Congratulations on completing the easiest part of your life.
Author Unknown
The pomp and circumstance of the moment felt almost too much to bear, the weighty notes of the traditional graduation march resounding off the walls of what now seemed like a quaint auditorium. There I was, Cree Dalene, stepping in time with the melody, my gown billowing slightly as I walked down the aisle. My large blue eyes scanned the crowd, catching glimpses of proud parents and bored siblings. Each step echoed a reverberating sense of finality, though it felt more like a rite of passage from adolescence into a question mark.
“Remember to breathe,” someone whispered from behind me.
“Easy for you to say,” I thought back, a smirk playing on my lips. “You’re not the one who feels like they’re marching to the gallows. Ha! Gallows or glory, Cree. Gallows or glory.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle, the playful inner monologue cutting through the solemnity of the event. Anticipation buzzed in the air, mixed with a hint of mischief that brought me back to Senior Ditch Day. Standing before my designated seat, I let my mind wander just as I had that day when the entire senior class played hooky.
“Seniors, please take your seats.”
The voice of the principal yanked me back from my reverie, the present suddenly snapping into sharp focus. We shuffled and rustled into our chairs, the sound of fabric whispering secrets of the future across the rows. There was a hum of excitement among us, each graduate lost in thoughts of past pranks, shared laughter, and the impending unknown.
“Can you believe this is it?” I muttered to a nearby classmate, who nodded solemnly.
“End of an era, Cree. End of an era.”
“Or the start of an epic vacation,” I added with a wink, injecting levity into the momentous occasion. After all, wasn’t that the point? To leap from the security of known shores, chasing the horizon with a mix of hope and daring?
“Here’s to the next great adventure,” another classmate said, raising an imaginary glass just below sight of the audience.
“Cheers,” I reciprocated, grinning as we turned our attention forward, ready to face whatever came next.
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