Hazel's Hitchhiker

1: Tonight We Graduate

Joey

Alcohol is a man's best friend. It will never leave you or forsake you. It will always be there when you need it. I know everyone says a dog is a man's best friend, but I always thought that was bull. Every dog I had ever owned has never lived long. Also, don't tell my buddy, Phillip. He would be pissed if he found out alcohol was my best friend.

"My dudes, we have officially graduated!" I shouted in an empty field with the sun already down.

A sense of freedom was over my body. The air in my lungs could breathe easy. This was our night. This was our summer. Everything we had worked hard for belonged to us. Nobody could take this away from us. Nobody.

"Yeah," everyone chanted in unison.

Within a split second, I opened the door to my car and took out a case of beer. With the case of beer in my hands, I lifted it up and shouted. "Men, tonight we celebrate."

All eight of us cheered as I took out the other cases of beer in my car. None of us wasted time opening up our cans and bottles. Before I knew it, I had drunk an entire six-pack. My body soon began losing its balance, but it didn't matter. This was still our moment.

Hazel

"Students, parents, faculty, and esteemed guests," I began taking a deep breath trying to ignore my quickly beating heart as I stood upon the podium delivering my speech. "I stand here before you not as your valedictorian, but as your fellow peer and as your friend."

Another deep breath was taken with my hands beginning to shake with my fingers barely holding on to my notecards. Taking a glimpse, my eyes noticed certain people in the audience. Those certain people included my parents and siblings. Most of my siblings. Not all of them. Maybe it was for the best. With my eyes back to my notecards, I remembered to picture everyone in their underwear.

"For four years, we came together as a class. We did many group projects together. Of course, if you're like me, you likely did all the work." The audience burst into laughter. "We studied together; we went to many social gatherings with each other. Hell, some of us went on dates and fell madly in love. Props to those who found their special someone in high school.

"I think I might be pregnant," whispered Amber as we sat at our desks that dreadful morning which happened to be Monday waiting for the bell to ring to start the period.

"Dude, what the hell do you mean pregnant?" I asked looking at my small pencil that needed sharpening.

"Well, you know how I went on a date with Phillip on Saturday night?" My head nodded. "It was a good date. He took me to the basketball courts, and we played one on one. Showed me some of his secret basketball moves. After that, we went to his place and... and," she was struggling with finishing her sentence. "We did it."

"Damn it, Amber!" I yelled in frustration. "You didn't at least check to see if he had a damn condom?"

Thankfully, she wasn't pregnant and as time went on, Phillip and Amber became a couple. It seemed like their love was strong.

Amber was my walking partner that night at graduation. And my eyes caught notice of Phillip in the crowd of seniors. He was nowhere near Amber.

"And with all these experiences that we had in our four years of high school; we are officially having our final one right now together for the last time. This is the last time we will ever see each other together as a large group. We're all going our own separate ways. We're going to have our own experiences. In a way, we're gaining a new sense of freedom. A freedom that we had never seen growing up. We won't have our parents around to push us or motivate us. But that's fine because life is a journey and we all have our own destination."

Looking at my notecard, I took another deep breath and chuckled. My mention of freedom sounded strange. Did I actually write this speech? It felt like someone else wrote it for me.

"Hazel, this internship at the hospital this summer is a wonderful opportunity," declared my father at the dinner table. "Do you realize how hard it is for a high school student to get an internship at a hospital?" He held out his fork with broccoli stuck to it and gazed into it. "This could really open up some doors for you. And you do realize how difficult it can be to get into nursing school?"

Looking around the table, I noticed how quiet my other siblings were. They seemed tired. Was it college that did that to them? All I wanted to do was enjoy my summer before senior year. How many more opportunities would I get to lay out in the sun with Amber and tan our skins while we gossiped about stupid crap we didn't care about?

"Yes dad, I understand how difficult it is. I'll do the damn internship."

With the broccoli in his mouth, he spoke as he chewed. "Good. You start on Monday. I'll take you on my way to work." 

These notecards were nothing but bull. Maybe it was best to ignore them. Maybe it wasn't.

"So, here's to the Tres Rio High School Senior's adventure in finding that destination. Every single one of you is about to do great things because the future is ours. The future belongs to us. To the future!"

"To the future!" all the seniors shouted back in unison as they all clapped and cheered.

I can honestly say that this was the first time people have actually cheered for me. And all I can say is that it was amazing. So damn amazing. All my hard work to become valedictorian had led to this moment. This moment in which I gave this speech. Something inside of me hoped this wouldn't be the only great moment I would experience in life.

Thanks for reading the first chapter! I really do hope you enjoyed it. Please be sure to comment and vote! (Next chapter on December 12th)

Are you still in high school? If not, when did you graduate?

Does Hazel sound excited about her future?

Should Joey be drinking that much?