Damien Carmichael leads a double life. By day he's a high school senior at an elite prep school, just trying to get through his last year without any trouble. He has a girlfriend and up until this year, he was the star player of the lacrosse team.
...
The whole of Westlake was largely empty, save for the Dining Hall which had been transformed into a graduation stage, with ample seating for faculty, students, parents, and whatever guests the parents brought along with them. The entire graduating class comprised less than a hundred students, including Damien. He had narrowly missed valedictorian, not that he had wanted that particular honor, and his GPA had made him one of the top students of his class. Along with Carrie, and, to his own surprise, Oliver.
Carrie and Damien stood together in the front of the line in their cap and gowns and waited for the ceremony to begin.
It was odd, Damien thought, how bittersweet the moment really was. After months and months of waiting, just trying to get through, he was finally graduating, and in just a few short hours, he would be free of Westlake once and for all. Yet for all the torture he had endured at the hands of Tyler, there were good memories too. The start of his friendship with Carrie. Meeting Oliver. Joining the lacrosse team, all of it had happened at Westlake. Even his first days at the school had been exciting. So full of hope and promise. Damien remembered the first moment he walked into the hallowed halls of Westlake, four years ago, with his fellow students. I'm finally here, he thought, the school his father had attended, and his grandfather, back several generations.
Whatever else could be said of his early days at Westlake, Damien was glad to say that he had friends to share this moment with now.
The music began, and the students began to usher into the Dining Hall, one by one, making their way towards their individual chairs. This is it, Damien thought, staring down the back of the line at Oliver. Seeing him in his cap and gown had almost made Damien tear up a bit. He had been so worried just a few months ago that Oliver wouldn't even be able to graduate, and now here he was.
Damien followed behind Carrie, up the center aisle of the Dining Hall, and the two made their way into their seats.
The ceremony began with a long-winded speech from Principal Updike, then something from the Westlake mayor, none of which particularly interested Damien in the least. Afterward, the Student Body President went up to give a speech. Maddie. Damien had completely forgotten that she was the Student Body President.
It was odd to see her standing on the stage, giving a rousing speech about the trials and tribulations they had faced throughout their years of high school, and what exciting things lay ahead before them. She spoke of the friendships they had made, those they had lost, of heartbreak and newfound love, and it was elegant like she was. Not for the first time, Damien found himself feeling particularly guilty for how things had ended up between them. Sure she was better off now, but it did nothing to make him feel better about the situation overall. Lastly, the Valedictorian stood up to give a speech. Damien was certain he had never seen the student before in his entire four years at Westlake, so he barely paid attention to the speech they gave. At long last, after a much too long applause, Principal Updike returned to the podium and began to read off the names of students to come up and get their diplomas.
"Damien Carmichael III," Principal Updike called. Damien looked up, he hadn't even realized the principal was close to him, over to his right, Damien heard his parents applauding him, as he stood up and made his way over to the stage and took his diploma, shaking Principal Updike's hand, despite his better judgment, then returned to his seat next to Carrie.
Damien looked around, there were roughly fifteen or so students between him and Oliver, he smiled, eager to see Oliver finally make that walk up to the podium, the sound of applause coming from his parents, and the additional applause of several of his friends from his father's garage joining them as he picked up his diploma and shook the principal's hand.
Damien grinned, clapping for him, himself. He was so terribly happy for Oliver, it had been a long and difficult road for him, but at long last, he could say he had a diploma, and soon they would be off to university together.
After the diplomas were all handed out, everyone got to their feet for a rousing rendition of the Westlake fight song, and just like that, Damien was no longer a student at Westlake Prep.
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