The Time of My Life [Completed]

Chapter 32: The Time at Graduation

Friday, June 8, 2018

7:00 pm

Graduation

The past couple of months have gone by relatively smoothly. After Zeke's promposal, he officially asked me to be his girlfriend and we've been dating ever since.

Brock got 40 years in prison. Personally, I think it should be more, but I can't argue with a judge. That's just a problem future me will have to deal with.

Prom was a three weeks ago, and needless to say, it was absolutely amazing, though I was probably the only freshman there. I hung out with my brothers and all of our dates the whole night.

I went with Zeke and his dad to every single one of his doctors appointments. His arm is just about healed, but unfortunately, I still can't say the same about his leg. But I'm still here to push his wheelchair around, so we're okay.

Tonight is graduation. I sat on the side of the huge auditorium next to Spencer, with the choir, which of course includes Orange and Mel as well. Darrell sat along side the other graduates. Zeke, Kelly, and Sam sat in the crowd together, May and Kyrsten sat separate from them.

Ever since the incident, May has been really distant. And as a result, Kyrsten too. They avoided us like the plague.

The ceremony started and we performed the national anthem. After, most of the kids from the choir left. We had to be there for a grade, but we could leave after the first 5 minutes. Orange moved up to sit in the now empty seat between Spencer and Mel.

As a freshman, I knew a very limited amount of people graduating. There's Darrell, and a couple people from DECA and choir, but that's all.

".....Anthony Farrell....." The principal called the graduates names one by one. "....Caitlin Haley...." I cheered for my former tennis team captain. ".....Brock Henderson......."

We all froze.

The principal stopped calling names for a moment. The entire auditorium went silent. I could feel the stares on me and noticed people staring at Zeke as well.

I see Zeke's head snap towards me and we made eye contact from across the auditorium. I look over to May, and then Darrell.

There's no way he could be here, right? He's in prison. Far away from here. For the next four decades. Besides, he was expelled months ago.

The principal started to call out names once again, and the silence was filled.

I tried to calm everyone down, including myself. Giving Zeke comforting smiles from afar, and putting my hand on Spencer's shoulder next to me.

Finally, "........ Darrell Sawyer....." Of course we all got up and cheered. He does a little bow and skips off the stage. Not very Darrell-like, but it is his graduation day. Who am I to judge?

I noticed Zeke leaning over and saying something to his stepsister before rolling away in his wheelchair. "Hey, I'll be right back." I tell Spencer before slipping out the back door of the auditorium. I looked around the halls, but there was no sign of Zeke or his wheelchair. Eventually, I decided to make sure there wasn't a boy in a wheelchair rolling down the side of the road, and peeked outside. Of course he's in the last place I checked. I thought, as I spot him sitting on the steps to the school, out of his wheelchair. "Rough night?" I asked, sitting down next to him.

"Just a bit. Hearing someone say his name out loud after all this time...... I don't know why it had such an affect on me." He shook his head, looking down at the pavement.

"It's understandable. I mean, he fucking shot you!" He flinched at my words. "I'm sorry..... you know how I am." I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, pulling him to me. "He's not here anymore. He can't hurt you, or me, or anyone else. That's the important thing." He nodded.

Zeke looked back at the doors to the school. "That's gonna be me in there next year."

"And me in three years." I said with a smile.

"Do you think we'll still be together then?" He questioned with a glum look on his face.

"I hope so........ You know, I have to thank my mom when I get home."

"Why's that?" He asked confused.

"One, for babysitting tonight. And two, a year ago, I was dreading moving here. I was being pulled away from my friends, who you have got to meet by the way, and I had just found out she had been hiding the fact that I was adopted. But after all that, I met all fourteen of my biological brothers, and they introduced me to you." I finished with a loving smile across my face. "In the past year, so much has happened. This is kind of pathetic, since I'm only fifteen and have a whole life ahead of me." We both chuckled. "But this really has been the time of my life."