Graduation

Year 2390

Earth-Sol system

Neo

I reminisced about a time of mine from the past which seems so old and far yet so close. It's only been 3 years since I came here and it's already graduation. Time does fly when you're busy and having fun.

Thankfully this academy stands up to its reputation considering it holds no one back. Everyone is given their own time and makes their own choice, for the talented this was amazing. Since there was no limit on them for testing or anything like that they can graduate at their speed and with their capabilities. I must say had I chosen and been accepted into any other schools they likely would have had me there for a set amount of hours and unable to get graduation this early. Well, I am grateful for that since this life does have a limit to it after all, not like it's limitless for which I value every moment of it. The graduation ceremony of the year 2390 was basically like any other being held in the main plaza of the school.

I felt a bump on my shoulder pulling my eyes away from the massive stage that the speaker for this year's graduates was on.

"Dude, man you really phased out there, cheer up, what's with that moody face of yours?"

Well, that pulled me back from my thoughts, I turned my head back to Alexander Bolt. A guy so cheerful but at the same time buffed that it makes you confused on whether he is intimidating or not with that ridiculous smile of his all time.

"Yeah yeah I know, I was thinking a bit alright." 

We were chatting away with each other. All of us are graduating together today. Other than Kate Bolt, Alexander's younger sister. She arrived here after Alexander since her brother was scouted first before she was noticed. Thinking about it, the fact that she was noticed was most likely because she only started to work hard after her brother got accepted into the academy. 

 Either way, she is likely to be graduating next year, just not along with the rest of us. Honestly, it felt quite bad to leave her alone like this in the academy since she literally does not have any other friends other than with us but since we promised frequent visits so hopefully she doesn't get too lonely. 

"Yeah yeah I know"

Alexander said, imitating my voice in a sluggish and boarish tone before changing back.

"Don't give me that line of words just to go back into your trains of thought yeah? Honesty no wonder why you're so dense if it weren't for the fact that I needed help from you since you are so smart on that assignment of mine I would truly wonder how you would have gotten any friends."

Did he really need to remind me how dense I am? I mean sure I am quite bad at fashion and literally anything related to games or entertainment other than work. I don't think I am that out of the norm yet, am I? There is certainly a fair share of people like me here who care about nothing but work so I don't think I am too abnormal, pretty natural if you ask me.

"What are all of your plans after this? I would have to head back to my dad's military department to work under him but what about you guys?"

Ender Wiggins spoke up from his corner at the round table sipping away at that espresso of his.

"Well, I am certainly going to be working for the research department under the space explorations division."

I said considering my abilities to calculate and figure out things at an incredible pace. It reminds me of the fact that I was only able to realize the fact that I had a photographic memory after I entered the school since I was noticed to be able to literally remember everything they threw at me. Reading an entire year's worth of topics once and then answering all of the questions on it in 3 months certainly raised some eyebrows here and there.

"I am probably going to be doing something with the Technologies department under the Cyber division, '' Yura Hollaway said, tapping quickly on her tablet, probably doing some diagnostics on whatever software she is coming up with right now.

"Personally for me, I am being scouted and offered a position at multiple divisions under the technologies department but personally I think I am leaning towards the space construction division."

Spoke with Philips Oswald who understandably would be pretty good in that decision considering he was the one who did the most tasks during the academy related to steller construction. Right after that Alexander proudly spoke.

"I am going into the Civil department under a division responsible for political management on some planets although right now I am not sure where I would be assigned."

Of course, this dude would be doing something like that. I must say he might act all happy-go-lucky but man is he good at social things. His abilities to haggle and find exploits in his opponent's emotions and skills are quite literally unmatched. Alexander could deduce all of his opponents' thoughts from one look at their faces. With some small context on their background, it would be all he needed to know what they were thinking. This is probably what makes him someone really nice to get around with because he was really helpful for I have a really hard time comprehending others. He's a really good friend in getting me out of some really sticky situations in which I have no social skills.

"You're all lucky you know"

Kate said with a pouting face.

"You're all graduating this year leaving me behind. Whom am I going to be friends with?"

"Hey, frequent visits remember? Also, I mean you're graduating next year cheer up lil sis, bro ain't forgetting you that easily"

Alex said with a smile on his face. I swear Alex has the most incredible sister complex I have ever seen. I have seen one time a boy tried confessing to his sister and the next day, though I don't know what happened, that boy didn't even look at Kate afterward. Instead, he was absolutely terrified to get even remotely close to her. I really do wonder what in the world Alexander did to scare someone like that.

"Whatever"

She said, rolling her eyes annoyed by how petty her brother was.

"Either way let's have one last meal together guys before we depart tomorrow we got time to burn after this so why not, Tabs on me"

Kate here is most likely the richest among all of us unless one of us here has some hidden fortune stored away. 

Most of us chatted away between ourselves as we listened to the ending of the speech that was happening on the stage. Not much else to do really other than sit and wait till we're dismissed.

"Have all of you packed up everything yet?"

I asked the rest of them to check to see if they were fully prepared to leave.

"Yep"

"Done over here"

"Of course, I would be done by now"

"Uh"

Hearing no definitive reply from Alexander I turned over to him with a raised eyebrow.

"Please tell me you at least did something to get ready to leave"

A sheepish look came across the face of Alexander and so I gave Kate a wink to signal her to do her part. Kate then promptly slapped her hands over her brother's head before chewing him with her words

"Look at what this useless brother of mine is doing huh. You said you would be a model and now where is this model you said hmmm?"

Pfft, Ender almost spewed the expresso out of his mouth while the rest of us had a chuckle to ourselves. Watching the sister dump her words on her brother's head

"Ok ok Okay, I know alright yeah will be on it right now after this, i'll make sure of it."

He chided out trying to calm his sister down as he spoke.

"Hrmph, Pay for your own tab tonight then, and if you don't get everything ready by 18:00 CUT even think about coming over alright"

"Yep, Ma'am, alrighty"

Responded quickly to Kate. It was quite funny to watch someone who was clearly older being beaten down with the word here. My mind was starting to drift off again here looking at the rest of the group talking and chatting, well all other than me or Yura who seemed to be too busy to enjoy herself, classic workaholic. 

"Say, Neo."

Wiggin spoke up, catching my attention.

"I heard a bit from the higher-ups about the fact that they will have something for you later down the line."

"Well, what's it about?"

I was quite curious about what the so-called "thing" would be.

"Hehe, you figure it out"

"Hey, don't leave me hanging here, come one, what's it gonna be?"

I could see the other attention start to peak themselves in my direction and they do seem quite curious what it's gonna be too.

"heh, no spoilers but you would probably get a notice tomorrow on your smart pad assuming the things on their side screw up last minute."

"So, you are going to leave me on a cliffhanger."

"Yep."

He said with that sly grin plastered over his face. Rubbing my temples in slight annoyance I just sigh in reluctance. Not that hard to wait a day more there other things I can do in the meantime. I was just about to say something else when cheers and claps interrupted me from my thoughts. Huh, it seems that the graduation ceremony seems to be over now, I didn't pay too much attention and it just flew over me that we were still here.

"!All graduates are dismissed, a graduation party is held later tonight, do join us for the finale!"

And with those final words said by the speaker, it seemed like time was up for us to go.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot about the graduation party, hmm ah well whatever I'll just get ya guys something there up for the buys."

Kate said before pulling out her phone and taking a look at something. She then had a look of realization cross over her face before continuing.

"A dang it, I forgot about the meeting I was supposed to attend today"

"Well that's unfortunate, you timed that really badly there, yeah"

Phillips commented looking back up from his smart pad while he was editing some stuff.

"Would have been if I couldn't do this"

Kate smirked before tapping a couple buttons right after.

"There we go, those executives can wait their turn, not as if they can complain, after all, its graduation no one should be able to"

"Hey, you're running away from your duties here hmmm? Where did your sense of responsibility go?."

Alex joked.

"And did you have any to begin with?"

Kate said, putting a smile on all of our faces. You can always count on her to snap back perfectly.

The cacophonous noise of everyone in the plaza getting up alerted our group that it was time to go.

"Seems like time is running short here. Let's all meet up back here at say CUT 20:00? Sound about right there. The party begins at 21:00 so plenty of time to kill or spend somewhere else if y'all want"

"Sounds good."

"Yeppie."

"Be there."

"Perfect."

"Sure."

Responded all of them one by one confirming their attendance. Talking some smaller stuff between each of us we soon we packed our stuff up into our backpacks, shouldered them before heading each off into our own way.

Play

Imagine dragons - It's Time