The Graduation Ceremony

Chapter 1

Today. Today was the day. It's hard to think that it came so fast. It's not a bright day, I stare out the window of my room into the storm. The rain batters the window with a gust of wind and I place my hand to the cold class making my hand turn stiff. My stomach churns as a black car, of a friend I have known too long, speeds down my street. I can barely hear the engine over the pounding rain. Thomas was his name. He was taller then me, his dark brown hair was cut short. He always has been an energetic, outgoing person. Thomas said he wanted to be with me today, he told me that after today we might not see each other again. Many friends are split up from this transition. He said that it wasn't too uncommon for someone to graduate as a sixteen-year-old. The education supervisors have just decided that I am ready to start being a contributing part of society in a job that I have been assigned.

"Joe!" I hear him yelling from below my window. "Open the damn door! Its freezing out here!" I run down the step and move the bolt on the door to unlock and the door swings open just as I do so. I step back out of the way just in time so the door doesn't hit me. He brushes past me holding two hangers under a black cover. I swing the door shut and bolt it again. "Where are your parents?" He asks me.

"Um, I think at work they didn't tell me where they were going," I say wondering after him down the foyer of my house and then back up the stair into my room. He hangs his hangers in my closet.

"Why wouldn't they tell you?" He questions with an almost disappointed look on his face. "And Joe, today in a Sunday, no one works on Sundays."

I sit down on my bed and think of where they could be. Finally, I just confess to him that I truly don't know where they are. I asked them where they were going and they said it wasn't for me to know yet and that I shouldn't worry about it because today is my big day. Thomas just frowns and tells me not to worry about it. Silence fills the room bringing a moment, one split moment to realize that I don't want to graduate. It's been burning in my stomach as I sit there in silence. I tell Thomas that I have to got to the bathroom and walk quite quickly, probably quick enough and sudden enough to be curious if I know him well enough. The bathroom is adjacent from my room, I close and lock the door. My hands are shaking as I grab the edge of the sink keeping my balance. I glance into the mirror, I look like I've been in the rain pounding on the window of my room. My stomach churns again and I feel nauseous. My knees feel weak, stumbling, clinging to the sink for support, I heave over the toilet.

"You, okay?" I hear from the other side of the door. Catching my breath I tell him I'm fine. The lock clicks and he pushed the door open and places the key back on the top of the door frame. "Do you want me to tell Jamie and Adam not to come? It's okay if you don't want them to come-"

"No," I gasp cutting Thomas off, "I want them to come. I want to see them." He pats my back and tells me to take a shower and then try to sleep it off. Frustration fills my thoughts, this isn't something that I sleep off, this is my life, this is my future, this is the rest of me. One person decided my fate and I have to accept what they have chosen for me. It just comes as an acceptance that the advisors are accurate with their decision, even if they're not, you can try and appeal although it is very rare that they accept your appeal.

I return to my room after my quick shower with a towel wrapped around my waist, Thomas is sitting at my desk with his back facing the door of my room. I walk up to him and look over his shoulder, he jumps when I place my hand on his shoulder. "You got picked for a speech?" I ask him, already knowing the answer.

"Uh... Yeah," he says collecting the speech up and placing it back in his bag, "They asked me to last week." I don't know why I'm surprised, Thomas has always been at the top of his class, "but you should rest," he says before I can ask anymore questions. He sits back down at his desk so I can change. I lay down and close my eyes and I hear him pull the papers for his speech back out.