CHAPTER 15: Graduation Day

GABRIEL’s P.O.V.

Graduation day. The last and final day of my high school life. While Mom and I get ready for the program, I can’t help but to wonder if how is Erevell right now... Did she already graduated same as me? Or did she stop studying right after her operation? What is she doing right at this moment? I badly wanted to see her but I know I can’t. I need to wait, for now.

Being the class valedictorian brought a never ending happiness to my Mom. She looked very proud, and I’m glad that I make it even though it was only by an accident. I’m very thankful to Claire, because if it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be as determined as I am right now.

“The car is ready, Gab. Come on, I can’t wait for your graduation day.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

“Bid your farewells to your Dad now.”

I nodded, before climbing up the stairs to see my Dad. He’s fine now, I guess. After recovering, he’s now starting to come back to his old self, doing some business and stuffs involving investment. That’s why Mom and I could come back to the Singapore now.

“Hey, Dad.” I knock on his door.

“Come in,” he stated.

I opened the door of his room, and a smile instantly form on his lips just by looking at me wearing a toga for my graduation day.

“You look very handsome, son,” he complimented. “I bet no woman would ever turn you down.”

That’s where he’s wrong. I mean, Claire just turned me down. I maybe the most handsome and smartest guy in our class but yet, Claire still doesn’t like me.

“Are you okay, son? You looked... Bothered.”

“Oh. I’m sorry. I’m just thinking about something, Dad. Anyways, Mom and I are going to school now. We don’t want to be late in my graduation ceremony.”

“Sure, sure. You just made me so proud of you, Gabriel. Keep on lifting up our surname, son. I’m sure Elizars will be recognized in this country soon.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“You’re always welcome.”

I chuckled, before waving my hands towards him. I went down on the first floor, motioning my Mom that I’m done bidding my farewells to Dad. That’s why we already got inside of our car, drove towards our school, before we finally arrived at the place where the program hasn’t started yet.

From my seat, I could see Claire and her family taking a picture together beside the stage. Kate, on the other hand, seems to had come here alone, all by herself. Elijah got a Mom, so as every other graduating students in here. I wonder why Kate doesn’t have a parent or even just a guardian. I felt bad, maybe that is the reason why she seeks for other people’s attention, I guess.

The ceremony started, and that’s when they began to distribute our diplomas and certificates. Mom and I didn’t have to wait too long to be called up to stage because my surname is Elizar, and the initial belongs to the first quarter of the alphabet.

“Elizar, Gabriel,” the emcee announced.

Mom and I came up to the stage, plastering a wide smile upon our faces as I received a various awards from the teachers. Mom looked very proud of me, and that’s what makes me really happy too.

When I get down, it was the turn of my fellow guy batch mates to be called and received their diplomas.

“Ramirez, Elijah...”

Before Elijah and his Mom climbed up towards the stage, he winked at Kate’s direction, and then saluted. I can’t help but to wonder what is the real score and the status of their relationship with each other. I mean, that guy surely likes her. And I know that because I’m a guy. I know how our mind thinks. And Kate, she looked like she’s fine with him too. So what is the matter now? Why does she needs to ruin every move that I make for her bestfriend?

Now the emcee started to announce the girls’ name for our batch. I look around, seeing Claire being happy together with her beautiful Mom.

“Braganza, Claire...”

With a wide smile plastered upon her face, Claire and her Mom climbed up the stairs and I clapped my hands for her various achievements as well.

“You knew her?” Mom asked, clapping her hands like me. “She’s pretty interesting... And smart.”

“Very smart, Mom.”

“Glad to hear about that. She’s like Erevell... You know, your bestfriend. For now, I just wanted to advice you something, Gab. Please don’t get yourself too attached to anyone in this country. You know what I mean, right? All of this is just temporarily. We are going to come back to the Singapore soon. So please...”

“Y-yes, Mom,” I just answered.

“Don’t worry, you will see Erevell pretty much sooner, after we came back there, okay?”

I just nodded before I continued listening to the name of my girl batch mates.

“Frias, K.”

I don’t know what’s wrong with the emcee, but she just called Kate by her first name’s initial, and not by her full name. How could that be even possible? She slowly walked towards the stage, looking so anxious than before. Not until someone arrived, someone that made her move from her current position.

“Wait!” I heard a shout from the entrance of our covered court.

There, I saw a middle age woman, maybe her Mom, still wearing her travel clothes. Suddenly, Kate cried out of joy.

“Mom!” I heard her whispered...

Her Mom ran towards her direction to give her a tight hug. The crowd clapped their hands at their dramatic entrance. I smiled, feeling happy for Kate even though after all the things that happened between the both of us. She became my friend before, so I shouldn’t have loathed her that much now. She’s still a person, and she needs respect even right after all what happened to us. For now, all I have to do is to wait for time to heal our broken hearts and start moving on to another chapter of our lives.

“Congratulations, sweetie. You made it. I’m here now...”

Her Mom chuckled as she kissed Kate’s forehead. Hand in hand, they climbed up to the stairs, looking down in the crowd with a proud smile plastered upon their faces.

“Congratulations, Mrs. Frias. Your daughter did great,” I heard our principal stated, and her Mom smiled widely at him.

They took a picture together before climbing down the stairs. Her Mom nudged and look at her very proudly before she mouthed the words, “thank you.”

After our graduation ceremony, I decided to talk to Claire first before we head home. I badly wanted to bid my final good bye to her and to apologized as well after what I did to her and to her friendship with her bestfriend, Kate. Thankfully, her Mom is out of sight so I easily got the access to come near her and to talk to her as well.

“Claire...” I started.

“Yeah?” she blankly asked, not sounding mad or something.

She observed me for a moment, scanning my whole features before sighing.

“What now, Gab?” she asked again.

“I just... I wanted to apologize for what I did to you... And to your bestfriend, Kate.”

“You know, you shouldn’t say that in front of me, Gab. Please just save it for Kate... Please apologize to my bestfriend now.”

Even though I wanted to, I couldn’t. For Kate was already talking to her teachers together with her Mom. I sighed, before averting my eyes back to Claire.

“I will, later... For now, I just wanted to hear from your mouth that you’ve already forgiven me.”

“I don’t hold grudges to people, Gab. You know that.”

I smiled, receiving the same gesture from her but it was only smaller than I expected it to be, just like before. It was not her normal smile, though it’s real, and it’s better than receiving nothing. Maybe I’ve played my cards so wrong. I should’ve just told how I really feel from the very beginning. In that way, maybe I hadn’t hurt anyone... Specially the bestfriend of the girl that I like.

“Thank you, Claire.”

She nodded, before her face suddenly looked bothered. Her eyes are focused on something behind me, or maybe someone, I guess. It was Elijah, walking towards the path of where the tallest building in our school was currently located.

“I’m sorry, Gab. I need to go now. I have to talk to someone.”

I just sighed, before answering her.

“That’s fine. Again, thank you for everything, Claire. I might never gonna see you again so I’m already saying this.”

She nodded several times, before running towards the opposite direction. Well I guess that is how she really feel about me... She’s not even that interested at all.

Though it badly hurts, I just need to accept the fact... The fact that not everything that you always wanted to happen will happen. It’s a matter of time before I realized that thing, but it was definitely worth it learning that from my own experience. And that’s it... That graduation day ended my high school journey... Just as simple as that.