Deception

Alex and Jack did not hold a second prom, because:

1. The school year is over.
2. They were lazy.

Now, as we sit listening to our valedictorian drone on about how this class has impacted America, I fiddle with my phone, texting Miranda and Alex back and forth. The girl next to me reads our conversations over my shoulder, trying to be discrete.

Eventually, it's time for Miranda to go up and speak. Jack hoots and whistles as she walks up there, and she has a tight grin on her face. I know secretly she wants to flip the bird in her boyfriend's face as the crowd laughs lightly.

It's funny. Miranda gives a speech about growing up, the impact of our generation on America, and pop culture references too, but she sounds much better than the valedictorian. And we clap loudly and whistle when she comes back down. If you've read The Perks of Being a Wallflower, then you've probably read that part where Charlie loves his sister's speech, not for the quality of the speech, but because his sister is up in front of everyone, reading something. And that makes him proud.

And I guess we, Rian, Jack, Alex, Kara and I, are the same way.

It's not the speech. It's the pride we feel in Miranda.

I feel like I haven't changed much this entire year, but the little bit that has changed has made me a better person. And I don't care if I lost my childhood friends, because I gained new and better friends in the process. And there's been a lot of things that happened this year that were both good and bad. I mean, good and bad things happen every year, but this year seemed to have the most drama byfar.

Especially between Alex and me.

I'm not really sure where our relationship is heading, and if I can even call it a relationship. You can't call something a relationship if both of you haven't agreed on it; that's not fair.

And I think Alex has been trying to say something to me for a while, but it just never comes out right. Half the time, I just feel like he's rambling about something that I don't understand.

"...Congratulations, Class of 2006."

Kids shout and scream and throw their caps in the air. We walk out, caring less about our high school careers and popular songs and how we've impacted the world.

We just want to begin our lives as new people and leave behind our past.

Dad and Liz take zillions of pictures of Alex, Jack, Miranda, and me. We try our best to smile as all our parents crowd around us.

Liz with her beachball stomach is tearing up. "Oh, sweetie, you've grown so much. I can't believe you're going off to college!"

Dad uncomfortably shifts as he takes more photos of us. "How are you all getting to grad party? Should I drive you there--"

"No!" I shout. Alex squeezes my hand.

"What she means is no, I'm driving everyone there. It's no problem, Mr. Wagner," Alex says, smiling.

Miranda and Jack nod vigorously.

In the Audi van, Alex honks at the car and cuts in front of him. "Ugh, what the fuck! We just graduated, and now some fucker wants to kill all of us?"

"Chill, man," Jack says.

"I'm so glad we're out of there for good," Miranda says, sighing. "But I'm really going to miss you guys."

Jack shoots her a look. "It's not like we're dying or anything."

"But it's unlikely that we'll be this close again," she replies.

She's right.

How likely was it that all four of us were going to feel the same things, experience the same things, and talk about the same things again? Miranda and I are going off to different schools, and Jack and Alex are going to go on tour. It's only natural to feel and think differently because of our different experiences.

"...We'll still be friends, right?" Alex asks quietly.

He glances at me.

"The best." I try to flash him a smile, but it doesn't feel right. The silence sets in, a deep fog.

"...Who's ready for grad party?" Jack asks, but Miranda nudges him to keep his mouth shut.

We silently drive off to the graduation party at the local swimming pool, thinking this is probably the last moment we have together, as a whole.

Together, as best friends.