The deal

Chapter 1: Graduation

Ally Bennett

I stared at my figure on the mirror. I was caressing my mom's necklace soft pearls. I was wearing a short black dress with no sleeves and black pumps. My dark brown hair was loose and curled up on the tips and went down to my middle back. I sighed and wished my mom could be here to see me. My cap and gown were lying on the bed. It was graduation day. I had been living in NY for 5 years since I moved from my hometown St. Clair in Michigan with a full sport scholarship to study law at NYU Law School and play volleyball.

My mother died 10 years ago in an airplane crash and since then it's been only my dad and I. He is living at St. Clair where he owns a marine supply store. He is a retired police officer and he bought a little store by the lake. I hadn't seen my dad since Christmas because of my work at a legal aid office at the Bronx where I volunteered to help people in need. Miranda Redston is the main attorney there and taught me a lot of things but unfortunately she can't pay me a permanent salary. I applied at different firms but I haven't received an answer of any of them. I hope I could get a permanent job soon because if not I would be in deep shit. Why? Well, my dad is a hardworking person and I worked really hard to keep my scholarship these years. I studied and trained with the volleyball team every day and everything was just great until, unfortunately, I got injured pretty badly during a game last year. I slipped and the tendon on the back of my knee broke. Long story short I needed surgery on my knee, I couldn't get back to the team anymore, so the university took half of my scholarship and gave me a loan to pay it when I graduated. I have to start paying it in a month or so.

"Ally, are you ready?" Marissa knocked the dorm's door. I sighed and walked to the door. Marissa is my best friend and we have lived together since we started college. She's leaving NY in three days, she was hired by a law firm in L.A.

I opened the door and she smiled embracing me in a deep bear hug. Marissa was the captain of the volleyball team and she's really tall. I'm not that tall I'm 5.7" while she's a good 5.9 or maybe 6 ft. so, when she hugged me she crushed my face against her chest and I felt the air leave my lungs.

"I'm choking here!" I managed to say.

"Oh! Sorry hon! I can't believe I'm leaving in three days. Please come with me Ally! What I'm going to do without you!" She embraced me in another hug and sobbed.

"I'm going to miss you so much!" I said with tears in my eyes.

"Ok, stop it silly, we're going to ruin our makeup." She said as she wiped the tears from her cheeks and I wiped my own. "Let's go, today is going to be special."

"Yeah, let's go." I said and we walked out of the room.

The ceremony at the University went by quickly; my dad as well as Aunt Michelle and Uncle John were there. John and Michelle Knight are not actually my family but they were my parent's best friends so they are like family for us. I was very happy to see them here. Aunt Michelle became a second mom to me when mom died, she has taken care of me since mom's death. I love them very much. They have a son, Jeremy, but I prefer not to talk about him.

As soon as we were out we went to a fancy restaurant to celebrate with Marissa, her parents and my boyfriend, Daniel Felton. Daniel and I had been dating for 6 months and I felt pretty good with him. We both studied at NYU but he graduated a year ago. We met at the legal aid office where he did some volunteer work for a few hours a day.

"Babe, are you coming to the party tonight?" Daniel asked. He was holding me by my waist once we were out of the restaurant.

"Mhhh I don't know babe, I want to be with my dad and the Knight's and show them the city, but if I have some time left maybe I'll show up." I told him.