The six of us, Charlotte, Shanna, Romain, Marie, Hugo and I, celebrating our birthday on the same date to send off these beautiful years.
We’re adults now. At the end of the week, we’re vacating the Air Complex.
This has been wonderful.
This has ended; that way something else can begin.
My parents and grandma joined the party in Willow Creek, to my greatest joy. Surrounded by so many people that I love so much. Is there any better way to grow older? I mean wiser?
Celebrating all at once means way too much confetti. Or is there really ever too much confetti?
And then, the six of us talk until dawn. About everything. Stupid jokes, salacious topics, and then much more serious, deep subjects. Things we wouldn’t have discussed or thought about when we first moved in together.
The Rascals and I. We grew up together, in every way possible.
Prom night, at last. I must say, I think we’re all absolutely stunning tonight.
Shanna has brought out the sari her grandma gave her, though when she first received it she carefully tugged it far, far inside her wardrobe. It compliments her beautifully.
Hugo couldn’t be bothered to go full suit-and-bowtie, but somehow, even with his lazy, no-effort, couldn’t-be-bothered-to-shave style, he still looks stunning.
Marie has a sparkly dress that’s just extra enough for her; Romain has very little cares to give about the pastel thing we had going on and went full red.
Marie and I stuck very close to the theme of the prom. The Magical Garden. So we both have arguably plain dresses, mine in cream white, hers in pale green. she’s wearing make-up and looks nothing like her usual self. I pinned white, very fake roses to my hair.
We’ve never looked more dapper, and probably never will again. One of us had better win Prom Queen or King.
First selfie to set the mood, and immortalize the chic. It’s a beautiful night.
The little sign at the entrance of the ballroom reads “Welcome to the Magical Garden”. At least we know we’re in the right place.
Can you think of a school dance where people actually dare to dance right away instead of awkwardly not looking at each other, waiting to see who will dare first?
No, this is not me spiking the juice.
Not. At. All.
The food was great. Only one regret: some genius chose to wear a cream white dress and didn’t eat anything for fear of staining it.
Genius, Azalea, genius.
I have to admit the prom could get wedding-y on some pictures. But they were such beautiful pictures!
It couldn’t have been more magical. As we twirl on the dancefloor, Hugo and I are pretty much alone, in the most romantic of places.
And so are Romain and Marie apparently. They do make a stunning couple.
The photos from the prom, we’ll keep on cherishing for decades.
Romain and Marie’s is all about confidence.
Shanna and Charlotte also pose together, and I sort of want to frame their picture and hang it in my living room.
Ha, and of course Charlotte won Prom Queen, because why wouldn’t she? Everyone voted for her. She had the beauty, the grace, the popularity, and most importantly, the absolute sass.
And finally, Hugo and I. The photo that concluded the most perfect night of all.
(And you can tell that it is the end, because at this point my eyes are basically twitching)
Traditionally, our graduation ceremony takes place in the oldest building in Windenburg, the library.
So this is where we go, in the early evening.
The ceremony involves our tiny class of graduates, a speech given by the principal, and a photo shoot in our pretty black gowns.
We’re all proud, but mostly happy this is all over. My friends and I were free of parental authority… Now to be free of school as well, and actually take on the world!
First, we’ll take on prom tomorrow.
Speech!
Charlotte, incredibly hyped about getting her degree. She’s telling me about the internship she’s found, at Pizzazz Magazine. They’re providing her with a flat in San Myshuno, and in the Fashion District, no less!
No wonder she’s this happy.
Late night selfies, before Shanna and Charlotte fled the scene. They had to pack and prepare for their move to the big city.
Yes, cause as it turns out, they’re moving in together, in that San Myshuno, Pizzaz Mag-provided flat…
Official photo of Romain and Marie. Yes, this is what Romain looks like without the mohawk. It’s still there, just… hidden. Under the cap. Probably with tape.
I didn’t ask, okay.
And the classiest of the classy. Hugo and I are also headed to San Myshuno. Somewhere less posh than the Fashion District, but somewhere we found ourselves and deeply love, and can’t wait to make a home.
What do you do when your girlfriend just went through a breakup? You go out. Just between girls. And you dance it out! You don’t do any special choreographies, though. Not this time. Shanna is absolutely done with anything that looks like cheerleading, and to be honest now so are we.
We just dance like crazy. And drink, and laugh, and talk, and scream our hearts out.
The good thing about only going out between girls is that the boys who didn’t make themselves handsome to go anywhere can take pretty pictures before you go outside.
I have no idea what Shanna was telling Charlotte, but it had her undivided attention.
And apparently she thought it was the right time to sneak in some flirting.
Oh, Charlotte, the finger guns are a double-edged sword. This time they failed you.
Marie and I are great friends again. Then again, the only problem we ever had was not being in love with the same person. Which is… a weird problem to have.
One more sip before heading to the dancefloor…
Shoutout to @a-radioactive-mess for the pose in the first two pictures. My beautiful sims thank you and your pose-making talent ❤
For months afterward Shanna would say that this was the worst day of her life.
And Charlotte would try very hard to not say this was the best of hers.
Shanna was never the kind of person who would tolerate being disrespected, or let you walk all over her. So the day she found out that Nathalie was cheating on her was the day she ended their relationship.
She said it was the right choice to make, but it didn’t make it any easier. For days she was even more aloof and silent. She only let one of us in, and it was Charlotte. Charlotte was there to support her and to listen. She was simply there.
We all know she helped her through the pain. Her compassion, I knew it, was genuine, and so was her sadness for our friend, even if the situation did bring its share of good news for her.
Oh, Nathalie. There is no need to argue with Shanna, not about what she wants. She knows herself too well.
Shanna can’t take the half-hearted “explanations” anymore.
Even though the break-up broke her heart
At least she has a friend.
A friend who knows when she needs to talk; and when it’s not necessary.
For all of y’all worried about the outcome for Romain and Marie — don’t worry.
No matter how much they tried to hide it, we all knew they met in the music room all the time. Seeing how loud they blasted whatever music they both liked —it was, after all, what they first bonded about—, we also clearly HEARD the music room wasn’t empty.
We kept pretending we didn’t know. It was much more fun this way.
It’s a bright June day. The school year is almost over, summer is rolling in at full blast, and I decide that it’s well about time I visited my family again.
So we set that up.
And I bring Hugo with me, to officially introduce him as the boyfriend.
It feels odd to come back and knock on my own door. Not much has changed, the balcony is still lined with the kind of plants Grandma uses for her herbology shop, the huge observatory that looks so out of place still towers over our roof. I can feel my heart beating faster. It’s both happiness, and anxiety.
Shouldn’t have been anxious. Miranda opens the door, and she pulls me into an embrace before either of us has said a word.
Trying very hard not to cry there.
And then I meet my tiny nephew, Nolan, and I am absolutely tearing up. He is the cutest little toddler I have ever seen, whatever Cacahouète the cat running away from our embrace might feel about it.
He’s the little tot whose birth prompted me to flee home and spend some of the best times of my life. But smelling his little baby smell makes my heart flutter. It’s hard to let him go.
Miranda watches on knowingly.
Meanwhile, Hugo goes to chat with Grandma in the laundry room,because this is apparently the kind of stuff that makes sense.
To be fair, our laundry room is impossibly comfy.
Setting the table for the family lunch.
And eating together, four generations at a table. Mom and Mam look older. Grandma still doesn’t. The house is identical — except Nolan’s toddler chair has appeared at the end of the table.
Even the fish is still there.
Nolan, apparently displeased that he has finished his food before any one of us. And he wants more. I feed him from my own tomatoes while his mom isn’t looking.
Because I’m the cool aunt like that.
Also, the only aunt, but details.
As the night falls, Mom and I talk outside. she gets me up to speed on what has changed. She is now helping grandma at the shop. Mam has had to stop painting because her hands are not as steady as they used to be. So they’re teaching her to garden.
They’re happy. She says they are glad I am too.
Meanwhile, Hugo is still talking to Mir and Mam. guys, someone should really put the dishes away before Cacahouète gets to them.
And then we go. Grandma hugs Hugo, and Miranda hugs me again.
My heart feels bigger than ever, and it is filled with love to the brim.
The Stewarts Family (and other shenanigans) 