After Effects

Snippit #2: Graduation

I was in the audience sitting between Biana and Dex, and Tam and Linh.

"You should've been here when Alvar graduated, it was so cool to watch!" Biana gushed.

"What did the Vanisher's do?" I asked.

"They did a really cool dance number with some Flasher's," Biana said excitedly, a giddy schoolgirl smile on her face.

"So every graduating class does this?" I asked incredulously.

"It's the only way they can graduate. They have to show they have mastery of their powers," Dex shrugged like it was nothing.

"So basically it's just a talent show?" Tam asked boredly, glancing at Biana.

"No! It's nothing like some measly childish human talent show, no offense Sophie! It's more magical and--"

"And it's a children's talent show," Tam said.

"Shh! It's starting," Linh hissed.

I watched the head master of the Silver Towers cross the stage in her flashy silver cape.

"Welcome parents, friends, and faculty to this years Celebration and Commencement of these students now becoming very fine adults," Master Cadence spoke, extending her arms in a welcoming flourish.

"Before we begin today's show, we'd like to share the name's of all the graduating students. They've all worked really hard to be here, some more than others," she laughed, making sure to eye a few students in the student section of the audience.

This resounded in some parental laughter, and some red faces. I watched in awe as one by one the student's were called up to the stage.

Then they called a fairly familiar boy's name.

"Fitzroy Avery Vacker," she said with a smile.

Fitz walked gracefully across the floor, head held high.

"FITZ! WOOHOO!" Biana cheered, causing the rest of us to join in. We knew somewhere Alden and Della were cheering him on too. 

I couldn't help but hope they wouldn't do this when it was my turn to walk on stage.

"Fitz is one of our Telepath's at the Silver Towers. He has shown immense improvements in his abilities and has a very talented gift. He is the son of Della and Alden Vacker. He is also one of our most studious students, and is the Elector out of all the Telepaths," Cadence said, shaking his hand and handing him a certificate.

"Elector? What's that?" I whispered to Biana.

"It's an award for someone who has some of the highest grades and shows tremendous leadership skills. A lot of other junk is in there too just to make the person have a larger than life ego," she said sassily, resulting in an elbow jab from Dex.

"Behave," he whispered, his face slightly flushed in embarrassment.

"No one heard me," she justified.

My heart fluttered when Master Cadence called out, "Keefe Sencen!" 

I smiled wide as I saw his rumpled disheveled appearance as he sauntered onto the stage. Without even realizing it, I started hollering cheers for him. His head whipped to the side and it felt like he had heard me; that he was scanning the crowd for me.

"I've known Keefe since Foxfire. He was a frequent of my favorite class, if you could call it one, detention. Even still, he has yet to disappoint that key factor of himself. However, time matures a person, and I'm quite pleased to say Keefe has grown into quiet a remarkable young man. He has volunteered plenty of hours to keep this school looking prestigious and wonderful. It just doesn't magically appear this way folks," she tried to crack a joke. "And, this may shock you all, it certainly shocked me, Keefe is the Empath's Elector."

Keefe's jaw dropped, "How?"

"Marsha Valentine was caught cheating on her last test and has been kicked out of the Silver Towers. She chose to redo the Gold Towers in order to take the time to reflect on her ethics. This is a message to the upcoming students, we take matters extremely seriously. Either drop out if you don't think you can handle it, or don't even bother going to the gold towers to begin with!"

I was shell shocked, Keefe, juggling all of these long hours, known to be an extreme slacker, managed to be the Elector? Pride swelled in my chest, and I couldn't shake the cheesy smile on my face.

Thank you Marsha for cheating! Thank you so much!

A/N: This was fun! Tomorrow I'll write about the actual ceremony!

Thanks for reading!

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AND STAY BEAUTIFUL!!! ;)

~Tapqueen101