Salty Licorice

Chapter 88

Avery's POV

My stomach is tight and I can't seem to shake it off. I look at Marisa who is sitting at her desk watching me. She's sitting with her legs crossed and a bored tone that compliments her dark dress she has on with her heels she definitely doesn't need. Honestly she looks really hot, she even did her make up in a more neutral style. Her hair is in a half up letting her neck see some proper daylight.

"How do I look?" I sigh and hold my hands out on either side of me.

"You're worrying for nothing, you won't even see it under your gown." She rolls her eyes.

"Says the one who dressed to impress. Is this like you farwell fuck you to the school or something?" I gesture to her.

"No this is a," She glanced down at herself. "Look I had the dress and heels so I decided this would be the most appropriate occasion to actually wear it."

"Well?" I gesture back to me.

She sighs and gets up walking up to me, almost eye level with me in her heels. Her hands go for my tie and adjusts it before fixing my collar and brushing down the front of my button up and over my shoulders. She nods and steps back.

"You look nice," She finally reveals. "Now let's go before we're late for our own graduation. Plus I want to escape before Dad gets the idea for pre ceremony pictures."

She pushes me towards the door, swiping our cap and gowns off her bed as she walks. I grab my wallet and keys before going outside and see Mr. Garcia standing there in slacks and a nice shirt along with a dashing looking Mateo.

"Smile," Mr. Garcia chimes before snapping a picture on his phone. "That one is definitely going in the books."

"Dad," Marisa states with a lethal stare. "We have to go."

"Fine, fine, fine, just let me get one more of my smart and beautiful girls," He smiles wide and gestures for us to stand closer and pose.

"Smart, yes. But beautiful?" I snicker.

"Hush Avery, and smile," He demands and I shut my mouth quickly.

I smile alongside Marisa as Mr.Garcia takes a few pictures. Eventually Marisa argues our way out of any more pictures and we get to my truck and jump in. We drove for our last time towards the high school and parked in my parking spot. We get out and follow the rest of our class into the school. I stop and look towards the stands and hear the people in the stands of the football field. I feel that knot in my stomach tighten again. Marisa grabs my hand and drags me into the school to check in and stand with the rest of our class as we slip into our gowns.

I look at my cap and glare at Marisa seeing what she did to the top. It has a picture of Spongebob in the bird pose, and under it says, 'wHaT aRe YoU doINg AfTEr gRaDuATiOn'. She smirks at me and holds up her own and I can't help but laugh lightly. With a picture of Plankton written on it says 'Goodbye everyone I'll remember you all in therapy'.

"You will never go to therapy," I argue.

"That's what makes it more amusing, I don't want to remember anything from here," She shrugs.

"Except me though," I state confidently.

"Just you," She agrees.

We line up at the order from one of the teachers and we put on our caps. I have to make my way towards the back leaving Marisa closer to the front. That's the one thing I find annoying about this, it's in alphabetical order based on last names, it also doesn't help that there aren't a lot of students in my class. So Emily is only one person behind me in our line as we start to walk out to the field to find our seats.