Faythe ran through the crowd, searching for her 'bestie.' The rock on her hand felt heavy, the weight of it an unusual feeling. She panted, making her way to the stairwell. Rushing up the stairs, she stopped dead in her tracks.
"Ava?" she asked, running over to her friend. Ava looked up from her seat on the stairs, a certain level of surprise in her eyes. "Look, Ava! Danté proposed; we're getting married!"
"It's huge, baby. I'm so happy for you." She smiled, touching Faythe's hand. They sat a moment in the quiet of the hall. "Where's Vincent?"
"Vincent's… gone." She said quietly.
"He left without you?" Faythe asked, looking around.
Ava put her head down, biting her lip. Her hair hid her eyes. "Yeah, something like that." It was quiet again; the only voices were those of celebrating graduates from the lobby. "Finn and Bianca broke up. He joined the army; get's shipped off in seven months if he makes boot-camp."
"What about you?"
"I'm…" she laughed, half-crying, "I'm pregnant, Faythe." The silence stayed then, hanging over them, Faythe wrapping her arms around Ava, at last understanding. In a bittersweet moment, each reflected to themselves the last three years. Faythe had gotten her fairy tale ending, the Prince Charming she thought she'd never get. Her heart sunk as she thought the smirk Vincent had given her; that night at the hospital: the break-up had been impending for quite some time. She looked down at her friend, who held her back, eyes welling as she watched Ava cry in quiet. The secret would remain just that- a secret; she would tell her, but not then, when everything was, almost, perfect.
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