Iris

Chapter one: Graduation

     As any other 24 year old graduating college would be, I'm excited.  Today was the last day at Columbia College in Chicago. We were ready to set off on our journey and see what life had in store for us, and by us I mean Elliott Peterson and me. 

     I met Elliott my sophomore year when he had tried to flirt with me. I obviously wasn't interested. He thought he was smooth by coming up to me at my locker that year and saying      "did you invent the airplane? cause you seem wright for me."  After he realized I wasn't interested, we ended up becoming best friends, and now we laugh about it. 

    After what had felt like 6 hours of doing my hair and makeup, we ran over to the gym of my school. This was where everyone was going crazy making sure they looked good or doing last minute phone calls to make sure everyone was there. That was unfortunately me. I called my parents to see if everyone was there and as usual, Charlie wasn't. If I haven't mentioned, Charlie is my boyfriend of 2 long years. He always had a reason to why he didn't show up for things and that was...work.  Since he had graduated before me, he already had a job and used it as his excuse for everything.  It was getting old and boring.  so I called him. 

   "Charlie where are you? You do remember today is my graduation right?" I said irritated. "You should have been here by now. Are you stuck in traffic or something? 

     He nonchalantly said "Baby listen, they had to fly me out to New York this morning and I sadly can't make it.  I'm sorry." 

    Without hesitation I said "Oh so when were you planning on telling me this, huh? After graduation or what...never?"

      "Look I'm about to start a meeting, ok? Have an amazing graduation. I will make it up to you another time, I promise" he said as he immediately hung up the phone on me. 

     He always did that sort of thing, like work was more important than me and I was getting tired of it.  I put my phone away and my ecstatic face was not so ecstatic anymore.  Elliott realized and came over to see what was wrong. 

      "Hey was that Charlie again?" he said.  He could tell by the way I looked at him that it was.      "Why won't you just drop that guy already?  You're always complaining about him and he's hardly with you anyways.  Plus, it's an important day and you need to be happy so forget about him.  You and I are about to graduate.  Did you forget about that?"  

     Elliott always new how to make me forget about Charlie.  Out of nowhere, Mr. Watson announced that we had 8 minutes to get lined up and ready to go. Elliott rushed to where he was supposed to be. He ran as fast as a jaguar running after its prey. I never new he can run so fast. 

    Just as we were walking out in front of everyone, I suddenly got really nervous. As I looked around and saw all the families I noticed the one empty seat next to my dad.  I began to feel sad again until I looked at Elliott and remembered that he was right. It is a big day and we were going to make it special.