The Cherry Trees

Chapter Five: 2015

"Lexi Blackwell."

She stood up nervously and walked to the front of the room towards the principal. Everyone was staring at her, and she quickly got it over with by speed walking the rest of the way.

"Congratulations on your graduation from fifth grade with a straight honor roll record, and only one suspension," he said with a smile.

Lexi let out a sigh of relief, and the next person was called up. Since it went in alphabetical order, I had some time before my name was called. It was our last week of elementary school, and today, Monday, was our graduation ceremony. The rest of the week was filled with all sorts of fun days, since our last grades had been put in. We got out on Thursday after the big party and walk through all the halls of the school while all the younger kids stared at you with envy.

We sat there for another twenty minutes before my name was called. Once Joey Gabon was called up, I pushed my hair behind my ears, smoothed out my shirt, and readied myself to walk up the aisle to where the principal awaited.

"Annalise Gallot."

I stood up and began walking, noticing a thumbs up from Lexi. I smiled back and continued my walk as the center of attention, which I hated. I couldn't imagine how hard it would be to get married.

"Congratulations! Anne here has graduated fifth grade with straight A's ever since she came to us in second grade."

Everyone clapped and I looked down as my cheeks burned bright red. The principal patted me on the back and sent me on my way back down the aisle. When I sat back down, I tugged on my mom's shirt and asked if we could leave now. She nodded, and I motioned for Lexi to follow suit. She grabbed her parents and trailed behind me out of the gym, where the ceremony was taking place. As we left, Luke caught my eye. He was sitting next to Will, looking very bored, since his name was probably one of the last called. He saw me and motioned for me to come over, but I shook my head and smiled, pointing to the door. He stuck his tongue out at me, and I smiled even wider, and then ran to catch up with my parents and Lexi.

"Wow, aren't you two discreet," Lexi mumbled so our parents couldn't hear.

"What?"

"You guys pretty much just flirted over the entire fifth grade class."

"Nuh- uh."

Lexi raised one eyebrow, something that I could never figure out how to do.

"Whatever," I mumbled, and kept walking quickly to the car, avoiding anymore conversation of Luke.

-

"C'mon Anne, get up! You left your shirt to dry at my house and we have to get ready together!" Lexi's voice crackled over the walkie- talkie that lay hidden underneath my pillow. I groaned and rolled over, getting a mouthful of my hair. Delicious. I slid my hand under my pillow searching for my walkie- talkie, and when I hit it, it slipped into the crack between the head of my bed and the wall. I let out a low sigh and rolled out of bed. When I hit the floor, I glanced up at the clock and saw that it was 5:10. I squinted my eyes and opened them again to make sure I was seeing correctly. Why was she waking me up 2 hours before I was supposed to? I groggily grabbed the walkie- talkie from under my bed.

"Lexi. It's five in the morning," I growled.

"I know! But we have lots to do before field day!"

I ran my hands through my hair to get its untamed strands our of my face.

"Fine. I'll be over in twenty minutes."

"What do you need that long for?"

"Extra sleep!" I duct taped the microphone on it so I couldn't hear her complaints for the next twenty minutes.