No Such Thing as the Real World by M. T. Anderson

Author:M. T. Anderson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2009-09-01T04:00:00+00:00

Rachel

Graduation morning was cloudless, seventy-eight degrees, with a slight breeze blowing in from the northwest. All the seniors had been instructed to gather outside behind the bleachers at seven forty-five in the morning, dressed in our caps and gowns, tassels to the right.

On the football field, the stage had been set and two hundred white plastic folding chairs dotted the grass. Already most of the spectators were present, milling around the bleachers, looking for the perfect spot to set up their video cameras. Mom and Dad hovered next to me, Mom tugging at my honors sash until it was exactly even.

“I can’t believe our baby is graduating high school,” Mom said.

I groaned. “Ma…”

“I know, I know. But a mother can’t help getting sentimental at times like this. My little girl growing up.”

Dad rolled his eyes, then gave me a conspiratorial wink.

“I think we’d better get to the bleachers,” he said, looking around. “Where did Sarah go?”

Mom sighed. “I’m sure she’s found some of her old friends who are home for the occasion. Let’s go ahead and get seats. She’ll find us when she’s ready.”

Mom moved to go, but then she turned back and rushed forward to hug me clumsily. She held on tight for a long while.

“I’m proud of you,” she whispered before she let go. “You’ve turned into a strong young woman.”

“Thanks, Ma,” I whispered, reaching for her hand, but Dad was already pulling her away toward the bleachers. I stood there following them with my eyes until I couldn’t make out their shapes any longer. Mom’s words rang in my ears.

A strong young woman. Was I? Simply because I would soon be handed a diploma with my name on it? I didn’t feel any different. Excited, nervous, maybe even proud, but not different. Not yet grown up.

I took a deep breath.

Kenneth would say I was dangerously close to overthinking, and he’d made me promise I would not think about graduating from high school. I would simply do it and have fun.

Kenneth.

I peered into the crowd, wondering where he could be. I’d called first thing that morning to see if he wanted to drive over together, but he was already gone, probably heading over early for band setup. I’d looked for him in the halls before I went outside as well, but he was strangely absent.

I stopped my friend Marie as she was passing by.

“Have you seen Kenneth?”

She shook her head, then grinned at me. “Finished your speech?”

I nodded, distracted. “If you see him, tell him I’m looking for him.”

“Sure thing.”

I walked through the throng of seniors, dodging parents and teachers and ignoring Mr. Falhauser, who was madly trying to separate the parents, herding them toward the bleachers with wild gesticulations.

Marvin Blankerman, first trumpet, walked past, and I grabbed his arm.

“Did you guys set up already?”

“Yeah.”

“Did you see Kenneth?”

“He’s here,” Marvin said. “I saw him walking with your sister just a couple minutes ago.”

I paused. “Oh.”

A hot sensation crept up my spine.

Our principal was now herding the seniors into a vague semblance of the two straight lines we’d been instructed to form during practice.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.