CRYPTO: Infidelity (Book 1)

CHAPTER 3: GRADUATION

On graduation day, I sat in a crowd of others with caps and gowns, all waiting for our name to be called. I watched as each person walked up on stage and took their certificate, pausing with a smile for their parents to take their photo. Everyone clapped each time. It was easy to tell where their family was sitting because they were always the loudest.

"Crypto Federici."

I stood up and walked onto the stage. Everyone clapped out of politeness. When I took my certificate from the person handing them out, I looked out into the crowd. It was filled with loving families. My parents should have been there. I could imagine their smiling faces, so proud of their son. But I just saw a bunch of unfamiliar faces.

In the back of the crowd, Uncle Blade stood up and started clapping and everyone clapped as I walked off stage. I sat back down and took my cap off.

Bingo patted me on the back.

At the end, we all stood on the stage so the families could get pictures of the whole group.

"Congratulations to the class of 2297!"

All the graduates threw their caps in the air as they cheered, except me. I just dropped my cap onto the floor and stepped off the stage. This was supposed to be a happy day, but it wasn't for me. It was just a reminder that my parents were gone and I still didn't know what I was going to do with the rest of my life.

I looked back into the crowd of graduates, looking for my friends since we were supposed to have a bonfire right after this. Through the crowd, I saw Neil knelt down, holding open a ring box for Adi. I couldn't hear them over the cheering, but I saw Adi hug and kiss Neil with tears in her eyes. Neil had told me and Bingo that he was going to propose to her after graduation, but I had forgotten. I should've been happy for him, but I was bitter.

I headed for the exit, but Uncle Blade got in my way.

"Congratulations, graduate!" he said. "Your parents would be so proud of you."

I shoved past him and went to my car to be alone. I drove away from the school to make sure no one would come to talk to me. I parked at a grocery store parking lot and yelled as I punched the steering wheel.

My car hood exploded and I jumped out of the car. The whole front was smoking.

"You've gotta be ******* kidding me!" I shouted. I knew it was my own fault. I should have been more careful about my power.

"I've been there," an old man remarked as he passed by.

My cellphone rang. It was Uncle Blade. I declined and called Bingo.

"Where'd you go, Crypto?" he asked. "We were supposed to meet up after the ceremony."

"I forgot to get the drinks so I'm at the grocery store," I said as I headed into the store. "My car isn't working so I'm gonna need you to pick me up."

"Sure thing, bro," he replied. "We'll meet you there."

"See you then." I hung up and picked up a pack of bottled water and a pack of soda. After paying for them, I went outside but I was struggling to carry both packs without a cart. The pack of bottled water slipped and flopped onto the concrete. I was on the edge of losing it again, but I held it together and picked the pack back up. Some of the bottles were leaking.

"Fantastic," I grumbled to myself.

Bingo's car pulled into the parking lot. Jassi, Adi, and Neil were riding with him. I walked up to the car.

"Just throw them in the trunk," Bingo told me through the window as he popped the trunk.

I went to the back of the car and had to set the drinks on the ground to get the trunk open all the way to put them in.

"There's just enough room for you if you squeeze in the back," Jassi told me from the passenger seat.

"I have to grab a few things from my car first," I said.

"Need some help?" Neil asked.

"No. I got it."

"Crypto, look!" Adi said, showing me her engagement ring. "Neil proposed to me!"

"I'm so happy for you two," I said with the fakest smile.

"He already knew," Neil told her. "I was just too excited. I couldn't keep it a secret."

I went to my car and grabbed the papers from my glove box along with my sunglasses.

"So what's up with your car?" Bingo asked when I got back.

"The engine just kinda blew," I said as I got in the back seat with Neil and Adi. "I'm gonna call a tow truck later."