Drowning

Chapter 1:

"Stupid itchy gown," I grumbled under my breath as I continued to dig ferociously at my skin.

The royal blue gown's rough fabric was driving me insane. Little red splotches were beginning to cover my arms from the annoying thing. The urge to rip it off was overwhelming. I was literally ten seconds away from screaming.

"Riley Elizabeth Davis."

I jerked my head up when I realized my name had been called. Everyone in the audience was staring at me, expectantly. I gulped down my horror as I stood there looking around. My mind was hollering at my feet to move, but my body was not getting the memo. I froze like a statue as my stomach dropped into my feet. I couldn't breathe.

"Riley Elizabeth Davis." The commencement speaker called again with an annoyed tone in his voice. He cleared his throat and pushed his horn-rimmed glasses back up the bridge of his nose while he gawked at me.

"Riley, move your ass." My best friend, Brynn, pushed at me from behind.

When I didn't respond, she swung her hand back hard and hit me on the butt to get me to move. I jumped in the air and stumbled down the last step. My heels caught on the bottom of the too-long graduation robe and I began to fall forward. Maybe the fall would knock me out and I could get out of this. Luck had never been on my side; why would it start now?

Unfortunately for me, Brynn managed to catch the back of my robe before I landed flat on my face. She pulled me to my wobbly feet and shook her head at me with a smile.

"You're ridiculous." She rolled her eyes at me.

Loud shrieking laughter erupted from someplace in the audience. I knew that sinister laugh. My brother, JD, was cracking up. Stupid jerk, older brother. When I found where he was seated, I could see my Mom smacking him repeatedly with the graduation pamphlet, trying to get him to be quiet.

I huffed as I straightened the cap on my head. A stray lock of my curly blond hair fell out. Now my hair had even decided not to cooperate with me. I tried to tuck it back up and it fell out again. Damnit.

Taking a deep breath and shaking my hands at my sides to relieve the tension in my body, I began to walk across the stage. The gown kept trying to trip me up as it flowed loosely around my legs. The length was too long for my height and I had to be careful not to trip over it again since there was no one to catch me this time. Heels and robes did not mix well for me. I was clumsy enough without added hazards.

A chubby woman with glasses was standing on the opposite side of the stage handing out the diplomas. When I finally got to her, she shook my hand too hard and awkwardly. My hand throbbed from her death grip. She handed me the diploma as I turned to walk off the stage.

A bright pop of light from a camera flash stunned me, freezing me in place once again. The plump woman placed her hand on my back and nudged me to the side of the stage to go back up to my seat. I had forgotten the school had decided to take a picture of the graduates to sell to the parents after. My parents would never know they could buy that picture. I didn't need another embarrassing photo in the house.

"Brynn Marie Evans."

I watched my insane best friend strut across the stage like she was on a catwalk. Unlike myself, Brynn loved the attention. Even the guys on stage were whistling and hollering as she swung her hips back and forth like a supermodel. Brynn was a force and I envied her confidence. That was something I severely lacked.

I shook my head and began climbing the steps again to go back to my seat. Brynn sashayed right next to me and hooked her arm in mine. I looked over at her and furrowed my brow grumpily. She stuck her pierced tongue out at me in response. We may be graduating today, but my best friend still acted like she was twelve.