teacher ♤ s.t [rewriting]

53 ♤ Graduation

53 ♤ Graduaton

C O U R T N E Y ♤

The day I had been waiting for for so long had finally arrived. Thirteen years of studying and anguish... and I was finally only half an hour away from walking across that stage. I was so anxious that my hands were sweating a ridiculous amount, but I had to refrain from wiping them on my white gown.

Waiting in a crowded auditorium with the hundreds of other seniors wasn't helping either. Under the bright lights, breathing the same stuffy air, I started to feel claustrophobic. With a glance behind me, I fell into a seat. I tugged my cap off, running my fingers through my hair.

Sarah and Noah and Olivia were somewhere else. I wasn't really sure what they were doing. I was too stressed to try and find them, but I knew that they'd locate me at some point during the night. We'd have the rest of forever to talk about anything and everything we wanted to anyway.

It hit me.

Oh God. What was I going to do after tonight? The future was looming at me, and I hadn't even gotten my diploma yet. I groaned, tugging at my roots.

"Doll," a voice murmured, just barely above a whisper.

My head snapped up instinctively at the familiar nickname from where it had been tucked between my knees. Shayne stood above me, an amused expression evident on his face.

"Hi," I mumbled back, a wobbly smile on my lips.

"You feeling alright?" Shayne inquired, obviously biting back a smirk. He settled into the chair beside me, leaning over the arm so we could talk without other students or teachers overhearing.

"I'm nervous," I admitted, ducking my head again.

"I'd be surprised if you weren't," he bemused, adjusting his collar over his blazer. My eyes trailed over his outfit, taking into account how he was wearing the tie I had gifted him as a Valentines Day present.

"Nice tie," I commented.

"Thanks," he smiled, glancing down at it. "Someone special gave it to me."

I grinned sheepishly, forgetting for the moment the anxiety I had been feeling.

Shayne leaned even closer, murmuring in my ear, "I want you to know, before- before you go out there, that I'm so proud of you and everything you've done, Court, seriously."

He pulled back before anyone could see it as anything more than what they were only supposed to see. Both of us were tired of hiding, but it was only a little longer of pretending.

His phone began buzzing suddenly, startling me. He bit back a chuckle at how I jumped, glancing at the screen.

"Oh," Shayne sighed, "I should start to head down."

As he started to stand up to leave, I felt my security blanket escaping, the nervousness flooding back.

"I'll see you after, alright?" He offered a reassuring smile. "You'll be fine, I promise. Just follow everyone else."

I nodded, still not feeling much better. I noticed Shayne steal a glance to the front of the auditorium. We were sitting near the back, no one was really around us. So, with the speed of light, Shayne leaned back down, tilting my chin up with his finger. His lips pressed against mine, warmth radiating where he touched me.