Phoenix

Chapter 33

Hellos and Goodbyes

Essence's POV
I carefully pull on the mini baby blue dress I had ironed earlier today, slipping my head through it's square neck and hands through it's puffed short sleeves. Frantically running around the room, I dig under my bed for my silver lace up heels and I slide my feet into them, while simultaneously hooking the droplet diamond earnings onto my ears. Trying my best to get this over with, I run up to the mirror and run my fingers through my hair a few times dispersing the waves as I let my newly cut hair flow above my shoulders. Layering some silver necklaces around my bare neck and tugging at my dress so it covered my mid thigh I ran out of my room almost forgetting to lock the door behind me.

Outside the campus was decorated. Huge crimson ribbons were attached between one tree and another, as flower bouquets were scattered among the paved pathways. A wooden stage was set up on the lawn, with rows of seats before and on either sides of it. And on those seats sat parents, all dressed up and pristine, getting served cold drinks to relieve them from the warmth of the sun shining brightly above.
The auditorium was occupied by the students, dressed in blue gowns and hats, where some prepared speeches, others primped themselves up while the rest mingled around, enjoying what may be the last moments with their friends.

I look around the open area, trying to either find my friends, brother and parents, or boyfriend. As I scanned past the jumble of familiar and foreign faces, I wasn't able to miss the blond mop of hair standing beside a black one streaked with purple.
I walk up to the couple as the seniors begin filing out of the auditorium and lining up behind the stage as pictures of them were taken.

_ "Hey you guys! You look great." I greet Myles and Raven who looked incredibly adorable together. Raven was dressed in a short sleeved dark purple dress which hung tightly on her upper body, but flowed freely from her waist down. She had chunky black heels on and matching dark jewelry. While Myles stood beside her in black shoes, pants and short sleeved button up shirt, all formal. His purple tie matching with Raven.

_ "Hey, thanks, you look good too." Smiles at me Myles.

_ "Hi Essence! You look rad." My friend mimics her boyfriend's smile as he untucks a hand from his pocket and wraps it around her waist.

_ "You both dressed up fancy, any reason for it?" I ask. Usually only family or friends of the seniors would dress up while the students who came for the elimination filed into the auditorium wearing casual attires.

_ "Yeah, my sister's graduating." Begins the bubbly boy.

_ "And I-I'm meeting his parents." Raven hesitantly says.

_ "Say what now? You're meeting his parents!? That's awesome, but hold your horses there." I pause. "You have a sister?"
Myles chuckles as if he had been asked this question a million times already.

_ "Yeah, that's her, the one with the bright blue hair and many piercings." He says, pointing at one of the girls wearing a graduation gown over black ripped jeans and a tank top. "Sierra Armstrong."

I blink a few times trying to piece it all together. Looking at his punk sister, who was very cool, I kinda understood why Raven wasn't able to scare him away. He knew how to deal with girls like her, and I was glad she finally had someone who made her happy.

_ "That's so cool, I didn't you were related." I say, earning a shrug. "Where's Destiny by the way?" I spin around trying to locate her. 

_ "She's taking her time trying to look her 'best'. Says she coming in fashionably late." Explains my best friend.

_ "I see." I chuckle. "Well have you seen my family or Phoe-"

Two strong arms held me up and tossed me into the air, and I immediately recognized this gesture and the person behind it.