How To Date A Greek Boy

The Runaways

"Go Frankie!" I cheered along with the rest of our batch as my best friend walked up on stage. Behind her a banner announced, in bold colorful print, 'Congratulations, Batch of 2012-13!'

Fran walked up to the podium and in a moment of rare calmness, spread out her speech and began to talk.

"Hey, everyone." She smiled. The audience held their breath, waiting for her to continue. "I can safely say that a lot of teachers don't think that our batch has been the most civilized, respectful, and outstanding batch that Xavier's has seen, but nevertheless, this batch will be the one they'll remember the most. Some with fond memories, some with not so fond ones. I know all of us may have, at some point, thought school sucks, and we can't wait to get out of here and go to college and blah blah. But I came to realize that high school is one place where you learn and see things no one else can teach or show you. I learnt that relationships don't need to be based on common interests, in fact the best friendships are the ones based on your love for the other person's uniqueness." She smiled at me, and I blushed, knowing she was referring to our friendship, which had held strong even through the emotional tumult that is high school. "I learnt how to judge people the right way, how to choose my friends. I learnt that I should say what I thought, when I thought it, because I may not get the chance again, which is primarily why this speech is so long." She smiled goofily.

"I learnt how to pass notes in class without getting caught." She smirked, and a soft round of laughter went around. "I learnt how to dress, jeez, how can I forget that!" A louder round of laughter passed among the girls, who knew what a challenge dressing for school was. "I learnt the many uses of Bubblegum." She smirked at Stanton and Mr. Henry.

"I learnt how to drive; I learnt how to stomach bland pasta." Another soft round of laughter went around at the mention of the one day when the lunch lady forgot to add salt to the pasta.

"I'm sure each of you, too, has at least one unique high school. That one thing you learnt, that one event you know will never happen again, that one thing you did which you know you'll never be able to get away with again. I don't know what that experience is for each of you, but I do know this- we'll hold onto that memory, and one day we'll look back on it all and smile so wide, our missing premolars will show."

"Today, as we graduate, there may be something on every person's mind other than Graduation." Again, Fran smiled at me, knowing what was on my mind. "It's a personal request, if it's something you wanted to say or do, but never had the guts to, seize the chance today, for god's sake, because later on, you'll never get the opportunity. And also because today is the one day Mr. Richard won't rusticate us if we try anything outrageous." She grinned at Mr. Richard cheekily. "Let's just make a conscious decision to pick up anything we may have left off, and fix it before we move away today."

And amidst thundering applause and wolf whistles, Fran got off stage and made her way to sit back down next to me.

A few minutes later, the whole year lined up name wise, the toppers at the very back, for our certificates. I had been quite the whole time, mulling over what Fran had said. Her speech had left me with one very depressing realization- I didn't have a memory. I didn't have that one special high school experience that I'd cling to, apart from our group which was insanely popular among teachers and students alike. Apart from Fran and our group's many antics, I didn't have any remembrance of something specifically done by me, my personal memory.

"You know how you were telling me you wanted to just run away?" Fran whispered, ahead of me. I narrowed my eyes at her.

"You just delivered an Oscar winning speech, and will soon be going on stage to collect a prize for graduating in the top ten, and you're thinking of running away?"

"You can't fool me, Lee. I know you want to run too." She narrowed her eyes at me, assessing.

I remained quiet.

"I think we should do it."

"I think you're mad."

"Spot on, sistah." My best friend nodded with faux attitude.

The line shuffled ahead as the students took their certificates and got off stage.

"Leanna Williams, second in the batch of 2012-13! Put your hands together for her, ladies and gents! Leanna Williams, please come up on stage." I heard our principal Mr. Richard announce my name.

Behind me, I heard Joshua bristling, getting ready to go up after me. Joshua was first this time. For the first time in four years of high school, I'd not topped my batch.

Joshua Horton.

A little while ago, the name alone could make my heart race. But now, I felt a foreign feeling. Every clap I heard seemed to mock me, every clap made me madder.

That was what the feeling was-madness. I was mad at Joshua. Not sad, not heartbroken, just plain mad.

"Leanna Williams?" Mr. Richard called my name out again. His smile was faltering as he stared at me questioningly from the stage.

"Actually, on second thoughts, you know what?" I turned to Fran, but before I could continue, she read me and nodded.

"I knew you'd do it! GO!" She screamed.

And I, Leanna Margaret Williams, along with my best friend, Frankie Kate Jones, ran out of my own graduation ceremony, laughing like a hyena in full view of the parent, student, and teacher body of St. Xavier's High School.

If you're reading this, thank you (:

If you've voted, thank you even more (:

This story is sort of a guilty pleasure for me. So please take it nicely, and don't be too harsh with your criticisms, though I'd gladly take any constructive comments (:

-Hera