Shattered Heart

Chapter 14: Graduation and Acception

About four years later, 2007

-America's Point of View-

"Pomp and Circumstance," Québec Price whispered in my ear as our jittery homeroom, which was buzzing with excitement, waited to be led out onto the football field. "I hear that song playing. I can't believe the day is finally here! That song is finally playing especially for my peers and I!"

I wiped sweat from my forehead as the long line started moving to the doors that led outside towards the sports fields. Québec and I were both eighteen years old, and May 30, 2007, was the Friday we would graduate North Missouri High School. I had waited for this moment for twelve years, but I had never thought it would come so fast.

"We will next see Mrs. MacInnis' seniors," the principal stated into a microphone. "Students, switch your tassel from the right side of your cap to the left. You are now officially high school graduates!"

Our class cheered as we moved the tassels, which brought tears to our teacher's eyes. My stomach jumped into my throat as I realized what Principal Wilson was going to say next to the crowd of 1,219 students and their 24,026 family members attending the ceremony.

"With an exact 4.0 GPA in three of the four quarters of the year, it is an honor to present America Caldwell to lead the class onto the field," he continued his speech as I bowed my head and started walking. "America was born in Washington, District of Columbia, but was raised in Manhattan. In 2001, at the age of twelve, she was severely traumatized by the September eleventh attacks and developed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. However, this did not succeed in bringing her down. Even after she moved from New York to Missouri in 2003, she kept receiving unlimited support from her loved ones. For this reason, she is graduating today with the highest honors in the school. She hopes she can be a pulmonologist one day and plans to attend Saint Louis University starting next year. Congratulations, Miss Caldwell!"

The impressed crowd roared with delight as I, grinning from ear to ear, led Québec and my other twenty-one classmates onto the podium set up in our end-zone, where the principal was calling out each of their names for the crowd to hear. I shook the assistant principal's hand as he proudly handed me my high school diploma.

"We are graduates of North Missouri High!" Québec hugged me with one arm as he sat down next to me in a folding chair in the fourth row. "Not only are we officially done with high school, you also got a shoutout with highest honors! I'm so proud of you, my America."

"Thank you so much for helping me through this complicated journey, Québec Price," I wrapped my own arm around him. "PTSD was hard to get through, and I still struggle with controlling it sometimes, you know? Honestly, though, I probably wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for you. Thank you so much for all that you have done for me."

"You're right," Québec stared at the diploma in his hands.

NORTH MISSOURI HIGH SCHOOL
St. Louis, MO
This diploma certifies that
QUÉBEC JACQUES PRICE
Has satisfactorily completed the necessary requirements of study as prescribed by school administrators and is thereby presented with this
HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA
And is certified to all the rights and privileges pertaining thereto.
Dated the thirtieth of May,
Two thousand seven.

Mine looked the exact same as his, except the name printed was my own, America Caldwell. Québec ran his fingers over the outline of the state of Missouri, which had been printed on the top of the page, as he thought about the details of my statement.

"I tried my absolute best to help you survive to this day and forward," Québec took my hand in his. "I knew from the start that you had potential to be anything you want to be. Plus, I love you, and I'll never stop doing so, because you are the French fries to my poutine."

"What?"

"Oh," he giggles. "Well, fries are the main ingredient in my favorite food and the best one ever invented in my part of Canada, poutine. Anyway, as I was saying, how would I go on if you weren't sitting next to me today? You are my first love, my first kiss, and, well, my first time, if you know what I mean by that. I tried everything I could to keep you on the planet. Many other countries who really, truly care about you helped out too. Especially Slovenia, with him working his ass off to get us two hundred thousand dollars so that we could move to St. Louis, far away from Manhattan."

"You know something, Québec?" I asked, narrowing my eyes as the sun glared into them. "I think, after these four years of being in the midwestern state of Missouri and six years since the attacks, my heart is fully healed. I think I am ready to visit Manhattan again."

"I understand if you miss Manhattan," Québec says as the next class' leader is introduced. "It truly is a beautiful, amazing city. You know, it's been doing good since September 11. They are close to finishing Seven World Trade Center, and the brand-new One World Trade Center will be a thing in about a decade. They began construction the year after we left, I believe."

"Well that's great news," I imagined a new World Trade Center in place of the towers, perhaps next to a memorial for the three thousand people that died on September 11. "If we get accepted into Saint Louis University, a Manhattan trip will be our celebration."

**

"Two letters from SLU came in the mail!" Québec burst into our apartment, almost knocking the door off its hinges. "They're either acceptance or rejection letters, but I got an email that had 'Congratulations, Mr. Price' as the subject, so I think they accepted us!"

"Let me open mine!" I breathed as I hugged my partner of just under six years from behind. He handed me the envelope that was addressed to me. We slowly counted down from three together, then closed our eyes and ripped the envelopes open.

"Dear Ms. Caldwell," I read carefully. "It is with great pleasure and congratulations that I welcome you into the Saint Louis University freshman class of the 2007-2008 school year. Oh my God, Québec, we made it!"

"Yes!"

Québec and I had both realized at the same time that we would be going to our dream college.