Where the Wind Takes Us

That Graduation song by Vitamin C plays in the foyer as I greet the next family that comes through the front door. The day to graduate has finally arrived, and I don’t think I could be any happier.

“Didn’t know you could dress up so well,” I say lightly, giving my best friend a hug.

Mick chuckles and hugs me tightly. “Neither did I.”

Everyone’s families are here, with Mick’s the last to arrive. My parents aren’t usually keen on having gatherings or people coming round to the house, but mum was keen on having all my friends and their parents here for pre-graduation photos and champagne, before heading to school to graduate. Also, she finished decorating the garden and wants to put it to good use, so she wants to use it now. Typical mum.

“What is with this cheesy music?” James yells from the kitchen, biscuit crumbs all over his mouth.

“James, please,” Jackie sighs, pulling a tissue from her bag and dabbing it onto James’ mouth. James tries to pull away to no avail, but he eventually relents and lets his mother clean him up. “Are we ready to take photos?”

I invited Josh to come over, but he declined, saying that he’d already made plans with his friends and family, which I totally understood. He promised me that he’d make up for it at graduation and at the after party too. Graduation is for the parents, but the after-party is our time to go nuts with this year’s graduating class. Personally, I’m hoping to find a quiet spot with Josh and kiss him a lot.

Not that we’ve been doing that since we got together, or anything.

Mum orders the boys to take a photo first, with Mick in the middle of Colton and James. The boys are in suits, with all of them sporting colourful bowties because as James so eloquently put it, “Fuck school regulations!”

I grab my camera and nudge Georgia playfully. The both of us take a selfie (or twenty). It’s Georgia and I up next, smiling like the biggest dorks in the world. Colton and I make faces in photos we take together, James jumps on Mick’s back at the last second, causing Mick to fall onto the ground and making the parents laugh. Our group photo is both sweet and endearing, and we all promise to get a copy of it to put in our rooms. I have a gift to present to all my friends, but I’m going to give it before we leave, so the parents can take it home with them and we can all ride off in our cool ass limo to graduation.

While Colton and Georgia are taking some cute couple shots, I see my parents duck into the kitchen and the look on their faces tell me that there’s an argument brewing. The last thing I want is my friends to hear my parents fighting, so I go into the kitchen and walk straight up to them as they both argue quietly.

“Hey,” I start, signalling both my parents’ attention. “It’s graduation. Stop fighting. Get a divorce. I’m sick of you fighting.” Seeing my mum’s shocked face, I continue. “Or don’t. I’m most likely moving to Melbourne for uni so I won’t be around, but I do hope you two can come to sort of agreement between yourselves.”

“Natalie,” Dad says slowly. “Melbourne? What’s in Melbourne?”

“I applied to the Victorian College of Arts,” I tell him. “I have an interview early next month. If you want to support me, that’d be awesome, but if not…I guess I’ll see you when I come back for the holidays or something.” I smile at both my parents. “Thank you for everything that you’ve given me, and don’t get me wrong I totally appreciate it, but I’m not your little girl anymore. I’m going to Melbourne and I’m not changing my mind.” Dad closes his mouth. “Can we return to photo taking now?”

Dad’s the first to recover. “Of course. I’m proud of you for getting an interview for that university.”

“I suppose it does sound prestigious,” Mum replies. “Though arts doesn’t really get you a job, unless you’re talented.”

I smile, because this is just the type of thing mum would say and honestly, I’m not even going to fight it. “I guess I’ll have to prove you wrong, then.”

Dad brings me into a hug and kisses my forehead. “Let’s go join your friends.”



After taking about a million photos, the parents get ready to leave and I lead the gang upstairs to show them my present.

“It’s a copy of my photography folio,” I explain to the gang. “I based it on influential people in my life.” I hand the first two photos to Colton. “Here’s a photo I took of you and G that convinces me love does exist, even when I don’t believe it sometimes. The second photo is just you, looking all cool and shit because you’re a cool guy that’s pretty underrated, I think.” I hand the next photo to James. “Here’s one of your fam. I love that you’ve reinvented and dedicated yourself to your family, which is super admiring to see.” Georgia’s next. “You’re pretty much my sister from another mister, and I’m pretty much going to cling to you forever. There’s no escaping me.” I laugh, but I’m not surprised to find myself about to cry. I’m such a sap. “This last one’s for you, Mick.”

Mick peers at the photo. “When was this taken?”

I smile. “When you dared me to play strip poker and we ended up sitting on your rooftop at like 4am.”

“Oh yeah,” he cracks a grin. “And I thought you liked me like that. What an idiot I was, huh?” Georgia and I share a look. Here’s a secret we’ll be keeping to ourselves. Forever.

“I’m touched,” Colton says once Mick stops laughing. “Seriously Nat, this is amazing. Thank you.”

“Group hug,” James says gruffly and it isn’t until I’m swept into the hug that I see something fall from James’ eye. “Are you okay, James?”

“No,” he admits. “We’re fucking graduating today and it’s supposed to be a happy occasion, but you’re here being so sweet and shit that I feel like it’s undeserved.”

“You can make it up to me when you come back from the army in one piece,” I tell James affectionately. “Otherwise, let’s graduate!”



I’m sitting in between two random dudes as graduation is going on. We’ve all walked across the stage to receive our diploma. I cheered so loudly for all my friends and Josh that I think my voice must be hoarse by now from all the screaming. When I walked across the stage, I could hear Josh scream my name and seeing him in the crowd made me want to run off the stage and jump into his arms.

Five more minutes, I tell myself. Five more minutes until I can do that.

The class valedictorian is rounding up his speech, and finally, he announces what everyone has been pretty much waiting for. “Class of 2015, please stand up.” When we do so, he continues. “Ladies and gentlemen, I’m pleased to announce the graduating class of 2015!”

Screams and joys fill up the hall, and after we exit the hall, I find Josh and give him a massive hug and kiss.

“Congrats Fader,” he whispers in my ear, followed by a long kiss that makes my knees go weak.

“You too, Carey,” I mumble before kissing him again.

“Fader!” I hear a shout and immediately Georgia’s arms wrap around me. “Fuck yeah bitches!”

“Josh, my man!” James appears at his side and gives the bro hug that guys do. “Are you coming tonight? Wait. Of course you are. Are you coming with us tonight?”

Josh raises an eyebrow, and I can see that he’s surprised. Or flattered. Maybe both. “Seriously?”

“Seriously,” Mick confirms, slinging an arm around James’ and Colton’s shoulder, who’s holding G by the waist. “Bring your friends; we’ll ride in the limo together to the after party.”

And then I see something I thought I’d never see, Mick offering his hand to Josh, and Josh accepting it.

I’m so happy that I burst into tears and engage the group (including Josh!) into another group hug.

“Congratu-fucking-lations to us!” James shouts, and it’s with that that the six of us walk off together into the sunset.

Just kidding. To the limo that takes us to the after-party, where we will proceed to get shit faced and do whatever teens do when they’ve just graduated from high school.

If this is how my summer’s going to be looking, then I wouldn’t want it any other way.