The graduation (II)

VIOLET

The applause erupted around me, but I sat frozen, my hands clasped tightly in my lap. Luke Carter. The name hit me like a jolt of electricity, pulling me out of the fog of distant thoughts. Ashley, sitting beside me, stiffened slightly before leaning in closer.

Beside me, Ashley’s voice broke through the fog. "Well, no surprises there," she said, her tone light. "We always knew he was brilliant."

I nodded faintly, my eyes locking onto the stage as Luke appeared. His blue eyes scanned the crowd, but when they landed on me, all I could see was the boy I used to call my best friend—the one who’d laughed with me over study sessions, who’d been my rock through so many moments, and who had betrayed me in a way I never thought possible.

The applause died down as Luke began his speech, his voice steady and clear, but I couldn’t focus on the words. My thoughts spiraled back to everything that had happened—the way I’d trusted him implicitly, the way he’d shattered that trust. He’d been my friend, my confidant, and yet he’d made a choice that endangered me in the worst way possible.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Ashley whispered, leaning closer. “We should talk to him today.”

I glanced at her, surprised. “What?”

“You’ve been avoiding it for too long. We’re going to talk to him,” she said firmly. “You might not get another chance.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but the words wouldn’t come. She wasn’t wrong. I had spent so many nights wondering if I should reach out to Luke, my thumb hovering over the message icon, only to shove my phone away in frustration. What was there to say? But Ashley was right. This was our last chance.

Luke’s voice filled the auditorium again as he spoke of the challenges they’d faced in high school, of the struggles and the triumphs. His words were inspiring, even touching, but I could barely concentrate. My mind kept spiraling back to the past

When the speech ended, the applause was deafening, and I joined in, clapping automatically. But there was no enthusiasm in my actions. I felt numb, as though something was missing from this moment that should’ve been the most important of all.

"And now," the principal’s voice rang out, pulling me from my thoughts, "it is my honor to announce this year’s salutatorian. This student has excelled academically and demonstrated remarkable perseverance despite personal challenges. Please join me in congratulating Violet Blake."

For a moment, everything stopped.

"Violet!" Ashley's excited voice broke through my stupor. She grabbed my arm, her eyes wide with pride. "That’s you! Go! Get up there!"

I blinked, still caught in the whirlwind of emotions that had been surging through me. My body moved on autopilot, standing with shaky legs as the applause thundered louder, swelling in my ears. The sea of black robes seemed to blur around me, but then I caught sight of him. Ryan.

His hands clapped harder than anyone’s, his smile wide and proud, and I couldn’t help but feel my heart skip a beat. He was there, cheering me on, as if he could somehow ground me in this storm of feelings. He had always been the one to make me feel like I could do anything, and in that moment, the weight of everything fell away.

"Go, Violet!" Ashley encouraged, practically pushing me toward the stage.

As I made my way up, the world seemed to move in slow motion. My heart raced, my breath coming in uneven gasps. And then, from the corner of my eye, I saw her.

My mom.

There she was, sitting in the second row, her immaculate suit and perfectly styled hair standing out in the sea of graduates. But it wasn’t just her presence that made my heart lurch. It was the way she was looking at me. That smile. Soft, warm, and filled with pride.

A lump formed in my throat as emotions I hadn’t expected surged through me. Despite all the distance between us, the missed moments, the coldness that had defined so much of our relationship, she was here. She had come.

My chest tightened, and the lump in my throat threatened to choke me. I blinked rapidly, trying to hold back the tears that welled up, surprised by the emotion that surged through me. She came. She’s really here.

When I reached the stage, the principal handed me my certificate with a warm smile. “Congratulations, Violet,” he said.

"Thank you," I managed, my voice steady.

I turned to face the crowd, clutching my certificate tightly. My eyes sought out Ryan again, and for a brief moment, everything else disappeared. It was just me and him, standing in the same space, supporting each other without saying a word.

The principal passed me the microphone, and I took a deep breath and I cleared my throat again, trying to steady myself. The microphone felt heavier in my hands, and I could feel the weight of every single eye in the room on me. My heart was racing, and for a moment, I wondered if I was even going to be able to speak.

The silence stretched on, and I could feel my palms sweating. I could hear the echo of my breath in my ears, and then, slowly, my voice emerged, shakier than I’d intended.

“Uh... good evening, everyone.” I swallowed. “It’s… it’s an honor to stand here today.”

I paused, glancing out over the crowd, my gaze lingering on the familiar faces—Ashley’s encouraging smile, Ryan’s quiet, knowing gaze—but my attention kept drifting back to my mother, still sitting in the second row, her eyes unwavering from me.

Her gaze was both soft and intense, and it was as if she was waiting for me to find my footing.

I blinked, pushing aside the sudden wave of emotion. “I... I don’t know what to say. This... this wasn’t how I thought today would go. To be honest, I didn’t expect to be up here. I thought maybe I’d just blend in, you know? Get through it all, and then move on to whatever comes next.”

The crowd was quiet, watching me intently, and I could hear the soft rustle of papers as people shifted in their seats.

“But...” I hesitated, trying to find the right words, “this moment, this achievement... it’s not just mine. It’s a reflection of everyone who’s helped me along the way. The people who believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. My friends, my teachers, and...my family.”

My voice caught on the last word, but I pressed on. “There were so many times when I thought I couldn’t do it, when I felt like I was just... lost. But here I am. And I can’t take all the credit for it. Some of this is because of the people who never gave up on me.”

I could feel my chest tightening, the words coming faster now, each sentence lifting a little more weight from my shoulders. “So... I just want to thank you all. Everyone who’s been there, in their own way. You’ve made me stronger than I knew I could be.”

A quiet pause settled over me, and for a moment, everything felt still. I looked down at my certificate, my hands trembling slightly.

“I’m not perfect,” I continued, feeling a small smile tug at the corner of my lips. “I’m still figuring things out. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned... it’s that we don’t have to do it alone. We get through life because of the people who lift us up, even when we don’t realize it.”

I looked up once more, locking eyes with Ryan, who had that same rare, proud smile on his face. It was almost like he was holding me up in that moment, silently telling me I could do this. Maybe even reminding me that I had done it.

“And to everyone who helped me get here... thank you.” I smiled fully now, my heart lighter than it had been in a long time. “We did it.”

With that, I stepped back from the podium, the weight lifting from my chest with every step. The applause that followed sounded distant, as though I were walking through a dream. But somewhere, beneath the swirling emotions and the rush of adrenaline, a single thought settled in my mind.

I had made it