Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 21882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 109(@200wpm)___ 88(@250wpm)___ 73(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 109(@200wpm)___ 88(@250wpm)___ 73(@300wpm)
“I can ask Cameron about your boyfriend’s job,” I say in a calm tone. “But I can’t promise anything.”
Kathy smiles silkily.
“Oh good,” she says. “You do that. I’d appreciate it a lot, Maddy.”
I swallow the bile rising in my throat.
“Sure, no problem,” I manage before turning away. With that, the three of us get into my mom’s old Honda Accord and zoom off towards the high school. Soon we arrive, and I drop my mom and aunt off at the front in order to wander to the back. It’s a sweltering day and the heat practically comes in waves off the red dirt of the field where we’ll be having the ceremony.
“Man oh man,” says Sarah Rivera, a friend of mine. She takes off her mortarboard and wipes her forehead with one hand. “I’m dripping with sweat.”
I’m beginning to perspire as well, but I manage a smile.
“Why aren’t they having it in the auditorium or the gym?” I ask. “Wouldn’t it be way cooler in there?”
But Sarah merely shrugs.
“Yeah, but the A/C broke, and even the back-up generator is down. Thus, our field of dreams,” she says with a sweeping gesture to the parched-looking expanse of grass. There is a small stage there, with chairs set up on it, as well as the swell of folding chairs facing the stage. God. I can’t imagine being out here for two hours straight in the direct sunlight, but then again, I guess we don’t have a choice.
“I’m going to go get some water,” I say with a grim smile. “Do you want me to get you a bottle too?”
Sarah wipes her perspiring face with one hand again. Her nose and cheeks are glistening, and she looks like she’s about to melt.
“Yeah, that would be good,” she says. “Thanks.”
With that, I stride off purposefully, looking for the refreshments. But alas, they’re nowhere to be found, and I find myself hunting around for Cameron instead. Where is he? He said he was coming to my graduation, so why haven’t I seen his tall, dark form yet? I’m so proud to finally be showing him off at my side, and yet he’s not here. The celebration is going to start in ten minutes or so, and my man isn’t usually late. I wonder when he’ll show up.
But I can’t linger. Quickly spotting the refreshment stand, I grab two bottles of ice water and head back to where the graduates throng.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats,” booms our principal’s voice over the speaker system. “We’ll be starting the ceremony shortly.
Obediently, we sit in the white folding chairs and I look surreptitiously over my shoulder. There’s my mom and my aunt, sitting over by the right side. Grace sees me and waves excitedly while my Aunt Kathy merely purses her lips and frowns again. What’s got her so upset recently?
But there’s no sign of Cameron and my shoulders slump a bit. Is he not coming? Did he change his mind?
That can’t be it, the voice in my head says. He loves you. Of course he’s going to come.
But that’s the thing: Cameron is nowhere to be found and the butterflies in my stomach start making me feel nauseous. Is he really going ditch me on this big day when we’re finally supposed to reveal ourselves? I don’t want to believe it, but it kind of seems like that’s what’s happening.
The ceremony begins and I sit there stiffly in my chair. Speeches are made, but I don’t hear them. I smile woodenly, still covertly looking around to see if my lover has come, but there’s no trace of him whatsoever. My heart sinks and as if in answer, the baby kicks me hard in the stomach.
“Oof!” I gasp.
Sarah stares at me.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” I say wanly while reaching for my water. “Just felt a little overheated.”
My friend blows a couple of sticky bangs out of her face.
“Tell me about it.”
Suddenly, I hear my name called by our principal and stand up to walk to the stage. I take a breath before mounting the stairs, and then paste a bright smile on my face as I begin striding across the flat platform. But that’s when things go haywire.
“She’s a slut!” screams a voice from the audience. “Slut! Slut! Slut!”
I gasp, turning to see who it is. To my horror, it’s my Aunt Kathy standing in her seat, pointing her finger at me as if shaming me from The Handmaid’s Tale.
“Slut!” she screams again. “This so-called honor student has been living with a man double her age, and acting like a slut the whole time! Don’t be fooled! Slut, slut, slut!”
I gasp and my cheeks go red. My ears begin to ring even as a commotion begins.
“Please sit down,” the principle booms into the microphone. “This is not the place.”