I was sitting next to him on the ledge of porch railing. It was funny to me how I could stare at him so much and he'd never even noticed. Miley, Oliver, and I have been best friends ever since eighth grade. Five long years, which now feel so much shorter, are just about to end.

Miley came out, after Oliver and I had been waiting for at least twenty minutes.

"Ta-da! How do I look?"

What was I supposed to say? She looked the same as us; blue cap, blue gown, gold tassel….

Graduation. The thought of it crept up on me again as I once more realized I would never see my friends again. Miley would officially be done with school, and take over her music almost full-time. Her and her dad would be living in Los Angeles. Miley's older brother Jackson was a student at Fresno Pacific, so he wouldn't be moving in with them. Oliver- the one I'd held dear ever since I was little- was leaving California to go all the way to Florida State. He told me the story of how he knew his mom would cry and impersonated the speech his dad was bound to give him. He made me laugh while we waited on our other friend to get ready.

Me? I was staying right here. Pepperdine University had my name on it, since my mom couldn't bear to have me too far from home.

I was sure Oliver's mom wouldn't be the only one crying tonight. Miley looked at me with sad eyes after I'd told her she looked like she was ready. Oliver gathered us in a group hug. I tried to forget about the fact that in just a matter of time, they would both be leaving me. Miley would stay for a few days, but had a premiere to go to in LA just next week. Oliver would stay the summer, but I knew he'd be busy. And so would I.

Our parents had already taken pictures of us. This is it, I thought as we climbed in to my little Jeep. When I started driving to school for the last time, we talked about what we were going to do, where we wanted to be in five years.

"No matter what happens, we'll always be friends." Miley said. Then we started gushing. I told them all the things I was thinking.

Well, not all of them. I didn't tell Oliver I was in love with him. That would have screwed it all up… or at least I thought so. But I did tell my friends everything they deserved to hear and everything I wanted to say. I told them how much I would miss them and how much more time I wish we had together before we all left for the summer.

How much I loved both of them, and how much I know they'll both go very far.

The car stopped. My mind had been on autopilot, so I noticed we were actually here. "Time to graduate." I said. It should have sounded obvious, but we were all too serious and nervous.

After all the speeches and all the formalities, our names were finally being called. Oliver was the first of us to be called, and I resisted tearing up. I tried to keep myself from crying by thinking we have all summer, we have all summer, we have all summer... it didn't work very well.

Suddenly, I heard my name called. It was so strange. Just a few short years ago, this night seemed so far away. And here it was, right before my eyes. Here I was, experiencing it. It all felt so surreal.

As I was walking to the stage, all I could think was do not trip. Luckily for me, I didn't. I got my diploma and my tassel moved to the other side. One of my biggest milestones was almost over.

Miley was next. She was the most poised I'd ever seen her. She had really grown up, and not just physically. She had learned.

What had I learned? Never take things for granted… life is short… and appreciate every single moment.

Okay, so that was from Saint Sarah's valedictorian speech, but so what? It was true.

When the principal had finished the closing speech, Oliver, Miley and I stood together in silence. Suddenly, we were women and men. Suddenly, time had gone like a flash.

This was graduation.

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