Spring was settling fully now, the cherry blossoms almost gone, replaced by the sharp green of fresh leaves. The world outside felt alive with possibility, and somehow, River felt it too — a slow, steady pulse in his chest that whispered of hope.
The school halls were quieter, the last weeks before graduation bringing a strange mix of excitement and nostalgia. River and Lila moved through the days wrapped in their shared secret — a future they were quietly building, piece by piece.
---
One afternoon, River found himself sitting on the bleachers with Lila, textbooks forgotten beside them. The sun was warm, the sky a perfect blue canvas.
"So," Lila said, nudging him with her shoulder, "what's next for us?"
River smiled, fingers playing with the edge of her sleeve. "College. Somewhere new. Somewhere we can be more than the past."
She nodded, eyes shining. "I got accepted at the art school in Seattle."
River's heart skipped. "Seattle… That's far."
"But it's what I want," she said. "What about you?"
He thought for a moment. "I'm applying to a couple of places. Maybe somewhere close, maybe far. But I want us to be together."
Lila squeezed his hand. "Then we'll make it work."
They sat in comfortable silence for a while, watching the clouds drift.
---
That night, River's phone buzzed — a message from his caseworker.
"There's a scholarship opportunity I think you should apply for. It could help you get to school next fall."
River stared at the screen, heart pounding with disbelief. The path he'd feared for so long was opening.
He showed Lila, who let out a breathless laugh, pulling him into a tight hug.
"This is real," she whispered. "You're really getting your chance."
River closed his eyes, the weight of years lifting just a little.
---
The next days were a whirlwind — applications, meetings, and whispered dreams exchanged under the cherry trees, now replaced by green canopies.
One evening, as they sat on the rooftop wrapped in a blanket, River pulled out a small, folded piece of paper.
"I wrote something," he said shyly. "For you."
Lila looked surprised but smiled, taking the paper.
It was a poem — raw, honest, filled with the pain and hope they'd lived through together.
Her eyes glistened as she read.
"That's beautiful," she breathed. "You're amazing, River."
He shrugged, embarrassed but proud.
"I couldn't have done it without you."
---
Graduation day came with sunshine and nerves. Standing side by side in caps and gowns, River and Lila felt the full weight of the moment — an ending, but also a beginning.
When River's name was called, he stepped forward, heart racing. The applause felt like a shield — a celebration not just of academic achievement, but of survival.
Lila caught his eye from the crowd, her smile brighter than the sun.
Afterward, they wandered to the park — their favorite spot — where the first cherry blossoms had fallen months ago.
River took Lila's hands in his.
"No matter where we go," he said, voice steady, "we face it all together."
She nodded, tears shining.
"Forever?"
"Forever."
They kissed beneath the green canopy, the world stretching out before them — unknown, terrifying, beautiful.
And for the first time, River believed in the promise of new beginnings.