Preparation for Graduation

The day starts as normal. The sun rises, families disperse and life goes on. There’s one difference today, graduation. It is looming over everyone’s thoughts as it nears.

Quade and Galaxy are concerned about marriage. The graduates of this year are fearful of their future. Everyone is waiting in anticipation for the results. Navy and Nicolette are worried about their sibling’s arrival.

Everyone has their thoughts looming over them as the dreadful day comes nearer.

The sixth month has ended and the seventh month has taken over its place.

The group of friends meet for their lunchtime chat time.

Navy and Nicolette sit down with books. Everyone else has a similar arrangement. “Do you guys have any good baby name ideas?”Nicolette asks without lifting her head, “we have to come up with some for our father.” Everyone lifts their heads from their current assignments. “When is the baby due?”Galaxy asks as she goes through appropriate options.

“Graduation day,”Navy says with a smile that fades as soon as it surfaces. “Aw,”Icterine coos, “I can’t wait.” Nicolette glares at her, “Atleast you won’t have to care for it.” Icterine frowns. “Let’s think of a name for each letter of the alphabet since we don’t know the letter yet,”Stone says so that no one gets hurt further. Everyone nods and starts compiling a list.

Asher, Benning, Christopher, Dylan, Elliot, Finn, Grayson, Henry, Isaiah, Jordan, Kade, Landon, Nolan, Oliver, Parker, Quentin, Rowan, Tristan, Urbain, Voss, Wyatt, Xander, York, Zane and 9.

Everyone sighs in relief as they finally end the naming game.

“Aren’t you guys stressed about graduation preparations?”Falcon asks as he looks at the long list of things that needs to be done in a few months. Everyone nods as the thought of more work comes to mind. “We won’t be helping this year,”Galaxy says with a dejected look. Everyone smiles sadly at her. Quade hasn’t been around and everyone has been asking her if he has decided to choose someone else. “Oh, yeah,”Stone says with pain in his eyes, “you will be planning the wedding.” Galaxy nods with fear in her eyes. Pure sadness at having to leave her home earlier than intended makes her want to sob incessantly.

The bell chimes soon after, everyone makes their way in. Classes are barely attended since preparations for graduation is more important. This year it is even more important. Everyone is looking forward to the wedding of the leader’s son. No one knows it but they secretly hope that someone will change something someday.

Galaxy spends her day thinking about anything other than her studies. Graduation and its consequences faze her. A wedding and what it entails. Her heart pounds erratically. Someone calling her name takes her out of her thoughts.

Galaxy lifts her head and looks at the teacher. “Sorry sir,”Galaxy says with confusion. The teacher sighs and continues teaching.

After school, Galaxy goes to the leader’s home. She ends up sitting with Nazareth and Mazarine in a daze. They both make casual conversation with each other until it is time for Galaxy to go home.

“I don’t even know why I come here,”Galaxy mumbles to herself. “To see me,”Mazarine says with a smile. Galaxy gets startled at the sound of her voice. She smiles sweetly at Mazarine until she gets into the black car that takes her home. Mazarine follows her.

“What’s got you so upset?”Mazarine asks knowingly. “Everything,”Galaxy says honestly, “marriage, Quade and leaders. Mostly Quade.” “Why?”Mazarine asks politely. “Everyone thinks he has changed his mind about me,”Galaxy says honestly, “and they make it apparent. They tell me that to my face. It’s embarrassing. I don’t understand why I have to deal with it alone.” Mazarine sighs and says, “Seeing you makes him feel like telling you everything. He isn’t allowed to tell you anything but it’s all weighing on his mind.” Galaxy nods, “I know that but he isn’t the only one.”

Galaxy gets out of the car with anger. Mazarine doesn’t follow her.

Legacy is waiting for Galaxy when she arrives. “Hey,”Legacy says with a smile, “I made dinner.” Galaxy smiles and thanks her. Galaxy looks at her with pride, “I am glad I didn’t leave you with the inability to care for yourself.” Legacy smiles as she eats the food on her plate. Galaxy does the same.

They eat silently as the day comes to its end. Many days pass with this routine taking place for all of them. The graduation preparations are almost done as the eighth month ensues.

Quade hasn’t been spotted for the whole of the seventh month and Galaxy is done with him keeping to himself. Even though it’s a school day, Galaxy texts him and tells him that they need to talk. A few minutes later, a text comes through and Galaxy goes towards the black car that’s waiting for her.

As soon as she arrives, Quade is standing outside with a sullen face. Galaxy grabs his hand and drags him to the fields behind his house.

“Talk,”Galaxy says with annoyance. Quade sighs as he looks at her angry face. “There’s just so much going on,”Quade says honestly, “things me and you aren’t ready for. There’s so much I never knew. I don’t know how my dad is as happy as he is.” Galaxy looks at him sympathetically, “I understand that it’s a lot. I may not know what most of it is. I just want you to stop being so distant. We are getting married and I can’t live like this. Not happily anyways.”

Quade lifts his head to look at her and fear fills his eyes. “I know why everyone wants the answers you’re looking for,”Quade says honestly, “there’s so many things everyone has been protected from.” Galaxy nods and hugs him comfortingly, her eyes fill with fear as she thinks of the possibilities. “What is bothering you so much?”Galaxy asks kindly. He shakes his head, “I can’t tell you most of the things.” Galaxy nods, “Don’t let it eat you up. Say it out loud if you have to.”

Quade and Galaxy start coming to school together. The days pass with their happiness overflowing. They hold hands as they used to and spend time with their friends. They talk about the worries that weigh them down. The unsaid ones come out in hugs and tears.

The ninth month ensues and the whole setup for graduation is complete.

The uniforms needed for the new graduates. The animals and the gifts for the graduating children. The whole arena is colored in yellow, black, grey, dark blue, purple, green, orange, brown, maroon, white and turquoise. All these colors are arrayed across the walls and seats. The decorations are detailed with these colors. The red flag with a beige lion on it is placed on a pole in the middle of the arena. There are no designated areas for each rank.

The preparations for the wedding are underway as well.

Galaxy and Quade have the rings that are white with red lions attached to each of them. The leader’s yard has been made up for the wedding. Red, white and beige are the primary colors of every leaders’ wedding ever held. Galaxy and Quade’s wedding is themed these colors as well.

The wedding is being prepared by Aldrich, Nazareth and Mazarine.

Galaxy and Quade have been relieved of any duties that are related to leadership for the next few months. This allows Galaxy and Quade to go to school without added pressure and any unnecessary thoughts about the world around them.

School has all the testing during these periods. Everyone has to have the knowledge of the level. Some who don’t have the expected level of knowledge have to take both years the following year.

By the tenth month, Galaxy and Quade are back to their usual selves. They spend time with the friend group. The wedding setup is complete. Galaxy’s family is ready for the wedding. Her friends are prepared. An extra day for family day has been setup because of the wedding day.

Galaxy walks hand-in-hand with Quade towards her home. Falcon is trailing behind them. Galaxy smiles at Quade and looks back at Falcon with a similar smile. Falcon knows, now, that Galaxy isn’t in love with Quade because of the friendly smile she gives both of them.

Falcon is consumed with thoughts of regret and heartbreak due to not telling Galaxy that he loves her. He wants her to atleast know that he feels that way, but he knows that it will only hurt Galaxy more than she needs to be hurt.

The tenth month ends and, finally, the eleventh month rolls by. Galaxy and her friends go to lunch. Quade is sitting alongside them and looking at their interactions.

“I guess this ends soon,”Stone says with sadness in his eyes. Everyone turns towards him with confusion. “He’s right,”6 says with a nod, “Quade and Galaxy will have their rank. We can’t be friends when that happens.” “Why not?”Galaxy asks with exasperation, “you have no rank.” They look at her and then turn to Quade. “It’s fine,”Quade says honestly, “when she’s eighteen we will give her full access to the details you guys should never know.” Everyone nods and happiness fills their hearts.

Everyone awaits the impending results that will tell them how they did in the year that will soon come to its end. The group of friends go back to their classes and the announcement is made that the results will be coming through by lunch break.

Everyone’s fear levels rise as they await the results that will pop up on their phones. The overall score is what matters to them since it determines if they will have to do more next year or not. It’s highly unlikely that they will pass. The passing grade is highly unachievable for most of the school population.

As the lunch break ensues, everyone’s face is in their phones. Everyone is bumping into everyone which results in a lot of arguments.

The friend group is sitting on the grassy field when they hear a ding. Quade picks up his phone and looks at it in fear. “Wow,”Quade says sarcastically, “I passed seven subjects and my highest score is a ninety-four in chemistry. I even failed leader class with twelve points.” Everyone’s eyes widen at his sullen face. “What about the overall score?”Galaxy asks as her phones dings with her results popping up. “I failed by seventy points from the passing score,”Quade says as he hits his head, “my dad is never going to let me live this down.”

Everyone sighs and then looks to Galaxy with encouragement. “I passed four subjects,”Galaxy says with a smile and everyone groans, “my highest score is Argaron with an eighty-nine. I passed leader with seventy-one points. I failed the overall passing score by four hundred and three points.” The whole group takes on a feeling of dejectedness as their siblings sit down beside them.

Icterine’s phone chimes and everyone looks at her with hope. “I passed five subjects,”Icterine says sullenly, “my highest score is, also, Argaron with a ninety-eight. I failed the overall passing score by one hundred and sixty-seven points.” Everyone sighs even more so as the words give them a glimpse of their own grades.

Major’s phones dings, “I passed seven subjects like Quade. My highest score is leader with a ninety-nine. Maybe I should be a leader instead. I failed the overall passing score by fifty-nine points.” Everyone looks at him and frowns. “If Major failed then everyone failed,”Falcon says as 6’s phone chimes.

“I passed six subjects,”6 chuckles, “my highest score is Athapaskan with an eighty-nine. I failed the overall passing score by three hundred and four points.” The group sighs as Falcon’s phone chimes along with Stone’s. “I, also, passed six subjects,”Falcon says with annoyance, “my highest scores are Montrose and Argaron with a ninty-nine. I failed the overall passing score by eighty-two points.”

Stone then comes closer to the group, “My turn. I passed five subjects and my highest score is ninety-eight in Anansi. I failed the overall passing score by three hundred and forty-three points.” The group is silent because they know that as usual they have to redo another year along with their next year.

Nicollette and Navy’s phones chimes simultaneously. “I passed three subjects,”Nicolette says with anger, “my highest score is ninety-seven in Kalpavriksha. I failed the overall passing score by three hundred points.” Navy maintains a neutral face, “I passed six subjects. My highest score is math with a ninety-nine. I failed the overall passing score by one hundred and ninety-five.”

Legacy looks at her sister with fear in her eyes, “I guess it’s my turn. I passed seven subjects. My highest score is ninety-nine in Montrose. I failed the overall passing score by one hundred and thirty-one points.” Faris shyly comes forward to whisper his results, “I passed eleven subjects. My highest score is a hundred in English, Athapaskan and art. I passed the overall passing score. I got one thousand four hundred and thirty-eight out of two thousand. I’m over the passing score by two hundred and thirty- eight points.”

Everyone’s mouths fall open. “Has he always been this good at school?”Galaxy asks Flute. Flute just smiles proudly at her brother. “I passed five subjects,”Flute says with a smile as she looks at Faris, “my highest score is ninety-seven in Kalpavriksha. I failed the overall passing score by a hundred and sixty-six points.”

Siren smiles at his siblings with pride and then he looks at Stone, “I passed five subjects. My highest score is eighty-eight in Hyrule. I failed the overall passing score by three hundred and thirty-eight points.” Stone sighs deeply because he is the lowest scorer in the family and the youngest.

The bell rings and Ivy comes towards Galaxy with a smug look. “I’m guessing you failed,”Ivy says with a smile. “Yes,”Galaxy says honestly, “are you coming to boast about how you failed by less points then me? Honestly it isn’t something to gloat about.” “Well,”Ivy says with a frown, “how much did you score?” “Seven hundred and ninety-seven out of two thousand,”Galaxy says and then sits down beside Quade. “Well,”Ivy says with pride, “I got one thousand one hundred and seventeen.” “Good for you,”Galaxy says with a smile, “you still failed.” “You still get the same punishment as everyone else,”Quade says with a smug smile. Ivy stomps away to her seat.

After school, Quade and Galaxy walk home and bump into Ibis. “Hey,”Ibis says happily, “how’s result day?” They both shake their heads sullenly. “Same,”Ibis says honestly, “thankfully the scores don’t matter anymore. Well, for me.”

Stone is walking beside the couple when they exit the bus and make their way to the Dray Train. Clover runs into his arms and hugs him tightly, “I passed with four hundred and twenty-nine out of seven hundred.” Stone praises her and looks over her report card. She passed three subjects out of the seven they give the pups.

The days move quickly and, finally, the twelfth month arrives with record speed.