Girls in the Summertime

“Lucy Elsner,” the principal, Mrs. Martinez, said clearly into the microphone. It echoed through the gymnasium.

I felt nauseous. My stomach literally dropped. I hated standing up in front of large crowds, and right now our gym was overcrowded, which was surprising since it was made to hold a couple thousand students.

“You’re okay,” my best friend, Blake, said. She reached over two students to squeeze my shoulder reassuringly.

I nodded, took a deep breath, and began walking up the three steps to the stage. I walked up to Mrs. Martinez, who flashed me a kind smile. “Congratulations,” she whispered as she handed over my diploma.

I walked back down where my other best friend, Allison, stood waiting. She smiled as she saw me.

“Next up is Clumsy Chris,” she murmured. I nodded, giggling as Chris Garrett tripped over his gown coming up the steps. The poor guy was always teased and harassed, and it was obvious that he didn’t care because he would one day rule us all. So Blake said.

After Chris accepted his diploma, Blake was called to the stage. She was beaming. Blake had been our valedictorian. Her parents and brothers were both so proud of her, and couldn’t stop bragging for months—even before it was announced that she was our best student.

There was another hour as the rest of the students were called to the stage, most of them I didn’t pay attention to at all. It wasn’t that I thought I was above all of them, just that I didn’t know them as well.

Chris leaned over to me. “Do you have any plans this weekend?”

I sadly did.

See, I had had a crush on Clumsy Chris since freshman year, but never had the guts to tell anyone but my two best friends. What would everyone think of me? They’d think I was a total loser for liking Clumsy Chris, the biggest “loser” of the entire school.

“Sorry, Chris. The girls and I are going to the beach this weekend.”

Chris’s face showed obvious disappointment, which made my heart squeeze. “Save a spot for me next weekend?” I asked hopefully.

“Sorry, Lucy,” he murmured. “I’m moving on Thursday.”

“Oh,” I said, chewing on my lip. “Where to?”

“Massachusetts. I got into Harvard.”

I smiled. “That’s great, Chris.”

He grinned.

“Shh,” Blake whispered to the two of us, obviously wishing we were more respectful of our classmates.

We waited for the last of our fellow students to be called, and then a short speech from Mrs. Martinez that went something like “congratulation,” and, “I hope your futures are bright,” and blah, blah, blah.

Then we were dismissed. I ran to my mom, screaming, “MOMMYYYY!”

She was surprised, to say the least, when I tackled her into a hug. “I did it, mom! I really did it!”

Jessie, my younger sister, started bouncing, saying as fast as she could, “Can I have your room now that you’re moving out?”

I ruffled her blonde hair. Jessie was short for her age, standing only at four feet even, and ten years old. She had straight blonde hair with wild curls in the back, and crystal blue eyes. Pale, creamy white skin covered her thin frame.

“No, because I’m not moving out. Yet,” I said, smiling at her.

My mother sighed with tears in her eyes. Her dirty blonde hair was just starting to gray, and her hazel colored eyes were kind and gentle. The same pale skin of my sister (which made me the oddball with my tan-ness). She was just an inch taller than my 5’3” height.

“I can’t believe that my baby’s all grown up.” She started crying.

“Oh, mom, it’s okay,” I said, hugging her. “I’m not grown up yet.”

She wiped at her tears. “You’re right. You’re not a grown up yet.” She blew her nose. “C’mon. Let’s go have a celebratory dinner at your favorite restaurant.”

“Olive Garden?” I asked hopefully.

She nodded. “Olive Garden.”

I squealed, and ran to the car.