Shane
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I met up with my friends at 10:30 outside the football stadium where the districts graduation ceremony would be held, we all agreed to sit together and cheer on Matt when he walked across the stage, with the exception of Miranda who was sitting with her family. The remaining 4 of us sat together which made the double graduation ceremony between Northview high school and Western highschol a little more bearable. After the ceremony we all gathered on the football field to congratulate the seniors, Matt of course was the main reason we were here but I knew a couple other guys from the football team, and Colin Knew some guys from baseball as well. Eventually we were able to sift through the crowd of Graduation gowns and find our friend taking photos with his family. "congrats Matt." I said giving our former captain a bro hug, even though we only played together a season I knew I would miss him on the field next year. "Thanks man." he responded as the rest of our group gave their congratulations. "its not gonna be the same team without you next year." Colin told him, I wasn't sure if he was referring to football or baseball or both. "you guys are gonna be just fine, Nick Spencer is gonna be a great captain and Shane your gonna be a even better Junior Capitain." I gave Matt a smile, he had named me Junior captain at our last conditioning practice, it was a big honor, its a shame I wouldn't be here to fulfill it. "Were going to state that's the plan." Colin told the group, giving me a fist bump, Ellianna smiled and Julia lovingingly grabbed my bicep. "if anyone can get the team there its you Shane, your the most talented QB I ever played with, I mean that." like most kids around the south, Matt had grown up playing football his whole life, and like most kids he was giving it all up after high school and not playing in college. I couldn't imagine that, I needed football more than I needed the air I breathed, it was my life line. I didn't have huge hopes on playing in the NFL or anything but playing in college was a given for me, I had to play, and It has to be at FSU my mothers alma mater, nothing mattered more to me. "Matts right next year is gonna be your year." Julia said as she looked up at me and smiled, my smiled faded.
I had thought a lot about my Aunt and Uncles proposition to move back to Jefferson. I loved north view, I loved all my friends and things were going well with Julia, but I couldn't stay here, not with all the history back home, not with Bri and all my old friends waiting for me to come home, I had to go back it was for the best, in my heart I knew that. "Matt cmon, mom wants more pictures. " Mer Pulled her brother away and the remaining four of us just stood there for a minute processing the fact we would be short a member at our lunch table, me processing the fact I was leaving. the only people I had even told I was considering leaving were Colin and Julia, I couldn't bring myself to tell Elli, things had been weird between us since Colins party even though we technically made up, our close relationship in the fall seemed like it was a fever dream, and even though we weren't as close as we were in the fall I couldn't bring myself to tell her I was leaving, I was afraid I would break her heart all over again and that I couldn't bear.
"Shane, there's a few cheerleaders I wanna find, will you come with me?" My girlfriend broke me from my trance and I nodded my head. "yeah of course." We separated ourselves from Colin and Ellianna getting Lost in the shuffle of the crowd, even starting to mix with some of the kids from Western.
"are you okay? your really Quiet today." Julia asked me sweetly. She had a way of reading people especially me. " Yeah im just thinking allot about next year." Julia and I had talked a few times about me leaving, she was always really sweet about it, but Julia was ike that about everything, unlike me she was always optimistic. "Your gonna leave aren't you." Her voice lowered to a whisper, just in case someone heard us. I nodded my head and grabbed one of her hands, people finding their way around us in the crowd.
"I just think that its for the best, I love it here, but Jefferson is home, I feel like moving back just makes sense." Julias eyes went wide, I didn't understand her surprised facial expression, she had known I was leaning towards moving back. Then I turned around only to be greeted by yet another shocked expression. Ellianna Wesbrook stood in front of me, her Blonde hair falling over her shoulders like a water fall her blue romper Brought out the the lighter shades in her ocean blue eyes, she looked even more beautiful than normal.
"your moving?" she asked shocked. I took a step towards her cautiously my girlfriend offering her silent support from over my shoulder. "yeah my aunt offred to let me live with her and my uncle." Ellis face scrunched up, unlike Julia she knew the truth about my situation with my dad, she should understand. "you didn't tell me you were moving." I could've lied to Ellianna, I could've told her this wasn't my choice or that I just found out about this but I couldn't. I never felt guilty withholding this information from Ellianna but right now I felt like a serial killer on trial, guilty as hell.
"I didn't feel like I had to." Ellianna scoffed at me. " Fuck you, I was there for you when you needed me Shane. we were best friends, I don't know what happened between you and me, but im glad were not close anymore, leave Northview I don't care, it'll be like I never met you and thank god for that." Ellianna turned and walked away her pride fully In tact meanwhile mine had just been torn to shreds, She hadn't been this blunt towards me since I had first met her and she thought I was an ass, to be fair I was acting like one right now, so I guess I deserved her harsh words.
"Why don't you go talk to her." Julia put her hand on my shoulder and I turned to face her. " its not worth it Julia, me and her were not the same anymore." I admitted feeling like a knife had been twisted through my heart and left me without the capacity to feel. " You guys used to be close friends, isn't a friendship like that worth saving?" I shrugged my shoulders, numb. "I don't care." Julia gave me a glare, she had never seen me in this state, but still she remains a voice of reason. "if you don't talk to her I will." she threatened in the most docile way possible. we had a bit of a silent stand off. "fine ill go talk to her." I said finally caving into my girlfriends sweet nature.
