Opportunities at its Finest

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Once I arrived at 7th Village High after dropping Dima off at 7th Village Junior High, I saw many frantic students running around the auditorium worried about where they may have ranked.

    “Hey Cassidy! Over here!” I turned my head to the front or the auditorium to see my bestfriend, Ramina, waving at me, her long straight black hair wildly around her. It seemed she hadn’t slept well just like the rest of the students. I walked towards her to hopefully say something BUT this ranking to get my mind off of it.

  “Oh Cassidy I’m so nervous! They have envelopes this year that have written our future occupation on it. I hope they put me as a surgeon or a vet, or …. Or even a lawyer!” She blurted out before giving me the chance to say anything.

  “Ramina, don’t worry, you’ll probably be ranked high enough to work anywhere you want to,” I told her reassuringly.

  “What about YOU Cassidy?”

    “Whatever they rank me, I just want a job.”

Ramina nodded and opened her mouth to speak but couldn’t be heard as our speaker kept tapping the microphone obnoxiously to see if it worked.

  “Ehem, well everyone please have as seat as the ranking will begin,” she said.

As if one cue, two officials walked into the auditorium. The first one holding a large brown suitcase and the other holding a binder with our names enlisted in them. They walked to the stage stiff and strictly professional. Our speaker snapped her fingers and out came two workers moving the podium to the middle of the stage. The officials went up the steps and finally walked towards the podium. They cautiously placed the suitcase on the podium and the binder and walked to the back of the stage where the workers had placed two chairs for them. Our speaker walked to the stage.

  “Growing up as a girl I heard of the rankings and I always imagined walking up this stage once I turned 18 to receive my letter or envelope as it is now. I know you all are going crazy wanting to know your ranking, but this isn’t what you should be nervous for. The preparation for your new vocation is. With that, let’s begin!”

 Everyone shifted uncomfortably in their seats as if they weren’t nervous already. Our village speaker shuffled through the binder until she came across the Village 7.

   “Okay, here we go Village 7!” she said excitedly and cleared her throat, “Ramina Martin!”

 All the students shot their head to the right of the auditorium to find an average girl with long black hair stand up.

 “Ranking: Top 3rd #10.”

 Ramina pulled her shoulders back and walked up to the stage confidently to pick up her envelope from our speaker’s hand. A large smile crept onto her face as the officials nodded their head in “approval.”

 Hours went by waiting for names to finish being called. There were 300 students here and I was probably towards the end since almost everyone had their envelope in their hands except for me, but no one was allowed to open theirs until everyone had their envelope.

  “Cassidy Hayes!” Our speaker blasted through the microphone so the sleeping students would wake up.

  Heads shot to the back of the auditorium to take a look at me. They all seemed bored since they were tired, but they gave me the same attention as the others.

    “Ranking: Bottom 3rd #220.”

 I pulled back my shoulders, took a deep breath, and walked to the stage. I grabbed my envelope from the speaker’s hand, went back to my seat, and sat there quietly. I sat there for almost 2 more hours.

  “Okay, it seems Emily was our last student in the official binder, so you are all dismissed to read your envelope OUTSIDE this auditorium. No one is allowed back inside, thank you, “our speaker informed us as if we already didn’t know the rules.

 Students ran out of the auditorium pushing and shoving anyone in their path. Once I was outside, I heard screaming, yelling, and a series of occupations coming from the students reading their envelopes aloud. I ran to a corner no one could see me and cautiously touched the edges of the envelope. My future life and decisions were based on this small envelope. I opened it slowly and carefully. There was a small piece of paper folded in half. I flipped it open to see there was nothing written on it. How could that be? Everyone got a job no matter what! Frustrated, I ran back into the auditorium only to find there was no one there.

  “Hello?” I shouted

There was no response. I slowly started walking back out until I saw an official grabbing her suitcase.

 “Ma’m excuse me! I need to speak with you!” I shouted running towards her direction.

             “You know you’re not supposed to be here,” she replied calmly grabbing the binder with all of our rankings.

  “I know but I opened my envelope and there was nothing inside!”

                The official’s eyes opened wide and accidentally slammed her suitcase.

          “What?” the official turned to face me.

“I’m sure it was a mistake since everyone gets a vocation even if it’s the worst one. So if you could fix this and check in your binder for what my occupation is, I’ll leave you alone.”

    The official grabbed her things looking as if I had wasted her time, but I knew I wasn’t going anywhere. She left the stage, where we both were, and started heading towards the door to leave the auditorium.

       “Wait! I wasn’t done! You can’t just leave!” I shouted frustrated.

  The official stopped in her tracks, turned around, and cleared her throat.

              “Mrs.Hayes, I assure you, we do not “make mistakes”.”

 And with that, she was out the door.

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Merry Christmas you guys!!!!

   This chapter is longer than the first, as you can see. Been sick all this weekend and wanted you to have something new to read!