Cliche (Love Series # 1)

t h i r t y

Award

(verb)

\ə-ˈwȯrd\

: to give (a reward or prize) to someone or something
: to officially decide that someone should get (something)

°°°
It's our third day of practice and I already want to just finish this in one swoop. I don't think I'll be able to sing in the time of graduation. We've been singing over and over, I think I even sang it in my dream.

Besides, April is on the way and we know what it means, summer is about to come in full swing with it's scorching wave of heat. I just can't wait to be submerged in water and stay there for a prolonged time.

My uniform's feels rough for me, it's like a thick pile of blanket on a boiling day and my skirt envelops my whole legs making me feel more annoyed and sweaty all over. I'm afraid after this day, I'll have bungang araw all over me.

Sweat roll down on my neck as I wipe it quickly with my towel, the other's were holding their own fans and some diy fans made up of a rough paper from the back of their intermediate paper.

I would rather soak my whole self to water than stand here and feel my legs ache in pain along with the worsening condition of my throat.

"Can I have a sip of water?" Hanie asked behind me, I looked at her and shake my head no. "Why?" She asked with a grievous tone.

"We'll be stuck here for God knows how long so nope, I'm not gonna sacrifice my water for you. It's your fault that you didn't bring one especially in this hot day" I immediately turned my head to my front when I saw the teacher is about to reach our row.

I hear her whine but didn't comment on it, the  head teacher came up on stage along with several teachers of grade 10. They were holding piles of diploma and a medal on the side.

I forgot to tell you, our adviser told us that she'll give a direct message on our account, it's for students who are a part of the with honors sector.

I got mine and immediately showed it to my mother. She told our grandparents and they immediately formed a plan that after the graduation, we'll have a small celebration.

"Students, listen to me" the head teacher's voice rang in the open area as we looked at him. "We would announce to everyone of you the valedictorian, the salutatorian and then the students with high honors and with honors. After that, we would announce the students based on their section so everyone's position would change"

Great, then we would repeat our graduation march and would possibly numb our legs from standing for a very long moment.

"When taking the diploma well- we'll show you first" then three teachers stood along with the principal while another teacher took two students with her from the first row.

One student get up on stage, his right hand is shaking the teacher's hands whose acting like the esteemed guests and on his left hand was a diploma. He did that for three times before he took five steps and stepped on the signed floor before bowing.

The other student acted like he's one of the with honors, he still did the same like the other student but then another teacher showed up, she's acting as the parent and took the medal that was given to her by the other teacher. Then she proceeds to put it on the student's neck and made him post for a picture then walked to the rest of the guest before inching his way to the middle of the stage and ended it with a bow.

After that, we practiced once more, I was greatly relieved that we weren't told to repeat the song again. We did managed to sing the whole song in unison and in clarity. The thing that just sucks is all the standing and the fact that we can't turn our heads to chat with our classmates though we don't really listen, we just do it sneakily.

Time seemed to blurred, my conversation with him became more longer than ever, it also turned sweeter and more ambiguous. Me and my friends would go out and play every single day as if we wanted to make more memories together.

Joshua was free of his assignments since it's already nearing vacation as well as Jerimie. My brother still continues his work and found a girlfriend for himself, lucky twit. I on the other hand continued my day like any other student about to graduate, I acted like Cinderella and cleaned our house, waste my time and my vision reading Wattpad and spend my nights having a conversation with Willmark.

Time was well spent, I made sure of it myself, but what I didn't knew was that it was too quick.

...

Graduation day came up like a tornado, wreaking havoc in my mind as every graduatee students experience. I woke up early, my mind still a mess from the sudden insomnia that made me suffer yesterday. I think it's of my whirlpool like emotions clearly making me feel unable to sleep.

My mother cooked some lucky me beef and a side of sunny side up and hotdog aling with some Fred rice and freshly brewed coffee. After eating a simple dish, I washed up and immediately took out my freshly ironed uniform.

"Come on, were going to apply some make up on you so you better stay still!" My mother took it a bag filled with makeup as she told me to close my eyes.

I almost fell asleep by the time my mother told me that I can now open my eyes, it was pretty light and simple, just how I like it. I don't want to look like I'm going to a fashion show so it's better to simplify it but not too much. Mom curled my hair and in a way style and made me wear a white hair and decorated with small roses on the right side, with that, I was finished.

"Come on Jamie, we better go now or else we'll be late!" She picked up her bag and stuffed some crackers inside before urging me with her.

We payed fifty pesos for the tricycle and made it private so it would be just the two of us as passengers.

We haven't arrived yet to the gates but I can already see the crownd, parents in their best clothes as they walked to their child's side and line up with them. They already know what to do since we had our last practice with our parents four days before the graduation.

We stepped down the ground, my hand a bit sweaty from nervousness but there's a glint of happiness in my eyes. It's finally coming, were going to graduate today and this day would possibly be the end of our meeting.

Maybe?

Notes:

• Bungang araw, mostly known as heat rash or prickly heat. It is a skin condition characterized by tiny bumps or water blisters that appear due to the clogging of sweat glands during hot and humid weather.
• Lucky Me! is an instant noodle brand that is distributed in the Philippines. It was first introduced in 1989 and is currently owned and marketed by Monde Nissin. It's a very staple breakfast serving for cold days, lucky me beef is my favorite noodle!

***
Hi everyone! Since some of us won't experience graduation, I'm hoping this chapter would give you some insights about graduation here in the Philippines. I hope you feel nostalgic as you read this because for me, it heavily feels nostalgic.

Anyways, I hope you have a great day! Stay safe and healthy as always okay?!

Please do VOTE. COMMENT. SHARE.

Thank you!