- A year later -

Holding a sunflower bouquet in my hand, my gown flaps around my ankles. A flutter of birds fly high over my head and into the orange sky. The dirt crunches beneath my black flats as I trudge past the lonely stone sign that says Lakeshore Cemetery Park. Flowers adorning each gravestone sway along to the breeze, the withering ones making it seem like a dance for the dead.

I'm alone.

But this time, there will be no tears, only smiles.

I stop before Mom's grave and place the flowers right there. Running my eyes over the engraved words for the umpteenth time again.

Ava Perez.

Our shining star forever in our hearts.

"Look, Mom. I came to show you this—I graduated from high school." Grinning, I spread out my hands and give a little twirl before ending with a slight bow. "What do you think?"

People might think I might be crazy, but I always believe that she can see and hear me. I'm imagining her laughter in my head, telling me to give another spin and whispering to me how happy she is.

Suddenly, I stop.

Emotions congest my throat. I've told myself not to cry earlier, but I can't stop the tears from coming. Most students had their mothers with them at the ceremony earlier, which is a forced reminder of what I'm missing. Thankfully, Dad and Aunt Abbie's family were there for me. Even Ian and Blaire, who graduated last year with Kyle before advancing to their universities, traveled back to town to support me.

As for Kyle, well, he didn't come today. It has been a year since he went to UC Berkeley, but he would often visit us during his breaks. We text daily and have our weekly video calls, but I haven't seen him in person for two entire months.

And frankly, I miss him. A lot. I wanted him to be here on my graduation day today but he was having an exam earlier today. I didn't want to sound like a petty girlfriend, so I let it go. Besides, next year, I will pursue music at an arts school near his university. This means we'll get to see each other more often in the future while I'm doing my music degree. It's my dream to become a piano teacher, work with kids and take part in musical performances.

I'm rambling all these details to Mom when my eyes settle on a gray pebble sitting innocently on something blue right on top of her gravestone. I pick it up, realizing that it's a small folded note. As I scan the familiar handwriting, a smile slowly grows on my face.

"Go back to the second beginning."

Clutching the note to my chest, I run off, back to the car where Aunt Abbie is waiting for me. Once I climb into the front seat, she grins at me.

Okay, she most definitely knows what's going on.

"So, where to?"

The first place that comes to my mind after reading the note is that place. "The beach, please," I answer, unable to hide the excitement in my voice. "Hurry."

It doesn't take long to reach our destination. The moment Aunt Abbie hits the brakes, I'm already running out of the car and across the lovely beach. Orange and red streaks spray across the sky and the sun hovers over the horizon. Waves lap up the shore as I search for our old spot. So many fond memories replay in my mind as I run.

And then I finally locate the spot.

Nobody is there, but there's a branch sticking out of the sand with a little red ribbon tied to the tip, leading me to a trail of footsteps. I follow it, placing my foot in each one carefully, as it snakes across the beach and between inlets of granite boulders. The size of the footsteps clearly reminds me of somebody and my excitement heightens. By the end of the trail, I reach a small cave with little lanterns spread around a picnic mat with a basket of food.

This, I realize, is a beach scavenger hunt. The one from my bucket list I wrote a long time ago.

Except that my treasure comes as a very special person.

"Kyle!" I squeal and jump on him. Wrapping my hands and legs around his body tightly. "You came! But how?"

A hearty laughter erupts from him, and he buries his face in my already mussed hair. "Of course I would! I came here as fast as I could once the paper ended. I may be a little late, but I wouldn't miss this day for the world."

"Thank you," I breathe out, hugging him even closer. "I miss you so damn much."

"Me too," he chuckles. "Uni life is a real torture."

"But not for long," I grin, and that's all it takes for understanding to sink in. "You got in?" he asks, and I nod in confirmation. "Really?"

He lets out a joyful cry and spins me around in circles. Happiness is literally bursting out of my heart. I squeal in delight and let him place me back on the ground, my feet sinking into the soft sand.

And then we are kissing.

We lost a lot of time when we were apart. I think about the boulders that we had to climb in our relationship. I think about our future together and can't help but look forward to it as we approach adulthood.

All I know is that I want to continue to stay right by his side.

"Kyle?"

"Hm?"

"I love you."

I hear his breathing stills for a second and then he's saying it back to me too. "I love you more."

My head rests against his chest, sighing in content. We stay in this position until the sun shies away from us and the light vanishes. And with every kiss we share under the twinkling stars, my heart leaps over the moon.

Home is definitely between his arms.

❤️😭

🌈