The Older Man Part I

Chapter 1

Make A Wish

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CHEYENNE'S POINT OF VIEW

Today was the day of my 18th birthday party. It was also the day of my graduation party.

I was one of those lucky people who had a summer birthday that just missed the mark of the end of the school year. Since my birthday was only a week after my high school graduation, my parents decided to throw me a party to celebrate both momentous occasions.

It was far from a humble affair. My parents weren't rich but they weren't struggling financially. We were a fairly average family with an average household income, but my parents loved to host events. If there was a party to be had, my parents would see to it that every detail is sorted out. Almost every month, my parents would host a small weekend get-together for their closest friends and coworkers.

My father, Henry, owned his own bar and grill. It was passed onto him by my grandfather and his father before him. It was a small, intimate place that a fair amount of people frequented on Friday nights and weekends.

My mother, Kimberley, worked as a primary school teacher. She taught young kids from the ages of 5-11. She had been working at Harrison Preparatory Academy for the past 15 years.

They both had very busy schedules but they set aside the time to get everything for the party pulled together. They rented a ballroom downtown. They purchased gifts for me and each one of my friends as a personal congratulations for making it all the way to our graduation day. They had invited close relatives as well as a few of my classmates I'd known for years. They even helped my older brother, Jude, get a ticket to fly out here from college in Boston.

I was currently in the middle of getting ready for the party. I was scanning through different outfit choices for tonight when I heard a knock on my bedroom door. From my closet, I shouted out "come in" to whoever was knocking. Almost immediately, the door flew open and through the frames came my best friend Thalia.

Thalia Hernandez was the closest thing to a sister that I had. We'd been friends since childhood. We were in the same first grade class together. Even as a six year old little girl, she was a smart mouthed diva. She may have been a little on the feisty side but she was the most down to earth person I'd ever met. She was of Cuban descent so it naturally followed that she was gorgeous. She had a head of messy dark brown curls and caramel skin. She had chocolate brown eyes and deep dimples. Thalia was the best friend a girl could ask for.

"We made it! We finally graduated! We're gonna party!" She cheered loudly. She made whoops and hollers from between occasional sips of whatever she had helped herself to from the kitchen fridge.

I chuckled at her conviviality. Thalia was a free-spirited person. She had an outgoing and bubbly personality that people gravitated to instinctually.

"I know, can you believe it? We're free now" I said in an exaggerated happy voice.

I walked out from my closet holding two hangers with my favorite outfits. "Okay, tell me. Which one do you think?" I asked Thalia. She turned her attention from my makeup drawer that she was rummaging through to look at me. She took another sip of her drink as she held a look of contemplation. "It depends. Are there gonna be any cute guys there?" Thalia smirked suggestively.