june 1965
-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-
claire anderson

students filled the gym as they waited to be exited out the door so that we could make it to the stage, girls were squealing or crying after realizing this was their final year of school. i was standing with vada when two-bit came up to us, he looked so proud to be in his cap and gown that he couldn't wait to see his mom take pictures of him in it.

vada found it funny that she turned red as a tomato from all that laughing, i couldn't help myself but laugh too. dallas was with him but he couldn't keep his eyes off of vada, neither could vada. who could blame dallas, vada stood out from the crowd with her yellow patterned dress underneath her white gown. i found myself invisible by wearing a blue boring dress with barely any makeup on.

"alright seniors!" principal marianne yells, "i expect good behavior from all you guys as there are kids who look up to you out there. remember, this is your last year so make this graduation count!"

everybody began cheering in excitement, i was just still and quiet along with vada. they then led us outside where parents or kids started yelling for anyone of us, trying to grab our attention. i saw my mom waving to me then randy, i waved back with a silly smile, like we always did every school event she saw me at. i waved at the other parents who knew me from randy, my eyes wandered to soda and his brothers who were calling for me.

"claire, over here!" soda cups his mouth like a megaphone.

i waved with a big smile at him before following the rest, we were already at our seats after walking a whole lap around the stupid track field. the seats were in alphabetical order but randy was placed next to me as we were siblings with the same last name, he felt quiet even when marcia tried to nudge him from the back with her heel. usually, at these things he was the life of the party.

        the valedictorian, isabella pomshay stood proud at her little podium made out of wood. the staff sat down all eyeing her up when she first spoke, i never liked this girl one bit but it's not like we girls are stupid enough to show much we hate one another.

        "class of 1965, we did it." isabella smiled as people clapped or cheered her on, "we've known each other since the day we asked our teachers to use the potty room as kindergartners used to call it."

        vada leans in from behind me, "can she finish already?"

        i laughed but not too loud for others to hear.

        "it's truly amazing and unbelievable how far we've come to this day, i never expected myself and others to stand on this ground of will rogers with a cap on my head and a nice gown made by our school to tell us that this was it, our last chapter of high school."

"as of now, im proud to be standing here celebrating this moment." isabella finally said, "class of 1965, we did it!"

everybody clapped including me but i wasn't cheering on her speech, i was just glad it was over already. some guys even stood up and howled as isabella was exiting the stage back to her seat, no guy ever liked her but we all knew that was her first priority.

        the principal then began calling out the students names, i stood in line as the 2nd to last person. randy was placed all the way in the back as his name began with an 'r', one more person and i was able to be up on that stage grabbing my diploma.

        "claire anderson." principal marianne says.

        i could hear my parents along with soda cheering me on, vada screams out my name. i laugh it off while taking my diploma with me off the stage, something i know i'll always remember.

                    ❥•°❀°•༢

we all met up with our parents, randy gave my dad a big hug as a sign he was glad dad came back. i jumped into my dad's arms like a little girl who misses her father lots. my mom smiles at her two kids who were soon leaving during the summer for war, especially her husband who had just gotten back from delaware where he trained all his men.

"glad you're back, dad." randy nods while patting him on the back.

"won't be like this for that long you know that, right?" my dad wasn't sure.

"whatever," randy scoffs, "while you were gone, claire here got herself a little boyfriend."

"cut it out, randy." i muttered.

        my dad smirks while wrapping his arm around my shoulder, "who is this man i don't know about?"

        "sodapop curtis, a greaser who only works on cars for a living." randy looks at me with a mean smug grin.

        "oh well, i'm sure this sodapop of yours can hang around for dinner tonight, i want to know this kid in person." my dad suggests.

        "what a lovely idea, you're going to love him, artie." my mom smiles.

i smacked the back of randy's head when our parents weren't looking, his cap falls off. my eyes met sodapop who was playing around with dallas who for the first time in forever was wearing something other than a leather jacket. he had on a tight shirt with jeans, maybe because it was hot our here.

that made me realize, dallas was throwing a party tonight that soda wanted me to go to, i couldn't let him down yet i couldn't let my parents down either as we already made plans for tonight as of now.

"oh shoot, i forgot!" i blurted out, "soda invited to a birthday party tonight, i don't think i'll be able to attend dinner."

"oh yeah, whose party?" randy chuckled.

"steve, now fuck off." i glared at him.

"language." my mom muttered.

"that's totally fine sweetie, but i expect you home by 11, alright?" my looks at me, i nodded.

so much for that one...