Now

Graduation

Fast forward to Graduation

"I can't believe that we're finally graduating!!!" I said to Jazz.

"I know!! I've been waiting for this moment my entire life!" Jazz said, taking out her digital camera and snapping pictures of herself and I.

Then reality came rushing in. "Should I tell him?" I asked.

"Tell him what? That you're in love with him?" A furious Jazz said. "Of course not!!!! That would stop you guys from being friends."

"But I have to. I mean, we'll probably never see each other again so no matter what he says in return, it wouldn't even matter." I said with confidence.

"So you say...just don't do it, okay?" Jazz said, holding both of my shoulders and smiled.

I went to fetch my parents at the waiting area for them to be seated, the graduation was about to start.

Me and Jazz sat beside each other as they waited for another ten minutes. "Thank God this place is air conditioned!" Jazz said.

"Look!" I said, pointing to the other direction, I was obviously not listening to what Jazz was saying.

"Oh my...." Jazz said, looking at the direction where I was looking. Andrew was standing at the corner of the room, not far away from them, busy with his phone. "Is that a new haircut?" She asked Karen.

"I guess so." I couldn't keep my eyes off Andrew. I knew I had to tell him even though Jazz wouldn't allow me. I just knew. I decided to tell him after the program ended.

~

"Parents, Faculty and the Administration, I present to you the Graduates of 2010!" Mrs. Dellaware, our principal, said as we stood up, with applause on our background, we threw our caps to the air and hug their parents and friends.

I felt a tear escape my left eye, I just realized that I'm finally out of high school, I'm 17 and ready to go to college.

"I'm so proud of you, kid." Dad said and handed me a bouquet of red roses.

"Thanks, Dad!" I said hugging both of my parents.

"I can't believe that we're finally college students after two months!!!!" Jazz said, tugging me away from my parents.

"I know." I wasn't too jolly for a fresh grad. I was still thinking about that thing she was about to tell Andrew.

"I'll just go to the bathroom." I told Jazz who was saying good bye to their friends. "Be quick, we're leaving in a few."

~

I saw Andrew going outside the parking area, I ran to catch up with him. "Hey!" I said. He stopped after hearing me call out his name, it gave me a chance to catch my breath. "Hey! Was just getting something from the car." Andrew explained.

"Oh." I said. "I thought you were leaving."

"Leaving? Without goodbye?" Andrew said, taking out a box from the back of his pick up truck. "Here." He handed it out to me.

I was surprised, in my head I was already giving double meanings to whatever he was about to give me. "What's this?" She asked.

"Remember that game we watched together? And we went to the mall afterwards to get some food, then we passed by this Vans store? That's the pair you've been wanting for the longest time." He said, he was completely non-chalant.

"Really?" I screamed in excitement, I wanted to buy this pair with my own money but I would always forget. Karen tore the wrapper and there it was. "Thank you!!!" I said and hugged him.

"Easy, tiger, there are people here." He said. That was the cue, I needed to tell him right now.

"Actually, I need to tell you something." I said. I could feel my palms sweating.

"Woah, okay, what's up?" Andrew came a bit closer, slightly touching my arms.

"There's no other way to say this but, I'm in love with you. I know, I know, you're 27 and I'm 17, you're a teacher and I'm a student blah blah but I'm not your student anymore and if you feel something too it would mean a lot." I said, looking at the ground, too afraid to lift my head up to see his reactions.

There was a moment of silence.

"Karen...." He said.

Oh boy

Shit

".....you know I have a girlfriend and it's not that you're younger. You're a great person, beautiful, smart and funny but I'm not in a good place right now. I admit, I like it when it's just us too, I enjoy your company and all but....I have a girlfriend, Karen, I hope you understand. I just cant." He said, trying to lift my chin with his fingers.

"That's a lot of 'buts' you know." I carefully joked. "I understand." I was dying inside.

"I like you, Karen, but I can't just leave her hanging and run away with you. Why do you think I bother giving you a pair of shoes if I don't care about you? Out of all of you guys, I only wrapped a present for you. That must mean something right? Come on. I don't want to hurt you but I certainly can't hurt her too." Andrew explained, his voice was breaking.

"It's okay. I'll be fine. I know you love her so much, I know, you always rant about her to me." I said, my head was bowed down, I didn't want let Andrew see that I was crying. "Well, I better go, thanks for this." I said, lifting the box.

"Hey, no problem. I hope we won't stop being friends, okay?" He said.

"Sure." I said, I began to walk, each step away from him was painful, I tried to look back but chose not too. I wanted to move on as soon as possible, my heart was shattered, my heart was broken.

~~~~

After 1683861688 years!!! An update!!! So sorry guys, I don't have a proper explanation why....

In other news, can't wait to watch Macbeth and Slow West! (I miss Michael)

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