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ISADORA COULD HARDLY BELIEVE THEY WERE GRADUATING TOMORROW.

The last few months of the school year had flown by like a whirlwind, filled with challenges and milestones that had transformed her life. In her quest to secure a place in medical school, Isadora had dedicated countless hours to studying, pouring over textbooks and lecture notes late into the night. The pressure was immense, but the reward felt worth it. Between her academic commitments, the excitement of prom, and the sweet moments spent with Billy, it felt like life had shifted into fast-forward.

Their group had attended prom together, a night that had sparkled with laughter, dancing, and the thrill of being surrounded by friends. After Christmas, Isadora and Billy had become inseparable, spending every possible moment together. They had carved out their little world, filled with shared secrets and late-night conversations. The entire school had quickly caught on, and while some whispered rumors, Isadora had learned to brush off the chatter. Instead, she focused on nurturing her relationship with Billy and excelling in her studies.

Now, as she sat at her desk, the weight of the impending graduation bore down on her. She was tasked with writing the Valedictorian speech—a responsibility that both thrilled and terrified her. With each crumpled paper tossed aside, her frustration grew. She wanted her speech to be meaningful, a reflection of the journey they had all undertaken, but the words eluded her, swirling in her mind but refusing to settle onto the page.

"Ugh!" Isadora groaned, scrunching up yet another draft. Billy glanced over from his spot on the couch, raising an eyebrow at her exasperation.

"Is, come on. I'm sure your speech is going to sound amazing no matter what you write," he said, his voice calm and reassuring as he picked up the crumpled paper and scanned its contents.

"Easy for you to say! You're not the one who has to stand in front of the entire senior class and give a speech!" Isadora protested, trying to suppress her mounting anxiety as she began her fourth attempt at the speech. Billy chuckled softly, making his way over to her, and planted a gentle kiss on the side of her head.

"No distractions, Hargrove! Graduation is tomorrow, and I need to finish this," Isadora insisted, trying to maintain her focus.

"You also need to relax before you burn out right before graduation. Your speech is going to be fantastic, Is," he replied, his tone encouraging.

"Yeah, well, I can relax later. It's only going to be great if I can actually finish it!" Isadora shot back, determination lacing her words.

"Alright, I guess I'll just leave then," he teased, pretending to back away.

"Oh, don't you dare! I want you to stay the night!" Isadora exclaimed, her eyes wide with urgency.

"But doesn't that count as a distraction?" he teased, a playful grin spreading across his face.

Isadora rolled her eyes, but the corners of her mouth quirked up in a smile. "You're impossible!"

"Why don't I go grab us something for dinner?" Billy suggested, always looking for ways to ease her stress.

"I like the sound of that," she replied, her tone softening as she appreciated his thoughtfulness. Billy nodded and kissed the side of her head once more before heading out. As she sat at her desk, Isadora returned to her speech, fighting against the creeping self-doubt that threatened to derail her thoughts.

A while later, Billy returned with dinner, and Isadora's face lit up when she saw him. "I'm starving! What did you get?" she asked eagerly, leaning forward in her chair.

"I got you your favourite," he said, holding up a takeout bag, revealing her cherished salad from the local café.

"You got me a salad from my favourite restaurant? This is exactly why I love you—you know me so well!" Isadora exclaimed, her heart swelling with gratitude as she stood and moved to the kitchen to grab plates.

"Is, just go finish your speech. I can serve dinner," he said, waving a hand dismissively.

Isadora rolled her eyes but nodded, making her way over to the dining table. With renewed focus, she returned to her speech while Billy served dinner. Soon, he placed a plate of food in front of her, and she beamed up at him, her stress momentarily forgotten.

"And right on time, too, because I just finished my speech!" Isadora declared, a mixture of pride and relief washing over her.

"Can I hear it?" Billy asked, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Of course you can, tomorrow!" she replied, grinning as she folded the piece of paper she had written on and set it aside.

"You're really going to make me wait?" he asked, mock disbelief colouring his tone.

"Yes, I am," Isadora affirmed, revelling in the playful banter.

"Well, I look forward to hearing it, Princess," Billy said, taking a seat across from her as they began to eat.

"I can't believe we're finally graduating tomorrow," Isadora mused, a hint of nostalgia creeping into her voice.

"Yeah, finally free from that hellhole they call high school," Billy replied, earning a laugh from Isadora.

"Oh, come on. It wasn't all bad," she countered, shaking her head.

"No, you're right. I guess there were some good things about high school," he teased, a playful smirk on his lips.

"Aww, gee, thanks," Isadora laughed, shaking her head as they finished dinner, feeling a warmth between them that made all the stress worth it.

Later that night, they lay in bed, the soft glow of the bedside lamp casting a warm light over them. Billy traced patterns on Isadora's arm while she stared at the ceiling, her mind racing with thoughts about the future. Sighing softly, she turned her head to look at him, her expression thoughtful. "I'm thinking about getting a job for the summer," she said, breaking the comfortable silence.

"I've got one as a lifeguard at the Hawkins Community Pool. I could see if they need an extra hand," Billy suggested, his enthusiasm evident.

"Yeah, maybe, but let's focus on that after graduation," Isadora replied, not wanting to think too far ahead just yet. Billy turned to face her, frowning slightly at the thought of separation, but he nodded in agreement. Neither of them realised how significant this moment was or how it would shape their futures. As they drifted into sleep, all that filled their minds was the excitement and nerves surrounding the next day's graduation.

When morning arrived, Isadora felt a whirlwind of emotions, her stomach a tight knot of nerves as she shifted in her seat, glancing at her classmates. They all seemed so confident, and she couldn't help but feel a pang of self-doubt. Soon enough, her name was called, and as she made her way to the podium, the cheers of her friends filled the air, boosting her spirits.

"You've got this, Is!" Billy yelled, his voice cutting through the crowd, and she looked over to meet his gaze, nodding resolutely. Taking a deep breath, she opened her folded paper, heart racing as she prepared to address her fellow graduates, their parents, and her teachers.

"Hello, faculty, friends, and fellow graduates. We did it. We have accomplished one of the major early milestones of our lives: high school graduation. I am so proud of everyone here today, including myself, for making it to this moment," Isadora began, her voice gaining strength as she spoke. "You know, two years ago, I wasn't even sure I would reach graduation, and yet here we are, standing together. I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all the teachers and friends who helped me get here, even the ones who made terrible project partners," she added, eliciting laughter as she caught Billy's eye, a smile spreading across her face.

"And I would—"

"Breathe, Isa, you've got this," Kendra whispered from the front row, noticing her best friend beginning to freeze up.

"I would like to thank my parents, who I know are looking down on me today. I miss them every day, but I know they would be so proud of me. If you had asked me a few years ago if I would be the one standing here in front of you, giving this speech, I would have said no. Back then, I was in a completely different place. But I am honoured to be here today," Isadora continued, her confidence growing with each word.

"And now, we look to the future, where we begin to find our way in this world. It's not a distant dream anymore—it begins today. Regardless of where we go from here, we will never forget what we experienced throughout our school years. It was the place where we met our best friends, where we learned so much about ourselves, and where many of us, myself included, fell in love—"

"I love you, Is!" Billy shouted from the audience, his voice echoing through the auditorium. Isadora met his gaze, her heart swelling with affection as she couldn't help but smile.

"—and it was also a place where we encountered idiotic boys who interrupt our speeches to remind us that they love us. No matter how annoying it is, we know we love them, too," she added, and laughter erupted from the audience, easing her nerves.

"It all went by so fast, and I hope each of you cherishes the moments we spent together. Everything ends eventually, and today, we close one chapter and begin a new one. As much as I have looked forward to this day, I hate endings, but everything ends eventually, and today, we say goodbye. I wish each and every one of you the best. Congratulations, graduates, we did it!"

"Yeah, Isa!" her friends cheered, clapping enthusiastically as the audience joined in. Isadora felt a surge of pride and relief wash over her as she stepped down from the podium, searching for Billy in the crowd. Their eyes met, and she made her way to him, practically leaping into his arms.

"We did it! We graduated!" she squealed, laughter bubbling from her lips.

"Yes, we did!" Billy laughed, his eyes sparkling with joy.

"So, what's next for us?" Isadora asked, breathless with excitement.

"Well, I think we have a party to go to this afternoon, but after that, we can do whatever we want, Princess," he replied, a teasing glint in his eyes.

"Hmmm, I like the sound of that," Isadora said, smiling before leaning in to kiss him.

~*~

Later at the party, Isadora was swept up in a wave of laughter and celebration. She and her friends danced under the twinkling lights, the atmosphere electric with joy and nostalgia. As she took a sip of her drink, Hazel and Eddie approached, curiosity shining in their eyes.

"Where are Billy and Steve?" Hazel asked, glancing around.

"I'm not sure. They were here a moment ago," Isadora shrugged, scanning the crowd before her gaze landed on Beatrix, who was making her way over.

"Hi!" Beatrix greeted, a bright smile on her face.

"So, how many times did you end up making Billy listen to your speech?" Hazel asked, leaning closer.

"I didn't make him listen to it once! I told him he had to wait until today to hear it, but he did see me almost have a meltdown while trying to write it," Isadora admitted, her cheeks flushing slightly at the memory.

"How many times did you rewrite it?" Kendra pressed.

"Not that many," Isadora replied, feigning nonchalance.

"How many is not that many?" Beatrix inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Uh, four times," Isadora confessed, and the girls erupted into laughter.

Just then, a wave of curiosity washed over Isadora and she excused herself before she weaved through the crowd, eager to find them. Stepping into the backyard, she paused, her eyes widening as she took in the scene: Billy and Steve were in the pool, splashing around, and laughter erupted from her lips as she tried to stifle it.

"What on earth happened to you two? Why are you in the pool? And why is your nose bloody, Billy?" she called out, incredulity mixed with amusement.

"We resolved our issues," Steve replied, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," Billy added, nodding sagely.

"Is, can you help me out?" Steve asked, feigning a look of desperation. Isadora rolled her eyes playfully, her heart racing with laughter as she approached them.

"Sure, I'll help you out," she said, extending her hand. The moment Steve grabbed it, he yanked her into the pool. Isadora resurfaced, sputtering and pushing her wet hair from her face as laughter bubbled up.

"Steve! I'm so getting you back for that, Harrington!" she declared, wiping water from her eyes.

"What's going on here?" Kendra asked, stepping outside to see the chaos. Isadora and Steve exchanged a glance before Isadora swam closer to Kendra, a playful grin on her face.

"Do you mind helping me out of the pool?" she asked sweetly, holding her hand out.

"I swear—" Kendra groaned, unable to suppress a smile as she walked toward Isadora. Just as she reached out to help, Isadora yanked her in, and the moment Kendra resurfaced, she playfully splashed Isadora.

"Hey! I was trying not to get my hair wet!" Isadora protested, only to find Billy grinning at the edge of the pool.

"Love, you do realise your hair is already wet, right?" he teased.

"Oh... right," Isadora admitted, bursting into laughter as Steve retaliated, splashing her again.

After a few moments of playful chaos, Isadora called for a truce and swam over to Billy, who was perched at the edge, watching the antics with amusement. "So you and Steve really resolved whatever problem you two had by pushing each other into the pool?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That's not quite how it happened, Love," Billy chuckled, his eyes twinkling as Beatrix stepped outside, shaking her head in disbelief at the scene.

"Okay, I'm going to find some towels so you lot can dry off," Beatrix said, turning to head back inside. When she returned, she handed out towels, and after drying off, Isadora led Billy to the bathroom.

"Sit on the edge of the tub," she instructed, and he complied, looking bemused as she began cleaning the blood from his face.

"Is, I'm fine. You don't have to do this," he insisted, but Isadora shook her head.

"Billy, I don't mind. I mean, I wish you would stop fighting people, but I'll always be here to help you clean your wounds. Besides, I kind of like your face and don't want to see it messed up," she replied, gently pinching his cheek, earning a frown from him.

"But it's your graduation party too! You should be out there celebrating, not spending time in here tending to my wounds from my own stupidity," he said, frustration mingling with affection.

"I'll celebrate, but I want to celebrate with you. Let's get you fixed up so we can get back to the party. Why did you and Steve even fight?" Isadora asked, dabbing at his nose carefully.

"It wasn't really a fight. I told Steve he could punch me," Billy shrugged, leaving the details vague. Isadora frowned but nodded slowly, her concern deepening.

"Whatever works, I guess. Just promise me you'll at least try not to fight anyone else," she urged, her voice steady.

"I promise I'll try not to fight anyone else," he assured her, his gaze sincere. Isadora smiled, relief flooding through her as she leaned in to kiss him.

Once they were both ready, they rejoined the party, a renewed sense of celebration wrapping around them. As the music thumped and laughter filled the air, Isadora felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the moments they shared. She may not know what the future held, but she had decided that no matter what lay ahead, these moments—filled with friendship, love, and laughter—were the ones she would always cherish.

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Enjoy! Xo

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