Capture My Heart

“Pomp and Circumstance” played out of the loudspeakers that Thursday morning at our high school’s football field as our senior class started marching down the aisle of freshly cut grass.

I held onto the sides of my teal blue gown, trying my best not to trip on my two-inch heels.

My mother had insisted I wear them since they were the only nice shoes I owned, and I hadn’t wanted her to spend money on new shoes I would only wear for one day.

I promised her I would wear them, but only for the ceremony. As soon as it was over though, they’d be thrown back into my closet until further notice.

The crowd of proud parents and family members whistled and cheered as the band played and each of us was called forward to receive our diplomas. The noise was lost on me though.

I would miss my friends and fellow classmates. Soon everyone would be off to college or working full-time, scattered around and hardly recognizable in a few years’ time.

My mind returned to the present when I heard my name called.

Carefully, I made my way up the platform, praying I wouldn’t slip and make a fool of myself.

I felt my left foot catch on my gown, but I stumbled gracefully up the steps and was gladly met with a handshake from the school principal.

I smiled as she handed me my diploma, turned to face a cameraman, then thankfully it was over and I was back in my seat. After that short moment of adrenaline, everything became a blur.

The rest of the names were read, followed by a congratulatory ending from our school staff. Then, as one class, we all lifted our caps into the air in celebration. High school was officially over.

Once everyone had retrieved their caps from the ground and spread out to find their waiting families, I pushed through the crowd, only to be embraced by Jess moments later.

“Congratulations, Mel! I’m so excited for you! This ceremony was almost as good as mine was last year!” she teased as we twirled around in circles, laughing. I poked at her and grinned.

“Yeah, sure it was. I’m just glad it’s over and I can finally relax for a few minutes without worrying about the next final or grade evaluation.

“What a relief to finally be done with all of that!” I sighed in exasperation. Jess laughed and nodded as we walked arm in arm toward my parents, who were waiting, as usual, with a camera in hand.

“Say cheese!” I smiled just in time for my mom to snap a few pictures of me and Jess before my dad crushed me in an embrace.

“Congratulations, honey! You deserve every bit of that diploma!” I rolled my eyes at my dad’s attempt at a compliment.

“Um, I think you can only deserve the whole diploma anyway, Dad, otherwise there wouldn’t be a point.”

He shrugged, but his eyes still shone with pride. I smiled. My dad always knew how to make me feel like a winner no matter the circumstance.

Jess and I posed for a few more pictures before it was time to head back to the house for the big party.

After saying quick but still painful goodbyes to some of my friends, I walked carefully back to the car in my heels. I couldn’t wait to get them off!

***

When we arrived back at the house, I couldn’t believe my eyes. My parents had done an amazing job decorating the rest of the yard.

Being kicked out of the house this morning for two hours had paid off.

Tables dotted the yard with beautiful teal tablecloths that matched my school colors.

Paper lanterns with little painted graduation caps on them hung from the porch roof and the canopy tent set out over the tables.

Dad immediately started up the grill and I got busy setting out paper plates and little wrapped mints. Jess went into the house with Mom to help cut fruit and dish out the salads into bowls.

Just as I was beginning to relax and enjoy the peace before everyone showed up, I heard Adrian’s voice. Glancing over, I saw him standing next to Dad, laughing it up like they were old buddies.

I felt a twinge of jealousy flare up. He had his own parents—did he need to add mine to his collection?

I continued to set out mints, arranging them ever so neatly. Anything to ignore what was conspiring between my father and my nemesis.

I couldn’t help but sneak glances over at them, but stopped when Adrian caught my stare. I deliberately ignored the funny feeling in my stomach.

There was no need to think about why there were butterflies when the guy I disliked so much was creating them in the first place. It was a mystery I wanted to remain unresolved.

It didn’t matter anyway. By the end of the night, the party would be over and I would be far away from him.

“Looks like someone can’t take her eyes off the new guy,” Jess said from behind me. I jumped, spilling mints all over the ground.

Feeling the heat creep up my neck, I dropped to the grass and picked up the mints.

“I don’t know what you are talking about. He won’t stop staring at ~me~. I can’t believe you guys.

“First my mom invites him to my party, then Dad is over there shooting the breeze with him, and now here you are teasing me about glaring at him across the yard.

“What’s next? My parents pack him in a suitcase and bring him up north?” Jess laughed at my joke.

Shaking my head, I placed more mints on another table. The thought of Adrian joining us on our vacation made me shudder.

If I thought rubber snakes under my swing were bad enough as a kid, what would a real snake hidden under my pillow be like?

I pushed the thought from my mind. No way would that nightmare come true!

“Still though, is that really Adrian over there? I thought he would be less appealing than what you described of him in the past.

“You made him sound as if he would be wearing some thick, black, hooded coat and riding in on a demon horse.”

I sighed at Jess and replied, “If you had been in my shoes as a kid, I don’t think the word ‘appealing’ would come to mind to describe him right now.”

Jess just shrugged at me. I went back to setting mints on the tables, avoiding any eye contact with the bad boy at the party.

No sooner than I had placed the last few down did the first of my friends show up to celebrate. I went over to greet them, thanking them for coming.

We laughed and talked about everything we were going to miss about the last four years together. How was I ever going to say goodbye?

It wasn’t until later in the evening that I realized Adrian hadn’t even made his presence known to me. I had successfully managed to go throughout the entire party without any awkwardness.

For the first time that night, I actually started to relax and enjoy myself.

As hard as saying goodbye to my schoolmates would be, I looked forward to a good night’s rest and the end of this whole “dodge the neighbor boy” game.

When that moment came and all I was left with was saying goodnight to Jess, I couldn’t help but give an extra squeeze when she hugged me.

“Hey, relax girl. I’ll be here when you get home from your trip. Don’t forget to take some amazing pictures for me so I can see everything I missed.” I nodded over her shoulder and let go.

“I will. And you make sure to save up extra tips so we can go gamble it all at the end of the summer carnival this year. I must win that stuffed wolf, he’s just so cute!”

Jess nodded back and hugged me one more time. I watched her drive off down the street, excited and sad about what tomorrow would bring.

It was all ending so fast. I couldn’t believe it was all over. No more early morning bus rides, hustling hallways, or dreadful deadlines.

I inhaled the sweet smell of the night air and went inside the house. I would only think about each day as it came instead of worrying about the future.

My last thought before I closed my eyes that night was a vision of our cabin in the north woods; its sweet promise of adventure called to me as I drifted off to sleep.