Rules of a Rebel

Chapter 48: Keep Your Enemies Away

Rule #28: Keep Your Enemies Away

Keep your friends away too. You don't deserve them.

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Archer falls asleep five times during the graduation ceremony.

By the fifth time, I don't bother to slap him awake. We've already cheered for Andrew, Jake and Irene respectively - Kya managed to get in a couple of blows from the air-horn before I snatched it away from her. Now she, along with Archer, snore away.

Sebastian, Kya and Archer all elected to come along with me. The rest of our group went to go to see more sight-seeing.

"Goddamn it," Sebastian growls when the Principal calls up the fifth, and final, group of students to get their diplomas. "How many of them are there?"

"The senior class? Four-hundred."

He sighs heavily.

"You were the one who decided to come along," I point out.

"If I knew I had to sit in a sweaty basketball court for three hours, packed between two imbeciles, I wouldn't have come," Sebastian scowls at Kya as she droops her head on his shoulder, still asleep.

"Your mistake."

"Do they have to read every single name?"

"That is the point."

"Maybe I should fall asleep too."

"Do it," I grumble. "So I won't have to listen your constant complaining."

A woman with glasses and a heavy camera cuts Sebastian off with a shush. He scowls and sulks lower in his seat. I hide my smug grin by turning back to the Principal as he calls out the names.

"Erin Zelle."

On the Jumbotron located in the middle of the stadium, I see a boy with freckles and curly brown hair step on to the podium. The massive screen displays his wide grin as he grabs the diploma.

"Erica Zelle."

His twin follows.

Gwenyth Zimmerman -"

Ridiculous as it is, my heart skips a beat as Gwyneth Zimmerman steps forward. They flash her face on the screen. As petty as it is, I had hoped that she'd gotten uglier from the last time I saw her. It's just the opposite. Gwen's taken her braces off, revealing shiny white teeth, and has gotten her hair dyed so that it shifts from a dark brunette to a light blonde.

She looks incredible.

Damn it.

Sebastian's silent for a moment. "You know her?"

"Yeah," I pull my eyes away. "She was my best friend."

"And now?"

"...she's not."

Sweat coats my palms as the reality of my situation sinks in. I haven't seen Xavier yet, because I cowardly hid in the bathroom when it was time to call his name. I thought could handle the sight of Gwen, but just hearing her name makes me feel sick.

Eventually, the diplomas are given, the hats are thrown, and people rise from their chairs. Most of the parents dart away immediately, wanting to kiss their kids or something. I wait a second, then slap both Kya and Archer on the face. Both of them wake up, then immediately rise to stand up and cheer.

"Stop that, you idiots. The ceremony's done."

Kya blinks. "Already?"

"Speak for yourself," Sebastian snorts. "If our ceremony's going to be anything like that, I might have to fail Spanish on purpose. Let's get out of this before my legs fall asleep."