Pride

The gymnasium is hot. The seating is crowded. There’s a girl next to me who won’t stop sighing and the boy beside me as fallen asleep. His head has fallen back over the seat, there’s a slight snore occasionally. The gym erupts with applause at the announcement of valedictorian. The sound awakens the beast beside me.

Snorting, the boy wipes the drool from his mouth and claps along with everyone else, completely clueless of what’s going on. After the applause dies down Kai is standing on the stage behind the podium. The boy easily composes himself, like he isn’t mentally freaking out. Being his best friend I am able to read him better than an open book.

His dark eyes scream just how nervous he really is but somehow he pushes past the nerves to begin the speech that every valedictorian has given. Kai goes on about how our class has worked so hard, how we should all be proud of ourselves for making it here and all that jazz.

I know I should be paying attention. Afterwards he’s going to ask me how he did but I honestly don’t care. Of course the speech is going to be perfect. Like Kai would give it if it wasn’t…pfft.

Graduation takes too long. Afterwards is even worse. Mom is crying, for some unknown reason. I don’t see the big deal. Our entire family has graduated high school. Maybe if I had been the first to do it I would have understood what the deal was but really…it’s not that much of a miracle that I graduated, is it?

Although I mention this mom pays no mind and continues holding me while crying. She snaps a bunch of pictures with me. Next Shania and I are tortured, then dad and I, us as a family and of course we had to get some with Kai in it too.

Kai’s mother is no better than mine. So we have an overdose of motherly love.

“I can’t stand this anymore. Can I please take this damn thing off?” I’m talking about the gown. It’s so fucking hot.

“Not yet! We’re still taking pictures,” the mothers hush me.

I scowl. Kai laughs beside me, getting himself an elbow to the stomach. Don’t laugh at my pain! Wearing this damn thing is annoying. It’s a gown. A gown! Why do we wear them? Can’t we just wear jeans and a polo or something? It’d be so much simpler but no, graduation has to be complicated.

Stupid fucking school…

“It’s almost over Shi,” Kai whispers to me, pressing a kiss to my cheek as he does. “Besides it’s graduation. We should be happy.”

“Oh?” I cock a brow. “Why should we be?”

Kai taps me in the arm with his elbow. “Because school is over…for you.”

“Yeah…I guess.” I shrug. Then Kai and I follow our parents around for more pictures that, and no I’m not being dramatic, take fucking forever.

I’ll never understand mothers and their sick fascination with snapping photo’s of anything and everything.

~

“Kai, sweetie, when do your classes start?” Mom asks during dinner. Of course our parents are close friends because of us so we decided to go out to dinner together. The moment mom asks Kai looks to me, probably wondering if we should tell them now about our plans of staying together.

“In a few weeks,” Kai answers softly. “I’m s-starting immediately on June 11th.”

“Wow, that’s fast. Are you sure you want to do that? I mean…sweetie you should take a short break before college,” mom says out of concern. She reaches over to pat his hand softly.

Mrs. McFallen nods in agreement. “I told him that too but he insists on starting as soon as possible.”

“T-There’s a lot of schooling required,” Kai mumbles then presses his food to his lips. I know it’s because he’s nervous and doesn’t want to talk any longer but there’s no way in hell I’m getting him out of the spot light. If that happens they’ll turn their attention to me.

“What kid grows up wanting to be a doctor? Especially a boy?” Dad asks, making both me and Shania laugh. Mom scowls and hits him. My dad pulls the same face I do after being hit and he whines identically to me. “Hey! Don’t hit me, I’m serious. Kai are you a real boy? I’m starting to question your gender.”

“Very mature dad,” I tease. Dad sticks his tongue at me in response.

Kai shrugs and the topic of conversation changes when mom asks, “Will you be staying at the dorms?”

Both Kai and I stiffen at that question. Beneath the table Kai brushes his hand across my own. Without looking at him I can tell that he’s watching me from the corner of his eye for any reaction. I’m not sure if he sees what he wants when he answers, “Uh yeah…but I p-plan to get my own place a-as soon as possible.”

Dad is too busy shoving his face with food to bother sticking with our conversation. Both mothers however give each other a look. You know that look they give each other when they hear their children say something ridiculous? Yeah, that one.

“Will you be able to find yourself someone to room with? Not to sound cruel but Kai you aren’t very good at speaking with others,” mom says barely above a whisper. She’s watching Kai nervously for a reaction.

Again I feel Kai brushing my hand. What? Does he want me to tell our parents? Of course he does. He’s in an awkward position right now. All attention is on him. Kai hates attention and I guess…no I don’t guess but I know we’re going to have to tell our parents the plans eventually.

Sighing, I give in and grasp Kai’s hand in my own. My mom, along with Kai’s, look to me at the sound of me clearing my throat, “Speaking of that…we kind of need to talk.”

This manages to catch my dad and Kai’s dads attention. Mr. McFallen tilts his head in curiosity and asks, “Talk about what?”

With all the parents eyes on me I can’t help but feel myself begin to shake. Kai, since he is holding my hand, notices this and tightens the grip. From the corner of my eye I see Kai patiently awaiting what I have to say. Why do I have to say it anyways? Isn’t he supposed to be working on his peoples skills? Damn, I’ve become too soft.

“Um…Kai and I talked about it, you know his moving and everything,“ I end up saying more to myself than those around us. “Since we all know Kai is a social idiot-”

“You can say that again,” Mrs. McFallen giggles along with my mother. Kai whines out a ‘mom.’

“And he can’t do anything without a baby sitter um…I’m going to get a job too and once we both have enough money I’m going to move out there with him.”

And cue the mothers.