3 YEARS LATER

I stared at myself in the mirror, fixing my maroon cocktail dress and hair, spraying it with the final details to make sure it’s in place. I touched up my lips with my matte lipstick again, thinking it’s still not perfect. Then I got a knock on the door and I saw Asher coming in, giving me a big warm hug around my legs while carrying the wedges that I was going to borrow from my sister. Asher giggled wildly when I chased him around the room, trying to take the wedges from him.

“Asher, come on. Give it to your aunt. You’re going to ruin her look.” I heard my sister, Akira, coming in. She was carrying her second baby with her in her arms and she gave me a cheeky grin. I waited for sarcastic remarks to be thrown at me.

“Oooooh, look who’s all dressed up for her graduation,” she sing-sang.

“Shut up,” I muttered, slowly chuckling.

“Come on down, everyone’s waiting for you. Asher, come on!”

I took a final look at myself in the mirror after wearing the wedges that Asher left for me and heaved a satisfied sigh. I was ready for this. I was ready to embark on a new journey. It was going to be a new page in life and I was positive great things were awaiting me. I took my bag and robe, carefully placing it over my arm and finally went downstairs, where everyone was proud to see another graduate descending the stairwell.

I arrived at the hall where my eyes were searching for Bella in the sea of people. Bumping between one another to get to their designated seats, I was finding my seatmate and my best friend in the impossible crowd. Finally, I caught sight of her shining barrette that she described and I made my way towards her. Embracing one another, we went to find our seats.

“Oh, I have something to tell you after the ceremony is done,” she whispered to me once everyone was settled down and the hall was nearly silent, only filled with slow murmurs.

“About what?” I asked back.

She just gave me a sly grin but I could see the excited and happy glint in the grin, which only made me more curious about what she was about to tell. Whatever it was, I had to distract myself from that and focus on hearing my name being called out.

“Oh, did you see Jungkook on your way in?” Bella asked.

I shook my head with a small smile. Hearing his name brought nothing but a hint of sadness and numbness in me at that time. I already moved on from what happened between us but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t leave a speck of sadness in me. I still wished for us to reconcile, be best friends again.

But I knew that was impossible.

“V told me he’s not coming,” Bella said as she read V’s text message.

“Cool,” was the only answer I could give her. I didn’t know what else to say. There was nothing to say, I guess. What’s done was done.

Two hours later, the ceremony was done. I was dressed in a graduation robe and topped with a graduation mortarboard, and a degree scroll in my hand. When I took my scroll, I could hear the cheers from my family and friends, and I couldn’t help but smile widely while taking the scroll. I was finally done with degree life.

When I exited the hall with Bella, we were met with the gang – all except Jungkook. I admitted to looking for him in the crowd but once we gathered as a group, I realised that he really wasn’t at the graduation ceremony. Undoubtedly, that made me sad.

Yoongi wrapped his arm around me and lifted me high in the air, swirling me around and I couldn’t help but squeal in embarrassment at his action when there were so many people around. He put me down and I swore my cheeks were burning out of embarrassment. I hit him lightly on the arm, mumbling how he was embarrassing.

“And now you are an official graduate like the rest of us,” Yoongi stated.

Between us 9, Bella, Jungkook and I were the youngest. We were three the same age and expectedly, Jungkook was supposed to graduate with us. That’s why when he didn’t show up, I felt a little worried but I thought maybe he extended a semester there. Whatever it was, I had no right to be concerned about him anymore.

“Okay, gang. After-party at my house tonight,” Bella announced.

I pulled her arm, bringing her closer to me and whispered, “What did you want to tell me?”

“Oh!” Her eyes immediately glistened with excitement as she excused us from the boys and brought me to a corner, a little farther than where the boys were standing.

She rummaged through her clutch and finally took out something that caught me off guard.

“Bella…”

The shiny object illuminating was placed carefully in my hand and I looked at it still in disbelief.

“He proposed!” Bella announced.

“Congratulations!” I pulled her into a hug and we laughed happily at the great news. My best friend was getting married. Who wouldn’t be happy?

I placed the ring in her palm when she said, “This is so sudden but I think I am ready for it, seriously. He’s planned it for so long, Kira. Even found a job recently that’s stable and can fend for us. It’s still a little shaky but I know we can work things out.”

“Hey.” I held her hand. “Things will be okay. You guys have been working it out since 5 years ago. This is the right decision.”

Tears started to form in her eyes. “God, you’re making me ruin my makeup!”

I laughed in response.

“Okay, and I have a proposal to make,” she continued.

“Whatever it is, it’s a yes,” I answered.

“You’re so confident. What if I said I wanted you to be a stripper for my bachelorette party and my wedding?”

“Girl, please.”

She laughed. “Okay, here’s my proposal.”

She got down on one knee, and that made me laugh hysterically. “Will you be my maid of honour?”

“Of course, I will! Goddamn it, Bella. Stand up!”

“Wow, looks like she beat me to a proposal.”

I turned around to the voice