Waiting For Us [COMPLETED]

chapter 43 - rolling out

Talia:

"All right, smile and say: graduated!"

"Graduated!"

The flashes of cameras light up our faces on the football field of our high school. Small yellow circles appear in my vision even after the lights are gone.

"Perfect, perfect," Grayson's mom says after rapidly hitting the capture button on her camera. She wipes away fake tears. "I'm so proud of all of you guy."

"We know, Mrs. Summers," Jake beams from the front and center of the group. "I'm super amazing."

"That was meant for everyone, Jake," she replies, holding back rolling her eyes, despite the laugh she lets out. "Lia, dear," she says. She waves her hand in Grayson and I's direction. "Let's get a picture of you and Grayson. You'll want a photo to show your future children."

My dad chokes on air as heat rushes to my cheeks. Your children? As in children I bear because of a certain act that Grayson and I perform—not that the act is foreign to us, or anything. But seriously? As in something that won't happen until at least six years in the future! I barely even know what I'm planning on doing a month from now, let alone six years. Well, I do expect to be with Grayson, but we're way too young to be considering making a full-ass baby. Those things poop in their pants. That's weird!

Jessica, who is holding back laugher, pats my dad's back as he struggles to breathe in air. He points an accusing finger towards me and Grayson. "No babies until you're thirty." He then points to Jess and Quinn. "That goes for you, too."

"Noted," we all say together.

More cameras flash when we position ourselves next to each other.

Afterwards, Grayson leans into my ear and whispers, "I'm sorry if what my mom said made you uncomfortable."

"It's fine, honestly," I whisper back.

The rest of the group focuses on other pictures that need to be captured: Quinn and Jess, the three boys, just Jake on his own. Him and Blake broke up a few days ago, mainly due to Blake leaving for the army in a week. They also realized their personalities are too similar, which they said could only result in disaster. Rowan and Katie never took a photo together, for whatever reason.

"I actually like the idea of having this photo for the future," I add.

"Yeah?" Grayson questions. "I like the idea, too. But let's not discuss that other idea for a while."

"Agreed." I nod my head. I can't even imagine having children. "Until our next graduation?" I hold out my pinky finger.

He grasps onto it with his own pinky. "Until our next graduation."

Just then, I lock eyes with someone from across the field. She takes a step closer to me, as if she wants to talk, and there's no immediate rejection of the idea that comes to my mind. We graduated, and who knows when we might see each other again. Of course I still dislike her, but I can make one final effort. I can be the better person.