemn look. "Little Ella has a boyfriend?"

Matthew smiled. "Honey, it's okay," He said to his daughter when he noticed her uneasiness.

Their parents frowned and looked at one another. It was weird watching Ace and Ella being so civil with each other. They weren't used to seeing them like that. They looked like they had a giant wall between them.

"Hunter should understand that you guys are best friends," Sebastian said.

Watching their parents being so adamant about their picture being taken. Ella turned towards Ace and looked up at him. A feeling of familiarity washed over her, she hadn't looked in those piercing light brown eyes for so long, and that too from this close. It felt strange.

They awkwardly wrapped their arms around each other's waist, looked towards the camera, his cheek resting on hers as they both smiled.

Ace wanted to hug her so bad. He was happy, even if it was a forced hug, he got to hug his best friend for the last time. They awkwardly hugged each other while their parents took the pictures.

"Congratulations, UC Berkeley, huh?" Ace tried to make a conversation as they pulled away.

"Thanks! Congratulations to you too. Harvard is a big deal"

"I'm the son of the Secretary of the States. I don't think they had a choice" he joked. "Trust me, it's the only reason I got accepted"

From the corner of her eye, she saw Axel standing alone with his hands in his pockets. He looked lost. "Hey, Axel!" She called and his attention turned towards her. "I just wonder even after having shits for brains, how did you get into Harvard? Oh, your dad must've pulled some strings to get you in." Ella made a mocking face and laughed. "You're always gonna be daddy's little boy, sad, really..." she taunted.

Her attention turned back towards Ace and he was staring at her with his lips slightly parted. She looked here and there awkwardly, looking for Hunter. Where did he go? "I... Um... I have to go" she said and scampered away from him as fast as she could. 

Ace watched her almost running away from him. He sighed, Veronica came to his side. "Hey!" She smiled

"Hey, beautiful" he wrapped his arm around her. "Let's get out of here," he said to her.

After Ace apologized to her, they decided to stay friends. They had a lot in common than they thought. Ace knew that even if he tried Ella would never forgive him and even if she did, he realized he couldn't stay friends with her anymore.

"Oh yes! I thought you'd never ask" they both smiled as they walked to his car.

Ella finally found Hunter and walked towards him. He smiled. "I have a surprise for you," he said and pulled out something and handed them to Ella. "Just a little graduation present"

Ella's eyes widened as she saw two tickets to Paris. "Oh my god!" She squealed happily and jumped in his arms. He picked her up and twirled her around. She peppered kisses all over his face. "I love you! I love you! I love you!"

  And

A/N
Hey!
I decided to not drag this whole drama anymore. Some things are good when kept brief, or else it loses all the charm but it doesn't mean it'll be the end. There are still 5-6 chapters left and a lot can happen and change in those chapters. So, stay with me. ❤
XOXO, Jane Doe!