Graduation morning.
Sunshine. Gowns. Caps. Tears.
The Fernandez house was chaos.
Tita Gema: "EAT! GRADUATION NEEDS ENERGY!"
Jasfer: "I'm too nervous to eat!"
Tita Gema: "EAT ANYWAY!"
Serina: "Everyone looks beautiful."
Jay's grandma: "I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS DAY! TWO GRADUATIONS IN ONE FAMILY!"
Keigan: "Lola, there are like ten of them graduating."
Jay's grandma: "TEN IS A LOT!"
Keiren: "Math checks out."
Grazel Jay ran around with flowers. "GRADUATION FLOWERS! THE LAST BATCH!"
Denzel: "That's literally the last batch."
Grace: "The garden is soil now."
Grazel Jay: "WORTH IT!"
Section E arrived.
Ci-n: "GRADUATION DAY! WE MADE IT!"
Rakki: "Barely."
Ci-n: "BARELY COUNTS!"
Percy was already recording. "HISTORIC DAY! DOCUMENTING EVERYTHING!"
Honey: "He's been up since 4 AM."
Percy: "JAYFER GRADUATION ONLY HAPPENS ONCE!"
Mica: "Hopefully."
Calix: "Definitely once."
Freya: "Thank goodness."
Edrix: "You love them."
Freya: "Shut up."
Edrix: "Never."
Rory: "I've calculated optimal graduation photo positions."
Drew: "I'm taking bets on who cries first."
David: "Jasfer. 500."
Drew: "Easy money."
Eren arrived with Kevin the Seventh. "Kevin wanted to see graduation."
Josh nodded. Gave the bird a tiny cap.
Baster hummed a graduation anthem.
Aries and Ella walked in. Aries: "Ready?"
Ella: "Ready."
Aries: "Nervous?"
Ella: "No."
Aries: "Liar."
Ella: "Maybe."
Jay came downstairs.
Gown. Cap. Smile.
Keifer followed. Same gown. Same smile.
They looked at each other.
Jay: "We made it."
Keifer: "We made it together."
Jay: "Tss."
Keifer: "Stop."
Jay: "No."
He kissed her forehead.
Percy: "DOCUMENTING!"
Ci-n: "FROM THREE ANGLES!"
The ceremony was perfect.
Names called. Diplomas handed. Caps thrown.
Section E screamed for each other.
When Jay's name was called: "JAY MARIANO!"
The crowd ERUPTED.
Serina cried. Jasfer sobbed. Jay's grandma waved her cane.
Yuri's grandma: "THAT'S MY GRANDSON'S FRIEND'S FUTURE WIFE!"
Jay's grandma: "THAT'S STILL A STRETCH!"
Yuri's grandma: "I'M COMMITTED TO IT!"
When Keifer's name was called: "KEIFER WATSON!"
More cheers. More tears.
Serina: "MY SON!"
Jasfer: "MY SON-IN-LAW!"
Serina: "Same thing?"
Jasfer: "Same thing!"
After ceremony.
Photos. Hugs. Tears.
Ci-n: "WE DID IT! WE'RE GRADUATES!"
Rakki: "We're adults now."
Ci-n: "SCARY!"
Mica hugged Jay. "Best friend. Forever."
Jay: "Forever."
Calix hugged Keifer. "Brother."
Keifer: "Brother."
Freya hugged Jay. "You're tolerable."
Jay: "Thanks?"
Freya: "You're welcome."
Edrix hugged Keifer. "Good job."
Keifer: "You too."
Edrix: "Tss."
Keifer: "Did you just—"
Edrix: "Maybe."
Keifer: "Proud."
The grandmas found each other.
Jay's grandma: "WE SURVIVED GRADUATION!"
Yuri's grandma: "WE SURVIVED EACH OTHER!"
Jay's grandma: "BARELY!"
Yuri's grandma: "BARELY COUNTS!"
Jay's grandma: "IT DOES TODAY!"
They hugged.
Actually hugged.
Everyone stared.
Percy: "DOCUMENT THE MIRACLE!"
That night—
Prom.
Not high school prom. College prom. Different. Better.
Ballroom. Lights. Music. Magic.
Jay in blue. Again.
Keifer in blue. Again.
Matching. Always.
They walked in together.
Heads turned. Whispers followed.
"Jayfer is here."
"They're so perfect."
"The engaged couple."
Section E took over the dance floor.
Ci-n: "DANCE PARTY!"
Rakki: "I'm not dancing."
Ci-n: "YOU'RE DANCING!"
He pulled her in. She danced. Smiled. Pretended to hate it.
Mica and Calix slow danced. Close. Perfect.
Freya and Edrix stood near the wall.
Freya: "I don't dance."
Edrix: "Okay."
Freya: "You're not going to ask?"
Edrix: "No."
Freya: "Good."
They stood there. Together. Not dancing. Perfect.
Rory calculated optimal dance moves. Drew took bets on who would fall. David danced in his sleep somehow. Eren danced with Kevin the Seventh. Josh swayed peacefully.
Baster DJ'd. Perfect playlist.
Aries and Ella danced.
Aries: "This is nice."
Ella: "This is tolerable."
Aries: "Same thing?"
Ella: "Same thing."
He kissed her cheek.
Jay and Keifer in the center.
Slow song. Soft lights.
Jay: "Graduation done."
Keifer: "College done."
Jay: "What's next?"
Keifer: "Wedding."
Jay: "Then?"
Keifer: "Forever."
Jay: "Tss."
Keifer: "Stop."
Jay: "No."
He kissed her.
Slow. Deep. Perfect.
The room watched. Smiled.
Percy: "DOCUMENTING!"
Ci-n: "FROM THREE ANGLES!"
Rakki: "Those two."
Mica: "Forever."
Calix: "Always."
Freya: "Finally."
Edrix: "Perfect."
Freya: "Shut up."
Edrix: "Never."
The night ended.
Jay and Keifer on the patio. Last time at this house as students.
Jay: "Today was perfect."
Keifer: "Today was everything."
Jay: "Graduation. Prom. Us."
Keifer: "Always us."
Jay: "Promise?"
Keifer: "Promise."
Jay: "Jayfer forever?"
Keifer: "Jayfer forever."
He kissed her.
Inside, Percy's voice: "THEY'RE KISSING ON THE PATIO!"
Ci-n: "DOCUMENTING!"
Rakki: "Go to sleep."
Percy: "HISTORY NEVER—"
He fell asleep.
Ci-n fell asleep too.
Rakki covered them.
Rakki: "Idiots."
Mica: "Our idiots."
Calix: "Same thing?"
Mica: "Same thing."