I gazed into the mirror nostalgically as I smoothed down the blue robe that covered my pink dress. My cap was in hand and my makeup was done perfectly. I'd even donned a pair of heels for the occasion.

I looked nice, but it was a sad, melancholic day that marked our journey from carelessness to adulthood.

It was graduation day and it had come much too soon.

When I'd first got here, I'd hoped that I could get out as fast as I could. Now that I'd stayed, I'd found love and I'd found friends that I couldn't imagine leaving behind now.

The past few months had flown by so quickly that I'd blinked and missed it. I hadn't realized that the reality of graduation was coming closer until it reared its ugly head, and it was time to leave.

Julio and I hadn't gone to prom, as neither of us had felt like it was our scene. We'd instead gone out with Brad and Romi, who Julio got along with splendidly. Chris had been home sick so he hadn't gone, either. Ryo had taken the only Japanese girl at school, Naoko Ishida, to prom and they'd hit it off pretty well; they were practically dating now.

Ally and Charlie had gone together, and, predictably, they'd won Prom Queen and King, respectively. Their relationship was strained and I knew for a fact that she was going to break up with him today, almost as soon as we graduated- their relationship just wasn't healthy.

Julio had chosen to get ready in his old home, and I'd reluctantly agreed because I knew that his father wasn't there. He'd told me he'd see me at the ceremony, and I couldn't wait.

My mother wasn't going to be attending my high school graduation as she was at a fashion show in Kyoto. Instead, Jack was going to be cheering both Charlie and I on.

A knock sounded at the door, and I glanced at my reflection in the mirror approvingly one last time before heading towards the bedroom door to open it. It was probably Ally or Romi, as Ally had suggested that the three of us go in together.

On opening the door, I found the surprise of my life.

"Chase!" I exclaimed, shocked at the sight of my brother standing on the other side of the door, looking as annoyingly complacent as ever.

"Hey." He greeted, smiling widely, and I poked his bicep to make sure that he was actually there and it wasn't a hallucination made by my increasingly nervous mind.

I pulled him into a large hug, not letting go for at least twenty seconds, before retreating and examining him.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded. His course wasn't supposed to end for another two weeks, or at least that was what he'd told her.

"Well, I couldn't exactly miss my baby sister's high school graduation now, could I?" He smirked, and I hugged him again, still unable to believe that he was actually there.

"You weren't supposed to be here for another three weeks!" I said, and he chuckled.

"I told you that just to throw you off, but if you want me to go back, then I can take the next flight out there." He teased, and I rolled my eyes.

"Don't be silly." I scoffed, punching his arm.

"Now, are you ready to go?" He asked, but just as he said it, Ally's voice resounded, echoing off the walls. She and Romi entered

"Hey!" She squealed, dragging it out, not seeming to notice or care about my brother's presence in the room. She hugged me briefly, and so did Romi and both of them finally seemed to realize my brother was there, too.

He was watching the goings on amusedly, and when Ally saw him, her mouth dropped open, and she looked ready to drool.

"Chase, right?" She said, recovering quickly as she smiled at him. While the three exchanged pleasantries, I slipped back into my bedroom and picked up my purse and held my graduation cap in hand, rather than leaving it on my head where it looked ridiculous.

"Do you girls want me to drop you off?" Chase asked, "Or would you prefer going separately?"

"We'd love it if you could give us a ride." Ally said, laying it on thick. It wasn't hard to see that she was attracted to my brother, and it was actually amusing, now that she was about to be rid of her boyfriend.

When we got to the school, the seats were filling up, and I directed Chase to an empty spot near Jack, who was watching the proceedings forlornly. He would be glad to have some company.

We took our seats according to our last names, and I could just barely see Julio when I craned my neck. Romi sat on stage as she was valedictorian. Ally and I were separated by two people. Ryo was sitting in the row right behind Julio's. Charlie was sitting quite a few rows behind us, and the cutest thing about graduation was the fact that Brad was salutatorian, and was sitting right by Romi.

The whole diploma part dragged on for too long and, since mine was over and done with close to the beginning, I had nothing to do but wait. Chase and Jack cheering embarrassingly loudly when it was my turn, and I cheered just as loudly for Ally and Julio.

Finally, it ended and it was time for the speeches. The principal spoke for a while first, after which Brad spoke. It wasn't anything brilliant, and just included things about how the memories made and the people we met would stay with us as long as we lived. Romi's speech was much more impressive.

"We stepped into high school four years ago as nervous freshmen who didn't know any better." She began abruptly, and successfully captured everyone's attention. Whispers and excited chatter ceased, and all eyes were on Romi Mitchell as she began her speech.

"High school taught us so much, and not merely in an academic sense. It taught us things like responsibility, time management and even perseverance. Most importantly, it taught us to believe in ourselves. It taught us to walk with our heads held high, even when the world was cruel. We went through what we believed to be the worst struggled we could ever go through, and we survived it all.

We learned about each other and we learned about ourselves. None of us truly knew who we were until we stepped into high school and had to face all the weapons it wielded against us.

I don't want to go on for ten minutes, talking about how these last four years have shaped me into who I am today, because that's a given. We all know within ourselves the influence high school has had on us, how it has molded us into the people we are.

Friends and family, romance and heartbreak, triumphs and failures, strengths and weaknesses all have been our constant companions throughout the four year long journey we undertook. That journey has now come to an end, and those constant companions now leave us, and we find new ones.

We shall now learn from our mistakes, we shall now know what risks to take and where to be cautious, we shall now be the best people we can be and we shall now strive to do all that we can to achieve all that we wish to achieve.

I ask for one thing- don't forget. Move on from high school and everything that happened, good or bad, but don't forget. Don't dwell on the past, but don't forget what it meant to you or what it has done to you.

Before I conclude, I'd like to recite a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, if you'd all be willing to lend your ears for a few more minutes, because I truly believe this is relevant to what we are going on to do. The poem is titled A Psalm of Life, and it is as follows:

Tell me not, in mournful numbers,

Life is but an empty dream!

For the soul is dead that slumbers,

And things are not what they seem.

Life is real! Life is earnest!

And the grave is not its goal;

Dust thou art, to dust returnest,

Was not spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,

Is our destined end or way;

But to act, that each to-morrow

Find us farther than to-day.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,

And our hearts, though stout and brave,

Still, like muffled drums, are beating

Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world's broad field of battle,

In the bivouac of Life,

Be not like dumb, driven cattle!

Be a hero in the strife!

Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!

Let the dead Past bury its dead!

Act,- act in the living Present!

Heart within, and God o'erhead!

Lives of great men all remind us

We can make our lives sublime,

And, departing, leave behind us

Footprints on the sands of time;

Footprints, that perhaps another,

Sailing o'er life's solemn main,

A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,

Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us, then, be up and doing,

With a heart for any fate;

Still achieving, still pursuing,

Learn to labor and to wait.

As the poem says, never stop trying and never be disheartened by any failure, no matter how great. Thank you."

It wasn't the best speech ever written, nor was it beautiful and unique. But it somehow had the quality to stick with you, which was why everyone, including me, listened to her carefully. The addition of the poem only added to the captivating quality of it all.

After it was over, my friends were occupied by their families. Chase came over and gave me big hug. He was teary-eyed, and his eyes held a pride that made me sad.

Julio came over to us a few moments later, Matteo and Gabriella right behind him, and I greeted him with a huge hug and a quick kiss. Chase congratulated him, too, and we took more pictures than we would ever need.

Matteo and Gabriella gushed over how cute we were, and introduced themselves to my brother. They proceeded to begin a ridiculously sentimental, embarrassing conversation about 'how quickly they grow up.'

A lot of random people I knew from over the course of the year took pictures with me. I took multiple pictures with Ryo, Ally, Brad, Romi and even Charlie, although I didn't really want to take any pictures with him. I took a picture with Naoko, too, and then Julio and I took too many couple pictures, in addition to the ones we'd taken earlier.

Julio wore a look of complete ease, and he was smiling and laughing with people. Ally, whom he hadn't gotten along with very well earlier, had succeeded in cracking him and they'd actually engaged in a conversation.

I realized that I'd miss this. I'd miss standing around and conversing so easily. We didn't have to worry about anything, which wasn't a luxury we were going to have any time in the near future, what with college and jobs and assignments and life to deal with.

After a while, Jack decided to take Chase and I out to dinner. Charlie had refused the offer as Ally had told them they needed to talk. The seriousness made him ominous, and I was glad because he needed to suffer.

"I love you, Rage." I said, kissing his cheek quickly, just before I got into the car. It was the first bit of privacy we'd gotten all day, and even that was momentary, as he'd be going out with his aunt and uncle for a celebratory dinner, too.

"I love you too, princess." He grinned, his eyes all lit up. We kissed again before parting, and I was completely blissful.