Hollywood Secret Garden

Chapter 77: Graduation Day

As the children's choir's voices gradually softened, the music slowly tapered off, and then the entire audience erupted into enthusiastic applause. Proud parents stood up and cheered for their talented children.

Among the applauding crowd, Jessica also clapped her hands, though a hint of disappointment lingered in her heart. Unlike her peers who would have a graduation ceremony at St. John's Elementary School, she reminded herself that she had an exciting future ahead. 

After the summer break, she would be attending a performing arts school, a prospect that filled her with anticipation. With determination and dedication, she believed she could catch up to Angela, her talented friend!

"Hey, Jessica!" After coming down from the stage and hugging her parents, Angela headed straight for her.

The two girls embraced each other with smiles.

"I thought you wouldn't come," Angela said with a playful smile.

"How could I not come? I may not have a graduation ceremony, but can't I come to experience the atmosphere?" Jessica pouted.

"Yes, yes, my poor little Jessica is about to go to performing arts school. I don't know how long the graduation ceremony will be postponed. It's really unfortunate. Come, let me comfort you with a hug," Angela said sympathetically, hugging Jessica once again.

"Oh my, you're murdering me!" Jessica playfully punched Angela as she was hugged, but Angela just giggled and let go after a while.

"Angie, I've noticed you've been acting a bit differently lately," Jessica asked, furrowing her brows as she adjusted her messy hair.

"Are you referring to my occasional absent-mindedness and daydreaming like before?" Angela replied.

"Not exactly, it's just that I can't quite put my finger on the feeling," Jessica shrugged.

"Well, do you think these changes are bad?" Angela suddenly asked, nervously seeking reassurance.

"Oh, no, not at all. I'm just curious," Jessica quickly reassured her, her face flushing slightly. Though she couldn't pinpoint the exact changes Angela was experiencing, she couldn't deny the fact that she subconsciously liked them.

Relieved, Angela smiled gently and said, "Jessica, change is a natural part of life. Both you and I will change with time. Perhaps in the coming days or next year, you might also experience some subtle transformations."

After a brief pause, she tenderly held Jessica's hands, looking into her eyes, and continued, "No matter how I change, I hope you'll never dislike me. Losing you is something I never want to face, Jessica!"

Gazing into Angela's eyes, which sparkled like emeralds, Jessica's heart raced, and a flood of memories from their shared years rushed through her mind:

She remembered a hand reaching out to pull her up from a lonely bench, accompanied by the words, "Hey, why are you sitting here all alone? Come and play with us. I'm Angela, what's your name?"

There was a memory of Angela rubbing her ankle, saying, "You should exercise more, Jessica. Life is all about movement. Proper exercise is good for your health, so you won't get sick or injured."

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During summer camp, she recalled Angela cheering her on with enthusiastic encouragement, "Go, Jessica! You can do it, keep going, you will definitely win!"

As Jessica shared her dreams with Angela, her friend said with a warm smile, "I have no doubt that you'll become an outstanding actress in the future. And when that time comes, I'll happily write scripts for you, free of charge."

Jessica felt a surge of emotions as she realized that Angela's graduation and her own journey to performing arts school would mark a significant change in their lives. The close and inseparable bond they shared might never be the same again.

With a mixture of emotions, Jessica opened her arms and hugged Angela once more, resting her head on her friend's shoulder. In a soft, heartfelt murmur, she reassured Angela, "Angie, you're my best friend and I promise you that no matter how you change, I won't ever dislike you."

Angela was slightly taken aback by Jessica's response, but she quickly embraced her friend again without uttering a word. The two girls held each other close, as if nothing could ever separate them, until they heard Mr. Jared's voice nearby, "Well, although you two have an amazing bond, I must remind you that the principal has announced that you can now join the graduation party outside."

Reluctantly, they let go of each other, their faces blushing with smiles. Giggling together, they excitedly rushed outside to join the celebration.

As they ran, Angela noticed that Jessica's father, Mr. Alba, was not present in the auditorium. "By the way, where did Mr. Alba go?" she inquired.

"He's outside. Since it's not my graduation ceremony today, he didn't plan on coming in," Jessica sighed and stopped, looking at Angela with a slightly tilted head. "Honestly, you only thought of him just now and it makes me a little sad."

"Okay, okay, I apologize is that enough?" Angela also stopped, pretended to look aggrieved, and then rolled her eyes, "Jessica, can you come to my house later?"

"Go to your house?"

"Yes." Angela answered simply, looking a bit uneasy with her hands behind her back, but Jessica didn't think much about it and nodded, "Sure."

...

"Angie, which high school are you going to?" Jessica played with the pencil on the table, looking bored.

"Rosewood Girls' Private High School. Initially, I wanted to continue attending a public high school, but my mom wouldn't allow it. Even my dad said that going to a public school was okay until middle school, but not afterward. I couldn't argue, and worse yet, I couldn't even choose my own school—they were adamant about me going to Berkeley Private High School. It was only after I threatened to run away from home that they finally agreed to let me attend Rosewood Girls' Private High School," Angela said, peeking out from behind the drawing board, "Sweetheart, please maintain the pose for ten more minutes, okay?"

"You've been asking me to hold the pose for ten minutes since the beginning, but then you keep adding another ten minutes, and it's been almost half an hour now." Jessica sat down discontentedly, crossing her arms.

"Alright, I promise this is the last ten minutes. I'm no master who can memorize what to draw just by looking at it," Angela replied, sticking out her tongue playfully.

"Then, why did you choose a girls' private high school?" Jessica brought the conversation back to the original question.

"Why can't I choose a girls' private high school?" Angela replied with a rhetorical question, but her hand never stopped drawing.

"I mean, Rosewood and Berkeley are both private high schools. There shouldn't be much difference, right?"

"You know so much?"

"I... ugh..." Jessica rolled her eyes. Obviously, Angela didn't want to discuss this matter.

She appeared a bit upset about it. Could it be because she was graduating and leaving her familiar environment? However, when Jessica observed Angela's excitement at the graduation party, it didn't seem like the reason. So what could it be?

As Jessica pondered this, Angela finally put down her pencil and took a deep breath, jumping up with excitement, "YES, the masterpiece is completed!"

Jessica, who had regained her senses was able to get up from the chair. She breathed a sigh of relief and hurried over, saying, "Let me see! Let me see!"

The drawing was stunning. Angela sketched it directly with colored pencils, using warm tones as the main theme. The little girl in the drawing was depicted lazily lying on a table under the evening sun, looking serene and sweet. However...

"The lines seem a bit messy," Jessica widened her eyes, wanting to get a closer look.

But Angela immediately pulled her closer to the bedside. "Stay a bit further away and sit here to look. Colored pencils can't be erased as easily as charcoal pencils. If you make a mistake, you can only add more strokes to cover it up."

With a bit more distance, the previously blurry picture indeed became clearer. The girl in the drawing had about an 80% resemblance to Jessica, which made her unable to resist exclaiming, "It's so beautiful!"

"Of course, that's because I drew it!" Angela proudly said and then let out another long breath, lying back on the bed.

"Is this for me?" Jessica suddenly asked.

"For you? No, I want to keep it." Angela rolled over and sat up on the bed, looking at the drawing on the board with certainty.

After a pause, Angela gently said, "Jessica, we'll both be heading to different schools—me to high school and you to performing arts school. It's a new chapter for both of us. Although we'll still see each other often, we won't be able to ride the school bus together or roam around the school like we used to. That's why I want to leave you here, somewhere I can see you every day so I can greet you every morning just like before."

Jessica continued to look at the drawing without turning around, but her heart started to beat faster once again. There was something stirring within her—happiness? Excitement? Or something else?

At that moment, a pair of hands gently reached out from behind and embraced her. Angela still on the bed, knelt behind her and pressed against her back, resting her head gently on Jessica's shoulder.

Jessica lightly held onto Angela's hand without making any other movement and leaned against her friend. As she did, her previously racing heart seemed to gradually calm down. Yes, it felt comfortable just staying like this, leaning against Angela.

"Jessica, can you stay at my place tonight? Let's sleep together," a tempting voice whispered in her ear. Jessica's breathing suddenly became rapid, and her gaze began to shift around. Then, her earlobes felt a slight tingling, as if they had been lightly nibbled causing her body to involuntarily weaken.

She slightly raised her head to say something, but before the words could come out, Angela had already leaned in and kissed her rosy lips.