Dear Nate {Dear #1}

-Chapter 19-

            “She was so into you,” Eliza remarks.

            Pat rolls his eyes. “Me and ten other guys in our grade. High school will be over in an hour. I don’t need her anymore. I’m a college man now.”

            “A college guy who’s habits are not about to change,” Scott adds.

            Pat smirks. “You know me too well.”

            We talk for a little more before the teachers tell us to take our assign seats. I’m sitting beside Jerry, who is an overweight wrestler, and Olivia, who is on the swim team. Jerry talks to the guy beside him and behind him, joking about some video on the internet.

I see Scott from across the room, sitting in the first two rows, typing something into his phone. Mitch is talking in another baseball player, who was on the team, sitting next to him. Pat, no surprise, is talking to the girls beside him and in front of him—still the charmer.

            I feel a soft tap on my arm. I turn to my right and see Olivia looking at me. “So, you’ve been visiting Alison in the hospital?” she asks quietly so only I can hear her.

            My face contorts in an expression of shock. “H-How did you know that?”

            She smiles timidly. “I’m friends with Josh. Trust me, he only told me because I kept bothering him about it. When I went with him to visit a few times, the nurses kept bringing up a guy that visits her so I kept asking Josh about it until he caved. Don’t be mad at him,” she added franticly. “I just wanted to let you know that’s a nice thing you’re doing. Alison will be shocked when she finds out you visited her.”

            “I wanted to do it,” I say. “I didn’t do it out of pity or anything if that’s what you’re wondering.”

            Her eyes widen a littler before she shakes her head. “No, no, that’ not what I was implying. It’s amazing what you’re doing. You’re a good guy Nate and I hope you have your chance with Alison.”

            I smile softly. “Me too,” I add with humor, hoping to lighten the mood.

            Olivia chuckles softly.

♣

            About ten minutes before we are supposed to start walking toward the football field where the ceremony is going to take place, a teacher goes down each row and inspects out outfits under out gowns. They are looking to see if someone wore raggedy clothes, which we were told not to, or something school inappropriate. The reason they check out outfits now is because a few years ago before they started checking someone guy wore his birthday suit under his gown. The guy was able to hide it because his gown went down to his ankles. So after the whole ceremony was over, he stripped the gown and ran in front of the stands. Grandmas’ gasps, moms covered younger kids’ eyes, and some dads even laughed. The guy couldn’t get his diploma until he went to summer detention for a week.

            Once they check out outfits we walk lining up. I face the back of Jerry’s head and wait until it’s my rows turn to go. The first couple of rows walk down the hall and the rest follow. We walk slowly to the aquatic center doors before we reach outside. The walk to reach the football field seems to drag on forever. However once we reach the field, I look up and see the mass of parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, and many more people in the stands. The people take up both sides of the stands and others took a seat on the grass.

            We file into our seats according to plan. I follow Jerry until he stops and turns, taking it as a hint that I finally found my seat. We wait until our row is all in and sit down all at once. The rows behind me follow suit and finally all of us are sitting and the ceremony can now begin.

            We sit through speeches from the principal, valedictorian, and salutatorian before the students start to get their case for their diploma. That’s what I don’t get about graduation. Sure, your family can honor you because you pass high school and are now going to college, but you only receive your case for your diploma during the ceremony. I get the reasoning behind it. Like the guy who went naked in the past, he had to go to summer detention to receive hi diploma. The school does that so we don’t pull situations like running naked in front of the whole crowd.

            I watch as Scott, Eliza, Mitch, and Pat get their diplomas. Before names were raddled off, the principal addressed the crowd about Alison. How she is not at the ceremony and will graduation once she has caught up with her work. It felt unnerving not hearing her name called—she was supposed to be here, but some stupid idiot who decided to drive drunk ruined her being here.

            Now, it’s my turn. The valedictorian calls my name. I walk up to the superintendent and shake his hand before walking to the principal. I shake his hand and he congratulates me as he hands me the diploma case. As we shake hands, I smile toward the camera in front of us before walking to my seat again. I hear Pat call my name in a suggestive matter and I bite my lip to stop from laughing. 

            The last of the rows go up and get their diploma covers before the principal makes another speech, wishing us luck in college. When he’s done, the students cheer. Some throw their caps and some don’t. I throw mine gently so it lands in my hands and not across the field, knowing my mom will want to keep it.

            We walk orderly, like we came into the stadium, out to where we are to meet our family. I walk to where my mom told me to meet them and wait. I see Scott there already with his parents.

            “Hey Nate,” Scott’s mom greets me. “Can you believe high school is over?”

            I shake my head. “No, I can’t.”

            My parents and my grandma come up behind me. All three hug me and congratulates me. Mom takes a picture of my with my grandma, then Scott, before Mitch and Pat join us. All the parents are taking pictures while we’re cracking jokes and trying to give our face muscles a rest after a while.

            After all the photos are taken Scott says goodbye to take more pictures with Eliza, Mitch goes off with his family, and so does Patrick. I see Coach coming and smile. We share a handshake and Mom insists on taking a picture of us together. Coach congratulates me and says he’ll come out to see my play a few games.

            Once Mom takes enough pictures, Dad wraps an arm around my neck. “Want to go grab some pizza?”

            I nod. “Always.”