Call It What You Want To

Chapter 29: Taya

There's different parts of high school that get categorized as a "teenage dream" and you think about them periodically through your four years of high school. For some reason, graduation was always my big one. It was the day I would fantasize about, save different "graduation day tips" to my school themed Pinterest board, come up with funny or inspiring things to put on my cap, and imagine what pristinely white outfit I'd be wearing under my red gown.

In all actuality, I woke up an hour late because Ky and I had gone to the movies with Dylynn and Hallie to see the latest installment of The Strangers franchise, and we made the decision that the best way to watch it would be at the latest showing. I got scared and thought some sociopath was gonna break into the house when we got home, so Ky stayed awake with me for an hour afterwards to convince me otherwise.

"So, nobody died last night," Kyler chuckled through the foam as she brushed her teeth.

"I'll die if this goes longer than two hours," I yelled through the shower curtain while scrubbing my hair. At graduation practice a few days ago, we got told that graduation should only take two hours, but we were blocked for potentially three. I honestly don't think I can sit still and stay quiet for that long, especially when I'm seated right next to Dylynn.

There was a little pause before I heard Ky answer, "I was gonna say that you're being dramatic, but I think that's valid. If I have to sit next to Brennan Morris for longer than two hours I might lose it." Brennan Morris was the self-proclaimed class clown that nobody thought was funny, in the slightest. "I swear, he does something stupid, I'm not gonna be held accountable for my actions!"

"What would they do, expel you?" I laughed, wincing as the water dripped beyond my hairline and into my eyes. I heard Ky do her deep-sigh -scoff that she'd do whenever she found a joke of mine not really funny, but since "it was me" she'd still laugh.

I fixed my blonde hair into a perfect set of curls while Kyler scrolled through TikTok on my bed. I had asked her last night if she wanted me to do her hair for today, but she said she was just gonna flat iron it. This all probably still meant that I'd be helping her with the back part, because as much as I love my girlfriend, she's not the greatest at making sure her hair is all the way finished before she claims that she's "done".

"Babe, I know it doesn't take you as long to get ready as it does for me, but I'm gonna highly recommend you at least start," I said, smoothing my first layer of my moisturizer over my face.

With a groan, Kyler rolled off my bed and hugged me from behind before slinking off to her room to start getting ready. We were down to about the last two hours before we had to be at the school. Ky would probably be ready in the next half hour, but I knew I'd be cutting it kind of close.

I heard the knock of a familiar pattern on my door frame and turned to greet my dad. He had two button-down shirts on hangers in his hands, and held each of them towards me while asking, "Which one?"

"Um, what's mom and Mila wearing?" I asked, sliding the lid back on my concealer. I probably looked crazy right now with all the little makeup lines and dots I had placed on my face.

"I don't know," he answered.

While rolling my eyes I told him to go consult with her to make sure they color coordinated. Kyler and I had both picked out our outfits under our gowns, and I was very excited to see how my pretty girl looked in the shirt and pants she had picked.

I took my time blending my face together to look a little more pulled together than usual. I wasn't the girl who wore a full face of makeup every day, mostly because I wanted to sleep in the morning, but I still loved getting to take the time to make myself look pretty and all glammed up. Kyler and I opted out of going to prom, so this was our day to step out in front of the whole class.