Chapter 8

My parents had come into town for graduation and they looked so proud of me. I hid my sorrow behind a smile plastered on my face. It was a sweltering day. The school had decided to hold the ceremony outside this year and had rented a giant tent for the affair. The end result was nearly hundred degrees in the tent. The heat didn’t bother me too much, even though most of the other girls complained nonstop.

I was too lost thinking about having to say goodbye. Jon and I had spoken about it briefly that morning, but had decided that we’d talk later. Or, rather, he had decided we’d talk later. I had wanted to get it over and done with.

I was nervous but excited as I stepped onto the stage to receive my diploma. When it was handed to me, I beamed over at Jon, who was sitting with the other teachers. I knew that had it not been for him, I wouldn’t have made it this far. He smiled back at me and gave me a “thumbs up”. I don’t remember much else of the ceremony. As proud as I was that I’d managed to graduate, the looming future was more pressing on my mind.

After the ceremony, my parents found me. My father looked filled to bursting, “Congratulations Shannon. I’m proud that you’ve finally made it. I have a surprise for you. I’ve never told you that you had a trust fund. Surprise kiddo! It became available for you to use the moment you graduated. Congratulations!”

I was shocked. I had always expected that my parents would help me after graduation, but a trust fund was definitely not something I had expected. I was still stunned silent when my mother, the perfume monster, attacked. She pressed her sticky red lips against my cheek and smiled. Mom started to say something, but her ringing cell phone took priority.

A few friends came over to say their goodbyes. They were all headed off for college. I hadn’t applied anywhere yet. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do and had decided that a few years working wouldn’t hurt me. The entire time I kept scanning the crowd looking for Jon, but couldn’t find him anywhere.

I was about to go check the library when my father tapped me on the shoulder, “I wish we could stay kiddo, but we’ve got a flight to Paris in a few hours.” The plaster smile slid back into place as I hugged my father, “Thanks for coming Dad. Tell Mom thanks for me when she gets off that phone of hers.” My father smiled and hooked his arm in my mother’s, leading her off to their car. She waved to me as they left and as soon as their backs were turned I ran off for the library.

The library was dark except for the glow from the computer monitor on the desk, slightly illuminating Jon sitting there. I walked slowly over to him and perched on the edge of the desk, “Are you okay?”

He forced a smile, “I’m okay. I hate crowds.”

I smiled sadly, “Me too. My parents are gone already. Can we go home and talk?” He nodded at me and came around to the front of the desk, pausing to hug me tight before putting his arm around my shoulder and leading me off to the car.