When The Puppet Falls For The Puppeteer

Graduation

Myra

The morning air smelled of summer and fresh-cut grass, the kind of scent that should have eased my chest. But inside me, a storm churned—louder, sharper than the chatter in the gym. The space was overflowing with families, laughter, the scrape of folding chairs on the hardwood floor, and the restless hum of anticipation. It was supposed to feel celebratory. Instead, it pressed in on me like some pressure.

Ash's hand slipped into mine, her grip warm and grounding. "You okay?" she whispered, tilting her head toward me, her soft curls brushing my shoulder.

I nodded—mechanical, unconvincing. My heart drummed an erratic beat in my chest, one Marcus would notice if he looked too closely. Dan stood behind us, tall, silent, his presence steady as ever—like granite in a world that kept shifting beneath my feet. And Marcus... Marcus was here, of course. Impossibly composed, every line of him carved with control, his gaze tracking me as if I were both prize and property. There was pride in his eyes, yes, but also possession—always possession.

After today, Marcus would be officially eligible to hold the mayor's office. Everyone in Riverbridge was buzzing about it. William had plastered Marcus's campaign across town with ruthless efficiency. His uncle still nagged him to "say yes to Jess and secure stability." But I knew the truth: even Marcus—so confident, so immovable—had spent sleepless nights pacing, wrestling silently with the weight of it all. I had seen the restless shadows under his eyes. Not once, not ever, had he allowed himself real peace.

One by one, we were called. When my name echoed through the microphone, I stepped forward, walking toward the stage in slow, deliberate steps. Every pair of eyes felt like heat on my skin, and yet, in that moment, I only saw Marcus and my mom. My mom. My eyes widened. My mom. Sitting there, smiling, teary-eyed, like she had somehow managed to be part of this day despite the layers of bureaucracy and distance. My throat tightened. I thought I would not be able to share this moment with her.  My chest swelled as I shook the principal's hand, took the diploma.

I got down the stage and literally ran towards her. I hugged her "How?" I asked almost crying "Well perks of having a Mayor boyfriend" she said winking making me laugh. 

"Yeah God knows Mayor for how long" I heard Marucs muttered but quickly covered it  "It's your graduation. Both of you would want to witness this. I know how much it means to you and it matters to me that you get it, even if I could got permission only for an hour." he said wrapping his hands around me. I blinked, struck by the unexpected gesture. A part of me softened, though the adrenaline of the ceremony still thumped in my veins.

"Thank You" I said with a smile. Mom couldn't stay for long but it was enough that she was there when I took the diploma.

When the ceremony ended, caps flew into the air with joyous abandon. I watched mine spin skyward, feeling the bitter sweetness of leaving behind something that had shaped me, and stepping into something unknown. We clicked so many pictures, Ash and I walked through the halls again to revisit every moment every silly thing that we did.

"Here" I stopped as Marcus held out a box for me. "What is this?" I asked taking the sleek velvet box. I gasped opening it, it had the beautiful ruby red crystal in the shape of the heart with a silver chain. It was so beautiful "Its your graduation present" he said taking it out. "But Marcus, you already brought my Mom here, that was enough" I said and he turned me around "Shhh..." he locked the pendant around my neck and kissed slightly. "It's beautiful" I said turning to him and he brushed his fingers along my jawbone "Yes it is beautiful and it is mine" he said and bend down to kiss me.  

"There you guys are!" Ash's voice rang out. She and Dan jogged up, both grinning.

Marcus didn't release me. Instead, he drawled, "Ashley, just because you're dating my brother doesn't mean we need to spend every waking moment together."

Ash made a face. "Oh, bite me."

We all spilled out onto the grounds. Marcus, Ash, Dan, and I settled on the sun-warmed grass, the school building looming behind us like a silent witness. The noise of celebrations swirled around, but here it was calm. Marcus leaned back, arms supporting him, I was sitting between his legs with my back leaned against his chest while Dan nudged Ash, and she nudged me, teasing smiles for once breaking through my usual guarded expression.

"The campaign is shaping up good Marcus. And you have the votes of everyone here. Loosen up a bit" Dan said looking at his brooding expression

"Even Ashley's " he said without looking at them and then turned to Ash. She rolled her eyes "Well what can I say, you bought my vote by being my boyfriend's brother and my best friend's boyfriend. I am trapped you see." she taunted making us laugh.

I laid lazily more slouching more. My eyes drifted across the crowd. Jess. She was laughing, flanked by her clique, clearly having the time of her life. I squinted, curiosity prickling.

Ash noticed and leaned closer. "Want to know the story?" she asked, a soft empathy in her tone. "Jess is a privileged child... but she's had a rough home life. Her mom's distant, her dad... violent. She saw him hit her mom when she was little. That's why she clings so hard to popularity—it's her shield, her way to hold onto something when everything else feels out of control." Dan's brow furrowed, and he murmured, half in disbelief, half in concern, "No child should ever have to see that."

Marcus's jaw tightened slightly, his voice low but firm "A child deserves safety, not scars."

I froze for a moment, staring at Jess with a slow, mounting realization 

"Huh..so Jessica Hales doesn't like violent men ...." 

Then, a laugh slipped out. Not soft, not light—it was sharp, cutting, and laced with a cruel amusement that came from knowing the hidden pain behind the perfect facade.

Dan's eyes widened, a flicker of unease crossing his face. Marcus stiffened, jaw tightening, his usual calm edge shadowed by something darker—a trace of fear mingled with surprise.

I couldn't stop. The laughter grew, low and contemptuous, echoing across the sun-warmed grass. Ash looked at me, uncertain. Dan and Marcus exchanged a glance, caught between astonishment and something else—like they hadn't expected this side of me to emerge here, in the middle of celebration.

"Real subtle, Myra," Dan said, his voice tight, a flicker of unease beneath the teasing.

I let out a low, sharp laugh. "The girl who hates violent men... her father wants her to marry Marcus Clayton." My eyes locked on Marcus, cold amusement dancing in them. "Ironic... isn't it?" 

Marcus's jaw tightened, a shadow crossing his usually unreadable expression. His voice dropped, slow and deliberate. "Red... careful. People might see that the good, loving, caring Myra... has a darker side than they never imagined."

Dan leaned back slightly, startled, and muttered under his breath, "Wow... she really isn't kidding."

I laughed again, low and cutting, letting it echo across the grass. Ash glanced at me nervously, while Marcus and Dan exchanged a look neither of them could quite put into words—a mixture of surprise, unease, and a grudging respect for the side of me that had just surfaced. For a moment, all of them looked at me—not like Myra, not like the girl they knew—but like someone else entirely. 

Someone dangerous.

And for a long moment, the world felt... sharply, uncomfortably alive.