“Hazey! Come onnnn!” he whined.
As he dragged me toward the gymnasium, I checked my phone again. It was almost time for the ceremony to start, and I still hadn’t gotten a response from Sierra.
“Party tonight, girls. You coming?” Keenan winked at a couple girls as we passed them in the hall, and they all nodded excitedly.
I rolled my eyes at him and shook my hand free from his grasp.
“You hear from Skippy yet?”
I shook my head. “No, not yet. Have you seen her?”
It was hard to recognize anyone in the sea of navy-blue graduation caps and gowns, but Sierra wouldn’t have come to graduation just to ignore me.
“Nope. I’m sure she’ll show up. Don’t worry. Relax a little, dude.” Keenan grasped my shoulders, massaging the tension out of them.
“Yeah, you’re right, she’s probably just late.”
“Welcome to the graduation of the Goldfinch High School class of…” The school superintendent stood in front of a podium at the end of the gymnasium. Graduates sat in alphabetical order facing the podium, and everyone else in attendance sat in the bleachers. I was near the back, and I couldn’t really tell who was in front of me, but Sierra should have been in the first few rows.
I strained my eyes to see if it was even possible to tell she was here from the back of her head. Or maybe her graduation cap? Most of the girls in my class talked about decorating their caps with flowers and glitter. Sierra was never that type of girl, but maybe she put horses or something on it.
Then I remembered; all the seats were labeled with our names in case someone ended up being late. It was drilled into our heads that we needed to be early, and I was sure people were too scared to show up late, if not for the embarrassment of walking in late, then for the subtle threats our class advisor gave us.
I held my breath as I mentally went through all of the last names of kids in our class as my eyes wandered over each row.
My heart dropped when I found her seat still empty.
Holding my phone between my knees, I sent off another string of texts.
Where are you?
I’m getting worried Skip
“Friends, family, faculty, and staff, we are here today to recognize an incredible milestone for these young men and women.”
A few speeches dragged on, but the only thing on my mind was Sierra and her empty seat.
“It is my honor to present to you the graduates of Goldfinch High School.”
The first couple rows stood up and moved in a line just like we had practiced.
“Lydia Rebecca Abbott.”
“Elizabeth Grace Arnold.”
“William Rye Bailey.”
“Sierra Madeline Bayley.”
She’s not here.
An awkward silence filled the gym for a split second before the commencement continued like nothing had happened. Some kids were bound to not show up; it was expected.
“Keenan Matthew Chase.”
Like the showboat he was, Keenan hit some kind of wild pose after he’d received his diploma, and the gymnasium burst into laughter. He may have been an idiot, but he was a lovable one, that was for sure.
“Hayden Andrew Watkins.”
