Incipient

7 | the prodigy

ALEX

After the graduation ceremony, Sydney was curled up in my bed with her yellow gown on fast sleeping. She had refused to walk, or rather hobble, across the stage unless I walked too, so she sat with me in the stands. We both went to the ceremony wearing our caps and gowns and received a lot of glares. Most were because of my change in specie. I wanted to shy away but Sydney told me to embrace it.

We cheered for only a few people including Graham. When they called his name I tried to ignore the shot of pain that ran through my core. We use to talk about how we would spend graduation day; pining for him from afar was not what I had in mind.

The school never called my name out, not to anyone's surprise, but when they called Sydney's name we cheered so loud a few people in front of us jumped. Her father was sitting alone on the other side of the gymnasium looking distasteful. Sydney told me the only reason why he showed up at all was to uphold his public image, not to support her.

I put my gown in my closet and smiled at Sydney now snoring softly. It was funny how far we've come in thirteen years.

In kindergarten, I had actually despised her. She came from a completely different household than mine were coming to school with a new toy each day was completely acceptable. I, however, clung to my stuffed doll Mom found at a yard sale years ago. Once when I asked her if I could play with her new Malibu Barbie she replied by sticking her tongue out at me and running away.

I deemed her my number one enemy.

Then a few weeks later we both got in trouble for arguing over playing on the slide so we were sent to the principal's office. In there we had to reflect our feelings, and as it turned out she was jealous of me because my mom was always there for me unlike hers. We talked everything out and even went to each other's house. Her position as my enemy changed into my best friend instead.

I would never have thought that one day she would have chosen me over her family, and a part of me felt guilty about it. I encouraged her to talk to her father after the ceremony but she refused to say how he doesn't deserve the satisfaction of looking like a caring figure to the public. He had called her the other night screaming about how much of a disappointment she is to him.

Looking at her now I don't see how she could ever be a disappointment. Sydney has done a lot in her life. She has been on multiple mission trips, served the community in every way possible, received three scholarships for her leadership abilities, and turned my life around. She never once got off track and always knew who she was. Nothing ever tempted her be anything other than herself.

I looked up to her more than I give credit for, and I owe her for that.

I sighed growing bored with Sydney now passed out. I was about to go downstairs to get something to eat when I heard something fall from across my room. I got up, blanket wrapped around me, and bent over to pick up the little square that fell from my wall. It was a Polaroid picture of me and Hilary, the swim team's co-captain from a few years ago. I smiled at our happy faces then placed it back on the wall right in the center of my massive collage. It was a project I did before my senior year to reflect how far I've come and how much I have achieved. It was a sentimental gesture.

Now looking at them their meaning has changed.

It was now a reminder of my past and people I will never see again. I hugged my sides and walked closer to the wall examining all my photos clinging to it. Each image was a frozen happy memory even if in the present they are ruined.

My eyes landed on a picture of me and Graham smiling at each other after a football game we attended. I took it down from the wall examining it closer. We both looked younger because it was taken our freshman year. I still had on my braces with my hair parted down the middle. His curly hair was untamed along with his with acne. Regardless of our flaws, we looked happy, and we were.