Linger (h.s)

It's Time.

Graduation. The big day. 

I would no longer walk down the halls I knew all too well, or eat in the cafeteria with Lexi and think about what we wanted to do when we finished school. I would no longer have to deal with bitchy people on a day to day basis, I would no longer feel the need to impress anyone or try to change myself because other's saw me differently. I would no longer need to do many things that were involved with school. But, it's weird y'know. School prepares us for the big bad world but what they don't prepare us for it how to actually get out there. I was always told to enjoy school while it lasted and make the most of everyday I could, and to be honest, to some degree, I feel as though I did that. I may not have done it properly in the eyes of others, but to myself, I  think I did well.  

"There you are," the all too familiar voice I knew spoke from behind me. I felt Harry's presence near and near to me, until his front pressed against my back. He wrapped one of his arms around me, putting his head on my right shoulder. We stood for a moment, looking at my photo wall. Photos lined together, lines of portrait and landscape photos lined the wall in an almost metre wide line down my wall. Photos from the past 3 years were plastered against my wall, a memory shrine, you could say.

"Y'know, you really do need to get going," he muttered kissing my neck.  Soft shivers ran down my spine as his soft lips touched my skin. 

"I know, I know." I giggled, removing Harry's hands from my waist.

I descended the stairs, walking in to find my father dresses neatly, staring outside the kitchen window. I gently knocked on the plaster wall beside me, and he spun around. My gown hung lowly on me due to my height, I picked it up walking towards him. 

"My little girl is all grown up." He smiled, pulling me in for a hug. I embraced it for a moment, before pulling back.

"I wish your mother could be here."

"I do, but I know she probably would make a fool of herself, so best to not think about that kind of thing right now."

"Right, this is your day."

"Exactly"

I heard footsteps as Harry descended down the stairs quickly. A bright grin crossed his face as he entered the room. 

"You both ready to go?" He asked, holding out my graduation hat. 

Dad and I looked at each and nodded. 

"I'll let you two drive together and I'll meet you both there, I just have to swing by my place and get something."

"You sure?" I asked, walking towards Harry and taking the hat.

"Yeah of course, I'll meet you there okay." He smiled, holding my hand for a moment. 

"Now come on you two, we haven't got all day now."

I buckled in my seat belt as the engine came to an idle, the car gently rolled down the driveway and just curved around the corner. 

"Wait dad." I asked, to which he haulted the car. I could just see Harry walking down the long driveway now. 

"LONDON." I yelled out the window.

"WHAT?"

"YOU ASKED WHERE I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO GO. LONDON." I replied, closing my window just dad drove off. I could see the smile on Harry's face as we drove away.  

****

I sat nervously next to Lexi, her hand tightly gripping mine. This was it. We were about to graduate, no more school, no more classes. We sat for the duration of almost 40 minutes, listening to people's speeches and people going on and on about how they graduated 47 years ago. Before finally, we were told to leave our seats and to get into our rehearsed order. Lexi and I were lucky enough to be standing behind one another in the line so the whole way we held each others's hand, watching as the line in front of us got smaller, and smaller, and smaller. Before there was only one person left in front of me. I took a deep breathe in, and then there it was. My name. I carried myself up the stage, reliving my entire school education in the blimp of a second, then, it was gone. I heard my dad scream from the audience saying he was proud of me. I shook my principals hand, put my hat on and took the scroll which stated that I had graduated and went and stood with the rest of my group on stage. Lexi came next and we stood together smiling at the audience. 

"Hey Kels," she whispered to me. 

"We made it." I turned to her and smiled.

"We sure did Lex, we sure did."

I searched for Harry and dad as soon as the ceremony was over, due to the fact that they were both over 6ft, it was kind of easy to spot them. I hugged them both so tightly and asked someone to take photos of us, which they did. School was over indefinitely. I found Lexi and got photos with her too and by the time we had an all class photo it was time for the rose ceremony. Each year, our school gives each graduating senior a rose, to which they must give to someone they love dearly. It is a very emotional process. I waited in line to get my rose and then sat looking at it for a while, before then asking the lady carrying the left over roses away if I could have one more, to which she said yes. I made my way back over to Harry and dad and stood there for a moment. Before handing them the roses, one each. My father teared up, but Harry just smiled. He looked at the rose and took my hand. I hugged them both. Soon enough, it was time for everyone to leave. I had told dad that I would meet him at home and that which I would get a ride home with Harry, to which he had no problem with.

Harry and I walked down the school hallway, holding hands and wandering in silence. Every locker, every place in this hall had a memory no matter how big or how small, it was a memory that impacted me. I felt happy. To have successfully graduated high school with my best friend then to have the opportunity to go home and spend the night with my amazing boyfriend.  I left go of Harry's hand as I stopped in front of my locker. 

"You know, this is the very spot I first ever saw you." Harry spoke. I turned around to him and smiled before turning back to my locker. 

"They give us till the end of the month to come and clean out our lockers or they will chuck everything." I entered the combination into my locker lock and opened the door, books lined the inside of the locker. 

"Kelsey?"

"Yeah?" I asked, turning my head to face him.

"I have a surprise for you." He smiled, handing me an envelope. 

"You know I don't like surprises Harry," I said, taking the envelope from him. 

He chuckled for a moment before returning to his smile. He looked so happy. 

I took my finger and slit the envelope seal into two, pulling out the piece of paper. To which to my great displeasure had written at the top. 

Direct flight to London

2 passengers, 40kg of luggage each way.

29/11 departure date, 7:23am.