21 Weeks of High

Farewell Chicago

Only two more minutes until the end of the last day of high school. Only two more minutes until I can leave these hopeless human beings and do something with my life. Two. More. Minutes. The bell is taking much longer and I'm fidgeting in my seat impatiently. I chewed on my pencil in anticipation, preparing myself for what I'd been waiting for since I first got into high school, the end of it. Not that I hated it or anything, I just feel like my creativity is being insulted being put in an organized educational institution.

The screams of excitement echoed across the halls as Joan Milton Academy was finally closed for 2 months. For the seniors, it was our last day. As excited as the students all were, we couldn't help but tear up. We were never going to see half the people in this room ever again.

I grabbed my two best friends Scarlett and April for dear life, sobbing quietly into their shirts, feeling my insides twisting and my heart reaching my throat. I was going to see them later on tonight to send them a proper good bye, but it was still rather emotional. I held on for a few moments before letting go; I didn't want to waste any time on missing out on hugging the rest of my classmates.

I was skipping graduation to leave for Paris tonight. It was slightly disappointing that I wouldn't be graduating with the rest of my classmates, but this was something I have been dreaming for my whole life. And in life, you need to make sacrifices. I took a picture with everyone, hugged everyone and cried a little as we all said goodbye to our high school life for one last time.

I was dressed in sweatpants and an over-sized sweater, the casual airport look I saw celebrities wearing in magazines. I was spending 5 months in Paris, provided that I was living with my aunt Lisa. It took me a year of convincing that it would be safe to travel alone. Her parents were still a bit nervous, but Melanie could legally have left the country and they didn't need to be outsmarted by their 18 year old daughter, so they allowed it and made a few solid rules that if ever broken, would send Melanie a straight ticket back to Chicago.

"I can't believe you're going to Paris. That's like the most romantic place in the world. You're going to come back married, just watch," April said playfully, as she swung around a nearby pole staring into the sky. Scarlett and Melanie chuckled at April's humour.

This had to be one of the most depressing moments in our lives, and she seemed to still make jokes. That was one of the qualities we admired about her.

The mood quickly got to its original place, remembering that it wasn't long before those jokes wouldn't be around to make me laugh in moments like these.

"You know I love you guys right?" Scarlett said. She plastered on a fake smile to hide her sadness.

Only her two friends could recognize the difference.

"Let's not do this right now Scarlett, we still have another 2 hours of each other. Let's make the best of it," Melanie replied.

"Yeah, you can't get rid of Melanie that easily, you know," April added while grabbing one of Melanie's carry-ons. "Let's all go eat something, my treat," Melanie said.

The girls walked around the chilly airport passing by couples and families saying goodbye, gift shops with 'I Heart Chicago' plastered all over the items and restaurants you wouldn't find anywhere but there. Which I find misconceiving because people who enter the country automatically believe that we have the store everywhere, when we really didn't.

They stopped dead in their tracks in front of a HOOTERS sign flashing the top. The memory flushed through our minds as we stood there in awe.

Junior year in high school: The year we snuck into HOOTERS even after our parents strictly disagreed on letting us anywhere near the restaurant.