THE NIGHT WAS QUIET, but St Joseph was alive. Lights were flashing from each window of the school, the party somehow bigger than the one at the beginning of the year had been. Mateo had done his best to get everyone to come, though that didn't take much convincing. Gabriela was glad to see him somewhat happier, even if she knew he was sad about Jay leaving. He had told her a bit of the story, about how Jay's father had been manipulative and set some things up leading to their principal's death, but she knew he didn't want to talk about Jay's business behind his back, so he had kept it at a minimum.

She didn't mind. The most important thing was that his laugh resounded through the room when she walked in, that his grin was as goofy as ever and his expression soft as morning light. He was standing at his usual place, in the middle of the crowd, people gathering around him and a slightly disgruntled Jay. Still, he had grown a lot - it seemed like just yesterday that Gabriela remembered him transferring in and picking a fight with everyone in his sight.

"Hey Ruìz!"

Penelope smiled at her as she made her way through the crowd to where Gabriela was waiting for her by the wall. The two cups of liquor she had in her hand were dangerously close to spilling as she held them as high as she could, careful not to get it on anyone. Imani was walking closely behind her, the way she stared enough to deter anyone from saying anything everytime a splash of liquor accidentally got over them. Once they arrived the cups were both almost empty, Penelope looking genuinely surprised at them.

"I thought I managed to keep the most of it in," she frowned.

"You tried, babe," Imani said, inclining to the table of drinks behind the crowd with her head," I can get more, if you want?"

"No, it's fine," Gabriela said as she accepted the glass," you know I don't like to drink that much. Thanks, you two."

Mateo had decided the auditorium would be the best place for a farewell party and so everyone was scattered across the large room, either sprawled out on the seats or playing at the makeshift beerpong tables. She knew this wasn't only a farewell to Jay; the auditorium had always only been used by Clarkson and ever since his passing, it had remained shut. Despite complaints, Mateo never had opened it for their beginning of the year parties, but now here they all were, a sort of melancholy in the old place which sighed with the wind.

It always had been the most beautiful room of St Joseph, with a ceiling made of glass and walls decorated with paintings. At the front stood a stage, for whenever Clarkson had given a speech, but no one even came near it. Mateo didn't even have to say anything, it was common knowledge. There were no rules the delinquents at St Joseph didn't dare to break, but if there had been one person they had respected it had been their principal, and so the stage remained empty, the shadows playing on it almost resembling a person.

"I'm really glad Mateo decided to throw this party," Penelope smiled as they sat down on some chairs, a guy behind them passed out.

Gabriela checked his pulse as she nodded. "It'll do us all much good."

And it would. This was the first time in a long time that she had allowed herself to live in the moment and hell, it felt good. She had spoken with her homeroom teacher today, now the semester was nearly over, and he had told her that the chances of her getting a full scholarship were very close to nihil. Somewhere she knew she had been fooling herself with thinking she would get anywhere with St Joseph on her resume. The feeling was coupled with anger, at herself for not trying hard enough, at the world, at her parents for not being able to afford the full education she wanted. It was immediately followed by shame, because it really wasn't her parents' fault, but it was hard to know where to redirect all the fury to that was wrapping itself around her throat.

She supposed it was her fault in the end. If she truly had been more focused on the future, if she truly had cared, she would have transferred out of St Joseph long ago. But even though she did, she cared more about Mateo. Given the choice, she would do it all over again, and when she breathed out, so did all the heaviness in her heart. Her life hadn't gone the way she had wanted, but that didn't matter. In the end nothing did, only the things that made her happy.

With a small slap to the face the guy's eyes snapped open and she sat down now she had seen signs of him being alive. Penelope laughed, Imani raising an eyebrow at him. The music blasting through the auditorium from the speakers Chase had brought was dancing along with her heartbeat as someone placed a discolight on top, colors flashing around them.

Gabriela looked at her friends, head suddenly clear.

"I think I'm going in the army," she said.

"What?" Penelope blinked. She stared at Gabriela, before recovering from her initial surprise, multiple questions tumbling from her lips. "Why? When did you decide this? What about law school? Are you going with Mateo? What do your parents -"

"Pen," Imani said, her hand on Penelope's shoulder as she squeezed," let her talk."

"Oh," Penelope breathed, eyes wide," I'm sorry, Gabby, I was just -"

"It's fine," Gabriela assured her, continuing," and honestly, I have no idea how my parents will react. I do know this though, I am not giving up on law school. It might not be the right time for me now, but it will be one day. In the meanwhile, I guess I can try to find who I want to be in a year of military service. Who knows, maybe I'll end up being a soldier all my life."

"You won't," Penelope said simply," I know you well, Gabby, and if Lady Justice were reincarnated in someone, I sure as hell know it would be you." She took Gabriela's hands then, smiling up at her. "But I support you, you'll do good at anything you want. You know I'm here by your side, always."

"I thought you didn't believe in reincarnation," Gabriela said, eyes soft.

"Imani's told me really beautiful things about her religion," Penelope said, looking over affectionately at her girlfriend," I normally don't like the confinements of one religion, but I'm kind of starting to change my mind."

Imani's expression was warm as she looked back at Penelope, before glancing at Gabriela. She didn't need to say anything for Gabriela to understand, her support visible in her dark eyes.

"Thank you," Gabriela told them both," I love you guys."

Penelope's voice was touched as she threw her arms across the two of them and pulled them into a tight hug, the drunken teenagers cheering and chugging around them fading away for a moment.

"I love you both too," Penelope announced," so much." She spoke to Gabriela then, her voice dropping to a quieter tone. "Please stay safe in the army, Gabby, I wouldn't know what to do if you got hurt."

"I will," Gabriela promised her.

"Okay," Penelope said, letting the both of them go and jumping to her feet," that was enough sappiness for today. The night is young and so are we, so let's make the most of it." She took her glass and downed it, moonlight glittering in her eyes like stars. "Let's go party, girls."

"Did I hear someone say party?"

Mateo grinned at them as he emerged from the crowd, his hair messy and his eyes alive, cheeks flushed with sugar-coated adrenaline. The outfit he was wearing was simple, a sweater and jeans, but he still caught the attention from everyone around him so easily. It may have been his sharp jawline and defined muscles, visible even beneath the seafoam-colored fabric, but it most likely was the way he carried himself, the confidence, the cheeky smile, the way he was made of petrichor and starry nights in foreign streets. She knew then, more clearly than ever, that she would never love someone else like she loved him.

"What kind of hearing do you have?" Jay frowned," all I can hear is this deafening music and people screaming."

"Chase's the DJ," Imani said," you can ask him to turn it down a bit."

"Trust me, I tried," Jay sighed, shaking his head," I gestured at him from where he's standing at the top of the stairs and he somehow interpreted that as me requesting Boyfriend from Justin Bieber. I had to witness Mateo rapping every verse from memory."

"You're welcome," Mateo drawled.

"I am truly not," Jay replied.

Mateo laughed, before focusing his attention on Gabriela. He bowed dramatically, reaching out his hand after, a glint in his eye. All their worries, all the real world stuff outside of this school, it didn't matter. It felt freeing. She placed her hand in his and he spun her around, smirking as she ended in his arms after. His hands were on her waist and he pulled her closer, lips soft against hers, the taste of rain on her tongue.

When he pulled back a moment after, he smirked at her mischievously as he placed a kiss on the back of her hand, a spark in his eyes.

"What do you say to a dance, my lady?" he said.

She smiled back, the music carrying her along already.

"Of course, Teo."