Complete Chaos

072

On the last Saturday of the month of May, the students of Hawkins High School were going to have their graduation.

Because of the events that happened only two months ago, the school had to delay the ceremony until the 31st.

The teachers were more lenient with the students knowing the effect the destruction of the town had on them.

Half of the school was still getting rebuilt. According to the principal, by the beginning of the next school year, all the rebuilding of the school would be done.

The ceremony was going to take place in the big open field behind the school.

Julia, Steve, and Melody were going to attend because Robin and Nancy were going to graduate. They wanted to show support for their friends.

"Excuse me," said Julia, moving through the crowd. Steve walked close behind her. They took a seat in the middle of the bleachers, having a good view of the future high school graduates.

The family of three were sitting around the parents and other family members of the students.

Melody moved her body like a worm trying to set herself free. She wanted to be put on the ground and crawl her way through the open field. Since she started crawling, she had not stopped moving. In a blink of an eye, she moved fast around the house. Steve and Julia started to be careful whenever Melody got closer around the stairs. Julia switched Melody to her other hip.

"Let's look for Robin," the mother said, trying to get her daughter's attention. Melody stopped moving for a second and looked ahead "ehn?"

Julia looked down at her daughter "where's Robin," she asked. This was able to keep the young baby entertained looking for her friend. With her small index finger, she pointed to the crowd of students.

In the middle of the field were a few rows of chairs. Since many students left in the middle of the semester, they had fewer chairs than last year.

The seniors graduating that year were sitting down wearing their green cap and gown, waiting for their names to be called. Some didn't look as enthusiastic as they should be. It was a bittersweet moment knowing that fellow classmates died just two months ago and others left the town and never looked back.

Melody scrunched her nose as she observed the students. She wanted to look for Robin. The young baby got excited for a second, thinking she found Robin, but her smile fell when she looked a little bit longer realizing it wasn't her.

She moved her index finger from side to side. "Where is she," Julia asked again. Melody looked at her mother, asking for help.

Julia hugged her daughter. She couldn't get over the fact of how cute she was. "I love you," she whispered in her ear.

There was no time for kisses and hugs. Melody was on a mission. With her small hands, she tried to push her mother away. "Ehn," Melody expressed, trying to remind her mother who they were looking for.

The principal walked to the podium and tapped on the microphone. "1,2,3," he said into the microphone, getting the attention of everyone.

Melodys mission was on pause. The ceremony was about to start.

"Good afternoon to parents, friends, and faculty staff. Thank you to the parents and friends of our fellow students for being in every step of the way in this chapter of their lives," the principal said into the microphone, looking at the crowd in front.

He looked down at the podium, where he had several pieces of paper with his speech written down. "I know that it has been hard for all of us with the recent events, but I think it's important to celebrate this big milestone with our students." The crowd began to murmur and nod their head in agreement.

He looked to the side where the rows of students were sitting down. "These students have worked hard to be here right now. I'm proud of every single one of them for being here right now."

The principal smiled, looking down at the paper with his speech written down. He read the next page. "Before I call out the names, I want to take a moment of silence for the students who tragically died on spring break," he said sadly.

Everyone looked down at their feet and didn't say a word. Several young teens died when Vecna was destroyed. Their lives stopped that tragic night they wouldn't be graduating with their classmates. They wouldn't grow old with their friends.

Steve wrapped his arm around Julia's shoulder, holding her close to him. Eddie was supposed to graduate. He was supposed to be one of the many students wearing their cap and gown.

After the minute was done, the principal began to call out the students.

"Robin Buckley!" Steve and Julia got up from their seats and cheered for their friend.

The young girl beamed. She had found her friend.

Melody clapped her hands more in sync without missing her hands. She had barely learned how to clap and coordinate her hands together.

Robin got up from her seat and made her way to the vice principal Mr. Klotz.

Two rows back, Nancy clapped for her new friend.

Robin brightly smiled as she shook Mr. Klotz's hand, and with her other hand, she got her diploma. Robin faced the crowd, where she saw her friends. She beamed as she pointed down at her diploma. Steve gave her a thumbs up. Julia smiled back at her, and Melody waved at her older friend.

"Joseph Clark!" A boy with curly dirty blonde hair got up from his seat. He waved to the crowd as he picked up his diploma.

"Joey Davis!" Instead of walking normally like the others toward Mr. Klotz, Joey decided to do a backflip. A few students cheered for him. Some parents in the crowd laughed. "Come on, Joey," the principal called him, not surprised by the students behavior.

"Mia Jones," the principal called out the teen. A girl with long black hair walked toward her diploma. She held her chin up high as she walked back to her seat.

"Amanda Klotz!" A tall girl with short brown hair walked toward her father, the vice principal. The man couldn't contain his excitement and hugged his daughter. The young teen blushed with embarrassment. He patted her on the back before she went back to her seat.

They were halfway done. "Vickie Roberts!" The redhead walked down the field. Robin clapped rapidly for the young teen. Vickie smiled at her and blushed, getting the attention of Robin.

After Vickie's breakup with her boyfriend, both girls began to hang out more during school and after band practice. Even though Robin was trying to not make her crush for the girl obvious, everyone knew she liked Vickie.

Robin was scared to admit her feelings for the girl, not wanting to get rejected or lose Vickie as her friend. Steve couldn't bear the sight of watching Robin not tell Vickie her true feelings. It was a slow process. He needed to have a lot of patience for.

"Nancy Wheeler!" She was one of the last names being called. The young teen got up, fixing her cap. She made her way down the field.

Julia and Steve got up again and clapped. Nancy's parents were on the bottom bleachers. Mike was beside his parents. Eleven was standing next to him. Behind them Jonathan, Joyce, and Hopper were cheering for the young girl. On the first row with the other students Robin whistled as her friend got her certificate. She walked back to her seat.

There was only one student left. "Raven Young!" The last student was called out.

He flipped the page, waiting for the student to go back to her seat to read his end speech. Once he saw her sitting down, he faced the front again. "Everyone at Hawkins High School wishes you everything that you so well deserve in the years ahead; it has been an honor and a privilege watching your growth. You guys have demonstrated that nothing can stop you from reaching your goals. I can't wait to see what all of you accomplish. Congratulations to the class of 1986!"

The students threw their caps up in the air. Julia smiled sadly, remembering her graduation last year. She was pregnant, and she still had her best friend with her. This year she lost someone new, and she has her daughter with her.

She couldn't control who gets to live and who dies. Life doesn't work that way. The only thing she could do was to look on the bright side and enjoy the people she had around her.