Living In The Past

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

“And now, the graduating class of 2012!” the headmaster, Ms. Keenan boomed from the podium to all the seated students, her hand in mid-air, gesturing to the graduates.

            Yasmine gripped the cloth of her black graduation gown. This is it. I’m going to graduate, she thought. Sweat trickled down the nape of her neck, and her palms were getting sticky. I can do this. I can do this. She stood up from her seat like every other person, and followed the person next to her. They walked out of the rows of chairs, and onto the platform stage that was a couple feet away from her.

            “And here is the graduating class of 2012!” Ms. Keenan repeated. “Let’s start with Kyle Adams!” The headmaster started calling out names in alphabetical order, a diploma in hand every time someone went up. Ms. Keenan would shake hands with them, give them the diploma, take a couple of pictures, and then the next person would go. What did Yasmine have to worry about?

            That’s right, she confronted herself as she waited for her name to be called. Nothing to lose… Wait… What if I fall? She shook her head, trying to get that thought out of her mind. She would not fall; she absolutely couldn’t. Yasmine wiped her sweaty palms on her gown, and ran her hands through her hair to make sure she wouldn’t look like a complete and utter mess when she would go up and graduate.

            She bit the inside of her cheek nervously, and skimmed the crowd with her eyes. A couple hundred graduates dressed in black were seated in the first forty-to-fifty rows while parents and guardians were seated behind them—waiting for their child or friend to go up.

            Yasmine’s dad had promised he’d be there when they had called each other a couple days ago. She had told him that after graduation she’d move in with Hailey—who finally got smart enough to rent an apartment—and stay there until Hailey ever kicked her out.

            Searching for her father, she finally spotted him in the crowd sitting next to a elderly woman, and a fancy woman with pearls. Just as Yasmine found her father—her father found her. He waved while smiling and she waved back. She got a little more confident, but she was still nervous. Her dad mouthed the words, “You’ll be fine.” Yasmine took in a deep breath and got ready. She could do this.

            “Yasmine Hamilton!” boomed Ms. Keenan from the microphone. Yasmine didn’t even notice she had been called until a classmate standing by her nudged her with her elbow. She stumbled up the stairs and on to the stage. Immediately, bright flashes of cameras blocked her vision, and she tried her best to smile—thought she probably turned out looking like the Grinch. “Good job,” Ms. Keenan complimented, handing over the diploma and turning her head to the cameras and smiling.

            Yasmine nodded, took the diploma and scurried of the stage and to the other staircase where people who had gotten their diplomas stood. She beamed at the diploma in her hands. College was finally over! No more homework, lousy teachers, or late night cram sessions! She fist pumped in the air and screamed, “Yes!”

            Ms. Keenan stopped and stared at Yasmine—and so did the entire crowd. Color rose to Yasmine’s cheeks and she smiled apologetically. Some giggles and laughs sounded from the crowd, even Ms. Keenan. Yasmine looked like her face was on her fire. Talk about embarrassing, she thought, her cheeks still pink.

            After, Ms. Keenan went back to calling all the names. Yasmine watched her classmates’ graduate one by one. She watched Hailey take her diploma in triumph, a grin on her face. Then she watched James, then Aaron, and Lily. Within ten minutes, everyone—mostly everyone—had diplomas in hands, and the graduation music blared over the speakers. They all stepped off the stage and ran to their parents, or whoever they had.