Plan Heartbreak

Chapter 21

            “Aliana Winslow!” I heard the principal call my name as I stood up and walked across the stage to get my diploma. I heard James shout my name from the audience and I couldn’t help, but smile. I did it. I really did it.

            I smiled going to sit back down in my seat as the very last name was called. I started twirling my tassel along with all my other classmates as the valedictorian stood up and said, “Guys we did it, we’re the class of 2014!” she screamed and everyone tossed their hats in the air laughing and screaming. I looked for Paul and Lisa when it seemed they found me first as I was pulled into both of their arms at once. “We did it!” Lisa squealed happily.

            “One adventure down, only a million more to go,” I quoted to her and her eyes filled with tears as she hugged me.

            I then pulled Paul into a tight hug, and he grinned twirling me around in a circle and kissed my cheek. “We did it,” he whispered in my ear.

            “We did,” I grinned at him wishing I had the courage to lean forward and kiss him like all the other couples in the audience, but I just looked down too shy to make a move.

            “ALI!” I heard James and Hunter yell then and I was thrown from arm to arm as I was hugged by my family and Lisa’s.

            I glanced around noticing Paul was still standing with me looking around as if looking for someone. I saw him sigh and look down I reached over to him and grabbed his hand, he looked over at me shocked. “Sam and Emily are over there talking to Jared, you should go say hi,” I told him.

            He smiled at me sadly, “I know they are proud of me, I just thought that….” he trailed off.

            I just waited, waited for him to tell me, “At least my dad would show up…..or my mom would at least send me a congratulations card,” he whispered looking down.

            I pulled him into a hug, “I’m sorry, Paul,” I whispered realizing that his dad had nothing to do with Paul. That all this time, he had basically been on his own. He had Sam and Emily…..Jared….and well me. That was it.

            “It’s life,” he said softly staring into my eyes and for a moment I thought he was going to kiss me.

            “Come on you two, I’m ready to PARTY!” Lisa shouted swinging her arms around the two of us ruining the moment.

            I chuckled at her regardless as we followed her out of the high school gym outside. We split up into our family’s cars. Paul riding with Emily, Sam, and Jared all back to Lisa’s house for the big party.

            We arrived at her house and Lisa and I went into her room to strip from our gowns. “That’s a weird locket,” she said suddenly tugging on my necklace.

            I blushed pulling it away from her, “It was a gift,” I told her.

            “From who?” she asked curiously.

            “A friend,” I said simply begging her with my eyes to please drop it.

            She nodded, and let it go. We went down to the party and she immediately joined her family while I joined Paul. “I’m so proud of you three!” Emily exclaimed pulling us both into a hug along with Jared.

            “We just finished high school woman, it’s not like we cured cancer,” Jared grumbled she whacked him at that. He just chuckled weakly and ran off to find his imprint Kim Conweller a shy girl who had been crushing on him forever.