IN just a blink of an eye, who would have thought that Hussey would survive her last year in Saint Arnold College of Aratiles?
When she couldn’t even follow the lessons that their terror math teacher Mrs. Clarin gave to them.
Seriously though, would she really remember all the lessons that the teachers taught to them?
All she could remember was how she was cramming just to pass the projects that the teacher gave to them for the last quarter.
The past week was very troublesome for some graduating students.
The other maybe unfortunate and already crying for not passing their requirements by now, they probably wound up chasing after their teachers to get their clearance sign by them.
In addition, some teachers were hard to locate due to the preparation for the graduation that’s finally happening this day.
Happy graduation day, baby! Sorry I’m not be able to talk to you soon but I’ll try to swing to you once I find some free time to congratulate you properly, I love you.
Secretly peeking, she stared down at the last text she received from her boyfriend for today.
For the ninth time that morning, she repetitively read it so she’ll have the motivation to carry on with the tedious ceremony.
She understood that Aeschylus was busy—he’s busier than her because he somehow neglected majority his stuff in his classes.
Even if they’re inside the campus, they never have much time to interact or even see each other.
It had been hectic that they barely have time to sleep because of the necessities that they have to pay attention or else they will go back to the school to finish their requirements during vacation.
No one would want to go back when it’s already vacation of course, so they have to prioritize their school life first, they’re so ready to get themselves out of there so the torment will come to an end.
Just because Hussey and Aeschylus haven’t had time to see each other doesn’t mean that Hussey didn’t miss him terribly.
Every day, when there’s time, video calls scarcely felt like a substitute just to have Aeschylus constantly by her side.
“Hussey! What if someone caught you? Quit peeping at your phone,” Eiassey warned her in the middle of the ceremony.
Hussey huffed and slipped her phone back to her pocket. “It’s not my fault this ceremony is boring,” she snapped back.
Hussey couldn’t take it anymore but to roll her eyes. Thirty minutes already passed with only words of gratitude, recognition, and introduction occurring.
She can’t really last listening to the speaker for that long. She wondered if Aeschylus find this boring too though. . . .
“You wouldn’t want people to stare at you if you didn’t hear your name being called, right? That would be really embarrassing,” Eiassey teased.
Eiassey was right, that would really be a massive embarrassment which Hussey would likely want to avoid.
Especially with the great quantities of people inside, it wouldn’t be fun too knowing that Emmanuelle, Astennu, Alazne, and Fionntan were here to watch that shameful situation.
With Astennu only being here, she would be a dead meat for sure. There’s a high chance that her father will keep reminding her humiliation as long as she lived.
Soon after, Hussey felt something flicking the back of her head reason why she and Eiassey whipped their heads to the outrageous person who dared to do that to them.
“The two of you need to be quiet, you’re already in the wrong section. Don’t get in trouble more, fools.”
Hussey rolled her eyes at her best friend Mezzari. “You’re just as guilty as the rest of us, Mez.”
One, Mezzari was also not in alphabetical order. Two, she’s also speaking, Hussey wouldn’t have pointed that out if she just didn’t meddle with them.
“Hey, idiot.” Eiassey elbowed her twin. “We’re two sections away from St. Ignatius! We’re not at the back!”
“It’s not our turn yet, St. Arnold, St. Scholastica, and St. Augustine will be called first before our class, let’s go back once they start announcing the students with honors to lessen the hassle,” Hussey suggested.
However, Eiassey pointed out Mezzari’s wrong replacement too. “How about you, Mez? Your surname starts with letter ‘m’ so you’re not supposed to be here at the last row, and you’re talking to us too!”
By turning up her chin, Mezzari finished her, “Irrelevant.”
The twins could only give Mezzari snide remarks before turning their backs around, attempting to pretend to be interested in the rest of ceremony.
The program went on and on.
One speech after another about how proud that another set of batch was graduating that day.
Every individual getting called from the stage with thousand names felt like ages as they one by one clambered to the stage to accept their diplomas.
All she thought was it’s like she’s at the funeral instead of graduation.
The dramatic music of piano made her yawn from time to time.
“Nase, Aeschylus,” the monotonous voice coming from their adviser Ms. Adorza called.
Causing Eiassey to nudge her while Mezzari kicked the back of her leg that made her hiss at them.
Her orbs attentively followed Aeschylus as she saw him sprung up from his seat and shuffled past his classmates up to the rest of the row.
Before going to the aisle, he became aware that almost everyone’s eyes were staring at him, as they were expected to.
Aeschylus kept his eyes glued to the floor, trying to act relaxed instead of being openly anxious.
Entirely alerted to the eyes staring through his back and the inexorable clicks and flashes from the camera that was coming from his mother Enza, taking hundreds of photos of him.
As he ascended to the few steps of the stairs, not minding random noises in the background, one voice stood out to him.
“Get it, Sky! Yeah! Go, Aeschylus! Woo!”
Aeschylus did not need to search where the voice was or to know who it was belong to.
But he did anyway.
Only a thrilled with a prideful grin plastered in her features.
A grin even prouder than the ones she had ever worn.
In the middle of the rows and rows seats.
There she was.
Standing through the crowds of students at the back, between the class of St. Augustine and the last section St. Alphonsus.
Tint of rose hailed Aeschylus’ cheeks, a smile making its way across his face.
Appreciation blossomed in his heart at the thought of Hussey would do something that both of them would find embarrassing.
Hussey could never care less even if there’s strange gazes going to her direction.
Giddiness bubbled in his chest.
He appreciated that so much.
Upon shaking the principal’s hand, with the diploma being handed to him, he then went down of the stage and sat back down to watch the rest of the ceremony that felt like a blur to him.
No, he didn’t care about the program that much, he cared about Hussey more.
It just meant that he’ll finally get to catch up with her again once this event drew to a close.
His fingers played on their own as he waited for Hussey’s name to ring in his ears from the stage.
“Aozora, Hussey.”
Aeschylus perked from his seat as his eyes guided her figure, he chuckled to himself when she even waved at him while she was still on the stage.
She’s definitely making the most of it. He waved back at her, not just a simple wave, a wave that can catch anyone’s attention.
It doesn’t matter to him even if there were eyes drawing to his spot.
Hussey even gifted him a wink before she blended in the sea of students.
Once it’s over and everyone dispersed to meet with their love ones, Aeschylus didn’t even have to try hard to search across the crowd just to hunt for a familiar flowy, bouncy, and fluffy curly-haired woman.
After their gazes locked, without hesitation, she threw herself to him.
Crushing him into a hug and him catching her to spin her around before Hussey even had a chance to process what he just did.
“Congrats, baby. . . .” He inhaled the neroli scent that she was secreting.
She buried her face in the hollow of his neck, “Congratulations to you too, baby. You made it this far!” Hussey kissed his collarbone before he placed her back to the ground. “You don’t know how proud I am of you.”
Deep flush escalated on Aeschylus’ face, he tried to hide it with the use of his collar. “It’s just graduating from high school; you experience that too—everyone has it too.”
Chortle brimmed out of Hussey’s throat as she leaned forward to press a kiss on his forehead.
“You’re not everyone.”