Problems of adults

Chapter 56 : The Last Dance

It was the day. All the teens were wearing their graduation day outfit and standing next to the scene. The headmaster was doing a speech, boring, as usual. They were all stressing, wondering if this crazy year had a good ending for them. Jane couldn't stop moving and biting her nails. She had worked a lot those last weeks, but she didn't know if it had been enough; she missed a long moment in school, and maybe she wasn't as smart as she thought. And she didn't want her sister to be disappointed, and her neighbors neither, because, yes, all her neighbors came to support her. But she was so deep in her thoughts that she didn't hear the headmaster telling her name.

- "BROWN!" the man yelled.

Jane started before looking around her. Beverly gently pushed her to encourage her while the others were chuckling and applauding her. She went on the scene and took her diploma. She was so surprised that she looked at her family and friends only when she got out of the scene, joining the first people who got their diplomas before her. It was only there that she realized that she finished the year. She turned to Constance who had the proudest smile on her face she had never seen before. And Jane had the same proud smile as her sister every time she was hearing one of her friends' name said, meaning they had their diplomas too. Once everyone with their piece of paper in their hands, they were allowed to join their families.

Jane was quickly joined by her sister who took her in her arms and her neighbors who were as happy as her.

- "I knew you would make it," Constance said, breaking the hug. "I'm proud of you."

- "Thanks, I'm happy this is over!"

- "Are you ready for college?" Mehdi asked.

- "Oh, uh, no! But I'm lucky, Will is going to the same college as me, we'll probably have some classes together."

- "That's great, you won't be alone," Mary smiled.

- "Yeah..."

- "What's wrong?" Mallory frowned.

- "Oh, uh, nothing, it's stupid."

- "I'm sure it's not."

- "No, it's fine, it's just...well, Max will be far, and I'm a bit scared of that. I mean, she is cool and all, people will flirt with her, and maybe she will find someone else because she doesn't have strong feelings for me, and things like that."

- "I'm not even gone and you're already missing me!"

Jane started and turned to see Max behind her who obviously heard everything.

- "You know I'm leaving to learn how to cook and not to find someone else, right?" the redhead said.

- "Yeah, I know, but it won't stop the others form flirting with you!"

- "Yeah, but I will! Can you stop being stupid for once?"

- "I think she can't," Constance intervened.

Jane pinched her lips together which made laugh the others. The group was quickly joined by Joyce and Will. The mother took Jane in her arms to congratulate her for all the work she had to do to have this diploma. All the friends and their families reunited to congratulate everyone, happy that all of them made it. But now, they had to go on the field for the last speeches. The families went on the bleachers while the graduates went on the field where chairs were placed. The headmaster and some other teachers made again some speeches, but Jane and the others didn't care, all they wanted was to see Will on the scene and to listen to what he had to say. After a few long minutes, the headmaster presented Will:

- "And, now, I want you to thunderous applause the students' representative, Will Byers!"

All the graduates and the families stood to applause him, to shout at him, or to whistle to encourage him. The boy entered the stage with a confident walk and even waved to them, feeling their energy travelling his body and giving him the courage to do his speech.