ELITE

Chapter 55

Catarina's POV
Today was the last day of class and I was happy.I haven't talked to Mateo since the party I avoided him.I was in my locker getting my books when Mateo walked up to me.I rolled my eyes and was about to leave but he stopped me by grabbing my hand."I'm sorry,I shouldn't have done what I did and I'm stopping,but I'm being truthful this time"Mateo says and I sigh."You always say that but you always somehow end up doing it again and making a stupid excuse about it"I say and Mateo shakes his head. "Carla talked to me this morning...and the day at the party I-I was scared and tired...tired of my dad and mom...tired of school...and tired of not helping my sister out when she needed me the most and how she got into drugs just to help her out instead of coming towards me"Mateo says and I look down."Mateo drugs don't fix your problems or take them away,they cause more"I say and then look at him."I was like that...but then I saw Valerio collapsed and then I overdosed...and it made me open my eyes,the time I actually took them they didn't fix my problems when I really needed them,they never did anything other than cause more...and if you need someone to talk to I'm here for you,your friends,and Carla"I say while walking away.

"I can't believe they did that"I say while looking at Valerio and Rebeka."Well,that's what she told us...we're not going to graduate"Rebeka says and I sigh."I'm going to miss both of you"I say while hugging both of them."We better keep in touch" Valerio says and I smile and nod.

I enter the school with my parents by my side and I smile and see Lucrecia."Hey,I cant believe we're still going to see each other after this"I say and she nods. "I know and Nadia is going to be with me so we can all hang out to"Lucrecia says and my parents come up."Lu,Congratulations"Dad and Mom tell her while greeting her.I walk away and see Mateo with his dad and mom.I go up to them and smile"Hey"I say and greet them."I heard your going to MIT,Congratulations"Mateo's dad says and I smile. "Thank you"I say."Did you hear that Mateo is going to NYU"Mateo's mom says and Mateo rolls his eyes. "Mom"Mateo says and I nod."Yeah he told me"I say and they smile."Well you two could still have a happy relationship since Massachusetts and New York are right next to each other"His Dad says and I give him a awkward laugh."Cata and I are going for a walk"Mateo says and we walk away."That was awkward"I say and he nods.

We were all sitting down in the audience as the principle comes in the stage and we applaud."Thanks.Lets continue with the ceremony.The students I'm about to introduce hold a very special achievement.They worked really hard for this achievement.I'd like to invite the winners of the scholarship to the stage.A big round of applause ,please, for Nadia Shanaa and Lucrecia Montesinos Hendrich"The principle says and we all applaud.Lucrecia and Nadia go up to the stage and smile."Bill McKinley will present this award on behalf of Columbia University."The principle says with a smile and we all applaud again and a man comes up to the stage."Hello,everyone.Thank you for having me.Im very excited to be here.Congratulation.We're excited to have you at Columbia."The man says and hands Nadia and Lucrecia a award.They both grab it and walk up to the microphone."Good Afternoon.Thank you to our parents and friends who have joined us for such a special moment...for us and....for our fellow students...I would like to..I can't do this"Lucrecia says and the audience begins murmuring."Well...I was saying that-"Lucrecia begins to say but gets cut off by Nadia."No,wait.I would just like to say that... I would like to —well,we would like to-I think I'm speaking on behalf of both of us-dedicate this award to all our fellow students,especially everyone there in the back.Nadia says and we all turn around to see Rebeka,Guzman,Valerio,and Samuel."Who,for different reason,cannot join us up here...as part of this graduation ceremony."Nadia says and we all applaud."Not being able to have them here with us... makes this moment not as happy as we would have liked it to be."Nadia says and Lucrecia nods."That's true.Because she and I should be jumping for joy....but we're not.Because we...deserve this award. We deserve this moment,Nadia."Lucrecia says."My friends are there...due to series of injustices the most serious of all being the one that deprived us of having..Marina with us.Injustices...that we both condemn."Nadia say and I smile."That's right.And just one person is responsible for all of those injustices.Polo.How are you?Happy with yourself?.... Look,the award we are receiving was a ploy your moms came up with to clean up your image,basically.And we are accepting it because,I repeat,we deserve it.What should we do?Because this has become-"Lucrecia says but at the end gets cut off by one of Polo's moms going up on stage and getting the microphone."If it's such a problem for you to accept the award,don't worry.The scholarship has been called off."she says and I shake my head. "That's bullshit"I say and walk out.

We were in the club and I was in one of the couches drinking my beverage."Hmmm,your all alone?"Mateo says and I laugh."Lucrecia went to go get a drink and Carla is...I don't know I lost track of her"I say with a shrug."Well I'm going to keep you company"Mateo says and then his eyes widen from behind me.I turn around and see Polo standing there.I stand up and we both walk towards were everyone was watching him.
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Her dress