COSMOS | Complete

CHAPTER 61: ASHER

On a bright, sunny, 87 degree day, the students of Portland Private graduated from high school.

I sit towards the back, surrounded by other students with a last name beginning with T. Aaron winks at me from the front of the crowd, brushing off two girls that seem to be leaning in a bit too close. He looks dapper with his graduation cap pulled down above his ears, the sunlight catching the whites of his smile. "I didn't think I'd make it to this day," he'd confessed to me before the ceremony. "Silly you," I'd responded. "You can charm all your teachers into letting you pass."

"Except Mr. Riley."

"You got his favorite student at your side for that."

He'd smiled then, and swooped in for a kiss. "Thank God I'm in love with you then."

Ms. Huckabee sees Aaron turning back to glance at me, then motions for him to sit straight forward. On today of all days, the last one that she gets to see him, of course she'd want herself in his line of sight. In fact, I don't think she's ever looked fancier – she has on a sundress and a smile, two things rarely associated with her.

Just then, the speakers flicker to life. On the podium, our school headmaster takes the stage. He manages his first smile all year. "Welcome, 2020 graduates."

Mr. Glenn introduces himself and the rest of the staff, then continues to recount the school year. His words are met with a smatter of polite applause from the parents and the students, and a roar of cheers and whoops from Aaron and his cronies. Mr. Glenn overlooks this, knowing he'll only have to put up with them for another few hours before bidding them good-bye forever.

He goes on with a few words about persistence and goals and the will to work, then passes the stage to a few other teachers. They all mimic a speech similar to his, but with a few different words. Mr. Riley even has a turn, seemingly joyous to see Aaron and the rest of the class out the door. He has a slight spring to his step when he goes back to his seat.

My heart rate skips a beat as Mr. Glenn takes back the stage. I glance down at the sash strung from my shoulder to my hip, the satin sending little electric sparks through my skin. I rub my palms down the front of my gown, clammy and sticky from a string of nerves. Asher Thomas never gets stage fright, because she never goes on stage.

Mr. Glenn presses his lips to the microphone, and I make a mental note to stay a foot away from it when it's my turn.

"If you could please welcome the valedictorian, Corbyn Winters."

A boy with closely cropped hair and chocolate skin runs up the stairs, earning a wave of applause. He has a golden sash wrapped around him, the word valedictorian blazing against his chest. Mr. Glenn shakes his hand as he passes the microphone to him.

Corbyn goes on a speech about our futures and well wishes for our college careers, and cracks a few jokes. He warms up the audience immediately with his light banter, and finishes off his speech with a salute. "Thank God this is over," he concludes.

Mr. Glenn bids him farewell from the stage, paying no attention this his jab, presumably agreeing with it in contrast. "Thank you, Corbyn." He pauses, spotting me in the crowd. I am now close to ringing my hands around the ends of my gown. At this rate, I'll be able to make my own waterfall.

"And now, if you could welcome our salutatorian, Asher Thomas."

I receive a much quieter smatter of applause as I rise to my seat, then cross the finely cut lawn to the stage. Aaron lets out a hoot as I pass, hollering: "That's my hot girlfriend!" His words are met with a laugh, though none of them belong to any of the girls in the student section. One of them even has the urge to give me the finger once I'm at the podium.