𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩- 𝙦𝙪𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙩𝙮 <3

~Veinte- Still You~

POSSIBLY the worst month of my life has arisen from this breakup.

Alex and I decided that the best way to cope for the time being is to keep our distance. We text occasionally, but definitely not as much as I'd want to.

I sit in an uncomfortable plastic seat, wearing my cap and gown. Today is graduation day, thank God. In order to distract myself, I've been diving into my schoolwork. At least that paid off with a beautiful report card- the absolute best I've ever gotten. Alex did the same thing, too.

Unfortunately we are lined up in height order rather than alphabetical, so I'm next to two random girls instead of him. I can still see the boy from a row in front of me, though. God, I need to stop bringing him up into everything- this can't be Alex's story anymore. This is mine.

Once the crowd of overjoyed parents dies down, the long speeches begin. The first was by valedictorian Jenna, one of the new friends I've made recently. Her speech is actually decent, but I can't help but zone out for most of it.

"...Many of us here today have faced difficulties more often than others. Some believe their academic and personal struggles to be more intense than their peers, while others find their struggles to be superior. A society in which the ultimate competition is over sympathy cannot properly function. When the day is over, no matter what academic, mental, or relationship obstacles you have had to face, you made it to this long-anticipated day..."

At this point Alex and I make dead eye contact. So much is being said through his facial expression, yet what he wants to say to me somehow remains to be seen in my mind.

Maybe one day we will get back together, but I'm beginning to lose hope. I'm going to an in-person university that's pretty far away, while he's doing online college. To think that what we had/have is permanent would be impractical. I'm sure he'll find an amazing girl who won't fuck up their relationship when they face one minor problem- that's what he deserves. Maybe I'll find someone too, and we'll both be happy living our own separate lives away from each other. That would probably be for the best.

Yet I'm still so in love with him.

✾✾✾

The rest of the ceremony has gone as planned. Simple and boring. Good to officially have my freedom, though. I begin to exit the auditorium to find my family when I suddenly hear Alex's voice call for me. "Oh hey, do you need something?"

"I need to talk to you."

"Alex, we need to go find our families-"

"Y/N. Please. Just come with me for a minute."

He proceeds to drag me to the outside of the back of the building, where nobody seems to be around us.

"Before you say anything," he begins, "just let me say everything that's on my mind. I don't know how you have been feeling about me. Maybe you've moved on, I don't really know. And that's completely fine if you have, I mean it's your choi- sorry, that's not the point I'm trying to make. Basically what I'm trying to say but failing to is that I don't know if I can do this next chapter of my life without you. I know that will sound creepy if you don't feel the same way anymore, but you need to hear it. I want to keep going with you, Y/N. No matter the consequences."

After those words come from Alex's mouth, I can't even form thoughts in my mind. I reply in the easiest way I know how, with the biggest smile on my face: "I still love you too. Let's do it."

His face instantly lights up. "Really?? I- oh my God!" We both giggle as he quickly takes me in his arms and reconnects our lips. It's only been a month, but goddamn it's been too long.

"Alright shortie, how are we gonna tackle our 'obstacles' this time?"

"I'm sure we'll figure it out. All that matters is I'm still here, and you're stuck with me."

"Alex, I wouldn't want to be stuck with anyone else."