Today was my graduation day, and my dad had stayed in town this weekend just to come to the ceremony. Honestly, I was surprised he had stayed for it, but I was a bit happy about it, too. But of course I wasn't going to tell him that.
It was about 9:18 a.m. and I was sitting on my couch in my living room watching TV. My phone was lying beside me on the couch because I had been watching it closely all week for a message from Michael, or Calum, or even Ashton. But especially Luke. It had been almost a week since I had told Michael about Luke, and I still hadn't heard anything back from anyone.
As if on que, my phone began to ring. I dug around for the TV remote burried within the couch and paused the TV. Then, I picked up my phone and glanced at the caller ID. Mikey.
"Mikey!" I shouted over the line after picking up.
"Hal!" He mocked excitedly and I smiled. "What's up?"
"Eh, just watching some Gossip Girl and being anxious to get this whole graduation thing over with," I sighed as I played with my hair.
"Eh, same," Michael murmured.
"You're anxious about graduation or you're watching Gossip Girl?" I giggled and Michael giggled as well.
"Hal, you and I both know I'm the biggest Gossip Girl fan ever. Is that even a question?"
I rolled my eyes and spoke hesitantly: "Hey, have you... Have you heard from Luke lately?"
"...No," Michael answered slowly, "Have you?"
"No," I gulped.
"Welllll, have you tried calling or texting him?" Michael questioned.
"No, have you?" I was embarrassed all of sudden for even asking about Luke and the fact I hadn't even bothered to call or text him.
"Countless times," he muttered, "but nothing. Cal and Ash have tried, too. Do you think we should be worried?"
"I don't know. I know he'll come around sometime soon. It's Luke." I said, desperately trying to change the subject. "Anyways, why are you calling?"
"Oh," I could almost hear Michael smiling through the phone. "I was just wondering if after graduation today... you know, if you're not going to any parties or anything, if you wanted to like... go get a smoothie or something?"
"Well, yeah sure!" I beamed. "I haven't seen three fourths of 5 Seconds of Summer all together at once in a long time!"
"Well, no actually I was wondering if you and I could just-"
"Oh, I gotta go, Michael! My dad's up. See you at graduation," I said as soon as I saw my father walking out of his room into the living room. I clicked 'the end' call button and greeted my father.
"Hey," I tried my hardest to smile at him. Things were getting better between us and I figured I had to be nice to him today since he was at least staying around for my graduation.
"Hey," he groaned and I could tell he was still tired. "How long have you been up?"
"I don't know, eight?" I followed him into the kitchen as I watched him open the fridge and dig around in it.
"I see," he chuckled and pulled out a pitcher of orange juice.
"Hey... Sooo," I drawled leaning up against the kitchen counter. "You mind if I go out with some of my friends after graduation?"
"Sure?" He shrugged as if I had asked a stupid question. I guess it kind of had been because I usually never asked him if it was okay for me to go places. I always just... did, and he never cared. I guess I had subconsciously been expecting him to maybe want to celebrate with me a little afterwards. But who was I kidding? It was my father.
"Yeah, okay. Yeah," I nodded in embarrassment as he poured himself a glass of orange juice. "Well, I'm going to go get ready."
"Okay," he said plainly as I walked back to my room. I knew I shouldn't be mad at him for not planning a celebration for my graduation or even giving two shits about it in the first place, but I was mad. I wished my father wasn't who he was or I wished I at least had a mother to turn to since he was who he was.
........
"Congratulations to this year's graduating seniors, and may the future be bright for all of you!" Our school principal concluded the ceremony as I sat uncomfortably in the rows of students in my large graduation gown. I eyed the back of Michael's ridiculous green head that was three rows ahead of me. I could easily spot Calum's head because he was directly in front of me. Quickly, he turned around and stuck his tongue out at me like he had been doing the whole time we had been sitting here. He was taking advantage of the fact that the alphabetical order of our last names had placed me right behind him. I knew if Luke was here he wouldn't be sitting too far away from Calum, and maybe I would even be able to stick my tongue back out at him instead.
After the ceremony got out, I wandered through the crowds of proud parents congratulating their kids to find my father. Suddenly, I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around.
In front of me stood a tall woman dressed in sophisticated clothing and tall, white heels. Her wavy hair was jet black and she wore expensive looking jewelry around her neck. I suspected she had thought I was someone else because I did not recognize her at all.
"Yes?" I answered and she grinned at me.
"Hi. Um, are you... Haleigha Jenkins?" The woman scanned my body up and down which made me feel a bit uncomfortable.
"Yes?" I repeated. Maybe she was Michael's mother or something. No, she couldn't be. She was too... normal looking for that.
"Hi," she said again rocking back and forth on her feet which looked rather unprofessional for her and the way she was dressed. "I'm Lauren Crowell."
"I'm Hal, as you have guessed," I laughed uncomfortably. "Do I know you?"
"Well, yes and no," the woman folded her hands and looked at the ground for a brief second before looking back up at me. "You sort of know me because I'm actually your-" she almost choked on her words, "your mother."
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Im not too happy about this chapter because it wasn't that exciting but the next one is OMGFJNISvS2F
and I shouldn't give anything away but I will say that LUKE IS BACK¡ O.O
YOU ARE READING
the promise ➳ hemmings
Fanfiction| Promises are just very sincere lies. We make them thinking that we'll keep them. But in time, our motivation to keep them fades-- just like the hope and trust others had in us that they wouldn't. It's just sad to think that's what our relationship...
