Epilogue
It was graduation day. Two years had passed since Benji was expelled from the academy, alongside his picture from the trophy case. Thank God I didn’t have to see his face next to mine for the rest of my years at Pineshire Academy.
Because of his expulsion, Benji’s parents took away his privilege of in-person school and college.
A month ago, the three of us found him volunteering to pick up trash at our local park—not because he wanted to, but because he was forced to by his parents.
The dread and misery on his face placed a smile on my own.
Ayden practiced his guitar skills more often, forming a rock band with Xavier and two others from the year below. The band was called AXIS, an acronym for the start of each of their names: Ayden, Xavier, Isla, and Serenity.
Ayden was the guitarist, Xavier was the drummer, Isla was the lead singer, and Serenity was the backup vocalist and the bassist.
AXIS took up a small gig in the next town over during the summer after junior year. It was a good start to Ayden’s music career. A great start, actually; not long after promoting their original songs on many platforms online, they grew a following incredibly fast.
Sea of Love is their most popular song, and as you could guess by the title, it’s a love song.
Xavier was in charge of marketing for the band—Ayden’s idea. The two made a cute pair, and they were good influences on each other; Ayden helped Xavier come out of his comfort zone, and Xavier helped Ayden get into his comfort zone.
Violet found that her passion was showing off makeup products to the world.
She received a lot of brand deals and sponsorships.
She personally did not like to wear a lot of makeup besides mascara and lipstick, but, during her junior year, she found out that she enjoyed applying makeup on others…
especially on me. I didn’t mind it. I liked spending time with her, and I loved seeing her be truly happy with people she surrounded herself with.
Hero stopped working with magic for good and tried to forget any spells he had memorized.
He never wants to put me in danger ever again, or anyone else, for that matter.
At the beginning of senior year, they had a guest speaker from Pineshire University talk about their science program and from that point on, Hero knew he wanted to join the program and become a chemist. He would be able to work with chemicals and observe their reactions, which is extremely similar to potion-making—minus the potions.
As for me, I decided to study abroad in France. Once I come back, I will major in psychology and pursue a career as a therapist. I want to help others, and I’m so grateful for Hero for helping me recognize my passion.
When Hero’s name was called up onto stage, I couldn’t stop the tears from falling out of my eye sockets.
Proud was an understatement for how I felt.
Watching as he took his diploma and flipped his tassel to the other side of his head, I realized how fast our high school years had flown by.
It felt like it was just yesterday when I was still living with Blake.
Blake was actually doing way better, and has even started going to therapy. I visit him once a month, and he treats me like he used to before our parents died. We even played the board games that were stored in the garage. It was so nice to do things like that with him again.
After the graduation ceremony was over, Hero, Ayden, and I sat in the grass under the large cherry blossom tree in the middle of a nearby park. It was the most gorgeous tree I had ever laid my eyes on and it felt perfect for the occasion.
The ending to our school-life, and the beginning of a new journey.
Well, for one of us. Hero and I still had college to get through.
“Is it time to think of baby names now?” Hero teased. I smacked his chest.
Ayden cackled. “What about Cherry Blossom?” He pointed up at the tree. “Get it, ‘cause we’re under a cherry blossom tree?”
I snorted. “That is something you’d name a dog, not a human child.”
“Cher is a pretty name though,” Hero commented quietly, ruffling the freshly mowed grass with his palms.
I stared at him, my heart beating faster.
“Pepper and Hero, sitting in a tree,” Ayden started to sing.
Hero’s face turned bright red, then picked a nearby flower up that had fallen from the tree, admiring it closer.
I stared at him in curiosity.
Hero then extended his hand in the grass and found two more flowers, handing them to me and Ayden. Ayden took it without hesitation and stared at me, waiting for me to accept mine. I reluctantly took the flower, its vibrant pink petals impossible to glance away from.
“It’s beautiful,” I breathed. An idea suddenly came to my mind. “Each of us should make a wish and blow it off our hands.”
“It’s not a dandelion—” Hero said.
Ayden tilted his head. “We can pretend, can’t we?”
“I’ll go first,” I said enthusiastically.
Closing my eyes, I made my wish. The two of them most likely knew what I wished for—it was no secret.
I wished for the three of us to never let anything come between us again.
Opening my eyes, I adjusted to the sunlight and blew the cherry blossom flower off of my hand.
It traveled only about three feet away from where I was sitting.
Ayden made his wish next. I didn’t know what his wish was, but I could tell it held strong importance in his life by the way he clutched the flower—close to his heart. His wish was long—so long to the point that Hero almost interrupted, but I covered his mouth before he could get a word out.
“Sorry,” Ayden apologized as he opened his eyes, then blew the pink petaled flower out of his hands.
“What was your wish?” Hero asked.
“It won’t come true if I share,” Ayden said, attempting to smile. “It’s your turn, anyway.”
Hero’s wish was about the same length as mine, about a sentence or two long. After he blew his flower away, he glared at me. “My wish was about you.” He then turned to Ayden. “No offense.”
“None taken.” Ayden chuckled. “My wish was about neither of you.”
Hero gasped mockingly and acted as if he had just been stabbed. Ayden bursted into laughter, and so did I.
The three of us were inseparable. They were the bread to my butter. The peanut butter to my jelly.
The salt to my pepper.
I had my best friends in my life, and that’s all I needed. They were my true family.
Forever and always.