safe || on my block

chapter one

Mae spent her eight years of her life working towards graduating college. No one in her family had successfully graduated before her and June first was the day she broke the cycle.

Standing in front of the mirror the girl took one final look at herself dressed in her cap and gown. The thing she looked forward to the most was the was making her dad even more proud by walking across the stage.

"Jesus, Mae." Her roommate Mateo groaned walking into the room. "If you look at yourself any longer you won't actually graduate."

Mae smiled at herself for a few seconds longer before turning towards the brown eyed boy. She gave him an apologetic smile as she grabbed her purse and phone. Out of the four people living in the apartment, Mae and Mateo were the only two who didn't leave just yet. The two built their friendship off of being chronically late to everything, and it was already too late for the two start new habits, even if it meant arriving barely on time.

"I'm sorry." She apologized pushing him out of the room towards the door. "I just can't believe I'm finally graduating. I can't believe you're finally graduating."

"I won't argue since I only have to spend two more months with you," he teased. "Then I'll never talk to you again."

Mae gasped in fake shock before pushing the tall graduate out the door making him trip from the sudden force.

———

"Lily Kennedy."

Mae tried to stand on tippy toes to look over the crowd. She barely arrived as all the graduates began walking out to their seats. Throughout all the speeches the girl scanned the crowd of family and friends looking for her own.

"Logan Kendrick."

She spotted her uncle and cousin in the crowd a long time ago, but she couldn't find her dad. Her name was going to be called soon and she needed to make sure he was in the crowd before walking across the stage.

"Mae King."

Mae put on a smile as she walked across the stage assuring herself that her dad wouldn't miss her graduation for anything.

Everything after crossing the stage was a blur. She just remember there being another speech and tossing her cap in the air— followed by her stealing someone else's cap because she couldn't find her own. She wandered around the stadium trying to find her family just like everyone else.

"Mae." She turned her head to the sound of the voice to see her uncle.  The girl let out a shriek as she ran to her uncle and cousin.

"Uncle monte, Monse" She lout a giggle as her uncle was the first to engulf her in a hug lifting her off the ground.

"I'm so proud of you. I can now brag about niece who graduated from college." Nothing could beat how happy she felt in that moment.

"Congratulations," Monse congratulated the woman giving her a hug.

"Pretty soon you'll get to talk about your daughter who's a college graduate and a famous writer." Mae gave her younger cousin a knowing smile as she held the girl's hand. "Let's take some pictures before someone makes me cry."

After taking too many pictures, Mae began looking for parents again. It had been awhile since the ceremony ended and Mae was ready to see her parents. They had supported her throughout the hardest four years and she just wanted to them to see her in her cap and gown.