“Mathew O’Neil!” I looked up and immediately butterflies began to flutter deep in my stomach. Matt gave me a hopeful smile that read ‘this is it’ and stood up from next to me strutting toward his diploma. It wasn’t a second later when screams and hollers filled the auditorium covering up the actual sound of clapping coming from parents, teachers, and basically everyone who thought none of us would make it this far. I looked at him eagerly waiting for him to grab his freedom, aka diploma, and flash everyone that charming hopeful smile. Sure enough he did, but I guess it wasn’t as reassuring as I hoped it would be, because my butterflies were replaced with lions. “ Juliana Ortega!” I knew it was my turn, but for some reason it seemed like my body needed convincing. “ Juliana Ortega!” I quickly jumped up from my chair and practically ran toward Ms. Patterson holding my diploma. I heard a giggle from around and I felt my face turn hot with embarrassment, but luckily I had pretty damn amazing friends who screamed and cheered as I grabbed a hold of the diploma. After that it seemed the whole class had forgotten what happened as they focused more on whose name next they’d have to chant. After another 20 minutes, there were no longer any names left to call. “Congratulation class of 2014!” It wasn’t even a second later before caps began to soar. Next thing I knew someone’s arms were wrapped around my waist lifting me. “Matthew! Put me down!” I tried to break away from him, but failed and decided to embrace him instead. “I can’t I’m just too excited! We’re finally free! I mean we always talked about what we’d do after high school and now its here!” His face lit up and his hazel eyes sparkled. He finally put me down and he looked like a bomb just ready to explode. “ And do you know what the best part is?” He waited for me to answer his rhetorical question. “What?” He gave me a sexy half smile as if he knew it would drive me crazy. “ I get to spend another 4 years with you.” Before I even knew it his arms were again wrapped around my waist lifting me up, but this time I didn’t complain. This time I wrapped my arms around his neck and dreamed for this second to last forever. But all amazing dreams must come to an end. “ Hey why don’t you save a hug for me. Since he already got two of them.” Maya was great at ruining sentimental moments.
“So are you gonna give me a hug or what?” I unwrapped my arms from his neck and he unwrapped his arms from my waist and instantly it felt strange. Maya then squeezed me until I couldn’t breathe anymore. “ Maya, I kinda need to breath.” I said with the last bit of air I had in my lungs. “We’ll help with that!” And with that, a pile of people began to suffocate me with their idea of love and excitement. “ Guys, I seriously need this little thing called air!” “ Ahhhhh Julie, are love for you just doesn’t have room for air.” West gave me a smug smile that almost made me remotely attracted to him, but then I was reminded who exactly I was dealing with him. “ West, if you don’t get everyone off of me, I’ll tell Elaina about New York.” West face went bright red, which made it so much harder to keep mine serious. “ Everyone off of Julie, we don’t want to hurt her pretty little face.” Everyone began to uncontrollably laugh. For that second, time became still and it almost seemed like we weren’t going different paths. It was I this time that broke our touchy, sentimental moment. “I’m gonna miss you guys so much!” I croaked out those words trying to choke back the tears I knew were about to flood. I felt my eyes become watery and my nose stuffy and red as tears began to drop. “ Awwwww, don’t cry. You’ll make all of us…” It was too late because before Elaina could finish we were all bawling, loudly. Even Matt and West, who both claimed they would never cry, were trying to snuffle away their tears. “You guys are such babies.” We all turned around to see Daniel Taylor roaring in laughter. He was the hottest guy in our school, besides Matt of course, and was in the football team like Matt. So I guess you could say I had a thing for jocks. We quickly began to dry our tears and Matt became red with embarrassment. “ Hey Danny, what…what are doing here stalking us like that.” Matthew tried to change the subject from him crying. “If you weren’t crying so loudly maybe I wouldn’t be tempted to stalk.” Daniel retorted back. I began to giggle and he looked at me and gave me one of those sexy half grins as I watched his eyes check me out. “Who’s this?” Daniel asked Matt while he kept his eyes locked on mine. “ Oh, this is Julie.” Matt hesitated to say my name. “Well, Julie. I’m glad I could make such a beautiful girl like you laugh.” I looked down to floor as I began to uncontrollably blush. “Remember Matt, parties at 9:00… and bring your friend Julie.” Daniel winked at me and strutted towards a bunch of other guys who I assumed were on the football team. Maya began to yell at me. “Oh My God!!!!!! Daniel Taylor basically just said you were hot!!!” “Don’t get too excited he says that to every girl.” We ignored West because we knew how much he hated Daniel. “Oh come on West, what’s Danny ever done to you.” Maya answered back, but West just frowned at us. “Oh come on! Tell us, please!” We all began to spit out trying to annoy him. His face became red, but this time not from just anger." There's nothing worth telling. So just drop it!" In the four years I've known West, he's never showed as much emotion then in that second. I guess I never thought that a fun, wild, party guy like West could have this serious human side to him. Before we could argue at back, my parents came around to congratulate us. My mom was already bawling. "I can't believe my babies are finally all grown up." She grabbed Matt’s cheek and I as if she was trying to permanently stain them red. Even though I was an only child Matt came around so often he became a son to them. When she finally let go our cheeks were restored to their natural color. After another 20 minutes of parents intermingling and discussing colleges, my mothers phone rang breaking the graduating parent trance. I looked at mom guessing it would be my aunt or uncle or someone wanting to congratulate me, but her face didn't show excitement. One second she had a huge uplifting smile then her face became dull. I saw her eyes shift from me to my dad, tears already streaming down. "Mom what's wrong?" She looked at me eyes already puffy and black eye liner dripping down her cheek. I repeated it again. "Mom, what's wrong?" She let out a long sigh. "hun....darling.... Your nana died a couple hours ago...." Barely even a whisper, but still seemed like she was booming it into my ear. "No." I never thought this exceptionally extraordinary day could turn out to be the worse. " I'm sorry Hun." Her voiced seemed strained. " I spoke to her yesterday. It's not true...I...she sounded ok." I tried to choke back the tears, but failed. The tears of joy that fled a couple moments ago were no longer happy ones. I wrapped my arms around my mother’s warm tender body, hoping I could go back in time to when nana was still alive. I dug my head deep into her shoulder hoping this pain deep in my stomach would go away but it didn’t. Suddenly Daniel’s big graduation party didn’t seem all that important anymore.
