I felt giddy inside. My heart was pumping loudly, my limbs were shaking.

I had just gotten out of the Dean's office, where I had been told that my grades were just fine, and I exceeded average scores. That meant I would be graduating in May!

I wanted to scream, but I kept it together. I wanted to hear what Crys had to say first! I knew she would love to get out of this place. She'd been here for as long as I had almost. She got away from her house at eighteen to come here, and January would be three years for her. She could have opted out after one year, but she kept on to become better. She took computer classes to learn to edit, she stayed busy with classes that required pictures. She went to fancy events, and practiced at weddings, exhibits and other places. She was good, and she'd only get better.

Crys came flying from the office doors. I braced myself for impact, but she stopped right in front of me, letting out a huge breath of air, one I knew she had been holding. "I'm graduating!" She said, and threw her arms around me. I let out a small, excited scream and jumped up and down with her, hugging her tightly.

"Crys, you deserve this, I'm so proud of you!" "Thanks, but what about you? Are you going to have to do another year?" I could see slight panic settle into her eyes, like she believed she should have stayed quiet until she knew. But I smiled, and she squealed before throwing her arms around me again. "Holy shit, I can't believe it! We're getting out of here and starting our damn lives, it's about time!"

"We still have five more months left, Crys, don't let yourself fall behind because of that. We need to come back after the fall and winter break, and we need to get back to it hardcore. I want to leave this place with a bang!" "You said it, let's go. I'm ready to be back in Lichen Bay."

"Ready to see your mother?" "Never, but it will be nice to be back home. Plus, your parents hardly ever seem to mind me being around. If it's fine, I'll come visit after a week. I want you to have time with your parents before I barge in." She smiled. "You don't barge. You know my parents love you. You're the second child they never got to have. You're welcome whenever."

She smiled again, then hooked arms with me and we walked back to our dorms to help each other pack. The next time we left, it would be because we were leaving permanently. We packed up a bag of clothes, and our toiletries, and got ready to leave.

She and I would be heading out at six in the morning that next day. I offered to drive her in my car, not because we couldn't take hers, but mine got better mileage, and we lived only four hours away.

"So, guess I'll see you bright and early, right? Wanna grab a coffee and a muffin before we go?" "Yeah, sure." "Cool, g'night."

"Good night, Crys."

I walked in the opposite direction from her. It was a good thing that we'd already packed, as I was a person to put it off for as long as possible. As I walked back from her room, I took it slow. I breathed in the fresh air. It was turning evening, so the sky was alight with an array of beautiful colors: sunset orange, dusky purple, traces of black, patches of brilliant pink, and wisps of puffy white clouds from the ending of the day. The sun was one large, round ball of blazing red and it hung just below the bough of the huge sycamore in the distance.

It took my breath away. I didn't think Mother Nature would ever cease to amaze me. Tomorrow morning, I'd be back, safe and sound, in the little log cabin my parents had. I'd breathe in fresh, cold mountain air. The trees along the woodsy path in our backyard would be dark green from the upcoming season. The stars would twinkle from a million miles away in a wide open, cloudless sky.

We lived in a private place, so on nights as such, I'd climb on top of the roof and lay down. I'd been known to fall asleep, that is, until the mist settled onto my bare skin and woke me. I could almost taste it.

Soon, the leaves of the great trees would be changing, if they hadn't begun already, and from the roof of my house, I could stare down onto the endless landscape. The trees would vary in shades of gold, brown, orange and blood red, with occasional patches of green from the evergreen trees. I'd be on top of the world.

Virginia was gorgeous, and there wasn't any other place I could imagine living.

All too soon, I was back at my door, rattling the keys loose from my hoodie pocket and opening it. I stared at the tiny space that I called 'home' and smiled. I went to my dresser and pulled out my clothes for tomorrow: a pair of ripped blue jeans, a loose gray shirt and a pair of neon blue socks. I grabbed my towel from my chair and took a shower, relishing the hot water.

I made sure my room was spotless and brushed out my hair. Once free of tangles, I braided it lazily and brushed my teeth. I had hoped to take up time, but the clock read only eight thirty. My usual bed time was whenever I could squeeze in sleep, so I knew I'd be up a while.

I quietly put on some instrumental music, and began trying to drift off.

My phone went off loudly on my bedside table. It was the alarm I'd set. I ached to lay back down in the warmness of my blankets, but I knew better. So, reluctantly, I shook the covers from me and sat on the edge of the bed, attempting to get used to the cold room that took the air from my lungs. I stretched until I woke up and got dressed. I was hopping into my jeans when there came a knock on my door.

I answered to find Crys, and I couldn't help but laugh. She hadn't bothered getting dressed or even brushing her hair. She moaned like a zombie, came into my room and fell face first on my bed. I chuckled before sitting to put my socks on.

"Ria, remind me why we have to leave this early?" "Because I like travelling in the early morning. Less traffic, beautiful scenery. Plus, my parents, and I'm sure your mother, are ready to see us." "It's not even six yet. Couldn't we at least have slept in until eight?" "It'll take you that long to get ready," I smiled, assessing her attire. Huge white zipper jacket, a yellow spaghetti strap tank top with a kitten on it, and loose fitting red flannel pajama pants. To top it all off, she was still wearing her blue bunny slippers, and her hair was a mess of snarls and tangles.

She groaned in complaint loudly before forcing herself off of my bed and undressing. She threw on a pair of old, hole filled sweatpants and zipped her jacket. Without brushing her hair, she wrapped it up into a lazy, messy bun and plopped her hands into the pockets of her jacket, then said, "Ready." I cracked up, then grabbed my bags and hauled them to my car, Crys in tow. She flopped into the passenger side seat, and I decided to be a good friend and let her stay while I went to grab our breakfast.

"So? What's the news?" Marcel asked as I opened the door and rattled the bell on top of it. "I'm graduating." I couldn't hide my smile. "That's my girl. Here's your favorites, on the house. You and Crys be careful going home. See you in January." Marcel grinned famously, then pushed a cup holder with two coffees and a heavy looking brown paper bag toward me. "Marcel, please, this is more than I would have ordered normally, at least let me pay you for your time."

"Absolutely not. Go on now, don't keep your parents waiting a second longer." He winked then went back to his work. Silently, I slipped a twenty under the drawer of his cash register and turned and left. That man had been too good to me, and I knew how much sleep and money he sacrificed to be up early and late at night getting things ready for the schoolers' busy schedules.

I felt my smile growing as I neared my car. I was happy to be going home, and having my best friend there as a traveling partner was fantastic. Crys's soft snoring came to a halt when I opened the bag and bursts of different smells came flooding from it. There were cookies, muffins, brownies, and hash browns, and the bag was almost completely overloaded. Well, at this rate, we wouldn't even have to stop for lunch.

"I love that man," Crys said, sinking her teeth into a gooey, warm M&M brownie. She quickly chased it with her coffee. "He wouldn't let me pay for any of it either." "…I know you left something." "I hid a twenty under the cash drawer where he could see it."

"Sneaky bitch."

I laughed loudly before putting the car into reverse. Soon, our trip would land us right back in the cozy boundaries of beautiful Lichen Bay.

**How are you guys liking the story so far? I promise things will pick up soon! I want you guys to get a feel for Ria and Crys, in a way, I hope they remind you of someone! Please feel free to leave a review and let me know what you're thinking! Have a good day lovelies!**