The school during graduation was weird. I mean the school itself. It’s one of those things that just feels creepy, an empty high school, like an airport at three am or the parking lot of a grocery store on Christmas.

Everyone was all gathered in the auditorium for the ceremony or whatever, and since it was Saturday, we were the only ones here.

For some reason they were letting the soon-to-be alumni run in and out of the buildings for things like to pee or whatever, which is what I was supposed to be doing ten minutes ago. I was now the only person in the bathroom, and probably the whole building at the moment.

It was 2:15. Graduation started at 2:30. I was supposed to be in my seat in the gym at 2:20. And I was locked in the bathroom. I mean, what did I expect? A normal graduation?

Yeah, right.

I banged on the door for the fiftieth time…

“Forget it,” I sighed to myself. “No one’s out there.”

Which was a shame. I would have liked to have been there at my own graduation.

I moved away from the door and went to look in the mirror again.

Dark red, almost purple lipstick, winged eyeliner, grey eyeshadow. I made my hair wavy today, so it curled around my face and stopped just below my chin.

The cap and gown slightly ruin the look, but hey, underneath is my velvet black dress and red heels…

Too bad no one gets to admire it but me.

The seconds tick by into more seconds, into more minutes, and the clock on the wall said 2:26 when suddenly, a true miracle happened.

I heard a lock clicking, and what do you know apparently janitors clean bathrooms during graduation ceremonies-

He looked shocked to see me.

“Ah!” I exclaimed, rushing out.

“Thank you for saving me!” I called back to the guy who was staring at me like a gazelle with a limp as I ran through the empty halls of my old, shitty school, racing the clock to get my diploma on time.

And I laughed, because it felt like I was giving this place the finger. Ditching it. Leaving high school behind. That shit ain’t for me anymore!

Someone was already announcing something in the gym by the time I got there, and thankfully I was able to sneak in the doors and over to my row by the time Principle Hamilton stepped up to the platform.

I collapsed gratefully into my seat as Hamilton did his usual thing of getting the speakers to somehow blast all of our eardrums with static as the he said his opening words.

I knew I had my family somewhere in the bleachers, sticking it out through the static for me. God, I loved them. Heh, mom even made Charlie wear a suit for today which he said he was cool with since I’d only graduate high school once.

Okay Ravina… deep breath.

Here comes the rest of your life. Or whatever the hell.