The school auditorium was extrely lively today.
Rows upon rows of chairs were filled with students dressed in formal attire, proud parents holding caras, teachers chatting among themselves, and a handful of reporters scattered throughout the hall.
The banners hanging from the walls read:
CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATING CLASS
It had been a long year and very strange year.
A year filled with tragedies, awakenings, scandals, and rumors that had spread far beyond the walls of the school...
Today was the day it all ended... today was graduation Day.
Students laughed and hugged each other as they waited for the ceremony to begin. Parents walked around proudly taking pictures while teachers tried to maintain so level of order among the excited crowd.
Near the middle rows sat Mark, West’s father.
He adjusted the collar of his jacket and looked around the auditorium again.
"...Where is that boy?"
He checked his phone but West hadn’t replied to his texts and still didn’t show up even after so many minutes had gone by.
Mark sighed.
"He better not be late to his own graduation."
He leaned back in his chair, unaware of what his son was currently doing.
---
anwhile, in a narrow storage room near the back of the school building, West had Mrs. Hallow pressed gently against the wall.
Their lips were locked together in a heated kiss.
Her fingers gripped the front of his suit while his hand rested on her waist, pulling her closer.
The room slled faintly of cleaning supplies and dust, but neither of them cared.
Mrs. Hallow’s breathing was uneven as she pulled back slightly.
"You’re insane..." she whispered breathlessly.
"This is graduation day."
West smirked slightly.
"And?"
Her cheeks flushed as he leaned in again causing their lips to et once more.
Her body pressed against his chest, and she felt electrifying tingles spread through her body in the way he held her.
The once shy student she used to know had completely transford.
Now he carried himself with authority that was... dangerously attractive.
She shivered slightly as things got more intense.
From outside the room, distant applause echoed through the hallways.
The ceremony had started.
---
Back in the auditorium, the event was already underway.
A teacher stood at the podium welcoming everyone while the crowd clapped politely.
Several news caras were set up around the room.
Reporters had co after rumors leaked that an awakened student was graduating from the school this year.
Originally, it would have been two but after the humiliating events from two weeks ago, Caleb had completely disappeared from public view.
Which left only one na... West.
The mysterious student who awakened and suddenly beca the center of attention.
The reporters whispered among themselves.
"I heard he’s extrely talented."
"Apparently he awakened recently too."
"Do we know what he awakened as?"
"No idea."
"Strange that he hasn’t joined a gang yet."
The ceremony continued... students clapped... teachers smiled... while parents recorded everything on their phones.
Eventually the principal returned to the stage again.
"And now..."
"It is ti for the Valedictorian speech."
The auditorium quieted down as the principal adjusted the microphone.
"This year’s Valedictorian has consistently demonstrated academic excellence and determination throughout his entire ti at this institution."
A few students already knew who it would be.
"Please welco..."
"West Einstein."
Applause filled the hall but even after a couple of seconds went by, no one walked onto the stage.
The principal blinked.
"...West Einstein?"
Still nothing.
He looked toward the student seating area but West wasn’t there.
Mark got up at this point to look around for his son, so folks even turned to him asking where his son was.
The reporters imdiately began whispering again.
"Where is he?"
"Did he skip?"
"That would be a headline..."
The principal cleared his throat.
"West Einstein?"
Still no answer.
So students began chuckling quietly while Jax leaned toward Nina in the back row.
"...Where the hell is he?"
Nina sighed.
"I think we both know."
---
Back in the storage room, Mrs. Hallow suddenly pushed West away slightly.
"Your na!"
"They’re calling you!"
West paused.
"...Ah."
She straightened her clothes quickly.
"We’ll continue this later."
West grinned.
"Looking forward to it."
A mont later, he slipped out of the room and headed toward the auditorium.
---
Just as the principal was about to move on, the auditorium doors opened and West walked in.
Every head turned instantly.
He was dressed in a perfectly tailored black graduation suit with a straight black tie straight and confident posture.
Despite clearly arriving late, he looked completely composed.
Even his hair was perfectly styled.
There was not a single wrinkle on his clothes or a hint of panic.
The principal sighed in relief.
"Ah... there he is."
"Mr. Einstein, please co to the stage."
West walked down the aisle calmly as students whispered and parents stared.
Reporters quickly aid their caras.
As he stepped onto the stage, the lights caught his tall, handso and confident features.
Even the reporters briefly paused.
"...Wow."
West took the microphone and the room quieted imdiately.
He looked over the crowd for a mont before speaking.
"Graduation."
A small smile appeared on his face.
"It’s strange."
"For years, we’re told that this mont is one of the most important in our lives."
He looked at the rows of students.
"But if this year taught us anything..."
"...it’s that life doesn’t follow neat plans."
The room grew quieter.
"We’ve seen things happen this year that none of us expected."
"Danger."
"Loss."
"Change."
"But we’re still here."
He paused.
"And that ans sothing."
He leaned slightly on the podium.
"Most people think graduation is the end of sothing."
"The end of school."
"The end of childhood."
"But I think it’s sothing else."
"It’s the beginning."
He looked out over the audience.
"The world we’re stepping into isn’t simple."
"It’s complicated."
"It’s dangerous."
"But it’s also full of opportunity."
A few students leaned forward, listening more carefully.
West’s voice remained calm as he spoke.
"So here’s my advice."
"Don’t be afraid to step outside the path that everyone expects you to follow."
"Don’t let fear decide what you beco."
"And most importantly..."
He smiled slightly.
"...if you’re going to chase sothing in life—"
"Chase it completely."
"Half-hearted dreams lead to half-lived lives."
Silence filled the room briefly before a thunderous applause erupted.
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