STORY OF THE CHUBBY

STORY OF THE CHUBBY 51

'Come on Chris...Just look at the goddamn camera and stop hiding your face.'

I laughed and looked at the camera, 'One picture is enough, Dad.'

'Well, I get to say what enough is and what's not. Sophia, Connor, Caleb, Cathy...go join him,' he said, stepping back a little and focusing so that all of us could fit into the picture.

Mum came over to my side and hugged my middle. 'I'm so proud of you, Chris.'

I felt my heart warm at her words. After the stunt I'd pulled a few months ago, I was lucky they had both forgiven me. They had thought I hadn't wanted them anymore when I'd left to see my biological father. I'd hurt them. It had taken some time to convince them that I wasn't going anywhere and that I couldn't have asked for better parents.

'Thanks Mum,' I told her, wrapping my arm around her shoulders to hug her to me.

Caleb and Connor stood in front of me while Cathy stood on my other side.

She reached out to take my graduation cap and put it on her head, 'Oh yeah. I'm totally rocking this cap.'

'That's you in a few years, sis,' I told her with a chuckle. Then I made a face, 'Stop growing up so fast. Weren't you five just last week?'

She playfully punched me, 'At least I won't wear this hideous green gown,' she said teasingly as she faked disgust. 'And you're growing up, too.'

'Okay, guys, smile,' Dad said getting our attention, his finger poised, ready to take the picture.

We all smiled as the flash went off.

I had finally graduated High School.

We'd been about thirty Summer school graduates from like three different schools. I had been a little nervous about how the whole summer school thing would go but I guess it wasn't too bad.

There had been five people from my school – including Ash Samuels. Weirdly, we became somewhat friends during the two weeks we'd been in school. He was a cool guy when he wasn't around his usual crowd and the fact that he wanted to graduate and do something with his life made me respect him.

'Lee just get in the picture instead of putting bunny ears on Chris,' my Dad said, lowering the camera, an amused expression on his face.

I turned to smack the guy in question. 'What are you, 10?'

Lee smirked, 'Didn't you know?' He came to crouch between the boys in front of me. 'Let's strike a cool pose, guys,' he told Caleb and Connor. 'What do you suggest?'

'Oh, I know,' Caleb said. 'Let's pretend we're all holding guns. I face this way,' he said pointing to his right. 'Connor you face the other way and Lee you face forwards.'

'Alright!' Lee held up his fist to bump it with Caleb's.

'I should be worried that he's already thinking of guns, right,' Mum mumbled next to me and I laughed.

Dad called over some guy to take a picture of us before he came to stand next to Mum.

'Say cheese,' the guy said before the flash went off.

'Enough pictures then. Can we go?' I said as Dad went to take the camera.

'Sure. We should go before we miss our reservations for lunch,' Dad said.

'Well, we really didn't have to go to a fancy hotel just because I graduated,' I said half kidding. I wasn't really up for anything today.

'Why are you in such a mood today anyway?' Cathy asked raising an eyebrow.