Only Child - m.c & l.h

1. Grad

26th July 2013

"Congratulations class of 2013!" The principal's voice said loudly as it rang through the speakers that had been placed randomly around the schools field. Proud parents cheered and clapped from behind us as we all threw our aqua blue caps to the sky, far too American for my British liking. The people surrounding me started to talk to their friends next to them or near to them so I waited patiently for them to start moving because I didn't want to be rude. I had spent 7 years with most of these people and I have barely spoken a word to any of them. I hardly wanted my first and last words to some of them to be 'Excuse Me'. I looked across the field, as I waited, at my next door neighbour and sort of friend Michael, Michael Clifford. Good at sports, good at music and most importantly popular. It's hard to look at him without the images of the summer before everything happened popping into my head; he and I ran around his back garden throwing water balloons at each other. We were 10 at the time and it still makes me smile. Everything was so much simpler back when I was 10, I didn't have to worry and I didn't have to grow up fast. That all changed on 21st October that same year.

"Move!" Someone shouted impatiently behind me, I hadn't realised that the people I had been waiting for to move had moved and that it was now I who was holding up everyone else.

"Sorry," I whispered as I started to move along the row and out to see my parents who were conveniently by Michael's mum and dad, they're best friends.

"There's my little girl!" My dad shouted when I came into his eye line, I smiled and gave him a hug,

"We're so proud of you," My mum said,

"Thank you," I said smiling at them. Michael came running over to us, mostly to his parents,

"Look mum, dad I did it! You didn't think I would but I did," Michael said with a smile on his face,

"Oh Michael we never doubted you!" His mum, Karen, said,

"Sure you never,"

"I'm proud of you son," His father, Adam, said. Michael smiled and hugged them both,

"Congratulations Michael," My parents said,

"Thank you," He smiled, he looked at me and smiled weakly,

"Congrats,"

"You too," I mumbled looking down,

"Come on then, we'll see you around," My mum said,

"Lauren, are you coming to Mikey's party tonight?" Karen asked me; Michael muttered swear words under his breath,

"Erm, no,"

"Why not?! Your whole year was invited," Adam asked, whole year bar one. Me.

"I don't go to parties," I answered trying to get out of this for my sake and Michael's. He doesn't want me there as much as I don't want to be there.

"Non-sense you'll come, your parents are going to be there with us, so you will be there with Michael," Karen said,

"Oh okay," I mumbled, Michael sighed heavily. I looked at him and mouthed an apology before turning away and walking with my parents. I stared out the car window on the way home and as we passed the cemetery I pressed my face and hands against the car window.

"Lauren! Stop steaming up my window!" My dad snapped. I pulled away and watched the cemetery roll by. I fell back into my seat and played with my freshly painted last night blue nails. My mum insisted I made an effort with my graduation, I got my hair done, make-up done and my nails done. The woman thought I had a prom or something; she was a tad confused when she found out it was just a graduation.