It was 9:42 and I was almost ready.
Graduates had to be in the gym early at 10 for graduation to start by 10:30 and end hopefully by 1:50.
It took one last look in the mirror, straightening my tie.
"Mamá,voy a la escuela. (I'm going to school.)" I yell as I close my bedroom door.
"Espera quiero ver como te ves. (Wait, I want to see how you look.)" She yells from the kitchen.
"Pero, mamá que tengo que ir. (But, mom I need to go.)"
I go to the kitchen and see her frying pastelitos with Steph behind her sealing the dough
She sees me leaning against the wall beside her from the conner of her eye.
"Mi niño! Te ves muy guapo! (You look so handsome!)" She exclaims, wiping her hands on a dish cloth and grabing my face.
"Mamá, por favor." I say pulling her hand from my cheeks and I pull her into a hug.
"¿Estás listo? (You ready?)" She asks stepping back to check on the food.
"Sí, mamá. Dejé las entradas en la mesa,
graduación comienza en 10:30. (I left the tickets on the table, graduation starts at 10:30.)" I finish turning to Steph and ruffling her hair as she swats me away.
"Pendejo. (Idiot.)" She mutters annoyed.
"Bien, ir o vas a llegar tarde. (Ok, go or you'll be late.)" Mama says.
I grab my keys and leave.
******
"Congratulations class of 2018, may you leave here ready to make your impact on the world!"
Applause rings throughout the flooded gym of more than thousand people, four hundred of them belonging to my class.
The graduates start to disperse and head towards their families, while I scan the gym for Kat.
"¡Santi!" I turn at the sound of my voice.
"Sí, mamá." I reply as she, Steph, and Tinny approach me.
"José! ¿Eres tú y tu familia siguen viniendo? (Jose! Are you and your family still coming over?)" She asks looking past me.
"Claro, mi mamá hizo barbacoa y churros. (Of course my mom made Barbacoa, and churros.)" José replies as his had rests on my shoulder.
"Bien, vamos a ir a casa y comprobar que el sancocho, no tome mucho tiempo.(Okay, we're going to head home and check on the sancocho, don't take too long.)" Mama says to us.
I nod and turn to José who I catch staring intensely past me.
I follow his gaze to my sister, "Mírate, mi amigo. (Watch yourself, my friend.)"
I say in a low voice. I've know Jose has been into my sister for years but she never seemed to notice so I ignored it. Recently she started watching him too.
"Chill bro, I know she's not interested."
I ignore his comment and focus on finding Kat again. I spot her by the stage removing chairs and stacking them.
She looks up at me and smiles, whispering something to another girl cleaning up, she makes her way to me.
"Preciosa. (Gorgeous.)" I whisper to myself. She was in a light pink spaghetti strap dress that hugged her waist before flaring out.
"Congrats! You start summer vacation early." Kat says hugging me.
"Hey José. Congrats!" She greets facing him but still glued to my side.
DU LÄSER
Her love
Romantik"Yes Papi!" I tease... "Damn Kat, if you keep talking like that I'm gonna have a hard time leaving!" He laughs and comes up behind me, placing both his hands on either side of the sink. I turn coming face-to-face with his chest and dropping the spon...
