Chapter VIII: High School Graduation

All are dressed in white clothes, holding a mortar on my left hand, we fall in line. I was with my old shoes. The ribbon on my clothes were dangling as if they were about to fall. People started to crowd. Parents of my classmates started to fall in line too. They were all happy. My classmates posed for shots. Sparkle of glitters shine on their faces as their faces were covered by make up. The whole atmosphere was filled with the spirit of no ending joy.

I was on the second row at the second column. On my line are my classmates arranged in alphabetical order. My classmates are with their parents. As the music of the famous theme for graduation fills the air, students started to walk in front towards the gym. It was so painful to me while my classmates walk through the isle of the gym with their parents. I was the only one who walked without anyone to accompany me.

We sat in front of the stage. Knowing that after all of this ceremony, we are officially off the campus, the contract between SSU and the students would finally end. After this event we are no longer the responsibility of our school. I started to cry when the theme have finished playing. The whole atmosphere has been colder than even before.

Our advisor started to whisper some words into my mouth to ask me if my parent is within the crowd. I started to look from left to right. I couldn’t find anyone of my parents. When my name was called by the mater of ceremonies, I stood up, looked as if I was trying to find someone, and found someone standing behind the throng of women. I went up the stage and wait for a medal to be wrapped around my neck. I was so glad to have the medal, though I wasn’t in with the honors no one had ever surpassed my award in Science. I am really happy about it. I was so proud of it.

As the ceremonies end, the question of what ifs played into my mind. What if I studied well/ what if I did not experience prejudice? What if I was the person that I used to be? What if I did not slack? What if I wasn’t rebellious? Will I be wearing more than one medal? Will I be happier? All have been a question of what ifs.