Three weeks later…
GRADUATION
EMERY’S POV
High school was over now and in two hours I would be receiving my diploma. I was super excited and nervous at the same time. My parents had arrived in town last night for the big event and we made plans to have dinner after the graduation ceremony, just the three of us.
Amber understood that we would have time together later tonight. She was bummed that we wouldn’t see each other though until then because I needed to get ready and I had to be at the church where the ceremony was being held half an hour before the guests were to arrive.
Toby and I decided to ride together so he was currently in my room sitting in my favorite plush chair tossing a soccer ball in the air while watching MTV2’s The Guy Code. I, on the other hand, was pacing the room while reading my salutatorian speech to myself.
“Will you sit down?” Toby exclaims when I walk back and forth in front of the TV. “You’re making me dizzy!”
I stop walking and huff. “I hate that I have to get up and talk in front of all those people.”
Toby chuckles. “Well you didn’t have to maintain a 3.93 GPA and get a damn 1375 on your SATs. Hell, you could’ve gotten an academic scholarship to Georgetown if you wanted to!”
I smirk at him. “You’re right; I blame myself. Hey, I heard an anonymous donor paid for a full ride to college for Stephen, John and Evan. I know they’re psyched.”
Those three guys were other seniors on the team who hadn’t been recruited and couldn’t afford to pay for tuition. My parents finally agreed to donate my college fund and there was still enough money left over for me to have a pretty nice nest egg after I graduated.
Toby nods. “Yeah but John and Evan turned it down because they enlisted in the army. They leave in two weeks for boot camp.”
“Oh, well that’s noble of them to serve our country. I’ll be sure to tell them that when I see them.”
A knock on the door turns both our attention to it. The door opens and my mom sticks her head in.
“Hey boys. I made you some snacks.”
She comes inside with a tray of mini cold cuts hors d'oeuvres and two glasses of orange juice. Toby jumps off the chair and grabs a handful of the small sandwiches and his juice.
“Thanks Mrs. Nottingham.” he states as he stuffs his face.
My mom offers the tray to me but I decline.
“I’m not very hungry.”
She frowns. “You won’t be eating dinner for five hours so you need to eat something now.”
