Tess stepped out into the sun, breathing in the scent of early June flowers and listening to the chatter of hundreds of students and their loved ones as they milled around in the courtyard in front of the school. She looked up at her own parents, smiling, and clutched her diploma tightly to her chest.

High school was over. Tess wouldn't miss it. The only thing that had weighed on her mind that day was the fact that she'd no longer have a reason to meet up with Miguel. He'd helped her through the final months of English coursework, picking up like they'd never left off. She'd realized that morning as she waited for her turn to walk across the stage how much she'd miss his presence in her life.-

"Tess!"

Turning, Tess saw Jacqui pushing toward her through the crowd. She wore a gold stole that read VALEDICTORIAN, and a cord in red, white, and blue for French honor society. Tess darted toward her with her arms wide open, and Jacqui fell into her embrace with a laugh. "Congratulations!" she sang.

"Congratulations to you, Jacqui! Your speech was incredible!" Tess said.

"Aw, Tess—thank you! I worked so hard on it, but I'm glad it's done. It is not easy to talk in front of that many people."

"You didn't seem nervous at all."

There was a couple standing behind Jacqui; she turned slightly to include them in the circle and said, "This is my dad, Andre, and my mom, Valerie. Mom, Dad, this is Tess."

"Hi," Tess said.

"It's such a pleasure to meet you, Tess. Congratulations," said Andre, shaking her hand warmly.

Tess smiled at him. "It's nice to meet you too! Jacqui is such a good friend. These are my parents, Clarette and Robert."

"Jacqui," Clarette said, taking Jacqui's hand with a smile. "It's so nice to meet you at last. Your speech was easily the best graduation speech I've ever heard, and I've heard a few."

Jacqui shrugged modestly as her parents and Tess's exchanged handshakes and greetings. "Thanks. That's really kind. Tess, I hope I can catch up with you before everything wraps up here, but I'm just gonna make the rounds and give hugs. You look good in a mortar board, girl!"

"Not half as good as you do in that sash," Tess replied. She happily waved as Jacqui turned away with her parents, rushing off to greet a group of friends who had assembled a short distance away.

"Hmm, that's interesting," said Robert, squinting at something in the distance.

"What?" Tess followed his gaze, and her heart stopped.

There, weaving through the crowd, was a very familiar face—a face that had been on her mind constantly throughout the day as she celebrated her greatest life's achievement.

"Very interesting," said Clarette. "He looks so familiar."

"Miguel came?" Tess breathed.

"It seemed that you had neglected to invite him," her mom explained, "so I took the liberty."

"What?" Tess looked at her mom, bewildered.

"You two can talk about it later, punkin. Go save Miguel from that woman," said Tess's dad.

The woman in question was none other than Ms. Keene, and Miguel didn't look like he needed saving; when Tess turned around again, he was just breaking away from a hug, and he was saying something to her with a broad smile. Tess started in their direction.

She felt odd; her pulse was racing. Why? She knew Miguel well. What did she have to be nervous about?

He noticed her coming and turned that brilliant smile her way. Ms. Keene, following his look, lit up.

"Congratulations, Tess," she said. She took Tess's hand in both of hers and gave it a gentle shake. "I am so proud of you."

"Thanks, Ms. Keene," said Tess. She spared the English teacher a smile, but she was looking at Miguel when she said, "I couldn't have done it without you."

"It's all down to hard work, hon. What you put in, you get back out. You earned that diploma, and you've got a bright future ahead of you. Hope you have a celebration planned. Keep in touch!"

"I will," Tess promised.

"Talk to you soon, then. And you too, Miguel. Let me know how that Victorian Lit class goes next year. I am ever so jealous of you." She winked, and then she breezed away, her heels clicking on the sidewalk as she headed toward the next student in the crowd.

Tess, left alone with Miguel, felt curiously breathless.

"Congratulations," he said.

"I can't believe you're here. You came."

"I can't believe you didn't invite me," Miguel replied. He seemed to be trying for an insulted tone, but a smile was still twitching at the corner of his lips. "I was extremely offended."

"You can't blame me for not inviting you. Don't you have better things to do with your Sunday than hang out at some lame high school graduation?"

"Lame? Tess, this is a huge accomplishment. I'm really proud of you. Besides...I've been saving some news for you."

Tess frowned. "What news? Good news?"

"I don't know. You can decide when I tell you."

"Okay, go on and tell me, then."

"You won."

At first, Tess didn't know what he was talking about. When it clicked, her first reaction was disbelief. "What? You've got to be kidding me."

"Tess, you really won. You won the scholarship."

Disbelief gave way to surprise, then happiness. "Really?" She struggled for something else to say, tears welling in her eyes.

"Okay. Tears. Um." Miguel reached into his pocket and produced a crumpled napkin from Dilly Donuts. He offered it to her. "Happy tears, right? I promise that's clean."

Tess laughed, taking the napkin. "Yes. Happy tears. I can't believe it."

"I can. You don't have enough faith in yourself. You can do anything you put your mind to, if you work at it. And you did."

"I really couldn't have done it without you, Miguel. I owe you so much."

He waved a hand, gently brushing aside her words. "Tess, remember: I was getting paid. Besides...I liked hanging out with you. It was a highlight of my year."

A blush crept over Tess's cheeks. She looked down at the Dilly Donuts napkin, twisting it in her fingers. An awkward silence descended in their little world while the talk, laughter, and shouts of the graduates and their families continued around them.

Miguel was the first to break the lull in their conversation. "Are you sad that high school is over?"

Shaking her head, Tess replied, "No way." She hesitated. "Well. I guess there's one thing I'll miss."

"What's that?" asked Miguel.

Tess looked up at him. There had been a shift in the atmosphere; a wall had broken down, and she felt the world around them recede into the background.

"You," she said. She was so nervous. How would he react? Would he think that she was weird? Would he laugh at her? Maybe he wouldn't read into her meaning—maybe he'd just think she meant being friends, and they could continue their lives, texting occasionally but otherwise going their own ways.

But the expression on his face suggested something else. It was a look of relief, and then a smile—but not the broad, cheerful smile he usually wore. This was a different smile, gentle and sweet. "Really?"

She nodded. "I'm sorry, I don't—"

When he took a step toward her, the words dissolved on her tongue. Then, he reached out to touch her cheek, and her eyes fell closed of their own accord, a shiver sweeping down her spine.

And then he kissed her.

The kiss could only have lasted for a few seconds, but it felt like a whole world unfolded in that brief moment—a world of perfect joy. When he broke away from her, Tess opened her eyes, feeling drowsy with pleasure. They gazed at one another for the space of a breath.

Miguel whispered, "Tess?"

"Miguel?"

"Maybe we could hang out again?"

His tentative comment struck her as hilarious after he'd taken her breath away. She giggled, letting her head come to rest on his collarbone. "Please?"

He breathed a happy sigh, putting his arms around her shoulders. "We have an agreement, then."

"It'll be easy," Tess said.

"What?"

"It'll be easy to hang out. I was torn about where to go to college—or if I could—but I have an $8,000 incentive to go to Tipton now." She paused, teasing him. "Oh, and you're there. I guess."

"Promise me you're going for the educational experience and the $8,000. You have to choose a college based on the college, not the people."

"I promise. You're just a perk."

"I'll take that. Do you think we should go say hello to your parents? They are looking in the exact opposite direction, so I have a sneaking suspicion that they witnessed some stuff."

Tess pulled out of the hug and took Miguel's hand. She smiled up at him, saying, "Let's go talk to them. I don't think they've met my boyfriend yet."