The first day of summer for most teens is the idea of hitting the beach, or hanging with friends at the mall, shopping, doing whatever they want to do. But not for my friends and I. We have something much bigger planned for summer. Bigger and better than anything any of those students would do.
We're finding my best friend.
Mark's girlfriend.
Dylan's crush.
And she is all the same person we are looking for.
Esther Hills. The one who ran away, for some unknown reason. But apparently, Dylan knows. So this is where the story begins for my friends and I. Finding the clues to her leaving us.
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"This year, I had a good year basketaball wise, and academic wise, although we all know my academics aren't that hot." One of my best friends Mark said as he continued on with his graduation speech. The crowd gave a laugh and I gave him a thumbs up when he turned to me with a huge grin on his face. Mark was well loved by the student body, and no one could resist the chance to laugh at one of his puns. "But somehow, someway, I got through it with the help of my teachers and fellow studnets here at Lakeview. Thank you for guiding me all this way and being the reason I graduate today." He now took a deep breath and looked up from his notecards he had been reading off of. I helped him write those. "This year has been one of the best because of two specific reasons. One is that Callie Holloway never gave up on me, and has become one of the greatest friends I've ever had. Well, I have known her all my life." Some people looked to me, those who knew me. Others just looked around and said,"Who's Callie?" I smiled that I wasn't know by the whole student body. Nobody needed to know exactly who I was except for my friends and the good Lord above. "Thanks Cals." He said while looking up to me. I grinned back and he continued on. I knew this next subject would be hard for him, so I prayed he wouldn't get nervous while talking about it. "And the second reason this year was the best, is because I met the one person I truly love." When he said that, a few people gasped and others awed, but none knew the person he loved like me he and I did. No one. Not even her parents...."Now you may say that I can't find true love at my age, but I'm telling you right now, I did. And when I find her," He started to tear up now. "I will tell her that upon seeing her, that I love her with everything that I have. So thank you Lakeview for allowing me to meet her. That's pretty much it."
It was not the best ending to a graduation speech, but it would have to do, because the whole audience basically clapped there hearts out, and when I stood up, Mark's parents stood up, and then the whole student body and those parents who cared stood and clapped.
Mark said thank you and walked of stage giving me a wink.
Looking around at the people as I sat down, I saw one familiar person in the crowd staring at me.
Dylan Perry.
He motioned for me to see him outside. Shaking my head no, I sat down and ignored him. There was no way, I would talk to him right now. Him and I still weren't friends from the last time we fought or he and Esther fought. Dylan thought he could control who she hung out with, and it was ridiculous. I never truly got on good terms with him again.
"Callie." My name was called and I looked in the direction it came from. It was Dylan. Talking to me, in the complete silence of a graduation ceremony. As people looked at me, my face turned bright pink and I glared at dylan.
"What do you want?" I mouthed to him.
Again he spoke aloud drawing the attention to him.
" I said meet me outside. Now." And with that, he walked out of the aisle of push up chairs, and went outside. To not cause any further disruption of the graduation, I groaned and got up to follow him. My parents on the other side of the room sent me a little glare of disapproval, so I sent one back. But mine said, 'Ill never trust you again.'
That story will come in later.
About to open the door to the outside place Dylan wanted to meet at, Principal Perry announced the next speaker of the graduating class.
I didn't hear the name because I was frustrated with the prinicpal for not getting onto his son for distrupting such a day as this. But I did pay attention when I heard whose voice was speaking.
"Hello everyone." Eli started off. I quickly spun around and faced the stage where he was looking at me with concern. He wanted me to stay and listen to his speech.
And there was no way, I would be talking to freaking Dylan Perry while my boyfriend was on stage graduating. Dylan could wait.
When Eli saw I was waiting, he continued on.
"I don't have much to say but I do have people to recognize." Eli went on to talk about certain teachers he said he couldn't have graduated without. Then he mentioned my name. "Callie Holloway thought she could get away from me before I said something about her." He said motioning to me in the back smiling and waving at the crowd, "But she stayed thank goodness." The audience laughed and so did I.
But thats when I noticed Dyaln coming from behind me. I turned to face him and send him a glare, but he did the same and wiped my expression clean off my face.
"Callie has been my friend for-" I didn't hear the rest of his speech as he read of his note cards and looked to the audience. Why? Because Dyaln decided that right during my boyfriends speech, he should grab me and take me into a hallway of school.
"What the freaking heck is your problem Perry? Don't you have any sort of feelings for what might happen if Eli sees me gone?" I demanded of him. Dylan just walked around and then banged his fist on a locker.
"No I really don't give a crap Callie. And live with it." He responded. I took a step back and kept my distance from him. "What I do care about it Esther."
"Well good for you. So do I. Have a nice day." I told him turning away now to go back into the auditorium.
"Callie. You didn't tell me she was gone." He whispered so softly I barley even heard him.
"What?"
"I didn't know she was gone..Mark's speech..that's how I knew. How long has she been uh..."
"Missing?" I finished for him. "Since Prom. I mean you wouldn't have noticed anyway becasue you went with Melissa right? Yeah. That's what I thought." Whoa. That was kind of mean even for me to say. I gasped at my words and immediatly apologized when he sent me a death glare.
"Sorry sorry sorry. I didn't mean it like that. Sorry." I said backing up again.
"I need to find her.
"Well I do more than you.." I muttered. He didn't hear me.
"Where did she go?" He questioned me. More like demanded.
"Because I would know Dylan. I have no clue!" I almost stated Eli, Mark and I were going to start looking everywhere for her tomorrow, but I kept it hidden just in case Dylan got the idea of tagging along....
"I thought she was staying with you." Dyaln asked.
"No. My parents and I have been fighting. Long story. I've been over at Mark's this whole time." At my mention of staying at Mark's, Dylan raised and eyebrow but I yelled,
"Not that way you pervert! Now if you will let me go, I have something important to attend to." And with that I wisked away to the graduation ceremony before he could take me back.
Eli was now finishing up when I entered. I don't think he noticed my absence...not until he stepped down and gave me a sad look of being let down. Quietly, I made my way back to my seat and tried not to think about how much Eli was saddened by my dissaperance.
