~Marie's Pov~
The cheers echo in the courtyard, hats soaring skyward in a burst of black fabric and unspoken dreams. I stand in the middle of it all, my cap crooked on my head, the gown too long for my frame, and the diploma gripped so tightly in my hand that the edges curl. I did it. Somehow despite the fires, the betrayals and the heartbreak, I crossed the finish line.
My parents are the first to find me. My mother's arms are around me before I can blink, her perfume wrapping around me like a childhood memory. "You did it, sweetheart," she whispers, her voice tight with tears. "You made it through."
My father, ever composed, pulls me into a more reserved hug, but I catch the glint in his eyes—the pride, the relief. We've had our differences, but in this moment, none of it matters. We made it here. Together.
