✔ Run Baby Run ✖ punk hood au

xli - five months later

g w e n:

The sun felt soothing against my skin and I couldn't help but to close my eyes, tilt my face towards the cascading rays and really feel the warmth kiss me delicately. While I was sweating beneath the crimson red robe that adorned my body, I had no reason not to smile. Section A, row 10, seat 7 and I was surrounded by a sea of deep red. If it weren't for large and obnoxiously yellow smiley face that decorated the top of my hat, my family wouldn't know where to look.

"Gwen, it's almost our turn," an elbow nudged me slightly.

I opened my eyes and switched my attention to the girl sitting next to me. Julie had elation manifesting all around her and she could barely contain it. I couldn't blame my over-ecstatic classmate however, because of all the days to be extremely excited, today was definitely the day.

"Get up, we're about to walk!" Julie held onto my arm as she tried the stifle the squealing that so badly wanted to escape her lips.

I followed the rest of my row as they stood up. The row in front of us were returning to their seats, completely intoxicated with joy. They grasped onto their diplomas, no longer keeping the frenzy within. Today we were graduating high school and for the 530 graduating seniors sitting in the middle of the football field, only thrill was present.

Coming home to San Diego after Australia wasn't the easiest. Trying to slip back into the timeline; trying to fall back into a routine of a normal high school senior was no longer elementary. My classmates and friends held their arms wide open, welcoming me back and trying to be as accommodating as possible. But even though Fiora was no longer in the picture, he played the leading role in all my nightmares.

"I can't believe this is actually happening," Julie squealed from behind me. "Oh, I'm just so excited to be out of high school and I can't wait for the next chapter of my life. College will be incredible and Gwen, we better keep in touch..."

Julie's voice soon faded into the breeze. It wasn't that I didn't want to listen to her perky babble, I just wasn't in the right mindset to give her my full attention. What I did manage to hear before canceling her our completely, was Julie's reference to the next chapter of her life.

What was the next chapter of my life?

High school was over and would soon be a distant memory but life after walking across the stage would be very different. I was not the same girl at the start of Senior year as I am now. That girl was long gone; she disappeared, met her expiration date, and perished into the damp, dark basement walls she knew so well. 

But the girl that stood stronger; the girl who was about to saunter across the stage and receive her diploma, the girl with the loving family sitting on the stands several yards away, the girl who survived, was about to embark on a new odyssey.

And that girl was me.

There were six people ahead of me as I stood before the stage steps. Two of my high school's most beloved teachers were reading names while our principal shook our hands. I took a step up, my feet clad in a pair of light brown wedge sandals that my mom surprised me with last night. They complimented my baby pink dress perfectly and it was simple things like dresses and shoes that made me miss home the most.

"It's almost our turn," it was my turn to look over my shoulder and shriek at Julie. I gave her a huge grin and a thumbs up as the two of us took the last couple of steps to the stage.

I felt Julie squeeze my shoulder in support just as I took a deep breath in and a huge exhale out. Mrs. Sealy looked at me, sent me a "you did it" wink before leaning into the microphone.