Anonymous POV
The buzz of excitement filled the air outside Malcolm X College, where a sea of students in various colored caps and gowns gathered in clusters, laughing, chatting, and adjusting their honor cords. The Chicago sun was warm but not unbearable, casting a golden glow over the momentous day.
Sade stood near the entrance, adjusting her cap in the reflection of her phone screen. The navy-blue gown of her school fluttered slightly in the wind, and she made sure her National Honor Society cords were draped perfectly over her shoulders. Today wasn’t just a day to celebrate; it was the final chapter of their high school years before life took them all in different directions.
Nearby, Isla tightened the sash on her own gown, her sunglasses perched on top of her head. Though she smil
