As the late May sun descended to the horizon and the oppressive blanket of Southern humidity creeped ever upon them, sounds of laughter filled the air. School was finally out for summer, and finally, the students at Creekwood High School were free. In the just over 2 years Victor had spent there, he had grown to appreciate his time despite the rough start. And now, on the eve of graduation, when he would finally be able to go out the world as a man, Victor welcomed the change. He wasn't sure yet if he would miss his life in Atlanta; only time could tell.

Sighing, Victor adjusted his bow tie, eyeing himself in the mirror and frowning when it didn't lay how he wanted it to. He pinched the bridge of his nose, body rigid from stress.

"Hey, relax, Vic," Benji's soft, low voice chastised him. Humming, his boyfriend took his hand, kissing his knuckles, before somehow figuring out a way to fix Victor's frustratingly incompliant tie. "There ya go. You look really sharp... and honestly, incredibly sexy."

They both chuckled a bit, Victor feeling himself loosening up a bit. He gazed at Benji, biting his lips and failing at suppressing his smile. Whenever Victor looked at his boyfriend, he thought about how lucky he was to have him in his life. And he remembered this night last year, when he and Benji had been in each other's positions, with Benji graduating before taking the year off to work at Brasstown full-time in order to pay for university, and Victor, being the supportive boyfriend he was, there to celebrate on the big night. It was strange and a bit surreal that Victor was about to walk the stage and move on to another stage in his life as the openly gay point guard for Georgia State's basketball team while studying Pre-Law. He couldn't complain, though, because having a sports scholarship did make life easier.

"Thank you for everything," Victor said, kissing Benji on the cheek as the other boy took his arm. His eyes sparkled with the sincerity of his words as he continued, "I don't know what I would do without you by my side."

Benji gave a small smile, looking down as he leaned against his boyfriend, his heart fluttering. He would never get enough of Victor's kindness, or the way he spoke to Benji as if he were the only one in the world who mattered. Even after two years, Benji still got weak in the best way; he just knew how to recover from it better lately.

"You're such a sap," Benji replied with a grin, cradling Victor's face in his hands as he stood on his toes a bit to kiss him. "And honestly, I should be thanking you. If it weren't for you, I... don't know where I'd be. But probably nowhere good."

Victor pressed his forehead against Benji's, eyes closed. He felt the burden of that statement, but he was happy to carry it with Benji - together. But for now, he turned his gaze toward the door.

"All right... let's get this over with," Victor grumbled, grabbing his graduation cap and gown and leading Benji from his room.

Down the hall, the sound of several conversations happening at once greeted them, a cacophony of noise that Victor wished would stop, but all he could do was grin stiffly and bear it.

Isabel was the first to greet them bringing both Victor and Benji into a warm hug. "Ay, que lindos! You're finally ready! We've been waiting for ages. Come on, we're gonna start taking pictures.

"Mami..." Victor retorted, pulling his gown on to match the others. "I'm a grown man now, don't call me cute. Please ."

"You may think you're all grown up just because you're eighteen and you're off to college in the fall but you'll always be my little boy. Remember that!" Isabel replied, wagging her finger in his face as she held the camera in her other hand.

Benji tried not to laugh at this exchange, but Mia didn't hold herself back as she approached, knocking Victor in the arm before giving him and Benji hugs, too. After the fallout from the events of Victor's first Spring Fling at Creekwood, and after Mia got into a relationship with Andrew, somehow Benji, Victor and Mia had become close friends. Mia didn't even mind being the third wheel to them because they all did genuinely get along well.

"Yeah, Victor, didn't know you had a thing about being called 'lindo', " Mia said with a wink. "Reminds me of Adrian and how he's always like 'call me 'guapo' or else'!"

Flashing a tight-lipped smile, Victor retreated beside Felix without saying much else; his other best friend greeted him and draped an arm across his shoulders in an almost violently excited manner, his gangly limbs making him look like a vine growing up Victor's side.

"What's up with him?" Mia asked Benji, nudging him as she ever so slightly jutted her chin in Victor's direction, trying not to be so obvious.

"Just pre-graduation jitters," Benji replied, shoving his hands in his pockets as he watched Lake and Felix all but smother Victor between them, giving his boyfriend a small smile. "Don't let me keep you."

Mia shook her head as Benji pushed her into the pile with their friends and she took her spot next to Andrew. Isabel was a bit too enthusiastic to photograph them all, even dragging Benji in with his friends because hell, even though Benji had already graduated, it never hurt to have a few photos of her future son-in-law. He stood next to Victor, arm hooked onto his boyfriend in the way that felt so natural to them.

Pilar looked on, rolling her eyes with her arms crossed over her chest in her long, black dress, but she chuckled at them all nonetheless. She would miss these events once her big brother went off to college. Adrian has sought refuge in his room away from all the adults, pulled into the 20th unboxing video of the night until his parents dragged him out of the house.

Once the photo op was over, they all separated to make their way to Creekwood for the ceremony. In the usual Salazar fashion, Isabel created signs for her and Armando to hold up at the ceremony ("There's nothing in the rule book that says I can't bring a sign to graduation, so it's happening whether you like it or not!" she exclaimed at the very suggestion from her husband that it might be a bit much for the occasion).

The Salazars and Benji sat together in the audience as Victor, Felix, Mia, Lake and Andrew all joined the rest of their classmates in the sea of caps and gowns. Fireflies began to flit about, lighting up the football field as night fell and the ceremony began.

Victor sat in his seat, leg bouncing up and down as he tried to pay attention to the various speeches from staff members and the valedictorian, but he found that he forgot every word that had been said as soon as they entered the air, his mind blanking entirely. He's had so much time to mentally prepare for the future, but the thought of being out of high school and suddenly out in the real world had his blood bursting through his veins at an inhuman speed and he thought that if he stopped moving his leg around, the pressure that built up in him would make him explode. Sweat made his shirt stick to his back, and he wanted to rip his blazer off right then and there.

He hadn't even heard his name being called, the ringing in his ears blocking it out. One of his classmates nudged him and pushed him toward the stage and he let his body carry him, autopilot switching on immediately. As he glided across the stage, his spirit exiting his body and gazing out at the crowd and honing in on where his family sat, he saw Benji give him a look, eyebrows knit together before he cast his eyes down.

As Victor returned to his seat, heart about to fly out of him, his dissociation continued. It wouldn't end until after the ceremony when he met his family again and they all pulled him into a hug to congratulate him, anchoring him back to earth. When he came to, he felt the familiar weight of Benji on his arm and he felt calmer. He still couldn't believe he was finally free.

The group from earlier in the night which included Benji and the Salazars, Mia and Andrew and their families, as well as Lake and Felix and co., all made their way back home, dancing on the sidewalk in celebration, but Victor kept to himself, not making much of an attempt to participate in the festivities. Benji eyed him but said nothing; now wasn't a good time to talk. There were too many ears close by.

Upon returning home, Isabel and Armando ushered everyone inside and told them to help themselves to some food. They popped some sparkling wine and toasted to the new graduates before leaving them all to their own devices. Victor mingled with his friends and their families, putting on his most charming facade in an attempt to fool them into thinking he hadn't completely lost his mind while walking at graduation.

While the night was still unwinding, Victor could feel the unease within him growing again. There were too many people, it was too loud, and he wished they would all get out of his house so he could finally have some peace. Once he found a lull in the conversation with Mia and Veronica, Victor excused himself and slipped out the door and into the night.

Raising his eyes to the sky, Victor exhaled, squinting at the faint little holes in the sky that were washed out by Atlanta's light pollution. He found himself thinking about what lay beyond those tiny specks of light in the universe, about how quickly they were all accelerating both away and toward each other as the entire universe danced about until it eventually collapsed into itself and snuffed out all life that had ever existed, returning to nothing once more. He thought about how he wasn't even sure if there was actually a god, as those times he'd struggled and asked for help, those pleas going unanswered. But most of all, he thought about how alone he felt, a lone pillar looking out into the vast expanse of space, seemingly connected to those around him in a web - his family, his friends... the love of his life and all other lives... Benji. All but pieces of fleeting moments in his life that would eventually turn to dust with the cruel intervention of Time.

His heart continued to speed up as his thoughts drifted to what he tried not to think about most of the time. He was usually too distracted by school, basketball, socializing to think beyond the superficial and material realities of the world. But now he had time. Too much of it for the task of figuring out what he actually wanted his future to look like.

The fist in his chest squeezed his heart harder as he put out his hand to rest on the side of a tree before he passed out. He swallowed, leaning against the rough bark and not reacting when the fabric of his suit's blazer caught on the surface, pulling out a thread.

How ironic... he thought, staring at the thread in the light of a street lamp as it frayed. He pulled at it and watched as the point where it connected to the jacket bunched up. If he didn't stop, it would be ruined. Just from that one thread.

Just one thread...

There was something comforting about that thought. Maybe it was just another way for him to try to put meaning to something insignificant. But he didn't care. He could feel his heart slowing down.

Behind him, the door to Victor's apartment opened. Benji stepped outside, closing the door behind him and sliding his hands into his pockets as he chewed on his lip. Noticing his boyfriend up ahead staring off into space, Benji paused. Victor didn't react, instead continuing as if he was lost in thought.

Running a hand through his hair, Benji slowed his steps. He wanted to turn around and act like he hadn't been out there with the intent to talk to his boyfriend. It would be so much easier. But he knew he had to do this.

"Victor."

No response.

"Victor!"

Jumping, Victor turned around. His reverie had been destroyed. He cleared his throat.

"What's up?" Victor asked, voice soft. His face immediately softened, too. There was something about seeing Benji that put him more at ease. That is, until he saw what had been written in his boyfriend's expression. Victor couldn't read it.

Eyes wide and glassy, Benji let his gaze wander to everything but Victor's face. His lips were pressed tightly together into a line, with one side a bit raised, as if he didn't know what to allow his mouth to do.

"I... need to talk to you about something."