'The following students maintained a score of 70 or higher throughout the duration of their studies'

From beside Hanna and Fenne's parents, Joost perked up in his seat. He peered over the heads of friends and families of the graduates to see the stage. He had spent the entirety of the ceremony slouched in his seat and fidgeting with his earphones. The wire had hung out the collar of his shirt without the buds ever sitting in his ears. In the presence of Fabian and Anna, Joost didn't want to seem like he wasn't delighted to be in the grand hall.

'Fenne Meer,' the announcer said into the microphone.

Claps echoed just like they did for every other student, but the middle row applauded louder than any other. Fenne walked across the stage in her royal blue gown and with her motarboard on her perfectly styled hair. The walk was long in front of the many eyes, but Fenne told herself that enough students had walked across the stage to bore most of the audience.

The headmaster of the university smiled at her despite Fenne being the 100th student to approach them. Fenne shook their awaiting hand and turned to the cameraman for a photo. She held one end of the degree and smiled, trying not to tremble at the rows and rows of people staring up at her.

'Woohoo, go Fenne!'

'That's mijn vriendin!'

Spots of laughter hummed throughout the hall. The flash of the camera went off just before Fenne cringed in embarrassment. She could see the two members of the crowd shrinking back into their seats. The headmaster chuckled and handed over Fenne's degree, motioning towards the stairs for her to exit the stage.

The next student was called and Fenne lowered her head with flushed cheeks. She should have guessed that Hanna and Joost would make a scene. She dreaded to think how her parents reacted when the two yelled out in pride. They were probably sat with their lips pursed after clapping politely.

As she took her seat, Fenne looked down at the paper in her hands. She had dedicated three years of her life to something that was now in her lap. Her qualification was printed in black Baskerville and the university's red crest sat in the corner. If it wasn't for the announcer's final address and the call for the graduates to stand, Fenne would have stared at her degree for hours thinking to herself,

Was it all really worth it?

After the ceremony, Fenne saw Joost's smile and her question was answered.

Her motarboard was in her hand with her degree as she ran into his awaiting arms. Her heart thudded against her chest when Joost's hands rested on the small of her back. The silky grown against her backless dress made her shiver and she could feel Joost smiling against her shoulder.

'You were, by far, the prettiest girl on that stage,' Joost said while pulling away and eyeing her degree. 'Let me see that. I want to know what all the hype is about.'

He slid the pair of sunglasses from his eyes down his nose to peer over the top. As he read the official document, Joost looked dashing in his black blazer and matching chinos. Fenne liked seeing him in smart clothes that he usually put his own spin on. A scarf was tied around his neck, which he had been wearing around his head at one point. But at Fenne's mother's comment on how Fenne's grandmother used to do the same, Joost had slid it down when no one was looking.

'Did you hear us in the crowd?' Hanna questioned, hugging her friend afterward.

'How could I not? You two made it loud and clear who I was.'

Fenne looked between Joost and Hanna who stood without an ounce of regret. They were as proud of themselves almost as much as they were proud of Fenne for her achievement. While Joost looked over the thick piece of paper, Fenne turned to her parents who stood in their best attire.

'You didn't tell us you were in the top performers,' her mother cheered as she embraced her daughter. 'That's great, Fenne.'

Fabian smiled when Fenne pulled away from his wife and brought her into his side. Seeing her in the graduation gown and walking across the stage had made him proud.

After years of study, Fenne was making the next step towards being on her own. Her interests and talents differed from his and he certainly didn't understand the film industry. But at least Fenne was doing something she enjoyed and was good at.

'Your friends showed their appreciation very loudly,' her father said with a gesture to Joost and Hanna. 'Sorry that we didn't jump up and down for you.'

'That's okay, Dad. I'll just have to make sure I do the same at Hanna's ceremony.'

As Fenne stepped away from her father, he watched her walk back over to Joost and Hanna. His daughter put a hand on Joost's arm as she asked for her phone and the young man handed it over. He kissed her forehead and wrapped an arm around Fenne's shoulders as she tapped away on the screen. The girl's lips were permanently in a smile while against Joost's side and Fabian could see the Klein's eyes were glued to his daughter from behind his sunglasses.

Anna had mentioned that Joost appeared to be infatuated with Fenne. During their first meeting, Fabian was so disgruntled by Joost's tattoos that he didn't take notice. But after their small heart-to-heart chat in the garden, Fabian saw what his wife was talking about.

When Fenne wasn't looking, Joost Klein would wait until she would look his way again. When she eventually did, his smile would tear at his cheeks and his hands would itch to take hold of hers. Like flowers stretched to the sun's rays, Joost would drop anything just to be next to Fenne.

As Fenne looked up to laugh at something Hanna had said, Fabian saw a deeply-rooted passion in his daughter's boyfriend. He knew that Joost would never hurt her and that Fabian had judged too quickly.

'Don't they look like us?'

With raised brows, Fabian turned to Anna. She was watching the same scene he was with her head tilted to the side. A smile danced on her lips and Fabian flickered his gaze between his wife and daughter.

'We were about the same age when we got together. Do you remember feeling like that?' Anna continued.

'Yes, I remember... she looks like you through and through.'

'And he looks the same way you did, only more rugged.'

'I can be rugged...'

'Oh, please, Fabian, don't kid yourself,' Anna rolled her eyes.

---

With the completion of Fenne and Hanna's studies came the ending of their apartment lease. They had lived in the small space and grew attached to its leaking faucets and peeling wallpaper. The financial help from their parents was greatly appreciated and if it were up to them, they would renew the lease for another few years. But their parents couldn't fund them forever and being so close to Amsterdam made the rent diabolical.

So, with their qualifications, Fenne and Hanna began apartment hunting. Hanna was looking at a position at OLVG after her placement while Fenne was still working at the cafe. They didn't have high incomes and they would need to move further out of the city in order to be in budget. But the hope for Fenne to have a permanent position in her field was on the horizon. If Joost was going to continue to perform at festivals and large venues, her camera work could land her a decent income.

'Because we're so far from the city, you've got loads of fields to see,' the realestate agent said as she took the two young women out into the surrounding garden.

The apartment was nice and the location was beautiful, but Hellendoorn was secluded. Suburbs were few and far between the further you ventured out of the city. If Hanna was going to be working at a hospital, she would need to have reliable transport. Buses and trains were always an option, but in Hellendoorn, there were always the inconveniences of delays or route cancellations.

Driving would be the next option, but neither Fenne nor Hanna had their driver's license. They hadn't needed to drive while in Amsterdam. But now, it was becoming apparent that they may need to take some lessons.

'So?' the realestate agent turned to Fenne and Hanna with a plastic smile. 'What do you think?'

'Well, it's really nice,' Fenne started, looking out to the field of tall grass. The apartment was on a corner and was the forefront of the suburb that neighboured the fenced land.

'But we need to be closer to Amsterdam, or at least near a station that could get us there,' Hanna finished.

'I understand, but you might need to look at increasing your budget if you want the location. This-' the agent gestured to the building '-is perfect for two young people and is in your price range. I'm afraid if you want to be closer to "where its all happening", then you'll have to make some compromises.'

What else more could they compromise on? Fenne thought to herself. All they wanted was a two-bedroom apartment, no garage, no garden, and close to a reliable station or bus stop.

The harsh relaties of being young in the modern world were caving in. Fenne and Hanna said they would think about it and the real estate left the two towards her bright red car. They watched the woman try to walk in her ridiculously tall heels and pencil skirt. It wasn't until she drove passed them down the country road that Fenne and Hanna let out a collective sigh.

'She could have at least dropped us back at the station,' Hanna grumbled before looking to her friend. 'I think we need to reconsider this, Fenney. We don't have much more money to give. We need something to live off of, as well.'

'Let's go to the opening in Zeist. Then we'll head home.'

'Ugh, that one looked like such a shithole.'

Fenne ignored her friend and started walking back to the bus stop. She heard the stomping of Hanna's feet behind her and wanted to turn to scold her like a mother would to her child. It would be a long way to Zeist from Hellendoorn, but they couldn't risk taking an Uber. They had to start being money conscious while apartment hunting, so they would be taking long train rides and ordering less UberEats.

Once they made it to the train station, they slumped in their seats with dwindling hopes. The relief and novelty of graduating had worn off and the real world was teasing their shoulders. The Netherlands was a beautiful country and was more affordable than a lot of its neighbouring countries. But as two women trying to make their way independently, they dreaded to think what would happen when their lease ended.

Fenne's hand was already in her jacket pocket when her phone started to ring. The vibrations made her pull the device out and see the screen lit with a call. Expecting to see her mother or maybe Joost, Fenne was surprised to see Teun's name.

'Why is Teun calling you?' Hanna asked in confusion.

'I don't know, Hanna. If only there was a way for me to find out.'

The deadpan look on Fenne's face made her friend turn away in disgust. Staring out the window became Hanna's next best thing and it left Fenne to answer the call.

'Hey, Teun,' she started, her tone hinted with surprise.

'Hey, Fenne. Are you at home?'

'Um, no. Hanna and I are out looking at apartments. Why?'

'Where-uh... where are you? Are you near Leeuwarden, by any chance?'

Teun sounded distracted. He breathed out loudly at one point and Fenne pictured him running a hand down his face. It made her look to Hanna with a face that said 'this is strange', prompting her to sit up and lean close to hear the conversation.

'Not really. We've just left Hellendoorn and are heading to Zeist-'

'Can you get off at Zwoelle and I'll meet you there? I'll pick you guys up at the station.'

Fenne didn't think Teun had even called her number before. For him to ask where she was was odd and now he wanted her and Hanna to get off the train and get back on it in the opposite direction.

He talked as if he was looking at something that stole most of his attention. The droplets he had spare were used to talk to Fenne like it wasn't strange that he was calling his friend's girlfriend out of the blue.

'Zwoelle? Why do you want us to go there?' Fenne made sure to repeat for Hanna to hear and she received a scrunched look of confusion.

'Have you spoken to Joost at all today?' Teun asked.

'Um, not since early this morning?'

'He hasn't... mentioned anything about today?'

She was already out of her seat before Hanna could ask what they were doing. The train pulled into the station and their seats were barely warm before they were stepping onto the platform. Hanna followed Fenne with a hanging jaw, burning for an explanation. She looked over her shoulder at the train that left them in the middle of another secluded country suburb and prayed, for Fenne's sake, that the situation was dire.

'No? No, not that I... can think of- Hanna, what's today?' Fenne whipped around while sifting through her jumbled memory.

'Wednesday? The 8th of April? The day we're stood in between Hulsen and Hellendoorn?'

No matter how hard Fenne thought, she couldn't remember anything significant about April the 8th. The panic and worry of what she didn't know riddled her useless. She stood on the empty platform with Hanna hanging off her side impatiently. The only texts her and Joost had exchanged that morning was a quick 'good morning' and a brief plan of what she was doing today. Since then, Fenne had been focused on wondering where she and Hanna were going to live in two months' time.

'No, I don't know what today is,' Fenne said, her voice laced with impatience. 'Why, Teun? What's happened? Is Joost okay?'

A sigh sounded down the phone before Teun said,

'Today is ten years since Joost's mum passed away and it's been eleven years since his dad's passing. I think you should come over...'