Graduation night

I graduated from Secondary school recently and that night was... Interesting.

This was it, tonight was the night we had all been waiting for; over three hundred people clapping at once and it was a deserved applause, we had just graduated. I looked to my left to try and catch my friend’s eye but ten seats away I saw him staring at the love of his life. It was just unfortunate that she didn't really know he existed and in my case, the girl i had a crush on was in the row behind me and two seats to the right. She knew I existed which is a plus, but unfortunately she was... involved with another boy and that boy just so happened to be one of my best friends. I know, real 'Jessies girl' situation here. She was beautiful from head to toe, she had her newly dyed brown hair down and wore a baby blue dress and a pink jacket and she looked perfect. 

As the ceremony finished I located my friend Jake and I delivered some upsetting information. 

"Tonight is our last chance, if you don't tell her tonight you might never get the chance again." His eyes opened wide, realizing I was right. 

"What about you? Your situation is more fucked than mine." Jake questioned 

"Oh trust me, I know. I don't know man, I'm just going to go with whatever happens." I answered.

After the graduation, when we officially became adults we made our way to a bar in the village and we are accompanied by teachers for a drink. We stay there for an hour or two and then we all hop on a bus and go somewhere that has been pre-decided. So even though this was our first time experiencing this night, it was almost like a routine, we all knew when to leave and where to go. Although, there were some people there that I would have rathered not of been there, we’ll get into the whole subplot in a couple minutes. Jake and I arrived at the pub and we instantly bought a pint each because we needed to be drunk to have the courage to do what we needed.

The pub was crowded, neither of us were fans of this situation so we almost immediately headed out to the smoking area which was a long alleyway beside the pub, my focus was on Jake and our conversation. As we walked through the door and I collided with Hannah. I was instantly apologetic but I was somewhat happy it was her because she was the girl one row back and two seats to the right. “It’s fine, No harm done” she laughed looking into my eyes, the way she looked into my eyes was different to how other girls normally would, I could tell there was something behind them

“I was just heading the chipper, Sean wants food” she groaned “I’ll see you in a bit though and we’ll have a drink or something?” she asked with a smile on her face.

I was smitten, and I had been since I realized it was her I bumped into, I nodded my head rapidly and I stretched the muscles on my face to produce the nicest smile I could. Hannah continued her journey to the chipper and I turned to Jake

“…F**k my life” 

He wrapped his arm around me and whispered “You got this man, I know you do” 

For about an hour nothing exciting happened, nothing extraordinary, Jake and I parted ways for a while and we socialized with our classmates we would see no more of. I stood as part of a circle of friends, which included Hannah and her boyfriend but everything was fine. I just hid my emotions like I have for the past two years. On the other hand, Jake was sitting inside in a corner booth reading a book of T.S Elliot poetry

“Let us go now you and I, When the evening is spread out against the sky like a patient etherized upon a table” Jake mumbled to himself.

Jake was very introverted but also knew where to sit. He found a seat away from the crowds but with the view he wanted, 15 feet away was Jade, sitting at the bar and laughing with her friends and in Jakes eyes he had the best seat in the house. 

Back to the unwanted people part of the night, there was a guy in my class and he was a freak, He gave off vibes that would make you unsettled, the kind of guy your brain would use in your nightmares so of course he had no friends but somehow, somehow he was dating my ex-girlfriend so of course, she wasn’t going to miss her boyfriend’s graduation it was just unfortunately was my graduation as well. This kid hated me, with a burning passion even though I never did anything to him. I didn’t deserve this hatred, but he did like her while I was with her so I think that’s the reason. Either way, pretty stupid. I had seen the soon to be murderer and my ex earlier in the night, but they had disappeared and I was just thankful at I didn’t have to look at them. I decided to head inside and find Jake so we could each give the other new information if we had any, I walked inside and in that moment, I saw an unfortunate issue, in the back-right corner, was Jake, reading away and between Jake and me was this before mentioned soon to be murderer. Typical, just my luck.

I realized that something was about to happen. He had a drink in his hand that was almost empty and I had seen a different drink in his hand not long ago.

I thought to myself “Just walk past them, if you don’t make eye contact then nothing will happen” I took a deep breath and I kept my head down and walked past them, Next thing I knew, WHAM! My head wasn’t the only thing that was down, I felt something hit my leg and I tripped and fell to the floor.

“What the f**k!? Was that really necessary?” I yelled the pub fell silent as I stood up.

He said nothing, just stared at me and gave off his murder vibes, I channeled my inner Bo Burnham and I spoke to myself out loud

“Alright now, Calm down just count to ten” everyone in the pub had a look of confusion “one, two, three, w***e. I mean four, s**t.” I looked at my ex-girlfriend and there was a gasp from the crowd “Three, four, five, b***h. I mean six, s**t. I give up, I’ve got no patience, you won, I’ll face it”

I turned away and he smiled a little as I told him I admit defeat, I turned back to face him and I got up really close to him and said “Your life peaked at graduation, Well congratu-f*****g-lations” 

I stepped back and the whole pub lost it, everyone was jumping around and waiting for him to make a move, I looked over his left shoulder and that’s when I saw Hannah, with my focus on her I felt a fist hit my stomach and with that I fell to the ground. It was like getting hit in the stomach with a wet football going 30mph. 

The whole pub went silent and I felt hands on my shoulders attempting to help me up, I looked to my right and Hannah was there, she was trying to lift me up, I knew I couldn’t win a fist fight against this guy. I doubt half the people in the school could. He was six foot and three inches where I tallied in at five foot 11 inches. Although I couldn’t win the fight I knew I couldn’t lose in front of Hannah. I thought of my favorite movie and to myself, I said “I mean, it’s about this kind of thing, what if I try the Lou scene?”

You see, my favorite film is ‘Fight Club’ and in this scene, Brad Pitt take five or six punches to the face and is covered in blood and he then jumps on top of Lou, they guy who had been punching him. Brad Pitt shakes his head about and bleeds all over Lou and so Brad Pitt wins the fight.

I turned to Hannah and I put my hands on her waist and pushed her to the side and I whispered “I’ve got this”. I turned to face him but I didn’t see him, I saw Jake’s back and a wooden stool in the air, Jake bashed the stool over his head and our soon to be murderer fell to the ground and his girlfriend instantly fell to her knees and checked if he was okay, Jake knocked the b*****d out cold. Everyone was shocked and no one spoke a word, Jake looked up from the ground and directly at Jade.

He raised his arms and shouted “Yeahhh!” the pub erupted with cheers but the only thing that mattered to him was the fact that Jade was clapping and cheering for him. 

Tonight was the first night in our whole lives that Jake and I were liked, We were the center of attention and although this would have bothered us any other day, tonight was different, it was our one opportunity and we took it. We were celebrated for half an hour and then the bus arrived to transport us to our new location, I had the misfortune of sitting behind Hannah and her boyfriend Sean. Why was it misfortune? Well because Sean was all over her and I wanted it to be me who was all over her. At this point I had lost all hope, Jake hadn’t planned on staying the whole night, he wasn’t going to go on the bus but following the events of earlier he had a feeling that if he stayed, he could have a chance at love. He called his mother and she drove down to him and she followed the bus. Sitting where I was I could see Jade, she was sitting alone as all her friends were sitting with their boyfriends, I decided I would move forward on the bus and sit beside her. 

“Hey, is this seat taken?” I asked her quietly so as to not draw attention from her friends. 

“No, not at all” she said as she moved from the aisle seat to the empty window seat. “Hey, Are you alright? It looked like a nasty punch. Did it hurt?” she quizzed me. 

“I’m alright now, but at the time it hurt like hell, I’m just lucky I had Jake there to help me” I smiled

“Yeah, it was very heroic of him, I couldn’t believe it, do you know if he’s… seeing anyone?” She said, getting quieter as the sentence when on.

“I don’t believe so, but you’ll have to ask him yourself” You’ve no idea how happy I was, Jake had a chance.

After a short twenty-five minute journey we were pushed off the bus and frisked by security guards. They wanted to make sure we had no alcohol on us going into the bar so that we would be forced to purchase their overpriced drinks. And that ladies and gentlemen is how capitalism works, but anyway, putting my political views aside, I entered the new bar and I spotted Hannah standing at the bar as she called me over “Here, do you have five euro?” she asked. I reached into my wallet and pulled out a fiver and handed it over without question, in return four shots were placed in front of us.

She turned to me and explained that it was four shots for ten euro. Although I had no idea what liquid was in my tiny glass, I knew I could trust her and thus we drank, two shots each, drinking in sync. Jake walked in the door and there was a cheer, he approached Hannah and I asking, “What are you drinking?”

Knowing I could not answer him properly, I replied with “It’s uh… Liquid courage” 

Jake removed his wallet from his pocket and handed me fifteen euro “Will you get me a triple vodka and coke?” I took his money and ordered the drink requested, looking back to my right to strike a conversation with Hannah when I noticed her sudden absence. Following this realization, I scanned the bar to see her with her boyfriend, the person she is meant to be with and not with me. I hit me that maybe me and her were never going to be together, her boyfriend would always be there.

As an hour past, Jake and I sat with each other waiting for our liquid courage to kick in. Almost in sync, we saw an opportunity and we both took it, I hugged my friend and I wished him luck and off he went. This is what happened to him:

Jake noticed the girl of his dreams walking down the long corridor filled with couches that lead to the night club, she was being trailed by someone else, a guy that Jake had never seen before, Instinctively, Jake grabbed the arm of Jade's friend and quickly asked her, “Who is that guy with Jade? Are they together”

She looked at him and smiled, as though she knew how he felt and what was about to happen. “No, He’s been bugging her since we got here. Now stop talking to me and go get her”

Time froze. Everyone disappeared. At the end of the hallway, Jake saw one person and one person only. He knew that tonight was his last chance, if he didn’t take it if he let her get away, it was all over for him.

Jake took to his feet and was on a mission. As he moved, time began moving again for him but as he got further down the hallway, she would walk further away. People reappeared in his vision one by one and just then, he popped in. Jake didn’t know his name and doesn’t want to know it because he was about to leave the picture. Jake marched his way through the dance floor and put his hand on the harasser’s shoulder and Jake leaned in and shouted over the music.

“Back off buddy, you don’t know who you’re messing with” and that was it, he was gone.

He had heard about what Jake did earlier in the night and decided not to risk it. Jake slowly walked towards the love of his life, his stomach was in a knot and he quickly became unsure if he could say what he wanted, without throwing up from being so nervous. Jake remembered that tonight was his last night with her and he needed to let her know and following this realization he leaned in and spoke thus, “I need to tell you something… I love you and I have for the past two years and I think we should be together.”

He pulled back to see her reaction and she didn’t really have a reaction, she was confused if anything and over the loud music he heard a quiet “What?! I can’t hear you!” come from her.

Jake swallowed the saliva in his mouth but in his mind, it was his fear he swallowed. He began again, “I need to tell you something, I love y-” As he spoke these words the night club went quiet as the universe wanted these two people together. The music had stopped but everyone heard what he was about to say and everyone looked towards him. His palms were sweaty, his knees were weak and his arms were heavy but he powered through, with the whole nightclub watching in awe he spoke, “Jade, I love you and I have for two years and I think we should be together.” The moment Jade heard these words she jumped at him for an embrace and she kissed him. Every light in the nightclub flashed and the music began playing again. And that was it, for Jake at least. 

Me, on the other hand, well, that’s a different story. After wishing my friend well on his mission for love, I sat back down because mine hadn’t started yet. Hannah and Sean were talking away but something didn’t seem right, Hannah’s face fell to her hands and Sean talked aggressively to her. I stood up and started walking over to help her but she ran out of the bar crying. I quickly followed her, but I was stopped by the security saying they couldn’t let me out. I quickly explained to them why I needed to be outside and they understood and let me go, I stumbled outside and looked to my left to see a guy who had too much to drink throwing it all backup, but to my right I saw Hannah about fifteen feet away, sitting on the curb. I slowly walked over to her and walked around her and sat on her right.

“Do you want to tell me what’s going on?” I asked her. 

“I did nothing, he thinks I did something but he’s probably in there with another girl that’s better looking than me” she said through her tears. 

I looked her in the eyes and I grabbed the end of my sleeve, I brought my arm to her face and I wiped away her tears and I mumbled, “I think that might actually be impossible.”

I inhaled deeply and I told her, “I think you’re the most beautiful person here and... it’s uh, it’s funny, I actually had a crush on you in fifth year.”

She looked at me with her eyes wide open and asked “Why didn’t you tell me? In fifth year?” 

“I was scared, I was afraid you wouldn’t like me back, I’m afraid right now for the same reason.” I laughed, realizing what I had just said I quickly looked away from her and looked forward. 

Hannah looked at me and asked, “Right now? do you still have those feelings?”

I inched myself closer to her. I dropped my hand to the pavement and I moved it under hers, I interlocked my fingers with hers and she laid her head on my shoulder. I will tell you now that my hand has never fit so well with another human being.

I wish I could tell you more. But this is where it ends, although my night did have a different ending it also had a different story but I like this one better. Jake and I never got a happy ending, don’t forget that this is real life and not a Disney film. 

Author's Note

This is the first piece of work I have posted, my English teacher suggested I post it.

Reviews

[Maria]

Very intense, and intriguing. I really loved it. You laid it out in such a fashion, that I could not stop reading, until I found out what happened. And still am wondering, so this is it for now? But yet, very well done. Great job and congrats on your recent graduation as well.

[Karen John]

I want more!!!
Omg I loved reading this!!!
I have not read something with so much interest in the past few years cause I was too busy and I got off track!!!
Reading this I just feel like I want more and more to read!!!!
Thank u so much!!!!

[Tom Float]

Honestly this is very good story. I especially like the twist and the calm conversational tone you have is enjoyable for the reader. I will only offer the advice to edit it down a little further. There's a few little bumps that can be ironed out;
a couple examples are:
'Every year, after the graduation, when we are officially adults we all make our way to a bar in the village and we are accompanied by teachers for a drink' - I know you later go on to say that this was the year's first go but they that sentence is written makes it seem like it is an annual tradition for that group alone and not for each generation that graduates.
Another example is small but at the same time an obvious one: Hannah runs from what you describe as the pub when they've actually moved the bar/club. It's small but enough to jar the reader slightly.

Enough of the negatives. It's a wonderfully written story and with some editing you should consider submitting it to a couple contests, see if you can get it placed? Good luck and again, lovely story.

[Kelly B.]

This is amazing. It felt like I could hear you telling me the story like some kind of narrator from a movie. Was eager to find out the ending, I was rooting for you the whole time.

[Dalton Wagoner]

This is a pretty good story! But in your writing when you said, "Back to the unwanted people part of the night," I would either put that in parenthesis or reword it because it makes me think the story is being told orally versus written. But good job overall!

[Mr.Smith]

I like the idea that I am telling you the story, it makes it more person for the reader and I know it's a hit or miss with some people, Thank you for your advice.

[Dalton Wagoner]

Okay, I understand now. Cool concept!

[Gabby]

After reading this I wish I could have witnessed it all, and I hope my graduation night can be this eventful when it comes around. But overall I want to mention that I felt like I was having an actual conversation with you. This story is so real and raw. I thoroughly enjoyed it, thank you for sharing!!!

[Mr.Smith]

Thank you, That means a lot to me.

[rowan.taylorrr]

I. love. this. it's a true story and it's not some sappy romance story, I really like the way you write straight forward. well done

[Mr.Smith]

Thank you so much