A Stone Turned Soft

Chapter 10

As Chloe threw her graduation cap, she cheered. Good riddance high school! Her class only had 88 people in it so she knew everyone, which was both a blessing and a curse. Some people were nice but most were either immature, jerks, or they got on her last nerve. That's why most of her friends were younger than her. Quite honestly, some of them were more mature than some seniors she knew. She would miss her friends, but she was just glad to be done.

She then found her walking partner then discoed off to the song We Are Family. It was a tradition at her school to give a sunflower to one person, either student or faculty, who made their high school experience "special." She searched the crowds and found her. Chloe tapped her on the shoulder and smiled, "Congratulations and... Happy birthday," she said as she gave Layla her flower.

"Oh! You remembered? Thanks, Chloe. Um, here," she said awkwardly as she handed Chloe her flower

"Of course I remembered! Today's been so crazy I just haven't had time. Mom is having people over and we're celebrating at home."

"Right now? You didn't have to do that."

"Layla! You just turned 18 and graduated high school on the same day. Call me crazy but I think that's cause for celebration."

"Okay. But we should go find your family first. They're probably wondering where we are," she said as she pulled her arm towards them.

Chloe couldn't help but notice how frazzled she sounded. Maybe she was just overwhelmed by the crowds, but she could tell it was something more than that. Something was wrong.

After a myriad of pictures and candy and flower leis, they finally got in the car and went home. Layla breathed a sigh of relief.

"Crowds are crazy, huh?"

"Ha! You can say that again! I can't imagine what graduations are like in big schools! We only had 88 people walk. Imagine if we had 300 or even 400 people!"

"I'd probably pass out or something," she said jokingly

Chloe laughed awkwardly. There was something in the way she said it. Like she was hiding something. She never knew her to have social anxiety. She always seemed so comfortable in any situation. So why would she say something like that?

As they turned the corner to their street, Layla's jaw dropped. There was a banner hanging loud and proud across the garage saying Congratulations Chloe and Layla! C.O 2018. Layla gasped but Chloe smiled from ear to ear, "Mom! I didn't know you were going to do that!"

"Surprise! All the people you invited who couldn't come to your graduation came early to help set up for the party."

Layla seemed out of breath. "I don't... I don't know what to say."

"Just wait till you get inside," Zoe said with a smile

They got out of the car and greeted their friends. Chloe noticed that Layla wore a pained smile. After they greeted everyone, they went inside only to find the house decorated top to bottom with graduation themed everything. There were Reese's Peanut Butter Cups below a Hershey's Chocolate Bar to resemble a cap, black and white napkins rolled around utensils to look like diplomas on a red tablecloth, and at every seat lie a pair of large c.o 2018 glasses. But the the pièce de résistance had to do not with graduation but with birthdays. Another banner reading, Happy Birthday Layla, in big bold letters hung above a table with 2 large Costco cakes, one for either celebration. Layla was in shock. She couldn't breathe. "I... I... I'm sorry," she said breathlessly as she bolted up the stairs. Chloe chased after her.

Layla got upstairs in 2 seconds flat, ran through their room, and slammed the bathroom door shut. She couldn't breathe, couldn't talk, her heart was beating a mile an hour, and she felt faint. This could only mean 1 thing. She was having an anxiety attack. She hadn't had one in a long time. Not since... well since she was with her dad. She had them whenever he beat her or her mom, or when he was dangerously drunk and violent. Once she got out of that hellhole, they went away for the most part. They only came up again she she thought of him...