I paced back and forth in my room.
Today was the day. I didn't know if it was natural or not to feel nervous.
I checked the mirror one last time that morning, to make sure I looked decent. This was the day that I had been waiting for, for many many years of suffering. There will be so many people there, watching me.
What if I messed up? I could trip or say something stupid. People told me to imagine the audience in their underwear but that is just disturbing. After what has happened with Thomas and his friends, I don't want to see anyone in underwear ever again.
Back to the real problem: my hair is messed up. Half of the brown mess is curly and the other half is straight. I hadn't used a curling or straightening iron but it still ended up like this. I made sure my make-up looked okay because today I was going to show those people that I made it and this is possible, for anyone.
Unlike the traditional color, my outfit was red, a sign that the fight isn't over. I am going to walk across the room and show the mean teachers, the real players, Cate and Clare, all the other heartless girls, and even Braden, that anything is truly possible.
I grinned as I saw Cole's '94 black Mustang pull at a stop in the street in front of my house. I grabbed my phone even though I knew it wouldn't stay charged long. I stuck it in my pocket and went out to meet him and Lucy. Leo was with Jack, trying to work something they wouldn't tell me about with another person. I just hoped they were there on time. I brushed my hair again.
I went outside and locked the front door of my house and hopped into the backseat.
••••
" Today we have the class of 2015. We will have our Valedictorian say a few words before we will give out the diplomas and have each of these amazing students graduate today. The students will be acknowledged apologetically and they will each say their plans for the future ahead of them. Thank you for your years at this school. "
The principal steps away from the podium and Lucy walked on with a forced confident smile. "Hello to family, audience, teachers and others, and of course, to my fellow graduates. It is an honor not only for me to be speaking in front of you, but for you to get to hear me."
The audience laughed and then Lucy continued her speech. "We start learning from a very young age. Not all families are perfect and I don't know one that is. What's important is taking the good in life and making it the best in life, and not to focus on the hurt and pain," she meets my eyes. "We grow up and we are literally forced to be at school until we are sophomores in high school. Then they are able to get rid of us. But to be standing here is amazing, because we can really say, we made it. Through many struggles, and I mean many, we survived the obstacles and now we get to choose how to live our life. Today is May 11th of 2015 and there are six years of elementary, three years of middle school, and the not-so-final four years on high school. We spend almost the first twenty years of our lives stuck in classrooms, hearing teachers lecture and correct us on everything.
"But today, all of that pays off. I am Lucy Roberts, Valedictorian of this year. There have been many more before me and there will be many more after me, but this is my turn to be heard. So I say, each life was given to us for a reason. We make friends and create new families. So find your best and keep going. Thank you." She walked off the stage and took her seat as the audience applauded and roared.
"Very wonderful speech, Lucy," Principal Gidly walked back on stage with a stack of diplomas and assuredly a list of names. "Up first, we have Chase Andrews."
The star football player walked on stage and grinned. "I'm going to Notre Dame to play football!" He shouted, holding up his diploma, while everybody screamed.
Sam Brench appears after his name is called and he says that he is going to be a baseball player. Others follow him up in a blur.
"Clare Gumie, please come forth to accept your diploma." The principal says.
I see the ginger walk forth, her eyes bloodshot. "I'm going to.. I'm going to open a.. a shop." She says, stuttering and looking utterly uncomfortable.
If I didn't hate her guts and everything else about her, I might have felt sorry that she was making such a fool of herself. Then I realized how horrible that thought was but I still knew how bad that she was, along with her twin.
Thirty students later, another important name to me was called. "Braden Lafé."
The average height, black combed hair, startling blue eyes, a kind smile - that guy walked up the stage. He talked about how he was getting into Harvard University and that he hoped for a bright future. I knew that was where he wanted to get into and I guess I really was happy for him. I knew that we wouldn't get back together, ever. But I thought that maybe someday we could be friends again. That thought turned into hope when Braden turned around and smiled shyly at me.
Three endless names later, my name was called and I heard my dad cheering for me in the audience. I walked onto the stage carefully. "I plan to go on a scholarship to cook at Penn State."
I sit down next to Jack and then he is called. "I plan to run. College wouldn't mean much to me if I wasn't beside the girl I cared about the most, so that is why I am attending Penn State with her."
The crowd bursts into applause and I hear some 'Aws'. We had talked about college a few times last year but I didn't know that he actually put thought into it, the way I did. I was blushing terribly against my will as he takes his seat next to me as Lucy is called up.
"What the hell was that?" I ask Jack.
"We're going to be in college for four years so I decided I could put up with you for that long." He teased, grinning.
I can't help but smile though I still glare at him. I hear Lucy say the college she chose and takes her spot, two seats away from me.
Forty students later and we graduated. Principal Gidly says some stuff but we can't hear him. There are too many caps being thrown into the air and hugs and screams for her to be heard.
I smile brightly with tears in my eyes. I don't know why there are tears in my eyes, I just feel so happy and whole. "Sky!" Jack takes my hand and kisses me passionately, pulling me off the ground.
"I couldn't let you leave. I thought that maybe it was a good idea, being at the same college. But if you don't -" I stopped him with another kiss and told him, "I love that idea, Jack."
"And I love you," he replied, still holding me.
Lucy and Leo came over to us and hugged us. "Remember, over the summer, the seven of us, Jack, Lucy, Julie, Cole, Braden, me, and you - will be traveling together. We're hitting the beach the majority of the time," he told us.
"How was I supposed to remember something I wasn't told?" I squeeze Jack's hand.
"That's what Leo and I were setting up earlier." Jack says, trying to tell me it was okay.
Cole, Dad, and Jack's parents, walked up to us. "Congratulations, everyone." I hear three times.
I've had maybe twenty hugs today and I was really starting to get exhausted after a while.
My dad went home after an hour to check up on some things at home. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson went to talk with some other adults. Lucy and Leo were talking about the future. Leo had found a new job, which was just six miles away from Lucy's school. While Jack had gone off to get food, I stood in the corner, thinking happily to myself.
Someone I knew I would have to talk to came to me first, tapping my shoulder. "Scylla, hey."
"Hi, Braden," I said, not sure at all what would happen in this conversation.
"Congrats on getting into Penn," he finally said.
"Thanks. You got your dream college, too, which is awesome." I say, thankful that the conversation is so far flowing smoothly.
"Yeah. I just need to say this.. Thank you."
I blink. "You're thanking me? For what?" I broke up with you because you were trying to fight my best friend; what the hell are you thanking me for? That's what actually I thought instead.
"My head wasn't cleared and what you did a bit over a month ago definitely cleared it. I was confused about you, Jack, my family, and college. And I know these are just excused and excuses are never a good thing. But -" He stopped himself. "I'm sorry. I'm rambling."
I smiled. "No, by all means, keep going. You're doing great."
He looked up at me shyly. "Really, I'm sorry. Not just about that. About the way I acted. I was so confused and everything was acting as if my luck was decreasing and I wanted to prove to myself that I could do anything. I know I shouldn't make excuses and it's wrong. I am truly sorry, Scylla. I only hope we can be be friends again, at the least."
I honestly had absolutely no idea how to reply to that. I am not used to people apologizing to me. The only person who has made an apology like this was Jack. Braden... Made me think of what Lucy had said weeks ago. "I never said I didn't think you two shouldn't be together. You're building each other. But you're not right for each other."
I hadn't believed her then. But now it makes sense. I built up Braden's courage, instead of him just being brains. And he helped me learn to use my intelligence for better, instead of seeing red. Talking to him now made me realize that it really would never have worked between us. I think I'm in love with Jack again. . . If I ever stopped being.
After not replying to him, Braden kept talking. He said, "I guess you already heard about the camping trip, that I was going."
"Yes, I did hear that. I was surprised, to say the least."
"So about the whole being friends thing.. If you don't think that will work, I won't go on the vacation/traveling trip."
"Well, how else would the friendship gig work if we didn't spend a little time together? I think the trip is a good idea," I said honestly.
"You mean that, really?" He asks curiously.
"I do. I was definitely rash when we broke up. Just because of breaking up a relationship, it doesn't mean a friendship should break up." I gave him a small, friendly hug.
"That's... amazing of you. Thanks," He said, in shock.
"I've got to go catch someone. See you later," I said to Braden, before disappearing to find Jack.
I went outside the school and saw him just standing, looking around casually. I tapped him on the shoulder. At first, he didn't know who it was and frowned when someone touched him. As recognition and a small smile spread across his face, and just before he could say anything, I pressed my lips against his, showing him how I felt.
That was all that mattered. Me and him. Him and me.