"Bree Acks."

Ashton glanced up and watched the girl stand up from the chair beside him, walking nervously over to the stage.

He quietly glanced around the rest of his grade sitting around in a line of chairs, alphabetically ordered.

The lights were dimmed and Ashton had to squint his eyes just to try and search for where his boyfriend was sitting.

He couldn't find him much to the obvious reason that he was sitting at the bottom of the alphabet whereas Ashton was at the start.

His name was next.

If someone had asked him if he was feeling nervous, he'd say he was fine, that in fact, he was confident and full of pride. He wasn't.

Because this wasn't just a graduation night, it was more then being one of the most important nights of his life.

It was going to be the one night that would define the very person he was to become after high school.

"Ashton Anders."

He sucked in sharp exhale, his eyes blinking rapidly at the boom of his name echoing through out the large room.

Rows and rows of families and teachers, students and friends all watching his very movement as he carefully stood from his seat.

A grin he wore, stuck on his face forcibly, trying to conceal everything he was feeling deep down.

There was a loud cheer as Ashton made his way to the stairs leading up to the stage and he shot his head towards the noise in surprise.

"Yeah Ashton!" someone else called out and before he knew it, a bunch of guys—who he assumed were his football team mates were causing a racket as they cheered on their captain.

Ashton could've chosen to be embarrassed by the action or cocky. Although feeling both immensely, he chose neither and opted for waving them off.

His heart swelled in his chest, his mind losing control as he neared the podium to which the principle and a few teachers were standing there waiting for him.

He wondered if those teammates would still be cheering after he finally said what he longed to say.

Ashton halted in front of the principle who smiled brightly and latched out a hand for him to shake.

He shook it before taking the certificate from her other hand and moving to the microphone.

He looked down at the array of students, their eyes trained on him as they anticipated the words that were to slip out of his mouth any second now.

There was a choice to put a final word in, to say something regarding your time during school but it had to be about your high school experience.

But as Ashton opened his mouth, it was almost clear he was steering far away from that.

"Hi," he started, and it went dead silent, "I just have one thing to say before I officially graduate. Something worth hearing."

His eyes caught Luca's. He didn't know how, they just did and there the boy he loved sat with the most encouraging smile on his face that almost every bit of anxiety in Ashton's body, disappeared.

He held Luca's stare as the next few words left his lips, "I fell in love this year. Surprising to some, I know. But I did."

Luca's eyes widened, his mouth hanging open in utter shock and bewilderment.

"Um well, I know not many people probably care, but I'm not embarrassed about what I'm about to say next. I stand here with my head held high, my pride intact and whatever fucks I gave a couple weeks ago, gone," Ashton took a deep breath and moved his gaze across the curious expressions drawn on everyone's faces before he settled his eyes back on Luca,

"The honest truth is, I love a boy."

There were a few gasps, some immediate mumbles and looks of shock.

Ashton thought back to when Benji had come out to the football team. It was much different to this. Benji being gay wasn't something exactly shocking, it was something that made sense.

Ashton's coming out didn't make sense. Because nobody expected it.

But when a smile washed over his Luca Violet's face and his eyes shone brightly under the dark lights, his soft lips parting as they mouthed the words,

"I love you too."

everything made sense.

And if it hadn't of been for the butterflies in his stomach when he first chased after Betsy, the very ones that died for her but grew for Luca, none of this would've happened.

It's just the butterfly effect.

♡

a/n: ok I think this is officially my favourite chapter. It's so like beautiful like wow..also did u know I wrote this when I should be studying for my exam..? Oh welllllll.

Also, I've only ever been to my brother's graduation so I was basing it off that so oops if the set out is odd?

Um I'm not gonna be all sappy cause tbe hasn't officially ended yet! Make sure u read the epilogue (coming out tmrw or later tonight maybe??)

Ahahhshshsh I'm gonna go drink more coffee, much love,

Avorra.