Forever.

“I would like to present the graduating class of 2009!”

Hats went flying into the air and cheers could be heard from every side of the stadium. I couldn’t help but cheer too, even though I didn’t really feel like I belonged here. These weren’t my peers; I didn’t even know why I was graduating with them.

And although it felt good to be graduating with three of my best friends – Cass, Hannah, and Joe – it just didn’t feel right.

Many of the now-graduated seniors were talking amongst themselves excitedly, with large smiles plastered on their faces. Laughter filled the air around me, almost making me choke. I was happy to have graduated, don’t get me wrong, but I was going to miss the school. I had a shortened high school career compared to most kids. I hadn’t seem to have gotten my fill on high school.

“Hey gorgous,” I heard someone murmer into my ear, and I felt a pair of stron arms go around my waist. Everything always seemed right when he did this, even now.

I turned around and faced him. “Hey,” I giggled, wrapping my arms around his neck.

Joe gave me a peck on the lips, smiling gently at me. I could tell he was genuinly happy, and I wasn’t going to let him fall from that just because I was a little angst.

“Come here,” he said, taking my hand and pulling me out of the mass of students. Once we were out of the way of everyone, we both pulled off our caps and gowns and just stood there, holding each other. It made me instantly feel better.

“I love you,” I said, inhaling his intoxic scent deeply.

“I love you too,” he replied. “Which is why I have something to give you.”

I looked up at him with a confused expression.

“What I mean is, well, who knows where we’ll be a couple of years from now? I could be off in tour buses all over the world while you’re in college or something, and I know I want to spend the rest of my life with you, I just don’t want to make that huge step yet. So I wanted to give you this.”

Joe pulled something out of his back pocket. It was a dark blue velvet box, and just the sight of it made my heart speed up.

“It’s not an engagement ring,” he continued, looking into my eyes and opening the box, “but it’s something close to it.”

I finally looked down at the contents of the box and felt my eyes go wide. There, sitting on the plush cushion, was the most beautiful, simple, diamond ring I had ever seen.

Joe took out the ring and pulled up my hand, throwing the box aside. He slipped the ring on my ring finger, leaving an intense tingling where the ring then lay.

“It’s a promise ring,” he confirmed.

I threw my arms around his neck and held him as tight as I could. “To say I love it is an understatement, Joe.”

He pulled me away softly and held my face in his hands before leaning down and kissing me gently. When he pulled away, he muttered “To say I love you is an understatement,” against my lips.

I smiled and kissed him once more. “I don’t even think there’s a word for how much I love you,” I said.

“You’re not alone,” he confessed, before taking my hand and walking over to our parents.

It was definitly worth the pain and tears, I added silently to myself.