The Reasons Why I Need You

22. Graduation

      "Oh my gosh! That color looks so good on you," Skylar squeals at my newly painted light pink nails right after we get our nails done at the salon downtown.
      "Eh, not as good as yours," I tell her pointing to her French-tips.
      "But I'm not graduating, you have the special sparkle."
       "Oh please, sparkle? Let's not go back to The Bachelor season 17 with Tierra. I don't think I want to have sparkles after that whole incident," I say.
        "Oh my god Emma, you and The Bachelor."
"What? It's a good show for observation people like myself."
         "Oh my gosh I love your nails ladies," a random woman squeals as she walks by us.
          "Thanks," I say looking and sounding as skeptically as I feel.
           "Okay Miss Popular, Evelyn, Victor, and Jared are waiting for us at The Cheesecake Factory."
           "I am not popular, she just complimented our nails. And I think they can wait for us to show up a little late. Jared is never on time to any of our dates."
            "Well Jared is Jared, and food is food. I'm hungry let's go," she says shooing me to the car.
"Very clever way to try to get me to shut up and get in the car. I'll have to use it sometime."
"Emma, can we please go?"
"Yes, sorry sorry."

***

              "Geez, what took you guys so long," Jared asks us like he's been waiting here for centuries right after we enter through the doors.
              "Yeah Emma care to explain," Skylar says looking at me.
              "Hey, it's not my fault that they didn't have a nail poster visible."
               "You had to ask!"
               "Well I didn't know, neither did you," I say.
                "Okay okay, I get we're all hangry but let's not bite each other's heads off. That's what the food is for," Victors says getting in between us.
"Okay," Skylar and I both say shrugging our shoulders leaving Victor confused.
"Seriously? You guys stop that easily? Wow, well that was boring," Victor says looking completely dumbfounded.
                 "It's okay baby, maybe our cheesecakes can go to battle for the best taste," Evelyn says rubbing his arm. Since when did she call him "baby"?
                "Umm, no thanks you guys are weird," Skylar states with a disturbed look on her face.
              "Let's go eat shall we? The waitress has been waiting," Jared says pointing her out.
            "Well she is the wait-mistress," Victor says with a cheeky smile.
            "Dude, not funny," Jared says pushing him in the direction of our waitress. "Let's go eat."

***

"Oh my gosh sis, I can't believe your graduating tomorrow. It's going to be really lonely here without you."
           "Josh will keep you company though right?"
           "Umm no, we broke up actually. I don't want to be in a relationship with him just to break up with him later."
           "Makes sense," I say nodding in agreement. "I will miss you."
           "I know, me too. It's so lame mom won't let me go."
           "She just doesn't want you to get hurt while you're away."
           "I know but so? I'm 16 now, and know how to take care of myself." I remember being that age and feeling invincible.
"You'll understand when you're a mother."
"Ugh! Please don't use mom's words."
"Okay fine," I say laughing. "Well I'm going to go to bed. I want to be rested before I become an alumni."
"Okay soon-to-be-alumni, goodnight," I hear her say as I make my way up the stairs. To be honest, I'm kind of nervous about graduating. I mean sure high school is high school and so boring and blah blah blah; but I can't help the feeling that it kind of molds you. I guess college is another adventure.

***

"Oh my gosh Emma, it's finally here," Evelyn squeals as we make our way to the football field.
"I know," I say trying to take it all in. I'm entering as a senior and leaving as a college freshman. It's definitely a bitter sweet.

If you have read this far thank you soooooooo much! More is definitely on the way! All the reads is a big motivator! Thank you sooooooo much again!