Just in Case.. [Short story]

The notebook.

Tiff fixed my small red hat and the entire graduate-dress-thingy outfit before I went to my place between all the other students of my year and she sat back with my parents and brother in the back. I looked around once more, everyone beautifully in red and white, it quite reminded me as the last day of high school, or the movie high school musical. But this was real life and this wasn't high school, this was university. There weren't any options after this, it was work. It was life that officially started.

I sat down and noticed there was an open place between Lori and I which was strange. Lori was one of my friends here at uni, first she was very clingy around Leon but later I learned to know they wanted to set up their parents with each other which ended up just friends, once Leon went away Lori was the only one that I could go to to talk since Tiffany was pretty bussy making out with my brother and the friends Leon had at uni didn't really know me that well. Lori her last name was Rya, which normally is right berfore mine as mine is Saberez.

We made strange faces at each other since we knew this wasn't normal. For the past years if we had to stand alphabetical it was like this. First Lori, than me and than Jason and so on. We waited for the names to be called off, accept their diplomes, did some small speeches and done, next student. Once Lori had finished we stared at each other full curiosity to find out who had been our cockblock.

“The next student wasn't always here, but he sure followed our courses. He has taken our courses from over the world and we are proud to announce he came back for his graduation. A lot of happened with him but he didn't give up. Leon Ryder.”

I never heard of a guy named Leon Ryder, must admit the name already reminded me of Leon, my Leon. As no one stood up the principal repeated the name and students started to twist their head around, looking for the unknown student. At that moment I saw him, running towards the small stage, waving with his arms to sign he was here, trying not to trip over his graduating dress.

I could feel my heart drop, it wasn't a new student, it was my Leon. I widened my eyes at my family and friends in the stands behind the students and they just smiled. They all had known all this time where he had been, that he was still following courses at school but none of them minded to tell me.

When he finally reached the stage everyone peered up, applauding him. But I couldn't at all, I was glued on my chair. I didn't understand why the people were so excited for him to speak and I guess so didn't Lori, we were the only ones that hadn't known the story behind this all.

I didn't know how to feel about this situation. For almost two years straight I wanted him to come back, yet I never thought of what to do. I felt sick, the thing I wanted now was running away but yet I was afraid I would lose him again. After all he didn't came back for me in particular, he came back for graduation, which I still didn't understand how he did it.

He hadn't changed much, I don't think you really do from 20 to 22. But you could clearly see hom mature he had become and it saddened me than I probably had too, he accepted his diplome, and grabbed something from his backpocket and shot the other students a small tired smile.

“So I prepared a small speech, not to be thankfull like the others probably did, but a life lesson. I haven't spend much time inhere the past years because somehow there was always a bump in the road. Most of you might know I lost my mother two years ago, which was fighting a very rough battle with cancer. Right before she left to heaven, she gave me the message 'Do what you've always wanted, I'm not stopping you anymore'. You see my mum always was the protective type, she always thought what was the best for me. So the second she left I could only think of one thing, finding my father. I made decisions that I thought were the best for everyone and left. Left the country, along with the person that I loved.”