Under these Stars

Chapter 30: Growth

Things get awkward between Hunter and I. Why wouldn't it? I probably broke the boy's heart. We stop texting and hanging out with each for two weeks. It's not that hard to avoid him anyways. He's busy with his college stuff and having fun with his senior friends. I'm busy with my junior year stuff, so we just spend time being busy. 

Still, we run into each other. We stare into each other's eyes awkwardly before nodding. Then, we move on. 

Time seems to pass in a blur as I go through my daily routine. Before I know it, it's senior graduation and we've finished our exams. Seniors get out a week earlier than all of us so they have a week to relax and practice for graduation. 

"Dee! Did you see my grad cords?" Allen shouts from downstairs 

"No! Shouldn't you have them ready by now? The ceremony is in a few hours! Aren't you supposed to be at school already?" I glance at the clock. We have two hours until the ceremony begins. I peer down the stairs and observe his frantic behavior.

"It's fine! The guys have me covered, but where the hell are my cords?" He has on a red one that the entire graduating class wears, a gold graduation stole for his National Honor Society membership, black for taking a second language, and navy blue cord for his Varsity Football. The cords stand out against his white gown. I almost snicker from the huge grad gown which makes him look like a ghost. 

"Which one are you looking for?" I haven't really paid attention to the number of cords he has. 

"The Physics one! It's Red and Black." He rummages through the drawers in a rush.

"Dude, it's just a cord. You have plenty other ones anyways." Finn yawns as he also watches Allen moving around frantically. 

"It's not just a cord," he snaps a little angrily. "I'm using the same one that Dad had." Finn and me soften a little and feel bad at taking this lightly. I forget that Allen was in the physics society since it seemed so unlike him to join since he's going to be going to culinary school. I think the only reason he joined was because of Dad. Dad used to be the president of the society way back when he was in high school. I remember seeing trophies collecting dust in the attic besides my mom's high school stuff. 

"Why didn't you say so?" Finn frowns and disappears upstairs. A few minutes pass by before he skips down the stairs with the cord in his hand. "Now, let's go!" 

"I'll drive." I grab the keys and drag Allen with me. I need to give the twins and my uncles some time to prepare our gifts. Every single one of us have an obnoxious, enlarged picture of Allen's face printed out. We printed it thick cardboard cutouts and will hold it up like every embarrassing family does at graduation. It was the twins' idea. My uncles bought candy and flower leis for Allen too. 

I drop him off at the entrance and see some senior stragglers running to join the rest of their class. I laugh as some kid trips on his oversized gown and falls. That must hurt. 

Making my way to the front bleachers, I find a seat for seven. Luckily, there are still some seats left even though so many families have saved seats. I see large families of twelve to twenty. I am awed at the huge families. Sometimes, I wish my family was super large, but I do love my tight-knit family.

I get bored as time passes. I don't want to lose the seats so I know I have to stay here for the next hour and a half. Looking around, a lot of the nearby seats are filled. All the seats around me are also filled up too. I feel a little claustrophobic as more people come to fight for a seat. The loud, rowdy crowd makes me feel dizzy. There's way too much going on. 

"Hey! Dela right?" I glance to my left and see a familiar afro. 

"Adel from the time Hunter, me, and your friend played soccer?" I greet him.