Writing Challenge: School

Hey Creepy Stalkers! ^.^

So I've been having a pretty tough time writing anything this year, since school just got a lot harder. The year has pretty much been going up and down, but I think it was pretty good. I became extremely close with a guy I call Montiee, and the best group of friends I could ever ask for has finally come together to form... a group that doesn't have a name yet. XD Sorry guys. But hey, we're working on it. This noun, school, I picked because I wanted to somehow express what's been going on at school lately, while I've been gone. This isn't a Five Minute Writing Challenge because I didn't think that five minutes would be enough time to get my thoughts out on paper... or rather typed out. Anyways, have fun reading and I hope you enjoy!

Without wax,
lonewriter7

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Everyone huddled in one room, ready for the big ceremony. Samuel gave a wink from across the room, along with a look of encouragement. The lights were dim and the room was quiet. Teachers instructed in whispered tones to individual students, and assigned speakers recited their lines in mumbles. As I looked around, I saw how much everyone had grown up. Tyler had gotten so much more mature, and all the people I thought I knew well looked so unusually sharp.

The signal was given. We all stood from our seats and filed out of the room. Memories of the school year flashed through my mind as we walked down the steps towards the stage. This was our Moving On Ceremony, and we we're going into High School. A pang hit me right in the chest, and I fought off a wave of tears. This couldn't be happening.

"Victoria, I heard you and Tyler are a thing. Is that true?" Samuel asked, trying to catch up with my fast paced walking. That loopy grin of his never faded though. I rolled my eyes and laughed, slowing down for his sake.

"Wouldn't you like to know," I teased. He punched me playfully in the arm, his blue eyes meeting my dark brown ones. I watched his expression as I nodded hesitantly. He practically leapt for joy. "Calm down, Sam!" I was laughing though. It was hard not to, considering his happy dance.

The introduction speaker took her seat, and the principal took his spot a the podium. "Welcome all to the Moving On of the class of 2018!" Applause. "These students have had their ups and downs, and definitely some very sleepless nights," he stopped as the crowd laughed, "but let me read you a quote about teenagers. 'Our youth now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for their elders and love chatter in place of exercise; they no longer rise when elders enter the room; they contradict their parents, chatter before company; gobble up their food and tyrannize their teachers.' Now, believe it or not, this quote comes from Socrates. So, although we may think that kids of today are much more disrespectful than the children of yesterday, in reality there is no difference." I spaced out again, another memory flooding my mind.

The halls were bustling with happy, cheerful spirits. Smiles everywhere, laughter and joy ringing in my ears. It just made my sadness worsen. I couldn't think of any way that things could get worse. Kyle had just taken all my trust for him and used it against me. All around me, people were oblivious to the tightness in my stomach, and the queasy feeling in my head. Sam had helped me get over it, to an extent, but my trust for anyone had been shattered completely.

"Vic? You alright?" I turned from my walk of sorrow to see Tyler with a concerned look on his face. Pity. Not what I needed right now. "I'm worried about you," he said. "Do you want help to get your mind off things?"

"Ty, I'm alright. I just need to take a walk." I gave him what I hoped was a reassuring smile and walked off, laughter still surrounding me in my hole of misery. He wouldn't let up though.

"Vic, I'll walk with you." I looked up at him, slightly annoyed. "You can be sad all you want, but you don't have to face the world alone. I'm walking with you."

Applause. I looked to see that our homeroom was being called to stand. There were a few words, we walked up to get our diploma, and sat back down. No giggling, no games, all seriousness. It was dreadful. And now these memories. They wouldn't stop. The good, the bad, the funny and the terrible. They all came rushing back. I started to tear up, just thinking about how this year is going to end, and then we'll be in High School. High School, where girls throw themselves at anyone and guys sleep around. High School, where friends fight and people get restricting orders on others.

But then I think of Sam.

I think of how he said that High School was a place where we'd get to know ourselves. We'd realize what types of people we'd like to become. How High School was where we could learn about the world, and how it was a place where we could learn how to fall deeply in love. I couldn't question that. I guess any place can be a happy place.

Music played overhead and we walked off the stage, quietly and changed.