"Guess who's graduating in 7 months?" Tyler says in a happy tone.

I shift my attention from Cayson to Tyler, who's currently sitting down next to violet with a pen in his hand.

"You sure you're graduating?" I joke while Cayson stifles a laugh.

He mocks me and continues. "Of course I am. But I doubt if violet is."

Violet smacks his right arm and he winces. "Fucktart, don't doubt my graduation because hell, I'm graduating and leaving this hellhole."

"Senior trip is coming and so is prom. Everything is happening so fast," Kate says.

"Senior trip, to where?" Ian asks.

"Who cares? We're on for Paris," Kate winks.

"Just keep your passports ready guys, we don't want any last minute stops," violet says.

"Paris?" Cayson asks in confusion.

They all look at me and I smile. "At the end of every year in high school, we've visited Europe. First Greece, then Czech, then Netherlands and now Paris."

He still seems confused but smiles. "It's a tradition."

"You guys got quite a lot of those," he nervously chuckles.

"Why of course. What are friends without silly and stupid traditions?" I laugh.

"Remember the homecoming tradition?" Violet asks and I sigh.

"Ugh," Chris groans and Tyler makes a face. "That's the one I hate the most."

"Gross," Ian says.

"What's that?" Cayson asks in confusion.

"It started freshman year when Chris, Ian and Tyler thought that us girls could never get any dates for hoco. On the day of, we ended up getting asked out and they lost. After that day, the boys get us a new dress, accessories and buy our tickets every year for hoco and apologize."

"What's so gross about that?"

"Oh yeah about the apologizing part, they all have to eat something they hate. Chris despises tomatoes so he has to eat a tomato every time Kate gets asked out. Tyler has to eat a garlic breads every time Violet gets asked out," I reply back.

"And I have to eat Strawberries every time Venus gets asked out," Ian finishes off.

"Garlic? That's sick, man," Cayson makes a face.

"Trust me, you never want to bet against these crazy-heads. They are completely mental," Chris says.

"I think the mental asylums is still looking for the three monkeys which escaped eighteen years ago," Tyler teases and I throw an eraser at him. "They called and they want you guys back."

We all laugh.

"What university are you planning?" Kate asks which makes me question myself. I don't even know what university I'm going to.

"Albany school of medicine," Ian replies with a smile.

"New York university," violet replies.

"Rochester institute of technology," Tyler responds, high five-ing Chris.

"Cornell university," Chris replies, fist-bumping Ian. "Big boy."

"Fordham university," Kate smiles and they all turn to face me for an answer.

"Of course her smart ass is going to an Ivy League," Chris replies. "Which one?"

"Actually, I'm not sure. I haven't even applied," I reply back.

"You don't even have to apply to see your chances, you're probably getting a scholarship," Kate scoffs.

"Ivy leagues don't offer scholarships and also mom doesn't earn less than 65K so I'll have to pay full," I reply back, fidgeting with my fingers.

"I'm sure you'll get in."

"I don't think I want to go there. All of you clearly know what you want to do, I don't. All I know is that I love singing and to make that my career, I'll have to focus on that more and not on college."

There is a moment of silence.

"You could do both," Cayson suggests and all heads turn in his direction.

"I can't be a singer and study in New York," I reply back.

"It's simple. You move to California and attend college there," he suggests.

I scoff. "It's not that easy."

"Yeah, it is."

"And leave my friends here? Thanks but no thanks," I reply back.

"I mean it doesn't—" Kate starts but Cayson cuts her off.

"If singing is the most important for you then move to California."

"My friends are the most important."

"You need to look at your career too. They are all going to a different college and so should you."

"Yeah but they're all still in New York."

"We could visit—" Chris starts but gets cut off again.

"Yeah and they wouldn't mind if you go to California and do what you love."

"Or I could finish college here and then try my luck in singing."

"We only have five years for now and then we will have to start over. Why not try our luck before it runs out?" He argues.

"What is this about Cayson?" I ask and he sighs.

"This is about you, only you, not your friends," he says before leaving the class.

"Cayson?" I call out but he's already out of reach.

I sigh and sit back in my desk.

What is he thinking?

"What was that about?" Tyler asks not too long after getting a smack from violet and then shuts up.

"He's right, you know?" Kate starts. "You need to do what you love, which might be away from us but it's fine. We could visit each other often."

"But it's not his place to tell me that," I say.

"It kind of is. You see, both of you are in a contract so he has to abide by the rules. You can't have separate lives when a contract is roping you two together," Ian explains.

"But that was so random. He came out of nowhere," I reply back. "Also, I don't have to move if I want to stay here. I signed the contract for us to sing together, not live together."

I groan and turn my head away so that I'm facing the board now.

___