A month later...
It was the day of Hawkin High School's graduation. All of the seniors were in the cafeteria, waiting for the bus to take them to the convention center. Jane and her friends, minus Lucas, were sitting at their regular table for the last time. Jane and Max were holding hands.
"I was thinking," Mike said. "We should go camping sometime this summer before we all have to leave for college."
"You think that it would be a good idea to bring your boyfriend camping?" Jane asked sarcastically. She then saw Lucas was sitting with the choir kids, who were sobbing while singing their favorite songs that they performed over the years. Jane and Lucas made brief eye contact before he turned around. He had been ignoring everyone since prom.
"I'm just saying, we're about to see a lot less of each other," Mike said. "I think we should take a vacation, and camping is one of the cheapest options."
Lucas then stood up from his table and walked over to their table. He sat in his normal seat, without uttering a single word. Everyone at the table went silent. "I got sick of the harmonizing and sobbing," Lucas said, coldly. Everyone at the table nodded.
Vice-Principal Black entered the lunchroom. "Ok people who soon are no longer going to be my problem, the bus just arrived so we got to go," he said. They exit the school in an orderly manner and climbed onto the bus.
"I can't believe we're about to graduate," Max whispered to her girlfriend once they were sat down on the bus.
"Me either," Jane whispered. The bus then pulled out of the parking lot and started going to the convention center. Jane rested her head on Max's shoulder as the school disappeared from her line of sight. "Goodbye school. I'm going to miss you."
"Really?" Max asked.
"Yeah," Jane said. "A lot of good has come out of this school, including us."
Jane grabbed Max's right hand that was resting on her leg. They arrived at the convention center and file out of the bus. "Everyone get into alphabetical order," the vice-principal ordered. "If I have to help you, I will rip up your diploma."
Everyone lined up backstage in the convention room. The ceremony began. The principal gave his speech, and so did the valedictorian. After the Vice Principal's speech, they started to call the names of the students. "William Byers," the principal said. Will walked onto the stage and grabbed his diploma.
"That's my boyfriend," Mike called out proudly, clearly ignoring the pleas to save the applause until the end. Will sat on his spot on the stage.
"James Dante," the principal announced. James also went up and accepted his diploma. "Dustin Henderson."
Jane watched Dustin walk across the stage, and take his diploma. He sat with the other graduates. "Jane Hopper," the principal said. She walked across the stage and took her diploma. She sat with the others and saw her father in the crowd. He waved at her, and she smiled at him.
"Bruno Pines," the principal announced. He stuttered onto the stage. He took his diploma and then did a backflip, causing the audience to clap. He then took his seat. "Maxine Mayfield."
Jane's smile grew as Max accepted her diploma. She sat right behind Jane. "Lucas Sinclair," the principal announced. Lucas had eye contact with Jane for a brief moment as he took his diploma. He gave her an icy glare before sitting with the other seniors.
"Micheal Wheeler," the principal said.
"Go Mike," Holly, his seven-year-old sister, cheered. Mike took his diploma and joined the other seniors.
"This is the class of 2020," the principal announced. The class stood up and, after getting the cue from the principal, they threw their caps into the air. They watched as their caps fell, ready to face what comes next.