The Sun Sets The Moon Shines

Graduating from high school is a monumental moment, it’s the beginning of growing up and the end of your childhood. So sad but exciting at the same time. It’s sad to leave your parents and the friends you spent your whole life making. It’s exciting to jump up in the air and throw your hat, to runaway and start something new.

For me graduating, was the beginning of the rest of my life, the beginning of an adventure. I was ready to leave all the petty drama of high school with a smile on my face linking my arms with my two best friends walking away from Sante Fe High School, forever.

But until the principle shakes my hand and shoves me off the stage for the next person I had to stay put in my plastic seat next to two people I had never spoken to in my whole high school career. We were a blur of silky blue from head to toe, all 386 of us, as we stood in unison walking to the stage. I peered around the tall lanky boy ahead of me to see Ashley chatting away with another volleyball player and Kimber behind me glaring at her sister.

I stifled a giggle as the vice principle lined us up showing us the way, glaring at me through her cat like purple glasses.

I walked behind tall and lanky until my name erupted from the speaker system. I got polite claps as I shook the old man’s hand gripping my diploma before running back to my seat in pure excitement. The only two people I made a sound for were Kimber and Ashley. The rest were just people that I happened to see every day for most of my life.

We settled back into our seats and listened to the brightest senior give us words of wisdom for the rest of our lives, wisdom that he probably took of the Internet seeing as he only left his house for school. After he stumbled back to his seat the principle congratulated us on signaled us to leave. My whole class jumped out of their seats and ran to their friends, throwing their hats and the air and screaming as soon as they got there. Ashley squealed once she got to Kimber and I jumping up and down as she did at a concert, causing Kimber to just laugh at her. We were engulfed into hugs from my family and Ashley’s. My Mother taking Me, Ashley’s her, leaving my dad to hug Kimber, each parent rotating to hug and congratulate us.

“Time to Go?” My dad asked throwing his arm out in the direction of the car.

I nodded grabbing Kimber’s arm as we followed my parents leaving Ashley to say bye to hers before she ran at us tackling as we crashed down into the back seat of my mother’s mini van. Giggles erupting from all they of us as we just laid there. My parents in the front seat rolling their eyes at us and my brother in the back seat smirking. Ashely plopped herself down in the seat next to my brother with an amazing straight face. I continued to laugh as my brother sat his head on my shoulder.

“My little sister’s growing up.” He said with sarcasm dripping in his tone.
I turned around sticking tongue out while I rolled my eyes at him.

“Real mature.” Ash said obviously trying to keep her face straight as Darren stared at her until her ears heated up with embarrassment.

“Alright!” My father called over the car using his professor voice. “Where to? Home? Ash’s House? Kimber’s? What’s the plan?”

“You’re dropping my off at home.” Kimber said

“Ash?” My mother asked

“Nah, I’m going to your house Mrs. H.” Ashley said with a smirk towards my brother and I.

The whole vechile filled with chatter as the ride went on falling silent as well pulled into Kimber’s winding driveway stopping all the way to top.
Kimber slipped out of the car. “See ya later.” she called over her shoulder as she walked away in to her house.

“Later?” my mom said raising an eyebrow at me in the rear view mirror.

“She’s spending the night, we’re leaving tomorrow.” I answered simply leaving no sound to follow but the rumble of the car on the dusty road.

Most teenagers were spending the rest of their summer with their family's and friends, going out with a bang before they have to leave for college or retreat to their parents basement. We, Kimber Ash and I, were leaving our first day of summer to start the long planned summer in Tempe, Arizona, where we would be going to college in the fall. It was hard for my parents to wrap their head around. I had been with them through it all, never being away from home more than 2 weeks. This was more bittersweet than graduating high school. I’m going to miss them and their going to miss me but it’s something that’s going to happen anyway.

I spun around in my seat laying my head on Ash’s knee. “You packed?” I mumbled, keeping quiet.
She shakes her head a wide smile creeping on her face as she stares back at me.
“Me nether.” I mouth
Her ocean blue eyes erupt with color as they grow wide and her smile blinds all those around her.
“Yay!” She silently screams causing Darren and I to stifle our giggles.

“Eloise Caroline!” I slammed back into my seat facing my mom with an innocent face. “if you forget anything to tomorrow I will force you back home so pack everything!” My mom says before she stomps out of car and into our house.
My dad turns around to face me, sighing as he ran a hand through his balding hair. “She’s just upset that your leaving so soon.” He says simply before running after her.

I nod to myself as I climb out of the car Ashley gripping my arm as we walked through the garage. She pulls me up the stairs to my room, strategically maneuvering past all the books that lay on the stairs, walls and floors. She immediately jumps across my room to my bed bouncing a little in the air as she lands face first into my pillows.
“Yor brogghr s sohog” I hear her mumble as I walk to my closest pulling out my suitcases.
“What!?” I yell at her as I dig through the 3 feet tall pile of clothes.
“Your brother is so hot.” She says throwing a pillow at me.
I spin on the balls of me feet dumping my clothes onto the carpet. “As you constantly like to tell me even though his my brother.”
“does grandma know were leaving tomorrow?” She asks as she flips through a book on my bedside table.
“Yeah” I say as I continue to move the pile in my closet on to the floor in my room.
She drops the book back in it’s place and spins around my room.
“It’s weird seeing you room so blank.” Ash says regarding my pasty white walls that were once covered in posters and photos.
I dumped my last arm full of clothes staring at my room with her. There had been books, school work, cds, movies, and clothes everywhere, never leaving it clean. What had once been covered with memories and words of wisdom, was blank. What had been lived in was now empty. It was sad really, to have to say goodbye.