The Upside of Falling Back To You

prologue | twelve years and for what, a piece of paper?

I WATCHED AS Ronan made his way to the outdoor auditorium stage, his black graduation robe flowing behind him. He was quick as he walked across the stage, grabbing the award from the principal's hand and shaking it, and made his way back to his chair. The trip barely took two minutes - he didn't even stop to let his step-mother take a picture of him.

"I did not expect him to win the writing award." Lucas, Ronan's best friend, continued to clap even after his best friend was out of sight.

I rolled my eyes. "Please, have you never read anything he's written?"

"I mean, it's not like he's been writing me love letters for the last four years."

Again, I rolled my eyes. "I know for a fact that Ronan's been editing your essays since middle school. You don't have to read his love letters or poems to know that he's good with words, probably the best writer in the school."

"You're, like, the only one who would pay attention to his writing skills than anything else. Most girls would look at his abs and that's-"

"Can you guys please shut up?" Laila perched over my shoulder for the twelfth time this afternoon. Honestly, it was probably even more. "Aster, you know the Academic award is next-"

I shook my head. "It's probably not me, Laila. I swear to god, it's not going to be me."

Of course, it's my name that leaves the principal's mouth next, after her lengthy speech about how the student receiving the award (me) was such an academically bright, community involved member of R. R High School's community and they deserved to be recognized, et cetera.

I really didn't deserve it, or at least, I didn't want to get it. I'm sure there was someone else that at least needed the money attached to the award. Still, I get up from my seat for the third time today - once to get my diploma, and a second time to get my first award. I could hear my family cheer for me before I look back to see them. When I do, after grabbing the plaque, I see my dad holding up his camera, a big smile behind his face. My younger brothers were out of their seats, clapping. My mother was still sitting, but the smile on her face was brighter than I've ever seen it before.

As I walk down I look to Parvati, my best friend, and accidentally meet eyes with Ronan who was sitting close to her. It's a reflex that I look away, not wanting to deal with him anymore. There was less than half an hour until I never have to see him at school again, and it wasn't like my parents can make me hang out with him anymore. In a couple months I'm off to university, and Ronan Atlas Easton is just going to become another distant memory.

Laila gives me a smug smirk as I sit down and Lucas gives me a nudge. "Little Miss Smarty Pants, I think that decision was a no brainer."

"Can you shut up?" I looked to the stage - well, the waiting area beside it, and saw the valedictorian, Rubab, standing nervously with her speech paper in her hand. The light breeze that rolled through blew her blue hijab in front of her face, which she quickly pushed away.

"And now-" Principal Kane looked in her direction. "-to conclude our ceremony, I'd like to introduce our valedictorian, Rubab Chowdhury to the stage."

There's a warm set of applause as she steps up to the podium. She looks back to me and I give her two thumbs up, assuring her she was going to do great, just like I did before the ceremony started, and like every single day of the past two weeks. We weren't very close, but she came to me for help with her speech and I was happy to assist.

"Good afternoon parents and guardians, staff, friends and family, and of course, the graduating class of 2022!" The crowd roared in cheers and applause as she started. "After twelve years of hard work, we have finally gotten what we have been working towards - a piece of paper with our names on it!"