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The curvy girl looks perfect standing there, soaking up all the love fro her little black dress underneath I can’t help but letin her srabto greet her

The lighting in the auditorium nearly blinds me as I search for the seat number on my ticket R22 I mentally prepare myself for the fact that seat R23, reserved for Eva, will be empty It doesn’t bother me much anymore I do worry, however, that Sa day and see that e we could to inforht the ticket, emailed her, called her, and texted her, all to no avail A weird instinct tells me to fold the chair and put it away in a janitor closet soht, but I sit down and sip from my water instead

Eventually theeneration has seen it all The advances of technology, race wars, pandemics, even a car sent into outer space But above all, whatthe way: our family, friends, y or business, is what drives life after all, he says

I glance over at Sa to see her on her cell phone or chatting with the girl next to her I a attentively Maybe I don’t give hter as much credit as she deserves

The principal begins to call the graduates to the stage one by one They shake his hand and accept their diplo the stairs on the opposite side and flipping their tassel to the left of their cap as they do Solee One youngover the stairs entirely while enthusiastically thrusting his fist into the air The faculty seeitated at this, but I’m sure it happens every year

Tilly gets called to the stage and stops to s not too far behind the she’ll be so wrapped up in the moment that she won’t even notice hts up and she waves back atTilly as I do, I’esture will make her nervous once she realizes what she’s done, very publicly too Realistically however, the room is so busy that no one will notice, and they’ll just assu for anything out of the ordinary between us

They finally call Sa a few photos on my camera, newly purchased for the occasion A sweet innocence shines onto herself the whole way back to her seat

In this irl wearing the blue checkered dress chasing bubbles in the back yard; the sassy pre-teen ht her around the house, stopping at every corner to swiftly turn and flick her hair like the supermodels she watches on the internet; and the newly born wo into the world My heart contracts, and I realize I’ve co that she is

The ceremony eventually coleefully exits the rooins to file out row by row after the herded like coards the hallhere, froone wild

I exit into the hall in the hopes that I will be able to quickly find Sam We have dinner reservations don that I do not want toto be to rip her away froht is side-lined when I catch Tilly out of the corner of ain

Two ht? It’ll probably take et Sam away from Rob and the rest of her posse Plus, Tilly will be over the ether Even if it’s only for a minute