As the names of the seniors were called out one by one, my classmates shook hands with Principal De Santos and received their diplomas. When it was my turn, I tried my best not to trip over my graduation gown as Mr Creed greeted me with a warm congratulations.

By the time it got to the speeches, Kayley was trying her hardest not to cry.

"I remember when you had chubby cheeks and refused to eat your sandwich crusts in preschool," she whispered. "Just... look at you now - graduating and shit."

I grinned back at her. "I still remember when Mr Wiggles had both his arms."

She smiled fondly. "My son better love that toy just as much as I did."

"Next, I would like to invite our 2019 valedictorian – Reid Castellan."

The stadium erupted and from further down the aisle, Reid took a deep breath, slipping past to climb the stairs. Tyler was beaming like a proud parent as Reid adjusted the microphone at the podium.

One thing about Reid that hadn't changed was the perfect, Colgate-commercial smile.

"First of all, I'd like to congratulate my good friend, Dennis Sinclair, on his incredible academic efforts this year - it should really be him here instead of me."

Reid pointed at Dennis who looked surprised and then embarrassed when people started cheering. As it eventually died down, Reid turned back to the audience. I remembered what he told me all those months ago at his family's charity gala event, about his anxiety in front of crowds as a child. I knew it wasn't something that would just go away on its own but he truly belonged on the big stage. He was made for it.

"Some of you might know of a guy I hated all through high school." Reid paused to allow the crowd to settle. "After the number of black eyes we gave each other, he came to me a few weeks ago and wanted to call it a truce. But I refused, because of my pride."

Chase, I realised belatedly. He was talking about Chase.

"When I was finally able to put that aside, we spoke before he left for good."

A murmur spread through the student body and back on stage, it felt like Reid looked directly at me for a split second before his gaze passed over. Tyler was the only person clapping enthusiastically as if Reid had just announced the cure for cancer.

"Luckily for me, it wasn't too late. And for the rest of you, today is the day to set everything aside because you can't afford to carry that burden for the rest of your life." The amount of conviction in his voice surprised me but Reid only straightened, flashing a final, dazzling smile. "That's one of the most important lessons Marshall Grammar had taught me. And for the class of 2019, I wish you all the best."

It was a simple speech with no script needed but Reid still received a standing ovation. Kayley was properly bawling now, Jarred trying to comfort her and Tyler at the same time. After thanking the teachers, sponsors and all other necessary formalities, Reid returned to his seat and not for the first time, I felt his electric gaze on me and I avoided it, not sure on what to say.

When the ceremony ended, I spotted my mom heading down the stairs with Chris, his wife and daughter. Kayley had slipped away to find her mother and the Castellan family were standing stonily off to the side.

"You did it, Lex." Mom's eyes were shining as she fixed the collar of my graduation gown. "I wish your father could see you right now. He would be so, so proud."

"Thanks, Mom," I said quietly. "I wish he was here too."

After hugging me tightly, Mom went to greet Mr Creed and I bent down so I was eye-level with my little cousin. Bella was small for a ten-year-old and she looked at me seriously, big blue eyes blinking before she ducked her head.

"She'll warm up to you," said Chris fondly and then gestured to the petite, rosy-cheeked woman beside him. "Lex, meet Emily."

Emily didn't hesitate to envelop me in an enthusiastic embrace. "Oh, you're such a beautiful young lady! And congratulations on your big day!"

There was something warm about her that I instantly liked.

As Mom introduced Chris and his family to Mr Creed, I was saved from the awkwardness when Kayley and Elena came over. Haughty as always, Elena smoothed down the pleats of her white blouse, looking cold and uncomfortable.

"Congratulations on Yale, Alexa," she said primly. "I'm sure you'll be brilliant."

I remembered our last exchange when Kayley was rushed into the hospital and I looked over at my best friend who beamed. She was so excited to rebuild a relationship with her mother and before I knew it, I found myself nodding back at Elena.

"Thanks," I said finally. "It's nice to see you."

-

"I'd like to make a toast!" Tyler pulled himself up onto the outdoor pool table. "To all of us who dragged our asses over the line and fucking made it, baby!"

"Hell, yeah!" Jarred shouted in agreement.

The graduation after-party was in full swing even after midnight and it was safe to say that the seniors and some select underclassmen had trashed Tyler's mansion beyond repair. Out of all the parties that I'd been to this year, this one surely topped the rest.

"Oh my God!" Kayley screamed, horrified as Dennis climbed onto the roof and prepared for the thirty-foot dive into the pool. "Dennis - what are you doing?"

"Class of 2019, this one's for you!"

And with that, Dennis leapt and even drunk, executed a perfect flip into the pool. The next thing I knew, Jarred and Tyler were both tumbling after him. From my position on the hammock chair, I saw Reid emerge from inside the house, squeezing past a life-size cutout of himself and Harry Styles. He had arrived just in time for his friends to pop out of the water.

"No," said Reid firmly when Tyler reached out to him. "Don't even think about it."

Instead, Tyler decided to entertain the crowd with a striptease. As the cameras were whipped out, Reid and Kayley shoved him back into the pool to avoid further humiliation.

"What was that for?" Tyler yelled as his head bobbed up again.

Reid sighed. "Just saving your Hollywood career, man."

Tyler's face broke into a loopy smile. "Oh. Thanks, man."

Spotting me, Reid sidestepped Tyler tripping over his cardboard cutout and I scooted over so we could both fit on the hammock. Neither of us said anything and Reid laced his hands behind his head, ever-observant green eyes sweeping over the partygoers.

"I've known these people for thirteen years." I watched as Jarred fake-drowned to see if Kayley would notice - she didn't. "And this is the last time we'll all be together."

"You don't plan on sticking around?"

"I don't know."

He paused, expression unreadable. "Can I ask you something?"

I nodded.

"What do you really think about my graduation plan? Columbia. And playing for the Blues."

I drew back, partly from surprise and partly from Tyler vomiting violently into an ice bucket. When I glanced over at Reid, I saw that he was completely serious.

"I think you'll be great," I said, after a moment. "But it's a lot of pressure."

He looked at me, green eyes still managing to shock me with their intensity. "You know, I have been handed every success. And I am so grateful, even if it means I have a hard time believing I earned anything through merit. But what do I have to complain about?"

I nodded, letting him continue.

"So that is why this is so important to me," said Reid finally. "Hard work and discipline. I want to heal and give back. I want to earn respect as a pro athlete and I want to work for that degree at the end of three years or however long it's going to take."

Hard work and discipline, I thought. That took a certain amount of mental toughness but nothing was going be easy from here on. Tyler's meteoric rise to stardom won't happen overnight, Dennis was entering premed, Computer Science was a killer for even Jarred's attentive brain, Kayley will have to balance a toddler and eventually studying part time, Reid will be a pro athlete studying in college and law school was going to kick my ass.

"Okay," I said simply, offering him a smile. "I understand and you know I'll be wishing you every success. I mean it. And they are both lucky to have you, Reid."

He smiled too, raking a hand through his dark hair. "And Yale. They have found themselves a true pioneer for all the young women in the world. The future is in safe hands."

"Oh my God," I shook my head with a laugh. "I haven't done anything yet."

"Neither have I," he shrugged. "It's good to dream sometimes."

We watched our classmates party up a storm for a while, folding up these memories and tucking them safely away. Tyler plastered a big, wet kiss on Dennis' cheek before tumbling back into the pool with a whoop of glee. After some time, Reid nudged me.

"Your turn," he said finally. "Ask me anything."

I knew what it was going to be. I didn't want to do it but I had to get it off my chest.

"What happened between you and Natalia?"

Reid sucked in a sharp breath, green eyes meeting mine. "It's not a good story."

I raised my eyebrows. "And what makes a good story?"

He shrugged, seeming to brace himself. "We met at a photoshoot two years ago. I was only in Australia for the summer but we stayed in touch. Two weeks after I got back to Florida, she texted me to say that she was pregnant and I was the father."

I wasn't sure what I had been expecting but it wasn't that.

Something flickered in Reid's eyes but he went on. "I couldn't reach her for months so I flew back out. I found out she had an abortion - which I just wish she'd told me about. But after doing some digging... well, the baby wasn't even mine. She was also engaged to this basketball player not long before we met and he told me she stole a couple grand from him. I didn't believe it at first but he said to just check my accounts to be sure. And there it was."

I frowned. "You just... never spoke to her again?"

"I kept it all to myself." He worked his jaw, twisting the silver ring on his pinky. "My father would've destroyed her if he found out. I knew she was going through a tough time and her family needed money but she refused my help when I offered it. Also I was embarrassed, angry, hurt - I didn't think I would tell anyone ever, to be honest."

I tried my best to ignore the flutter in the pit of my stomach, leaning my head against his shoulder instead. "You've come a long way."

He laughed quietly and wrapped his arm around me, pressing his lips to the top of my head. His response was drowned out as someone set off fireworks and they exploded in a flurry of red and gold overhead, lighting up the night sky.

I managed to catch the last of his words before they were carried away by the wind.

"You'll be okay."