3 years have gone by with sporadic contact and no contact at all between Ricky and Jewel. Ricky pants as he awaits an email from the casting company about the update for his audition for Average Joe and him walking across the stage to receive his degree in theater. As he continues panting and pacing around his dorm, Mark and Kimama enters the dorm with them laughing for unknown reasons.
"Hey Ricky, are you ready to get your degree?" Kimama squeals.
He shakes his head before sitting down on the same bunk that him and Mark used to share. The bunk that will soon disappear to live their post-college lives.
"Why? What's wrong?" Kimama asked, changing her mood instantly.
"I don't know if I'm getting this audition. I don't know if I can wait any longer for this long-distance relationship. What if I'm not good enough?" he groaned.
"Ricky, listen and listen to us. You're good enough and I know that we don't say it a lot, but you will get the role for Average Joe and trust me, the long-distance relationship will be worth the aggravation. Plus, we're about to graduate in a couple of hours. You can't let these doubts ruin this momentous day." Mark convinced.
"Getting the degree is the only thing I care about, I don't care about the long-winded speeches before that." He spoke.
"Well, you're not wrong about that, but that's not the point we're trying to make. You have the friends who truly care about you and you have a dope family even through your mom's questionable, um, acts and your grandfather's hilarious stories about his life and just life in general. The support system is more important than the ceremony itself. So, what you need to do is change out these rusty clothes and put on that suit because we don't want to be late for our degree." Mark said, looking up and down at his crinkly loungewear.
"Why would you think I go like this? Of course, I'm going to change." He said, getting up from his chair.
"We'll meet you outside." Kimama said before leaving with Mark, causing him to get up.
As the couple leaves, he runs to the closet and pulls out his suit that he dry-cleaned the day before since he is known for doing such a task for important events. He sighs and takes his clothes off to put on the suit. For the past three years, this school has pushed him to take his craft more seriously and accept rejection despite him taking a while to do so. He also learned not to be afraid to dig deep into new places that might not be worth exploring and people who deserves support even if they might give little to no answers to their questions. He attempts to see if the people responded back for his audition. After all, he was nervous for his final exam before leaving for Australia and returning to America to find out that he passed the exam, so it can't be too bad that he accomplished something among other things. He puts on his tie around his neck collar and ties it as he runs out of his dorm to go to the auditorium.
The graduates and the general public are united for one and one thing only: celebrating something that was obviously arbitrary and nothing else. While the graduates wait for their degrees, an elderly man walks up to the podium and clears his throat.
"Good afternoon, everyone. It's such an honor to announce this year's graduating students where they took this craft of theater in something beautiful and meaningful..." the man announced with the graduates zoning out from the speech by staring at the clock for the speech and the ceremony to end.
"Can we move past the speech and give these kids their degrees? We want to get straight to the point!" a man yelled, causing everyone to laugh and some groaning in disbelief.
"Hey, I'm trying to speak. Please be quiet!" the man shouted.
"We want to see the kids get their degree and that's it!" another man shouts.
"Please, everyone. Settle down!" the man quivers.
As the back and forth continue, everyone continues laughing and security guards run into the auditorium to de-escalate the situation where Ricky turns to Kimama to understand the situation. Mark also turn to the two. They were right about how drawn out the ceremony would be, but now it's turning into a circus. The laughter and discomfort from the graduates and the mature adults and presumably the graduates' siblings being red-faced from the immaturity.
"Hey, Mark. When do you think this ceremony will be over?" Ricky asked.
"Why are you asking me? The adults are the ones who planned it out." Mark shrugs.
"I know that, but I didn't think it would be like this." He groaned.
"I'm actually enjoying this. I wish everyone had popcorn for this and allow the fireworks fly. Why should the chaos stop? It's not like anybody cares about that stupid speech." Kimama rolls his eyes.
"Me too, babe. After this, I want to fly back to Memphis one last time for the graduation party and possibly move to Hawaii." Mark said.
"You actually mean it?" he asked.
"We're not moving to Hawaii, but we're moving somewhere else that's not Memphis though we're not 100% sure." Mark laughs.
"Whoever is causing chaos will be thrown out! Now be quiet!" the man yelled angrily.
"You're dragging the event even more! Head straight to the point!" the guest argued back.
After the graduation ceremony, Ricky walks out of the auditorium to be greeted by his mother's screaming. Shaken to the core that few people noticed, she runs to him to hug him.
"My Lindy baby, I'm so proud of you!" Morgan exclaimed.
Normally, he would be annoyed with the nickname, but he doesn't groan and continue to embrace. Mark and Kimama enter and greets the two.
"Hey, Mrs. Barnes. How are you doing?" Mark greeted.
"I'm doing good. I'm proud of you two as well. Where are you guys going for the graduation party?" Morgan asked.
"We're going to Memphis." Kimama replied.
"That's a shame. I originally wanted to invite you guys, but since you're going somewhere else for the graduation party, I wish you two the best." Morgan smiles.
"Thanks, Mrs. Barnes. Same to you and Ricky. Ricky got casted for the lead role in Average Joe!" Mark exclaimed.
Morgan screams in excitement and Ricky looks at Mark in a stoic way.
"What the hell, Mark?" he mouths.
"I wanted to make her proud of you." Mark mouths back.
"How do you know that?" he mouthed.
"You dropped your phone during the circus show." He mouthed.
"Oh, my goodness, I must tell your father and grandparents. Also, I got a surprise for you. " Morgan squealed, dragging him by the sleeve.
"Good luck with life, Ricky." He shouts as he glares at him for exposing his secret.
YOU ARE READING
The American and the Aborigine
RomanceRicky Barnes has spent much of his life traveling across the world with his country superstar parents, juggling a regular life, and standing out from his peers. However, being the child of a successful public figure has had devastating consequences...
