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15
SCOTT AKERS WAKES up with the realization that today is his high school graduation. He sighs, running his hand over his tired face and feeling the cool metal of his lip ring as he passes over it. For some reason, he just feels exhausted and overwhelmed, and the day hasn't even started yet, especially with the sun still below the horizon. Scott just sits in bed for a moment or two longer, looking out of the window with bleary green eyes before pushing off his blanket to stand up and stretch his limbs. He sifts through his messy dark hair as he does so, trying to get rid of his sluggishness. It doesn't go away.
The bedroom door suddenly opens, and Scott doesn't even have the chance to blink as his father walks through the door. Hell, Scott doesn't even care that he's only wearing plaid boxers and socks in front of his dad. He just wants to understand how the hell his father knew exactly when to come in and give him some life-changing advice.
"Put some clothes on, my boy," Benjamin says with his warm, familiar tone, "We're gonna go watch the sunrise while you're still a high schooler, and I'm still young."
"Mom's not gonna join us?"
"Not today, son. It's been a while since it was just the two of us."
Scott picks up a random shirt from the ground and a pair of sweatpants, managing to pull them on without stumbling around like a total idiot. Once again, he goes out pretty much raw and punk-less, aside from his lip ring and his tattoos that peak out from under his shirt. It doesn't matter, however, because no one should look presentable right before dawn. With that humorous thought in his mind, Scott follows after his dad with a light tilt of his lips, the sleepiness slowly ebbing away with each step he takes.
They both climb over that stupid gate, which doesn't cover the entire stairwell. Benjamin is a little sloppy and almost trips as he jumps back to the ground. Scott cheekily grins at his dad and pulls himself over the gate, pleased that he didn't mess up and make a total fool of himself by trying to act cocky. Benjamin simply ruffles his son's hair. They then prop the door open, knowing that if it shut behind them, they're absolutely done for. Well, not really. Scott's mom will eventually come to their rescue, but then she'll probably kill them for being careless idiots.
The father and son sit on the ledge.
There's a silence that lingers between them, and it doesn't break until Scott finds the strength to say, "Graduation. One of the scariest or most exciting day of our lives. It's the day that marks the end of high school and starts just about everything else."
"How do you feel about it, Scott?"
"It's just weird," he lets out a sigh, pushing back his hair, "I don't know."
