Graduation was tomorrow and that meant a lot of things. Hunter and I would no longer be going to the same school and Jax is graduating as well and leaving for college in a month.

He didn't start until August but he had to leave to settle in his new home and set everything up. His mom found an apartment near his school and we were all helping them with packing.

"Where do you want this, Ms. Ashford?" Marissa holds up two vases.

"Uh, wrap it up," She grabs wrapping paper. "Here, and put it in that box." She points. "Thank you."

I fold Jax's clothes that he had brought down from his room and neatly place it in a box he had given me.

"Don't pack all of it. Leave some out since we aren't leaving officially yet." Jax tells me. "We're still leaving in the end of July, right?"

"Actually, we're leaving a little earlier." She says and my neck almost breaks at how fast I turned to look at Jax.

"How early?" I ask.

"Just two weeks earlier than we were originally planning." She says. "Oh that reminds me, I actually have to drive down there on Friday and start moving things. The landlord wants to make sure the move is legit so I have to start placing things in."

"Am I coming with you?" Jax asks.

"Obviously," She sighs. "How else am I going to carry all this shit in. You can tell Hunter to come along too."

"Tell me what?" Hunter pops in.

"To come down with us to Baltimore to help us move." Jax tells him.

"We'll only be gone for two nights. I'll talk to your dad and if Emma wants to come you can too, darling."

"Yeah,"I nod. "I'd love to."

"You're going to love it there." His mom smiles. "I drove down last week to check out the apartment and it's beautiful. It's so calm, just how I like it. Maybe you can come stay with us for the summer once we settle in."

"Maybe." I gulp, remembering in a matter of time Jax would be leaving. "I'll just have to let my dad know."

I knew my dad would let me go along if Jax's mom went, but that wasn't the problem.

The problem was that deep down it pained me knowing he was really leaving me. I don't know how I'd handle Jax leaving for good.

Still, I put on a smile and acted like I was pleased with the news, and I was, but it doesn't mean it doesn't hurt.

"You okay?" Marissa comes next to me on the couch.

"Yeah," I smile. "Never better."

"Liar."

I sigh and look up at Jax talking to his mom about the new place. He seems happy and I know this move is going to be good for him.

He needs this for himself and his family. I wouldn't be the one to take this from him.

"I'm good, really." I lie.

She glances over at Hunter and smiles as she looks back at me. "Listen, about your brother." She begins. "We never really got to talk about me and him before I left and everything's been so complicated with my family since I've been bac-"

"Marissa," I stop her from rambling. "It's okay."

"He's your brother, Ems. I swear I wasn't expecting to like Hunter as much as I do. I thought it was always going to be Nick. Your brother helped me a lot and I couldn't help but catch feelings."

"I get it," I nod. "Don't be sorry, I mean, I can't blame you he got his looks from me." I flip my hair over my shoulder.

"Well, actually you got his looks from him because he was born fir-" She looks at me to see I'm giving her a playful glare. "You know what, you're right."

I chuckle, looking back at Jax. "I'm not mad that you like him, heck get married, have babies for all I care. Just, just take good care of him." I look at my brother. "I know he'll take good care of you."

- -

I was frantically pacing around my room trying to gather myself together. Today was the big day. I'm actually graduating high school. Truthfully, I didn't think I would do it, but I pushed myself everyday.

If it was for me I would have dropped out ages ago but I was doing this for my family. I needed a well enough job to support my mom and help her in any financial way.

I was looking all around my room for my tie, unable to find it. I was running behind and I had to be at the ceremony in two hours. The drive there was long enough already.

"Mom!" I yelled. "Mom, where's my black tie?!"

"What?" She yelled from downstairs.

"My tie!" I go to the top of the stairs. "Where is it?"

"Check Amanda's room! It might be in the laundry bin, it's clean!" She answers back.

I go down the hall into Amanda's room and open the door to find her trying to zip her dress up. She looks at me and tells me to help her and I make my way to her.

"Are you nervous?" She asks me.

I nod. "A little, it's kind of scary walking on stage."

"Mom always tells me before a school performance to picture everyone naked." She laughs.

I chuckle, moving away from her and she goes to put her sandals on. "Does that really work?"

"Nah, I can't concentrate on me routine if I picture everyone naked."

I laugh, walking over to her and sit on the bed. "Am I doing the right thing?"

"What do you mean?" She raises an eyebrow.

"I mean," I scratch my head. "Am I doing the right thing leaving? Making us move and leaving Emma and my friends."

"Well, you are making me leave my friends." She responds and I give her a sad face. "I'm kidding! I don't really care, honestly. If this is what you want and it's good for your future, then I'm happy for you."

"I really do want this." I say.

"Then you should be happy." She tells me. "There's nothing standing in your way, Jax. Don't let some girl get in the way of your future."

"She's not some girl." I respond.

"Sorry, your future wife."

My eyes pop open and I open my mouth slightly. "Ho-"

"I found the ring in your drawer a while ago and when I looked for it again it was gone. I'm assuming she said yes. Unless she said no and you returned it?"

I chuckle, shaking my head. "She said yes." I look at her and she stands up and looks at herself in the mirror. "So, you knew all this time and didn't tell mom?"

She shrugs. "It's not my business. I'm sure you know right from wrong."

"Are you guys ready?!" I hear mom shout from downstairs.

"Almost!" Amanda yells back.

I grab my tie from the top of the laundry bin from the corner of Amanda's bed and make my way to the door.

"Has anyone ever told you you're like a wise old man?" I say to her before walking out.

"I haven't heard that one before." She chuckles.

I walk out of the room but pop my head in once more. "Oh, by the way you're not allowed to date until you're at least fifty."

"I guess you're too late. I already have a boyfriend." She sticks her tongue at me.

"What?" My eyes go wide. "You're like ten, you can't have a boyfriend."

"I'm fourteen." She glares at me.

"How did I not know you have a boyfriend?" I furrow my eyebrows.

"Mom doesn't know, don't tell her." She warns. "Or else."

"Ahh, it's one of those middle school relationships." I joke.

"Jax!" She grabs a pillow from her bed and throws it at me but misses as I move away. "You've been warned!"

I laugh to myself, walking to my room. I stand in front of my mirror struggling to put on my tie when my mom walks in.

"Need help?" She chuckles and I nod, letting her fix it for me. "You excited?"

"More nervous than excited." I tuck my shirt in once she finishes tying my tie.

"Nervous why? You have nothing to be nervous about."

"Says the one who isn't graduating and having to walk on stage."

"Pssh, just picture everyone na-"

"Naked." I take the words out from her. "Mhm, Amanda told me."

She nods, smiling as she watches me fix my suit. "Have you talked to Emma?"

"About what?"

"You know, you leaving for college. Are you guys doing the whole long distance thing?"

I nod. "Yeah, we're staying together."

"Look," she sighs. "I've always been supportive of you and Emma but..I don't know. Are you sure that it won't be a distraction?"

"A distraction?" I furrow my eyebrows and face her. "Since when did you ever think of Emma being a distraction for me. You've always approved of us."

"I know and I do I just want you to focus on college and no be side tracked always thinking of her and what she's up to." She tells me.

"Emma and I are going to be just fine, mom." I assure her. "She's the love of my life, I trust her and she trusts me."

"Okay, okay sorry for brining it up." She defends. "By the way, your father called."

"He's not coming is he?" I look at her through the mirror.

She shakes her head. "Work came up."

"Yeah, it's always a work thing with him."

"I'm sorry, Jax."

I shrug. "It's nothing. Not like I was expecting him to pull through or even wanted him there."

He doesn't show up anywhere unless it benefits him and I don't blame him. He has his own family. I didn't see him as my family, more like a sperm donor to my mom.

Emma popped into mind and the thought of her finding someone else while I'm away crosses my mind.

I never thought of her being with someone else other than me. I knew my intentions with her were pure and I'd never do anything to hurt her.

I can't imagine Emma ever cheating on me. Now, my mom put these things into my head but I did my best to push them aside. I wasn't leaving forever.

I'll be back and within no time I'll have her by my side again. We still had time together before I have to leave and I want to spend it wisely.

She deserves the world and although I may not have enough, I'll give her everything she's ever wanted just to see her happy.

- -

"Where's Hunter? Do you see him?" Marissa searched all around the seats of graduates wearing blue caps and gowns. "I don't see him."

"He's there somewhere." My dad scans the audience. He turns to me and gives me a nervous smile, looking back at forth from the entrance and me.

"Dad, you okay?" I ask.

"Mhm? Oh, yes I'm good." He clears his throat. He moves back in his seat but pushes forward and looks at me. "Actually, there's something I have to tell you." He looks back at the door.

"What?"

"Will everyone please rise and join us for the pledge of allegiance." Our principal says from the stage as he speaks into the microphone.

We all stand and Marissa is still looking around for Hunter when my dad leans into my ear.

"I may have, uhm, invited Joyce. It was last minute and she asked to come I didn't want to say no."

That would explain the empty seat next to him that he wouldn't let anyone else sit at.

"Dad it's fine." I assure him, and it was. "I don't mind."

"Really?" He seems surprised. I nod and he smiles widely. "Okay, good because she's here."

I look to see Joyce coming our way wearing a pants suit and black heels. Her hair was nicely put to the side in a loose braid and she smiled as she rushed over to us.

"It took forever to find this place." She says as she kisses my dad on the cheek. "Emma, hey. You look so beautiful."

I lean back and let her pass over to her seat and give her a kiss on the cheek once she's seated.

"I'm glad you could make it." I tell her.

She smiles at my dad and he looks at me with a small smile, nodding his head at me.

"Please sit as the valedictorian shares some words."

"Who's that?" Marissa asks me as we sit down.

"Dad's lady friend." I tell her.

She wiggles her eyebrows at me and chuckles when I roll my eyes and scrunch my nose up.

"Oh, my God!" Marissa squeals loudly from her seat. "I see Hunter!"

"Where?" I ask. "Do you see Jax next to him?"

"No, they're sitting in alphabetical order. What's Jax's last name?" She tells me.

"Ashford."

"I see him four rows behind Hunter." She tells me. I move my head and try looking at where she was looking.

"I don't see them." I scan the audience.

"To the left Emma, you're looking to the right."

I move my head and search each row to try to find Jax. As I continue scanning the crowd my eyes finally land on him. He was looking at the girl giving her speech and I smiled to myself as I pulled my phone out and snapped a couple of pictures of him.

I scanned the other rows to find Hunter sitting next to one of his friends as they talked. I took a few pictures of Hunter and then some of Marissa and I.

I stared at Jax and watched him stand up as they called his side of the room to go get their diplomas. Jax and Hunter waited on line and my eyes began to water as I stared at Jax.

There was nothing I could do to make Jax stay, and this didn't mean our love for each other was any less than what we imagined. It meant we were strong because we chose to stay together, we chose to make it work long distance.

What Jax and I shared was a one of a kind love. It was something I never shared with alex or anyone else. His love was warm. It was peaceful. He was my ocean, my galaxy but I knew it was time to say goodbye. At least for now.

This wasn't the end of our story. Though, physically we were no longer together, in another universe we were...and our story lives on forever.

"You okay?" Marissa looks at me.

I nod and wrap my arm around her shoulder. "Yeah, I'll be okay." After such a long time, I knew I would be.

"Jax Ashford."

As I watched him walk on the stage I felt true happiness and I thought, no one would ever understand how much he made my dreams come true. No one would understand how he opened my heart and the wonders that it does.

There's nothing in this world that I can say that describes how I felt about my brother's best friend.

THE END.

Epilogue is out now! Please also check out Until I Met Him it's another story I am working on about teen romance.