X e n a

O N E   M O N T H   L A T E R

Today marked the day that all my friends and I graduated from high school, I was leaving behind all the bad and good memories that I had made in this school. Memories from my mother passing away, to when I first met my two best friends to all of us meeting our soulmates.

The graduation ceremony just ended, meaning that we were now alumni's of this school. I walked up to all my friends and we all just hugged each other and congratulated each other. All our parents walking up to us to go congratulate us.

Archer had already told everyone else about his scholarship to Yale. He was luckily able to get even above what his predicted grade was, which was amazing. I had luckily gotten into University of Stanford. We all had to take our own paths from here.

If I'm being honest Cam, Brie or I never really talked about this but I knew deep down that we were all scared about what would happen with our soulmates, we were all going to different universities and that means that we'll be further away from our own soulmates. We knew that we had to do long distance for around 4 years but we all know that can be hard sometimes. Archer would be all the way in  Connecticut while I would be on the other side in California. To say the least I was scared and I knew for a fact we all were, we just didn't want to say anything.

"This is it" Archer sighs and looks around.

"4 years of hell in high school and another 4 more years to go" I say, I smile at him. He did look rather good in a suit, the dress shirt clinging close to his muscles.

"I never really said this earlier but this dress of yours is really cute" Archer says and hold onto my hem of my dress and observes the floral patterns on the dress. It was a short white dress with floral patterns on them.

"Thank you" I smile and give him a peck on the lips. I rather start to savour every single kiss and touch of his because for the next 4 years I won't be experiencing that. Unless we don't count the holiday we would have which is a total of 2 months in a whole year.

I would only be seeing Archer for 2 months in a whole year. Damn. I really hate this. I really really do. But it's not like I could do anything anyways.

"Hey, I know what your thinking about and I can't tell you everything could be fine because I know for a fact it won't be easy. But we got this, okay?" Archer says and holds my head in his big hands.

I nod my head and look at the sky, I suddenly remembered that I needed to be somewhere right now.

All my friends were deciding to meet up at the park to spend the last few months we have together before we were off to the real world. I told them that I needed to go somewhere right now and that I would join them a bit later.

They all nodded their heads and I went straight to my car. I drove out of the school parking lot and straight to a place I had memories at the back of my hand since I was 16. I stopped coming here but I never stopped thinking about her.

I parked my car and got out of the it. I stepped foot into the cemetery that I hadn't come to since I was 16. I used to come here to talk to her for almost a year. I stopped coming here cause it was still a bit hard to handle. My mother was gone and it still hadn't sunk in my head completely. Even after almost 4 years. I pulled out the bouquet of flowers that I had in my car before I came for the graduation ceremony and in my other hand I had my certificate of graduation.

I walked up to the very familiar head stone, engraved on it was my mothers name.

Anastasia Xiomara Wright
(1977-2016)

I sat down on the grass beside my mothers head stone and placed the flowers, they were tulips, and sunflowers. My mom really liked these flowers.

"Hi mom, I got you your favourite flowers. Today I finally graduated, I got into Stanford. That's where you went for university. I really miss you, dad does too. We got a puppy—" I didn't realise that I was sobbing, I laughed at the thought of Apollo, my mom always wanted a puppy but my dad never agreed to having one.

"—his name is Apollo, my soulmate Archer got me him. You would really like him...my soulmate I mean. And of course Apollo too." I say, my eyes were hazy from the unshed tears that were pooling in my eyes now, I was looking down at my fingers playing with them.

"Mom, I really miss you, I never once stop thinking about you. I miss the hugs you used to give me and I missed how you used to always take me to the beach to teach me how to surf when dad was still at work. I miss the funny jokes you used to crack during dinner. I miss you, so so much. I'm sorry that I haven't come to see you often, It gets a bit harder to handle, but I miss you with my whole body." A sob racks through me and that's when all the unshed tears came flowing out. The wind rustled around, it was comforting. It wasn't cold, it was almost like the wind was wrapping around me, almost like giving me a hug. It was like my mom was giving me a hug. She was my rock, every time I had a bad day in school we would always hug me, she would never question me, she just hugged me till I wasn't crying anymore. And that's what it felt like the wind was doing right now. For around 25 more minutes I sat near my moms stone talking about anything, it felt like she was actually listening. I knew she would always look out for me from heaven, and I knew she wanted nothing but the best for me. After a bit my phone rang, I brought it out to see Archers name on the screen, I composed my self a bit so it didn't sound like I was crying then I answered the phone.

"Hey baby, where are you? It's been half and hour since we all came here to the park. We're getting a bit worried" Archer says, and his voice did sound like he was worried.

"Yeah, I'll be there in a bit. I had something important to do" I say as I stated at my moms name on her grave stone. My voice did sound a bit raspy since I just came from crying my eyes out for half an hour.

"Are you okay? You sound like you were crying?" Archer says, if he was worried before then he was way more worried now.

"Yeah yeah, I'm fine. Just a bit emotional about all of us graduating and stuff" I cover up

"I know that isn't true cause you aren't good at lying, but I won't push you. Just hurry up and come to the park yeah?" Archer says. I nod my head, soon realising that he can't see me.

"Yeah" I say before I say bye and we end the call.

"I need to go"  I was say before I got off the grass and dusted myself.

"Bye mom. I love and miss you so much" I smile and got back into my car. I drive out the cemetery and headed to the park, I made sure that it didn't look like I cried and cleaned up a bit of my mascara that was all over my cheeks from crying. Once I looked descent I walked to the park and I saw all the friends sitting on a picnic blanket. It was already around 6:30 and the sun was starting to set, the sky was painted shades of red orange.

"Finally! Xena's here" Brie says and I just laugh. I don't want this friendship to end when we head of to university. I really don't.

I sat near Archer and he kissed the side of the forehead and grabs onto my hand giving it a small reassuring squeeze almost like he's telling me he's always here for me. I turn to look at him and give him a small but genuine smile.

We all talked about what we were exited about and what we were scared about when starting university.

"I really hope that this friendship we all have doesn't end" I say and everyone looks at me before nodding at me agreeing with me.

"Hey, how about this. We make a promise to text and call each other every day. That way we know we won't lose contact" Cam says in a way of reassuring us.

We all nod our head in agreement but I knew deep down that this texting promise wouldn't last for long before we all end up not talking.

I shake my head in a way of removing all negative thoughts from my head. We all talked about everything and anything, all of us without a care in the world for now. After all we never know when the next time would ever be when we have another proper silly convos we usually have.

———

A/N: okay so as you guys wished, here is the graduation chapter, ngl I did cry a bit when writing this chapter. I just got too much into my feels but I hope you guys liked it!! JUST AROUND 2 MORE CHAPTERS GUYS WTFFFF THE BOOK IS COMING TO AN END. What do you think would happen next chapter?? Let me know! 🤍

⚠️ loads of typos!⚠️

-Yumna🦋