Reality

Graduation

Tates Pov

Well. Its finally come the last day of Highschool. Everyone crammed into a hot and now smelly gym, waiting to be let out one by one so all of our families can watch us sit in uncomfortable chairs for 2 hours, as we cross the stage 1 at a time.  The stage lights causing unbearable heat and blindness as we are let out. Alphabetically.

" Alrighty, Sally. See you when we're officially graduates of this hell hole..."

"Truuue. Oh my god. I can't believe its finally over. Love ya Brown sugar."

"Love ya Honeybuns." I smile at my good friend as she goes to join the G-J line and I go to the N-P line. and get ready to walk out. The doors open and the A-F line starts to move into the other gym to the beat of the graduation music (you know that 1 song, Da da da DA DAAAAA da da da da da daaaaaa) anyways I go behind Byran O'Brian with my... ummmm... ex? one time? uh. idk. Alaric O'Mally. Fucking ass hat.

"Welcome parents. And congratulations students of West Crap-ville High (not actually. Fuck I'm funny) I am so happy to have started this journey alongside all you students 4 years ago. I have watched you all grow as individuals and seen you all mature so much and I am beyond proud of how far you all have come. It is with both happiness and sadness that I am leaving with you as well.  But today is not about me. it is about the graduating class of 2017! " Dude is too gushy for my attention. Riley Lusker, yeah thanks for leaving too. I'm already bored. I'm going to spend the entire time looking for my friends and cheering like an idiot when people I like to cross the stage. Everyone looks the same in their caps and gowns that the game actually is pretty hard. Sally is really easy to spot with her curly hair popping out of her cap. Next is Carter. He Is 6ft 7 so he really stood out in his chair. May is slightly harder to find sitting at a whopping 5 ft 2 so that takes about 13 minutes until I realise she is in the seat directly in front of me. Nice one Tate. Ivan is a really pale, scrawny ginger so he was easy as well due to the amount of space around him when I looked to the people in the R line. The game is put on hold when my lineup is called.

Walking towards the stage I can hear all the parents cheering on their kids, see all the camera flashes going off in the sea of 30 to 70-year-olds. It makes me sweat nervously. When do I cross? What arm do I take the fake diploma with? Will the teachers switch when I go up? Which teacher will give me my diploma? What if I fall? What if the light is too bright? what if I FALL? Oh my lord, IM NEXT UP HOLY BALLS. K. Left right left right left right. Step step step step. Haaaand okay it is the right one. Second and shaaaake. The entire gym roars in applause and cheers for me when I get up there..... Heh? Why? GO GO GO! 

"Do you not want to pause for a few photos?" says Mr.Zero

"No, I'm alright, thanks"

"TATE O'Dell you shake Mr Zero's hand right now. I want a picture!" yes Mam. I go up and shake his hand so my mother and father can take pictures of me. I go to take my seat.... but Byran ditched the ceremony. Now there's no buffer. Fuuuvk me. Alric comes over to take his seat luckily he leaves Byrans seat open. Thank god. I go back to searching for friends that I hadn't found yet. not even 5 minutes later I hear girls voice ask  Alric to move in next to me so her friend can take a seat on the end... and he does. He sits so close that his arm is pressed up against mine and our thighs are touching. I have never been so uncomfortable and wanted to run away. This boy used me for 2 years. Never wanted a date me. Just wanted action, like all the other 17-18-year-olds in high school.

After trying to forget that I was forced to sit between a stranger and my ex I decided to focus in on the final groups that were graduating and cheer for everyone that I had been in school with for the past 4 years...some even longer. Gab was the student I had known the longest, since the 3rd grade; we actually ended up going to 3 different schools and ended up at the same high school. Out of my new friends, May was the one that I was closest with and had known since the 8th grade. She is my longest and closest friend. I hope I am always fairly close with her; and sally... and Carter.

"I give you the graduated class of 2017!!" More lights flashing and camera clicks and even louder happier screams, fellow students throwing their arms in the air. We are all asked to go switch spots with our parents and go stand on the bleachers for pictures. All of us girls in heels slowly making our way to the stairs one step at a time while the boys get into groups are getting ready to stand in the douchiest poses. I look over and Carter had his hand out for me to help me balance. I grab it and Sally is right behind us. I can't wait to get these picture over with so I can finally be  17, out of high school and ready for my last summer until college. Where I can make my own choices about what I want to do with my life. No classes are chosen by my school board that I am forced into. I get to make all the decisions now!

Carter stands behind me and Sally. We look at each other; as if saying this is it with our eyes. All of us of us look down at all the parents filling up the gym.

"I can't believe Believe this is the last time I'm going to see these people. and be in this gym. these past four years really felt long.... but they were so quick."

" I know. I'm so happy to get ouuuut." Sally says loudly 

"I don't get it. Why do you want to leave so badly? highschool was such a good time." I say back in confusion

" I dunno man. I'm just happy that I don't have to be up at 7 every morning until college... then we'll see how early I have to be up for that..." She says sarcastically and begins smiling for pictures.

We smile. Stand. and eventually, throw out caps in the air. Its all over...