𝐖𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞 | 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐨 𝐱 𝐅𝐞𝐦! 𝐎𝐂

Act 2 | 8: graduation...

I was graduating... today I was graduating high school. I still have no idea what I'm going to do. But all I knew was that my time in education was almost at an end. These past few months have been hard. But I've maintained not a B average but an A average. I've lost too much sleep and my head always feels heavy. But it's nothing...

Waking up I go into the bathroom and take the last of my medication. The medication that's supposed to last for another week. It's the only thing in my life that seems to be keeping me stable. Ever since Jess. I've had no call, no message, no letter. No nothing. Just my mind. And my pills.

"Can you believe it" I walk into Luke's with enough energy to fuel a old people's home. "Graduation" Lorelai smiles at me and I hug her. "I know!" I clap my hands together as I pull away. And look at Luke, "come here" i motion for him to give me a hug. Luke has been a God send. He's fueled basically my whole day with all the coffees he makes, and letting me study here for hours on end, ever since that night being at home hasn't been a happy place, Dean and I don't talk. Luke gives in and walks out from behind the counter. Pulling me into a short, sweet hug. "I'm proud of you" he mumbles softly into my ear and I smile. "You've been the best" I admit to him and pull away with teary eyes. Not sad tears though. I've just been going through a lot in the last few months. And Luke is the only one who understands me about Jess. "Anytime kid" he smiles down at me.

"Maria Elise Forester" I hear my name called and walk onto the stage. Smiling, I take the microphone. "I can't believe it. I didn't even think I'd make it to this point. A lot of you don't know this, but during the summer before this academic year started. I was sent a lovely letter that read 'you won't be graduating next year'." I take a long break between my words. "You see I was one of those people who would skip school, go smoke outside, because I didn't believe I'd have a proper future..." I trail off, and I feel my mind go foggy and my eyesight start to go. I straighten myself and take a breath.

"I looked at that letter and I knew I messed up. So I took matters into my own hands. I wouldn't back down until they let me in again. And thank god they did because our deal was that id maintain a B grade average. But I did better, I've maintained straight A's for the past few months which are the most important months of the year..." I can't breathe anymore, I look around and suddenly my eyes are shutting and my head weighs nothing but a feather. And the last thing I hear are gasps from the crowd as I collapse to the ground.

I feel a light strange light coming through as my eyes open. I'm met with the sound of a heart rate monitor,  and doctors. And Dean... "Dean" I whisper, he takes my hand "thank god you're okay" He whispers back, rubbing my hand for comfort. I can still barely hear anything but my eyesight is fine. "Why am I here?" I asked him curiously... "you passed out in the middle of your speech, Maria. The doctors say it's possibly due to stress" he confirms.

"So I didn't even get to finish it" I sigh, I was out of the hospital and in a taxi with Dean. "Nope, it was going pretty well too" he smiles and awkwardly looks to the floor of the car. "Dean, I'm sorry" I admit, and he looks at me. He knows I'm talking about the night of the party. "It's okay, you're no longer under that influence and he's gone." I smile as a reply to that. "Well at least I graduated" I start up a conversation again, making us both chuckle lightly...

Finally home. I was lying down like normal smiling to myself. Though I ended up in a hospital bed and graduated all in under 24hrs, I think I'm finally gonna get somewhere. I don't know where, or what I'm going to do. But looking around at my guitar, my cds. I think music was a pretty good option right now.

"Hey, Maria. Sorry I haven't called, or even messaged. I'm not coming back I just want to know if you're okay. I'm in New York again... I got a call from someone and I heard about what happened, you ended up in hospital. You're probably sleeping right now, which is why I'm leaving this message. But if you've listened this far. I just wanted to say... I love you. And I wish I said it sooner, before- you know- everything happened. I love you and I really really hope you're okay. I'm not asking you to call me back... I just needed to tell you. I've loved you since that night when we got caught by Kirk and had to hide in that stupid bush. I love you Maria Forester."

My mouth was agape... and suddenly I knew what I had to do.

AN: sorry this chapter is so short. This fic is slowly coming to an end with only 2 chapters left after this one. Luckily I'm writing 2 more Gilmore girls fics. The next one being a Tristan Dugray one, bc bfr Chad Michael Murray 🤭