Lucky Stars & Air Guitars #TeenFictionAnotherYearShortStory

Part 1- The Fall

Stupid yellow graduation caps are all I see. Rows and rows of yellow with the occasional embellished "Yass" or dick-like shape lining the lids of my classmate's graduation caps.

"These caps say a lot about you, Mrs. Mathew had lectured in the spring. What you put on them will be a time capsule of who you were, so choose wisely."

I think of Mrs. Mathew's words as I look out across the sea of caps and see Damien Green's, boasting the phrase, "do you even lift bro?" cutting off his only brain cell. My eyes continue to scan, landing on Neveah Chapman's, whose cap is boasting some pie related joke that I'll never understand. But my eyes continue scanning until they find the hat they've been avoiding, but longing to see—Kai's.

A smiling Bob Ross bounces in and out of my eyesight. There he is. I close my eyes, remembering the night we planned his cap, and how his nose scrunched as he laughed hysterically, deciding Bob Ross would represent his high school saga. But now, his laugh and love aren't for me anymore, and I'm left empty, just like my cap.

I pull my stupid cap off my head and stare down at its plain, unblemished yellow top, tears whelming in my eyes. I'd been planning what to put on it since the first day of senior year when Mer and I spent all lunch browsing the infamous McCarthy Highschool's "Wall of Fame," highlighting the 2018 seniors. Less than a week ago, Kai and I were at Hobby Lobby searching for meaningless but meme-worthy junk to fill mine with. But, Mer and I haven't talked in months, and Kai apparently stopped loving me days ago. When your whole world crumbles, you kind of forget about meaningless things like decorating a stupid cap. So now, the cap I had so many hopes for sits plainly in my hand, and I'm left wondering what it all meant and who the hell I am if everything I was is now gone.

"Go! It's our turn!" Eddie Hamen's impatient voice breaks my daze as he gives me one quick elbow jab.

I look up to see our entire row standing to head towards the podium.

"Go!" Eddie demands again as I shove my cap back on and follow the herd of excited graduates.

The line moves quickly—too quickly. Anxiety rises inside me, the closer I get to the stage. I try to gaze out at the audience, knowing I should be looking for Mom, Michael, and Rebba. But, I can't help but look for Kai. God, what I wouldn't give to spend one more day, one more minute, one more second with Kai. I want to know if he's watching me. I want to see his face and know if he's hurting like I am or if he truly meant the things he said.

"Edward Hamen," Mr. Morey's monotonous voice calls out.

Here we go. I'm next. I take a single step up, desperately searching for Kai's face while catching another's—Mer's. With steel eyes and steel piercings, she meets my gaze at the exact moment my eyes make the awkward mistake of landing on her. Her head tilts down to reveal the words "AIR" next to a 3D paper guitar. I almost smile but stop myself, remembering it wouldn't change anything, nor would I want it to.

"Shay Harris," my name blares through the gymnasium.

I move towards the final step to enter the stage when Mer's eyes return to meet mine. Somehow, after all this time, I still can't hide my emotions from her, and I instantly feel a million times worse. I try to look away, but it's too late, I miss the step and free fall, seeing only a wave of yellow blurring past as I hit the ground.

Everything goes dark.

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