The Professor's Daughter [Part 1 of 2]

22 | Graduate

Leah's POV

Day before Graduation

"Hey, you okay? You kinda freaked out on me the other night." Jalen says as he walks beside me toward the parking lot. "I- yeah. I'm fine. I'm sorry... I just- I'm not ready. I kind of just got out of something and what happened the other night... it was too much." I confess. "Okay, got ya. Well... if it helps, we can take things slow. Leah, I like you. I would love for things between us to work out." He tells me. I look at him, dumbfounded.

Why? Why do the people who I have no interest in always like me?

"Jalen, I don't know. I can't give you an answer." I say and he nods, "That's fine, but at least come with me to that party after graduation?" He smiles. I bite my cheek, "I can't even go. Parents have me on strict house arrest, remember?" I sigh. It's so annoying.

"Well, looks like it's time for you to use that brain of yours to think of an excuse. I would hate to not see your beautiful face there..." he grins. I smile a little and bite my lip, "thank you, Jalen. I'll try to think of something." I tell him. "I'll see you at graduation, Leah." He winks. I wave goodbye and he walks away from me.

I do want to go to this party, but not with him. I just want to go and enjoy myself...the last little bit of high school, you know? I have to think of something. There has got to be a way for me to go to this party! Jalen is right, I have to use my brain here. I've always been good at this sort of stuff.

Hours later I walk in the front door and see my mom in the kitchen. I know my father isn't home, he won't be for several more hours. Now is my chance...

"Hey, can I ask you something?" I mumble as I walk into the kitchen. "What is it?" She asks me. "I- I know I'm still in big trouble for everything that happened with Jennifer. I realize you and dad told me I couldn't leave the house, but I really want to have one fun thing to do before I'm completely done with high school. There is this party tomorrow night and-" "Leah, give it up." "Mom, please. It's my last chance to actually be a high school kid!" I beg, giving her my puppy eyes.

She sighs and shakes her head. My mom has been the more easy-going of the two of my parents during this whole ordeal...

"Leah, you know your dad isn't going to have this." "Well, he doesn't have to be part of it. I'll say I'm going to Amy's for my practice job-interview. He always believes that BS." I say and shrug. She gives me a look of disappointment and I shift my eyes down. This doesn't seem too promising.

"You can go, but I need to know exactly where you are and who you're with at all times. And this stays between us, Leah. You're lucky I'm even allowing this." She says. I smile widely and hug her, "thank you mom!" I say. She hugs me back and I giggle and run upstairs, searching for my post-graduation outfit.

-

I've heard time and time again that my high school graduation would be one of the best days of my life, and so far that hasn't been the case. My parents (mainly my dad) have been breathing down my neck all day, I'm nervous I'll trip and fall on the stage in front of all of these people, and I can't even think straight. So much is happening and I have a billion thoughts rushing through my mind.

I'm currently in a building with the rest of my graduating class and everyone is so happy and cheerful. Girls have full faces of make up and giant smiles plastered across their faces, meanwhile I'm here sweating and have hardly any make up on... I'm nervous as hell and I keep thinking about how many steps I should take on the stage, which hand I use to grab my diploma and which I use to shake hands, which foot goes on the step first... every little detail you can think of is being majorly overthought by me right now.

I want this to go well. I want something I do to be good enough for my dad and the rest of my family... maybe graduating from high school is it. This is the one thing I won't screw up!

We all get into our assigned lines and we are led to our seats. Everyone is listening very carefully for their name, watching as the line gets shorter and shorter.

Due to my focus on everyone else, I'm caught totally off guard when my name is called. I snap out of my daze and take my steps across the stage and accept my diploma before carefully exiting the stage without falling. Wow, that was easy and fast. I'm impressed with myself.

I make my way back to my seat and the rest of my class is called... once everyone has their diploma we do the switching sides with the tassels and all of that, then the caps are tossed and everyone around me starts to cheer and yell. I smile, partially real, and look around me at my friends. They're crying, some laughing, others just screaming. It's pure and total chaos around me.

"Congrats, graduate." I hear someone say from behind me. That voice... I'd know it anywhere. I turn around slowly and my heart begins to pound.

Jennifer.