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“I guess some people are just not cut out to be parents, Hayz.” I replied. Ethan might be avoiding me, but I know how shitty his dad is. He’s probably not even sad to not see him today. “Also, where the hell are you taking me?” I ask, looking around the empty classroom.

She rolls her eyes at me in response before pulling out the cam recorder. “Remember when I forced you to record a video after we graduated high school?” I nod so she can continue. “Well…” She shakes the camera at me and I take it from her.

“No…” I tell her as she rounds the door to exit.

“No worries, I’ll give you some space,” she says calmly, closing the door behind her.

I'm just about to press record and get rid of this quickly when I hear her yell from behind the door, “Call me if you need me, I'm just here!”

I shake my head at her crazy antics before setting up the camera for the shot.

Here goes nothing I guess.

“Hey, if you're watching this, just know that Hayzel has forced me into this…”

Play - Just Give Me A Reason by Pink, Nate Russ

“I can’t believe you made me do that,” I say, handing Hayzel her small camera.

“And I will do this again at your next birthday,” she admits, shrugging.

“Where's Ethan?”

“He’s at the front, he'll be one of the first to receive his diploma, we can try and catch him at the end,” she replies and I glance up towards the front of the line to see if I can catch a glimpse of him.

The line goes fairly fast as there aren't a lot of us graduating today, since my name is Vitelli, I'll be walking on first and then it'll be Hayzel’s turn.

I rub my sweaty palms against my slacks trying to calm my nerves before I hear my name being called out.

“Mireya Vitelli,” one of the governors called out and that had me walking towards the stage.

My eyes roam around the sea of people and I find both Edna and Milo clapping their hands excitedly, I smile at them as I walk towards the small steps.

I approached the podium, meeting the person who’s going to hand me mine. Mister Caldwell. Smiling faintly, amused to see my reaction.

When I reach him, I shake his familiar hand and smile.

“Thank you Mister Caldwell.”

“Congratulations, Miss Vitelli,” he says coldly. His hand squeezes my fingers tighter and then he adds, low enough that only I can hear him, “Can’t wait to kiss you later.”

I bite down a laugh and walk towards the stage exit.

My diploma is tight in my hand when I spot Ethan standing there.

“Bennett!” I say. “Hey, wait up!” I repeat again, this time moving closer. “Ethan for fuck’s sake!”

I finally catch onto his arm, my fingers digging into his shoulder.

“Let go, Rey,” he says, trying to shrug me off.

“No, not until you tell me why the hell you're ignoring me. You’ve been avoiding me like the goddamn plague.”

“Hayzel Wynn,” the words echo through the room and I look back briefly towards the stage to see Hayzel walk across to receive her own certificate.

I hear Ethan start to say something but fails when we see Damien heading in our direction.

“Forget it. Happy graduation, Rey,” he practically spits at me then walks away.