Sky High

Chapter 2: Graduation Day

I saw Ian standing there in his graduation gown. I walked up to him and sat down in the chair beside him. We talked while we waited for the ceremony to start. A few minutes passed and the principal started giving his speech. He called out names from my class one by one. I was too nervous to pay attention. "Kace Findlay." The principal called. I could feel my insides jumping in joy as the principal handed me a piece of paper wrapped up in a nice red bow. I turned to my mother as she gave me a warm smile, her face was telling me, "I'm so proud of you, I knew you would make it to this".

Many students from school were there at the after-party, all sitting in rows and tons of talking was happening. There were hundreds of gifts in a corner and people were organizing them. Music was playing in the background and a table at the back was occupied with food. I ran up to Andre and Ian as they were chatting. "Guys!" I called. Ian and Andre waved. "Can you believe we're finally out of high school?" I asked. Andre sighed. "I've been waiting for this day since freshman year." Ian stuffed his mouth with food from the buffet table. "I can't wait to go to college." Ian said sarcastically. We all laughed. We stayed there for awhile talking about our futures. "So how is convincing your mom to enroll you in flight school going?" Andre asked. I looked back at my mom who was talking to the other parents. "Not so well..." I sighed and scratched the back of my head. "It's the same answer every time."

Ian and Andre looked at me with sympathy and rested his hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry buddy, you'll find a way." Ian comforted. I smiled then an idea struck me like lightning. I could just enroll in flight school on my own, plus I am already eighteen. I excused myself and ran out of the school. I ran all the way to the flight school and filled out the forms. The lady at the front desk said I could start once I was registered and that I will receive a letter in the mail tomorrow. I was bursting with excitement and ran back to the school. I met up with Andre and Ian. "Where did you go? You look so sweaty." Andre asked while holding his nose. I took a minute to catch my breath, pulled myself together, and said, "I enrolled in flight school by myself, they said I can start as soon as I am registered!" Ian and Andre looked at eachother. "Won't your mom find out?" Andre questioned. "Dang it, I haven't thought about that. She won't know if I don't tell her." I replied with a proud grin on my face. "Besides, I'm eighteen, I'm practically an adult already and I can take care of myself now." Little did I know I had put myself falling into a huge pit of an argument with my mother once she found out the next day. 

...

"What is this?" she yelled as she shook the registration forms that had sat in the mail that morning. I looked down at the floor, avoiding her question. "Answer me Kace!" she clapped her hands impatiently several times. "Those are the registration papers." I gulped. "For the flight school.." Mom's face went dark. "For the flight school? I thought I made myself very clear about you enrolling in flight school!" She reprimanded. "Don't you know how dangerous it is?" That was when I snapped into two. I've had enough of Mom trying to control my life. "I know Mom! You've told me an uncountable amount of times already! Why can't you just let me live out my dreams?" I talked back. "If Dad were here, this would have never happened." Mom was taken aback from what I just said. I could see the pain in her eyes. We stood in silence for a solid minute. "Dad would've understood.." I finally said. I grabbed the keys to the car and shut the front door behind me.

* Mom POV *

My blood ran cold by what Kace just told me. Was I really a bad mother? What did I do that made him say that to me? I looked at the papers and read them as my eyes got watery and having the echo of Kace relating a career of a nightmare to my husband made my heart shatter to pieces, I didn't want the same thing happening to him.. not my only child. Ever since I tried to explain to Kace why I didn't want him to become a pilot, made me realize that everything I said was wrong. Maybe I really did hurt him...