"Here he is!", Matt exclaimed as he opened the door, everyone cheering as soon as Zephyr and Alex entered right behind him.
"It was great having you guys be there", Zephyr muttered, a smile on his face.
"Yeah", Alex agreed, "Thanks for being there you guys".
"We wouldn't have missed it even if it was the end of the world", Desiree claimed.
"Exactly", Cam nodded, covering his mouth with his hand, "We'd have to be idiots for missing something so important. By the way Zephyr, you're speech was fantastic".
"What's wrong with your speech?", Claire, who entered right behind Alex, inquired.
"Oh. Is it that obvious?", Cam muttered in slight distress, "I-I-I got adult braces!".
"Are you sure they're adult-sized?", Jay questioned, "Because they don't seem like they fit right".
"Uhm", Cam mumbled, unsure of how to respond to Jay's comment.
"I think it's a bold step", Manny announced, "And I support you on your journey to self-improvement".
"I know you're upset about not being valedictorian", Gloria comforted, "But coming second is a great achievement too".
"It's fine", Alex shook her head, "Although I'm slightly disappointed that I didn't come first, Zephyr deserves it. With what he's achieved this year, I think it was well deserved. And I'm just glad that I beat Sanjay Patel. The look on his face when he heard he was third is something I'll never forget".
"Well, I'm glad that you're not feeling bad", Gloria muttered, pulling Alex in for a brief hug.
"That reminds me", Mitchell muttered, "What did you do Zephyr?".
"What did I do?", Zephyr asked, somewhat surprised by the sudden shift in attention to himself, "Oh, it's nothing big. I just made a fusion reactor".
"Uh", Mitch, collectively with the majority of the room, murmured, unsure of what he meant.
"Have you guys heard of Iron Man?", Zephyr asked, thinking of an analogy to help explain things to them.
"Uhuh", everyone nodded, except Gloria and Jay.
"Right", Zephyr nodded, "It's essentially the arc reactor that Tony Stark has".
"Woah!", Luke exclaimed.
"That's awesome!", Manny yelled.
"That's brilliant!", Mitchell remarked.
"What's so great about this reactor thing again?", Jay muttered, still not getting the analogy.
"It's essentially a way to sustain the Earth's energy demand without constantly releasing pollutants like carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. To put it simply, I've created an infinite source of energy", Zephyr explained.
"That's good right?", Jay asked, furrowing his eyebrows as he tried to think about it.
"Grandpa!", Alex exclaimed, "He's basically created a solution for global warming and climate change".
"I mean", Zephyr looked a bit unsure, "For that to happen, I'd need to implement the technology in all countries in the world and as of right now, only the Spanish were willing to test the technology. I think they're, like, the only country in Europe that really cares about stopping climate change. Anyway, the early results have been quite good and it's starting to gain momentum".
"That's good I guess?", Jay shrugged, not entirely understanding the point of what Zephyr just explained.
Seeing this, Claire shook her head, "Don't worry about him. He doesn't really keep up with the times. I just wish your Dad could be here Alex. I know he'd have loved to see you two graduate".
"What are you talking about?!", Phil, who had a laptop connected to Roomba, exclaimed, "I'm right here. I had Andy set me up so I could be here with you all".
"I just had to plug him in", Andy commented off-handedly, "It's a nice reversal from when I had to pull the plug on my dad in the hospital".
"Wow", Zephyr whispered, "This got dark real fast".
Hearing this, Alex jabbed him in the stomach with her elbow, "Don't be rude".
Hearing the strict tone in her voice, Zephyr nodded, making the smart decision to not continue speaking.
"Why don't we get the party started?", Haley suggested, intervening to dowse the somewhat depressing mood that had settled into the room.
"Yeah!", Elena exclaimed, "Let's get this party started!".
"Elena!", Nikos exclaimed, following behind her, "Make sure to go light on the booze. You're not that young anymore".
"I'm sorry what?", Elena asked, turning around and giving him a spine-tingling smile as she looked at Nikos who stopped as soon as he saw the danger hidden behind the smile.
"N-nothing", Nikos stuttered, beads of sweat rolling down the back of his neck.
"Good", Elena nodded and walked to the kitchen.
"That was a smart move", Melaina sarcastically remarked as she patted Nikos on the shoulder.
"I don't need your pity", Nikos countered, "I'll survive ... somehow", he quietly added at the end.
"What was that?", Melaina asked, a smile tugging at her lips.
"Nothing", Nikos quickly muttered, far too quickly which did nothing but confirm Melaina's thoughts.
[Time Skip]
"Hey", Alex muttered as she entered Zephyr's room, a place she had gotten very familiar with. Seeing him leaning against the headrest of his bed and blankly staring at the ceiling, Alex immediately became ever more worried. After kicking off her heels, she joined Zephyr on his bed, sitting right beside him as she leaned against the headrest of his bed. "What's wrong?", Alex softly inquired.
Instead of answering, Zephyr looked at the nightstand beside Alex. Taking the hint, she shifted slightly and grabbed the carefully sealed envelope that lay on the stand.
"What's this?", Alex asked, somewhat curious about the letter but found the wellbeing of her boyfriend a far bigger priority.
"It's a letter", Zephyr answered. Hearing his basic and plain answer, Alex non-verbally urged him to explain. "It's from my Mom".
"Desiree?", Alex muttered, "But why would you be so upset because of that?".
"Not her", Zephyr shook his head.
"Then wh-oh", Alex murmured, realising who he meant, "But isn't she ... dead?"
"She is", Zephyr nodded his head, "Both Dad and Mom made a letter for me when I graduate in case something happened to them and this is hers".
"Why don't you open it?", Alex tentatively asked, trying not to be too direct.
"I'm worried about what's in the letter", Zephyr clarified.
"Why don't I open it then?", Alex suggested. After taking a moment, Zephyr nodded.
"My dearest Zephyr"
"I hope that by the time you read this letter, it will be a long time from now, and we will have shared countless beautiful moments together. However, life can be unpredictable, and I want to make sure you know some things, just in case I'm not there to tell you in person."
"First and foremost, please know how deeply I love you. From the moment you came into this world, you brought an immeasurable amount of joy into my life. Your laughter, your smile, and your presence have been the greatest gifts I've ever received. You are my sunshine, and I hope you carry the warmth of my love with you always."
"By the time you receive this letter, I'm challenges, triumphs, and everything in between. I want you to remember that life is a journey, and it's perfectly okay to stumble along the way. In fact, it's those moments of struggle that often teach us the most important lessons. Never be afraid to ask for help when you need it, and always be willing to lend a helping hand to others."
"Be kind. Treat people with respect, regardless of their background, beliefs, or appearance. You have a compassionate heart, my son, and I hope you use it to make the world a better place. Small acts of kindness can have a big impact, and I know you have the power to touch the lives of others in meaningful ways."
"I want you to find happiness in every day. Life is too short to dwell on negativity or to be burdened by grudges. Forgive, let go, and cherish the moments of joy and love that come your way. I remember that when you were younger, you'd always get into arguments with a girl at pre-school, Alex I think she was called. I remember how you'd shout and argue with each other all the time in the playground but then make up the next day. I hope that you can retain that energy and take the initiative to apologise whenever you get into fights"
"Lastly, I want you to know that you are never alone. Even if I'm not here physically, my love and spirit will always be with you. Trust your own strength and resilience, and know that you have the power to overcome any challenge life throws your way."
"My hope is that this letter remains tucked away for many years to come, and we can continue to create cherished memories together. But if circumstances lead you to read it sooner, please remember how deeply you are loved, how proud I am to be your mother, and how much I believe in you."
"With all my love, Nyx Blake".
As she finished reading the letter, Zephyr couldn't help but break down into tears. At first, Alex was momentarily surprised by the sudden outburst, but recovered quickly enough, hugging him tightly, firm and unwilling to let him go. Despite having taken the initiative, now that she was hugging him, Alex was unsure how to proceed, so she did something she saw on a TV show Haley was watching. Gently patting him on the back, she whispered, "There there. Let it all out. Everything's going to be alright".
[Outside the room]
"Hey", Claire remarked, "Where are Alex and Zephyr?".
"Zephyr wasn't feeling well so he's in his room and I saw Alex enter a few minutes ago", Desiree answered.
"Shouldn't we ... you know ... get them to come down?", Claire asked, desperately wanting to give Alex her special present, "It is their celebration party".
"I think they're having a bit of a private moment", Desiree remarked, "So it's best we give them time".
"Okay", Claire glumly nodded her head.