The Legend List

Chapter Eleven

"I'm starting to wonder if this is a good idea." I've been staring at myself in the dirty school bathroom mirror for the past two minutes trying to get this stupid graduation cap to fit on my giant head. "Wouldn't it be just as effective if I were to tell him after graduation without a million people watching?"

Gwen and Emmy are each stationed at one of the other mirrors, touching up their lip gloss and adding a few last minute tinsel strands to their tassels.

"I told you she'd try to get out of it." Emmy looks at Gwen and then at me. She shakes her head. "You owe me five bucks."

"Harper Waverley Price-" Gwen walks over to me, so close that our noses almost touch. She looks me dead in the eyes. "This is your moment, okay? Do you think that Mary Scott lady ruled those countries without making any big speeches?"

"It's Mary Queen of Scots."

She sighs. "Fine. She's Mary Queen of Scots, and you're Harper Price, who will be proclaiming her love for her curly-headed best friend at her graduation."

"Which starts in precisely seven minutes. If we don't get in there now, we're going to mess up the alphabetical seating arrangements and give Principal Goldberg a coronary." Emmy shoves her lip gloss into the pocket of her robe and adjusts her cap. "You guys good, or should I leave you alone for another pep talk?"

"Nope, all good." Gwen straightens the collar of my robe. "Don't worry. You could flop around like a stranded sea lion on that stage and Seth will still be in love with you. I promise."

A part of me wants to believe her, but an even bigger part of me is still afraid I'm about to humiliate myself just to be told that it;s too late because I already blew my chance. Hell, it's been a whole day- Seth could be married to the cute waitress that brought us extra spoons at Mel's last night by now, for all I knew. But Gwen is right. I have to try, especially if it means that Seth and me have even the slightest chance of being together after all this.

The seniors fill up four rows of cheap plastic seats on the gym floor, seated alphabetically so that there is less of a chance we'd be tripping over each other on the way up to the stage. Our family and friends are behind us in the bleachers, and Principal Goldberg and a bunch of the senior staff are lined up on stage in their best semi-formal wear.

Underneath my robe, my knees are shaking. Seth is a few seats down from me, only separated by Omar Pruitt and the Ralley twins. I look over a few times, but Seth is staring at the empty stage- probably trying to avoid accidentally making eye contact with me. Without Gwen and Emmy here to talk me down, I'm getting more and more nervous by the second- and we still have to make it through the whole ceremony.

As usual, Principal Goldberg starts with a big rambly speech about how proud he is to send such a wonderful class of Lincoln leprechauns out into the real world. He thanks the staff and our families and then starts calling us up one by one to get our diplomas.

When my row goes up to the side of the stage, I try to get Seth's attention- I just want a little sign that even thought things are weird after last night, we're still okay.

"Seth. Seth!" I whisper past Omar. "Hey, Seth- hey!"

The Ralley's shush me in bitchy unison, and Seth doesn't even budge. Omar flashes me a pity smile, and I focus all of my energy into not falling off the stage in the wedges that Gwen had forced me to wear.

"Harper Price." Principal Goldberg is beaming at me from his spot on stage, and I walk over to grab my diploma and watch the rest of my line follow me.

"Omar Pruitt." The basketball team goes wild and Omar fist-pumps his diploma in their direction.

"Harmony and Grace Ralley." The twins receive their diplomas simultaneously, the same way they do everything else.