Page 57 of Girl Like Me

Our graduation day finally arrives, and it felt like it took forever to make it here. We didn’t get to watch JD graduate, she didn’t get enough QCE points to be able to. She doesn’t seem bothered by it and thinks everything will work itself out and maybe she’s right. We keep worrying so much about our futures instead of just living in the moment. It’s why we have a surprise for her, we’ve all decided to defer Uni for a year and travel with her. Rory had a compelling argument that he can pay for our trip and we are not to spend a cent of our money. We are more than welcome to keep track of what we spend and can pay him back interest free when we get jobs. We did fight about it a lot but in the end our need to be close to JD won.

We are all gathered in our cohort and sitting in alphabetical order. Maximus is the top of our year but because he doesn’t talk it has gone to some girl who is currently giving a sappy speech about school being the best years of our lives, which I call bullshit on. For us it has been a constant battle to work through years of trauma. I got lucky and that’s a shitty thing to say when my parents died, but I knew they loved me. There was never any doubt about that.

The principal finally takes over and he starts calling up students, handing them certificates.

“Mercer Cole.”

Mercer walks up the stairs and Mr. Cole starts clapping loudly, we all look over at the commotion and see JD joining him. Carson has tears running down his face and Phillip is taking the photos since Carson has been a ball of nerves all day. As soon as he shakes hands with the principal and the Mayor he walks off the stage.

I sit and watch JD talking to Carson while we wait until they get to Rocky. Each group of students is separated into surnames, so there’s a bit of time in between each of our turns. JD throws her head back and laughs, and it’s the best sight I have seen all day.

“Rocky Hunter.”

Rocky bounces up the stairs, he almost trips but he rights himself with a laugh. His parents are waving and his mum is also in tears. Mumma B is also in the crowd, she is sitting with my aunt and Deacon.

Rocky gives the peace sign and laughs as he runs off stage. The principal runs through names smoothly, I wish there was an easier and quicker way to get through this. We’ve been on edge all day with our surprise for JD. We will be leaving after New Years. Rory has been invited to Sunset Havoc, an exclusive beach party that over the last few years has turned into a massive event. Sunset Haven is a small little town about twenty to thirty minutes from Green Lakes, it's near the bridge that leads to Briar Bay where the rich and famous go on holidays for the summer. Most of the staff on Briar Bay live in a town across the bridge. I wouldn’t say it’s a poor town but it definitely isn’t a town of money.

It also happens to be her birthday on the first of January and we hoped that she would want to come.

“Levi Parker.”

Cheers from my aunt, Deacon and half of the Canary Bay police form carry across the oval. I shake my head and make my way to the stage. I shake hands and turn so Lissa can get some good photos and I notice JD smiling at me and she gives me a saucy wink. She’s changed her hair back to a dark blonde with natural looking highlights courtesy of Carson. She hated that her mum made her change it back to that platinum colour as soon as they took her home. She wasn’t confident enough to argue about it, but now that she has started to make connections with her family and friends she seems to know what she wants and goes for it. Her therapist says she might never get her memories back or one day she may wake up and not remember meeting us and if that happens we will deal with it. Maximus still journals about her and adds pictures and notes so if it does happen she will at least be able to see how much we love her through our time together.

Maximus didn’t want to walk today, the large crowd a sure trigger for a melt down but JD managed to convince him to try. I wait backstage for his name to be called in case he needs me.

“Maximus Sawyer.”

I peek from behind the curtain and see him hesitantly walk up the stairs. He turns back and looks at JD, she nods and holds up her phone and he pulls on his ear phones. I watch as she plays around with her phone putting on music for him. I like how they communicate through music. Sometimes I can see a whole conversation happen and not know what has even been said.

The principal and Mayor don’t reach out to shake his hand. He isn’t ready to be touched and everyone respects that. He turns and poses for a picture and scurries off down the side steps. I race around to meet him there, pulling him into a hug before he spirals, what he’s just done was massive. He wraps his arms around my torso and we stand in silence for a few minutes. We have plenty of time before Rory gets his certificate for him to calm down.

Maximus pulls back and removes his headphones.

“Are you okay?” I ask and he nods. “Good, we should head back to our seats so we can watch Rory walk, then we can get out of here. I’m excited to tell JD about her surprise.”

“Same,” he whispers. I grab his hand and lead us back through crowds of our classmates still hanging around out behind the stage, where teachers are forcing them back to their designated areas.

Maximus and I go back to my seat, the guy next to me reeked of weed, so I’m presuming he’s off somewhere getting high.

After ten minutes it’s finally Rory’s turn.

“Rory Vincent.”

We all cheer as his name is called. His father and his girlfriend Chelsea are here, she is only a handful of years older than we are and she has drawn some attention in her red skin tight mini dress and hooker heels. His mum managed a day pass to be here, probably forced by his father. She wears oversized glasses and a scowl on her face.

Once the entire cohort has officially received their graduation certificates we can join our families. Ours are all waiting together and as we approach they all start to cheer, even JD. She looks amazing in a cute blue sundress.

Our parents all hug and congratulate us as JD stands to the side and waits, Rory approaches her first and picks her up, twirling her in the air.

“Congratulations,” Deacon says, shaking my hand. “So I guess this means you’re moving out of my house now?”

“In your dreams old man, I still have a few weeks left, yet.” I argue and Deacon laughs. I know he’s only kidding, even though he loves my Aunt, I can’t imagine what it would have been like falling in love and there being a teenage boy to deal with. We get along pretty good but it wasn’t always the case when they first met.

“We have to get back to work but I’m so damn proud of you. Your parents will be looking down with smiles on their faces today.”

“I know,” I say, trying to deflect from the conversation.

“Is everyone ready to go?” Savannah asks, clearly bored.

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