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Graduation Day
by Laura Jean Giunta
Samuel Charles Parker III was awaken by the sound of his girlfriend’s voice calling up to him from outside. He groaned slightly, turning on his back, the morning sunlight soaking through the window and shining on his face, warming his cheeks and his gently closed eyes. It was June-the last day of June, in fact-and in a couple of hours he would be attending the most important ceremony of his life; graduation. A smile spread across his face as he realized that this portion of his life had concluded and tomorrow the rest of his life would finally begin.
“Charlie!” Julie Darling’s voice called out again. “Charlie, we’re going to be late!”
Samuel sat up then with a yawn, outstretching his arms to the ceiling. Then, noticing how hot he was, he heaved his blankets off of him and stood up, stretching once more. He made his way to the open window and peered down from his second-story bedroom. There stood a pretty young girl, with a plain face and simply styled dull brown hair. She wore a bright blue graduation robe with matching cap. Face cross, she put her hands on her hips and tapping her foot impatiently.
“Charlie, do you have any idea what time it is?” she questioned.
“You worry too much, Julie!” he called back with a grin. “Where’s your sense of excitement? We’re graduating today!”
Julie looked away, seeming more bitter than before. She raised her arms from her hips and crossed them, saying, “Yeah, well…you just better hurry up down here, Samuel Charles Parker!”
“Yeah, yeah,” Samuel brushed her off. “I’ll be down in a few minutes.” Pushing away from the window, he made his way to his closet and pulled out the suit he had been planning to wear since September for that day’s very special occasion. He quickly put it on and then took his graduation robe, cap, and valedictorian sash, which lay on his desk chair, and put those on as well. With a grin, he stood in front of the mirror, admiring himself and his handsome face with his dark eyes and ebony hair. His excitement was radiating through him and he looked stunning because of it. “This is it,” he whispered. “Graduation.” Then, he picked up a few papers from his desk, and left his room.
Samuel walked down the stairs and into the kitchen, where his mother and father sat at the kitchen table, each reading a section of the newspaper. “How do I look?” he asked them and both his mother and father looked up.
Immediately, his mother rose to her feet, in awe of her own son. “Oh, honey, you look wonderful!” she exclaimed, placing a hand on his cheek. “I can’t believe it! You’re all grown up and going off to college!”
“I’m not going off to college yet,” Samuel assured her as tears began to swell up in her eyes.
“But you’ve got that internship tomorrow,” his father pointed out with a proud grin on his face. “A summer internship in New York!” he declared. “It really is a wonder that a smart man like you is my son.”
“Well, it is a gift, I suppose.”
“And I just can’t wait to hear your speech today!” his mother added. “My son, valedictorian!”
“You really out did yourself, Charlie,” his father replied.
“Yeah, well…” Samuel smiled, trailing off into another topic, “I better get going. Julie’s outside waiting for me.” With that, he gave his mother a kiss, wished his parents good-bye, and then headed outside.
Julie, sour expression still on her face, sat on the stoop when Samuel stepped outside. “Hey, Julie,” he greeted her and bent down to give her a kiss, but she immediately pushed away, standing up.
“We’re going to be late,” she repeated angrily.
Samuel rolled his eyes. “Graduation doesn’t start for another hour and a half, Julie.”
“I know that,” Julie muttered. “I’m not stupid, you know, just because I’m not valedictorian like you.”
“I didn’t say that,” he told her. “And I don’t know why you’re so upset. It‘s not my fault that I’m valedictorian.”
“I’m not upset,” she snapped. “And I really don’t care if you’re valedictorian or not. It’s just that…the point is that the graduates are supposed to be there already and you made us late.”
Samuel sighed and then took off his graduation cap and wiping the sweat off his forehead with his sleeve. “Jeez, it’s hot out here.”
“Are you even listening to me, Charlie?” Julie interrogated furiously and Samuel frowned.
“Yes…it’s just that, I’d figure you’d be more happy, that’s all.”
Julie cast her somber eyes away and quietly replied, “I’m happy.” She then looked up at him and grinned. “See?”
He smiled back and gave her a quick kiss. “Are we ready to go then?” Julie nodded, something solemn still lingering in her brown eyes as the two got into Samuel’s car and drove to school for what would be their last time.
When Samuel and Julie stepped into the school auditorium, it was already filled with their anxious peers, all dressed in the same blue robes and all wearing excited grins. Samuel immediately immersed himself in it, his own eagerness increasing in his veins as his grin widened and his eyes brightened. He couldn’t wait. However, as he went to take another step, Julie latched onto his arm. In puzzlement, he peered down at her.
“Julie?”
“I just wanted…to let you know, that I am proud of you,” she told him, looking down at her feet as she spoke. She then lifted her head and gave him a long kiss before letting go of his arm.
Samuel smiled, cheeks flushing a light shade of pink. “Thanks, Julie.”
“I also wanted to say…well, I didn’t mean to be so angry with you before,” she began. “It’s just that-”
“It’s all right, Julie,” Samuel cut her off with a charming grin. “It’s no big deal that you were a little jealous of me.”
Julie’s eyes narrowed in an unexpected rage. “Jealous? “ She shook her head at the thought. “That’s not it at all, Charlie!” She then ran off.
“Julie!” he called out to her, but he could see she was already far gone, chatting away with some of her girlfriends on the other side of the auditorium. Samuel sighed and frowned, not knowing what to make of it all. Then the sound of one of his friends came to his ears.
“Hey, Parker!” his friend said, with a boisterous laugh, giving Samuel a pat on the shoulder. He was tall at six foot two and had the build of a football player, considering he had been the star quarterback for his senior year. His face was tan and his chocolate eyes were invigorating, as if he were being born anew that day. “How’s it going? Today’s the big day, huh?”
“Yeah, it is, James,” Samuel greeted his friend. “I can’t believe it.”
“Well, it’s about time, if you ask me!” James declared. “I don’t think I could stand another minute in this school.”
“Same here,” Samuel agreed.
“Hey, where’s Jules?” James then asked, glancing around. “She’s always with you.”
Samuel shrugged uneasily. “She just ran off to talk to some of her friends…”
“Oh,” James replied and changed the subject quickly as he grinned deviously and asked, “So, are you ready to make your big speech? You’re not scared, are you?”
Samuel just smirked haughtily and said, “Nah, not me. I actually can’t wait.”
James just shook his head. “Man, you’re too damn cocky. I’d be scared shitless if I was making a speech in front of all of those people.”
“I guess I’m just used of it,” Samuel remarked with a nonchalant shrug, but smiled.
Glancing at his watch, James said, “Well, they’ll probably be hording us outside soon. Into the boiling football field we go!”
“Damn, did it have to be so hot out, today?” Samuel muttered, taking off his cap and lifting his bangs off his forehead.
“Ah, but that just adds to the pressure, my man!” James declared with a chuckle, placing a firm hand on Samuel’s shoulder. “Just think of the burning sun blazing down at you as you recite your speech to a few hundred people!” He chuckled again and released his shoulder, but Samuel just smiled.
“Don’t worry; I’ll do just fine,” he said and James shook his head.
“Man, you really are too damn cocky,” he replied, half-kidding and half-serious before saying, “See you, Parker,” and walking off to mingle with some of his other peers.
A while later, the graduates were lined up, Samuel in the lead as valedictorian of the graduating class, and then paraded into the football field, their families and friends cheering them on from the bleachers. Soon, Samuel finding himself behind the podium, the sun blazing down on him as James had predicted, and yet Samuel couldn’t contain his grin as he stood there.
“Family, friends, faculty,” he began, standing proudly before the crowd. “On behalf of the graduates seated behind me, I would like to thank all of you. Not only for attending this morning’s ceremony, but for the support, dedication, and strength that you have give to us over the years. Without it, we could never have gotten this far.” He paused for a moment to allow his graduating class to give a round of applause for their families and friends. “I would also like to extend my appreciation to those graduates behind me, who have been both my friends and comrades through my journey thus far. This part of our lives is over. Yet that does not mean that our journey is over. Although we may separate to travel different paths, we will all continue on in our journey through life, each to fulfill our own destinies. However, without the memories of the friends we met or the valuable lessons we learned, we could never hope to continue on. A roadblock would be set in front of us, one that cannot be moved or broken, and we would be halted in our journey. Thus, although our new life may truly start tomorrow, it is what we learned here, over the past four years, that allows us to live that life.
“And what is graduation? The award or acceptance of an academic degree or diploma-commencement. To some, it may be an end, but to more, it is a beginning. To all, it is the greatest accomplishment we have received thus far, and to others, it is a blessing that they actually made it this far. However, to me, it is all of this, but something more. It is a rebirth. After today, my fellow graduates, you will all live your lives as someone else, although this person will most likely resemble yourself. He or she may be a little bit smarter, a bit tougher, perhaps prouder or nicer or stronger. Whatever it may be, you will be someone new, and, more importantly, someone better because of these last four years. And, yes, your life will be much different now that you leave high school. In fact, it will be a different life altogether. You may not notice it at first, but it will be. And it will most likely be harder and more strenuous, but that’s no reason to be scared. Because you are a better person now, you will be able to strive through it and come out victorious in the end. Remember, you will no longer be what you were in high school. If you were shy, in your new life you no longer have to be shy. If you were a bully, in your new life you no longer have to be a bully. You now have the opportunity to start anew, to become something you truly want to be, and use the knowledge you learned throughout your high school career to make your life a different one, one that reflects your own dreams and aspirations. And, yes, it may be sad to leave this school that we have come to know as a second home, but think what else is out there beyond the walls of our school. Out there lies the rest of the world, out their lies your new life. And that’s what graduation comes down to-a beginning, an end, an accomplishment, a blessing, and a new life that is all your own, one you can shape and mold to become anything you want it to become. And so I thank you all, family, friends, faculty, and my fellow graduates, for giving me my own opportunity to start a new life, one that I hope will be just as prosperous and as happy as the one I just had over the last four years. Thank you.”
And so the speech ran. A burst of applause came from the crowd as Samuel stepped down from the podium, the sun still flaring down onto the open football field. Yet Samuel couldn’t feel the heat as he sat down in his seat and smiled as the sound of applause came to his ear and his smile remained until the end of the ceremony, when he tossed his cap into the air and was finally reborn.
It was later on at the graduation reception that was held in the school’s cafeteria when Samuel ran into a fellow graduate. She was a scrawny girl, with a pale face and pale yellow hair. He recognized her, although he couldn’t recall her name-it was Mary or Millie or something like that-and she immediately smiled when she saw him, declaring, “I loved your speech, Samuel! It was very inspiring.”
“Thank you,” Samuel replied, taking a sip of his soda.
“I want to start anew,” she told him, “like you said in your speech. I’m going to start all over when I get to college. It’s almost like having a second chance, don’t you think?”
Samuel nodded. “Yeah, I guess so.”
“I always wanted a second chance and now I finally get one.” The girl’s face turned scarlet then. “You must think I’m being silly.”
“No, not really…” Samuel trailed off, glancing away from her and wondering if James or one of his other friends were around to talk to.
“Because I really-”
“Charlie!” Julie’s voice rang out and Samuel spun around to see Julie standing on her tiptoes and waving to him from a gathering of a dozen or so people.
“I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go,” he told the pale girl as he began to slip away.
“Oh, it’s all right,” she said with a sad smile. “I’ll just see you around, okay, Samuel?”
Samuel barely gave her a nod before making his way through the crowd to where Julie stood. “You’re not mad at me anymore, I take it,” Samuel replied upon reaching her.
Julie rolled her eyes and said, “Well, I’m used of you being an idiot.” She then grinned and took hold of his hand. “Besides, we graduated! It’s a time to celebrate, right?”
“That’s the spirit, Julie,” Samuel replied with a grin. “It’s about time you lightened up.” He then asked, putting his arm around Julie, “So, what did you think of my speech? It was good, right?”
Julie shook her head, “it was fine, but don’t think I’m going to stroke your ego or anything. You’re conceited enough as it is. It was fine and we’ll leave it at that.”
“I’m not conceited,” Samuel argued with a smirk. “I’m just confident.” Julie chuckled at this, but said nothing in reply.
Later that evening, when Samuel was driving Julie home, Julie began hesitantly, “You know…I’m going to miss you.”
“Miss me?” Samuel asked. “What do you mean?”
“You’re going to New York tomorrow,” she answered, solemnly lowering her eyes to her lap.
“So? It’s only for two months. It’s no big deal really.”
“But after that you’re going to Penn State, and I…I’m just going to stay here for school.”
“Penn State’s not too far away,” Samuel reasoned.
“It’s in another state, Charlie,” Julie argued.
“Well…” Samuel trailed of and sighed. He repeated, “It’s no big deal, really. I mean, you could have gone away to school if you wanted to.”
“That’s not what I meant, Charlie,” Julie began, but Samuel’s attentions were up ahead, the traffic having come to a complete stop where sirens were blaring and lights were flashing.
“Hey, what’s going on up there?” he asked and Julie now leaned forward in her seat.
“Looks like there’s been some kind of accident,” she noted. “A pretty bad one, too. There are ambulances, I think. I do hope that everyone’s all right.”
Samuel sighed and fell back in his seat, stretching out his arms with a yawn. “I guess we’re going to be in traffic for awhile, huh?” he said.
Julie folded her arms and shuddered. She then mumbled, “Yeah, I guess so…”
It was nearing eleven o’clock that night when Samuel finally arrived at Julie’s house. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he told her. “You’re coming to see me off at the airport, right?”
Julie nodded as she unfastened her seatbelt and said, “Yeah, I suppose so.” She gave him a kiss goodnight and then got of the car. He watched her as she ran up the steps, fumbled in her purse for her keys, and eventually unlocked the door. Once he was sure she was safely in the house, the lights coming on in her living room, he drove off.
“Charlie! Charlie, we’re going to be late!”
Samuel fluttered his eyes open in bewilderment. Julie? he thought. At first he thought he was dreaming and he sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes and yawning. And yet he could still here her calling to him from outside, like she had done the previous morning. Frowning, Samuel pushed the covers off of him and dragged himself to the window. “Julie?” he asked squinting his eyes when he saw her standing in her bright blue graduation robe.
“Charlie, do you have any idea what time it is?” she questioned just as she did yesterday, placing her hands on her hips and tapping her foot impatiently.
“No…I…what day is it?” he stumbled to speak.
“It’s the last day of June! You know, Graduation Day!” she declared. He continued to look at her, baffled, until she became so exasperated that she crossed her arms, let out a shrill sigh, and cried, “you just better hurry up down here, Samuel Charles Parker!”
“All right…” Samuel trailed off, in a bit of a daze as he pulled away from the window. Is this only a dream? he wondered. Or was yesterday the dream and today’s really graduation today? He frowned, unsure of the answer, but proceeded to get dressed anyway.
Cautiously, he walked down the stairs and into the kitchen to find his parents the way he found them yesterday, each reading the newspaper. Warily, he asked, “So…how do I look?”
The same response came to his mother as she stood up and exclaimed, “Oh, honey, you look wonderful! I can’t believe it! You’re all grown up and going off to college!” Samuel blinked, unable to find the words to answer his mother.
His father, however, stepped in, saying, “He’s not going off to college yet, honey. But he’s got that internship tomorrow. A summer internship in New York! It really is a wonder that a smart man like you is my son.”
“And I can’t wait to hear your speech today!” his mother continued to praise just as she had done before. “My son, valedictorian!”
Samuel couldn’t find the words to speak. He just stared at the two of them in disbelief. It’s exactly the same as yesterday, he thought in both terror and amazement. His mother, however, frowned with a worry look in her eyes. She placed a hand to her son’s forehead. “What’s wrong, Samuel? You look pale.”
Samuel shook his head and pushed away from her. “It’s nothing, mom,” he said quickly as he brushed by her and headed toward the door. “Julie’s waiting for me.” He then went outside.
Julie was sitting on the stoop, just as he had expected, with the same annoyed glower on her face. Samuel frowned and said in a distant voice, “Hey, Julie…” not trying to kiss her this time.
Standing up, Julie repeated angrily, “We’re going to be late,” just as she had done the day before.
Samuel shook his head, recalling that they hadn’t been late, and replied calmly, “no, we’re not.”
“And how can you be so certain?” she questioned, placing her hands on her hips. “Just because you’re valedictorian doesn’t mean you know everything.”
“I didn’t say that,” Samuel replied, repeating what he had said the day before without even realizing it. “And I don’t see why you’re so upset. It’s not my fault that I’m valedictorian.”
“I’m not upset,” Julie snapped. “And I really don’t care if you’re valedictorian or not. It’s just that…the point is that the graduates are supposed to be there already and you made us late.”
Samuel frowned, taking off his graduation cap, and inquired, “Haven’t we done this all before?”
“Are you even listening to me, Charlie?” Julie interrogated furiously. “And what are you talking about, anyway? What do you mean ‘done this all before?’”
“I…I don’t know,” Samuel answered cautiously. “I’d figure you’d be more happy, that’s all.”
Julie averted her melancholy eyes from him as she did the day before and said quietly, “I’m happy,” before looking up at him with a grin. “See?”
Samuel wanted to smile back, but he was too confused to genuinely smile at her. So, instead he forced one, kissed her on the head, and said in a daze, “I guess we ought to get going…” Julie nodded, as she did before, a sadness still in her eyes, and the two got in Samuel’s car and drove off to the school for what Samuel hoped would be the last time.
When they arrived at the auditorium filled with all of the bustling graduates, Samuel didn’t bother to even take a step forward, knowing that Julie would latch onto his arm at any moment.
She did and swallowed hard. Then, she began, “I just wanted…to let you know…”
“That you’re proud of me?” Samuel interrupted, recalling the events of the day before.
Julie gazed up at him with wide eyes. “Yes…but, how did you know?”
Samuel shrugged. “And you’re not angry anymore and it has nothing to do with you being jealous.”
“Yes, but-” she stopped herself and grew fierce. “Whoever said I was jealous of you, Charlie?”
Samuel frowned. “Well, I-”
“That’s not it at all, Charlie!” she declared before running off before Samuel got a chance to say anything else. He thought to call out to her, but he knew it was pointless from yesterday’s events and so he just frowned and sighed, still unsure what to make of it all. Sure that James would be approaching soon, Samuel decided to turn around. He spotted James first and called out, “Hey, James!”
James, upon seeing Samuel now, grinned and waved. “Hey, Parker!” He then ran up to him.
The conversation between the two followed just the same as the day before, Samuel’s confusion having left him and being replaced by a certain sort of acceptance about the strange situation he had been placed in. Graduation ran the same as well, with Samuel reciting his speech the same as he did the first time he told it.
Then came the reception. Again, he ran into the yellow haired girl, Millie or Mary, and again she praised him about his speech. “I loved your speech, Samuel! It was very inspiring.”
“Thanks,” Samuel replied, deciding to be more casual than the first time.
“I really would like to start anew,” she told him, “like you said in your speech. I really want to start all over when I get college. It’s almost like having a second chance, don’t you think?”
Samuel nodded, his eyes wandering about already, knowing that Julie would be calling out to him soon. He didn’t bother to answer her this time, however.
“I really would like a second chance…” Her voice trailed off as she noticed Samuel’s eyes scanning the cafeteria.
“Sorry, but I have to get going,” he finally said when he spotted Julie. “Nice talking to you.” He started off through the crowd.
“Bye…” the yellow haired girl replied with a meek wave, but Samuel was too far gone to hear her
Samuel reached Julie just as she turned her head to him. She let out a gasp, placing a hand to her chest. “You scared me, Charlie!”
“Sorry,” he apologized with a smile.
“You know, I was just looking for you,” she informed him.
“Really?” he said, gazing up at the ceiling.
Julie frowned in confusion, but perked up after a few seconds, saying, “Anyway, I’m not mad at you anymore. I’m used to you being an idiot.”
“Besides, we graduated; it’s a time to celebrate, right?” Samuel asked her, repeating what she had told him the day before.
Julie let out a laugh. “It’s so funny because I was going to say the exact same thing!” she declared. Samuel chuckled along with her.
“Anyway,” he began to change the subject, putting his arm around her shoulders, “what did you think of my speech? It was good, right? Wait, you don’t want to stroke my ego, do you?”
Julie just chuckled softly, but said nothing in response.
Later on, on his way to Julie’s house, Samuel wished he had taken the back roads, recalling the accident a few moments too late. He let out a sigh and muttered, “Looks like we’re going to be stuck in traffic.”
Julie sat up and asked, “What makes you say that?” She squinted her eyes as she tried to see down the road with only the streetlights to brighten her view. “The traffic seems fine to me. At least, I don’t see anything.”
Samuel shrugged as he pulled up to a red light and came to a halt. “I just have a feeling, I guess,” he told her, his eyes glancing away from her.
“You know, Charlie,” Julie began, falling back into her seat again. “I’m going to miss you.”
“Yeah, I know,” he replied as he impatiently tapped his finger on the steering wheel. “Because I’m going to New York tomorrow, right?”
“Well…yeah, I guess,” Julie answered, lowering her head with a frown.
“It’s only two months,” he reasoned as he did the night before. “And Penn State’s not too far away,” he added, hurrying up the conversation from the night before. The light turned green and he stepped on the gas.
“It’s in another state, Charlie,” Julie muttered.
“It’s no big deal,” Samuel insisted. “You could have gone away to school if you had wanted to.”
Julie sighed. “That’s not what I meant, Charlie.” The car then came to a halt and Julie looked surprised. “Hey, that’s strange. You were right, Charlie, there is a lot of traffic tonight.”
“Yeah…probably an accident or something,” Samuel grumbled, his eyes averting from her once more.
“It does look like there’s been some kind of accident,” Julie noted, leaning forward in her seat to see lights flashing up ahead. “A pretty bad one, too. There are ambulances, I think. I do hope everyone’s all right.”
Samuel groaned, recalling they had been stopped there for an hour the night before, and stretched out his arms with a yawn. “Great,” he said sarcastically, “now we’re going to be stuck in traffic for the next hour.”
Julie folded her arms and shuddered. “Yeah, I guess so…”
They reached Julie’s home the same as the night before, just before eleven o’clock. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he told her.
“Yeah,” Julie replied, unfastening her seatbelt. “At the airport, I guess.”
“I hope so,” Samuel muttered and gave her a kiss. She then got out of the car. He watched her do what she had done the first time, running up the steps, fumbling for her keys, and then unlocking the front door to her house. Then with a sigh, he drove off.
And so started the next morning, and all the mornings after that. At first, Samuel had been confused, but that quickly faded away, growing accustomed to the day. Soon, he actually found a bit of pleasure in knowing all of the events of the day, being able to predict his way through it with an arrogant grin. However, this lasted only for a few days. As the weeks passed by-Samuel had begun to loose count after the first week-Samuel was just frustrated. He had become sick of the last day of June and graduation day. He had a life to lead, an internship in New York, four years of college at Penn State; he didn’t want to be stuck in high school forever. Sure, living the same day had some perks. At least he could say he learned from his mistakes, anyway, taking the back roads every evening to take Julie home rather than the main street, and thus saving himself an hour. And he had his valedictorian speech memorized by heart now, having recited it so many times. Now he just carelessly flung the words out as he stood at the podium, always the same words, with the same sun blaring down. Yet he found himself becoming more and more irritable each time he read the speech until he suddenly found himself loathing it.
Starting anew! he thought bitterly as Julie’s voice came calling out to him early that morning, as she had done for the last few dozen days. What a load of bull that was. Everything’s the same…today’s going to be like yesterday and tomorrow’s going to be like today…
“Charlie!”
Samuel snorted, throwing his covers off and marching to the window. “I’m coming!” he snapped before slamming the window shut, not even bothering to look at her.
I don’t even know why I’m bothering to even go, he thought as he plodded down the stairs. I should just stay in my room. It’s not like it will make much of a difference, anyway. Maybe I just won’t go tomorrow.
Samuel didn’t bother to say goodbye to his parents, something he had stopped doing a few days ago, and proceeded outside to find Julie sitting outside on the stoop as she always was.
“Jeez, Charlie!” she exclaimed, rising to her feet when she noticed him as well as his scowl. “What’s got you so angry? I thought you were excited about graduation. That’s all you’ve been able to talk about for the whole year.”
“I was excited,” he muttered. He let out a frustrated sigh and questioned, “Can we just get going?”
Julie frowned. “I guess so…” The two hurried to the car, Samuel slamming his door shut, and then started to the school for what would be just graduation day.
When they arrived at the auditorium, Julie latched onto Samuel’s arm, just as he knew she would.
“What is it, Julie?” he questioned irritably.
“Well-I,” Julie stammered, taken back by his grumpiness. “I just wanted to say-”
“That you’re proud of me?” he asked in disgust, yanking his arm from her. “Yeah, I know. I don’t care anymore.”
Julie narrowed her eyes. “Jeez, Charlie, what the hell’s the matter with you? You’ve been acting like a complete jerk ever since I got to your house!”
“Look, why don’t you just run off to your friends like you always do?” he snapped. “I really don’t give a damn right now. Especially if all you’re going to do is whine about the same old things.”
Tears were swelling up in her eyes now as she glared at him with a furious scowl. “Charlie! You-you jerk!” She then gave him a slap across the face and ran off into the crowd.
Samuel was shocked. He raised a hand to his sore cheek. “She…she hit me,” he whispered, unable to believe it. That’s never happened before, he thought. He frowned, a pit of guilt forming in his stomach, and for the first time he thought to actually follow her instead of waiting around for James to come. So, that’s what he did. Pushing his way through the crowd, he made his way to Julie, who was now talking to some of her friends. A few feet away, he stopped, curious to hear their conversation.
“What’s wrong, Julie?” one of her friends were asking the down-trodden Julie.
“It’s nothing,” Julie replied.
“She must be depressed, that’s all,” one of the other girls replied.
“Well, it is a depressing day, isn’t it?” another added. “We’re never going to see each other again!”
“That’s not true,” the first rebutted. “We still have the summer.”
“Not Charlie,” Julie whispered, brushing a tear from her eye with her hand. “He’ll be leaving tomorrow morning. His flight is at nine o’clock.”
“Oh, yeah,” the second girl recalled, placing a hand to her chin. “He’s got that whole New York internship thing…” Then, noticing Julie’s dejected expression, she added, “But that’s only for the summer, Julie. By the fall-”
“He’ll be at Penn State,” Julie interrupted, folding her arms and lowering her eyes to her feet. “And I…I guess it’s all right that he goes, but I…I at least wanted to spend the summer with him…”
“Did you tell him that?” the third inquired. “Maybe he can hold off on his internship until next year or-”
“Oh, no!” Julie interrupted with a shake of her head. “I couldn’t ask him to do that! Charlie’s really looking forward to his internship…to the future, I guess.” She let out a melancholy chuckle. “It’s all he talks about lately, anyway…he doesn’t need me holding him back.”
Samuel stepped back, narrowing his eyes and looking at the floor. Frowning, he placed his hand on his cheek again. So that’s what her problems been, he thought, suddenly feeling even more guilty. She didn’t want me to leave…she wanted to spend the summer with me…
Clenching his fists, he thought, But that doesn’t mean she can keep me here! I have a future! A new life! I don’t want to be stuck here just so she can live her old one! He glowered. Say if it’s been her all along? Say if she’s the one that’s somehow…
Samuel let out an aggravated sigh and kicked one of the auditorium seats.
Soon after, the graduates were escorted outside to the football field and Samuel found himself being called up to make his valedictorian speech. Pulling himself from his chair, Samuel dragged his feet to the podium. He slumped against it, leaning his elbow on the podium and resting his chin on his hand. He smirked spitefully.
“Graduation…the award or acceptance of an academic degree or diploma-commencement,” he recited, recalling the words of his speech although he didn’t bother to start at the beginning. A low cackle came from his lips. “Commencement,” he repeated. “Today we’re supposed to start anew!” he exclaimed with a sharp laugh. “If that isn’t the biggest load of bull I ever heard” Murmurs spread across the crowd, but Samuel continued on, giving them no heed. “We’re never going to start anew. Don’t you see? It’s all going to be the same whether it’s today, tomorrow or yesterday. We’re like vermin, trapped in a cage, running in our little wheel and really getting nowhere. And it’s like-it’s like we can never escape. We just keep running and running and we’re all too stupid to realize we’re just going in a circle. But say if you know it’s just one big circle? Say if you know, and you can’t get out anyway? Are you supposed to just keep running in circles, living the same day over and over again? And why won’t they just let you leave? Let you go to New York, let you start anew. Whoever they are…I don’t even know anymore.” Samuel started laughing again. As his snickers died out, he said with a smirk, “I suppose I should thank my family, my friends, the astounding faculty, and my fellow graduates. But I think I’ve thanked them enough already and none of them really deserve much more gratitude.
“What to say, what to say…” he muttered as he stood up straight. “I was going to just say my valedictorian speech, the one I wrote for this very special occasion, but I’ve said it so many times before and now it just seems so stupid.” A few more snickers slipped through his lips. “You know, you can’t keep me here forever. I’m going to find a way out, somehow…ah, but you must all think I’ve lost my mind now, huh? Standing up here, ranting and all…”
The principal had risen at this point and had placed his hands on Samuel’s shoulders. “Come on, Mr. Parker. Maybe you ought to sit down.”
“I’m not finished!” Samuel snapped, sneering and pulling away from him. He then turned back to the audience, smirking once more. “You know what? I think I may have been wrong. You can start anew, but not today. No, it’s tomorrow that you start anew, the real tomorrow, if it even exists anymore. Yes, I’ve concluded that that’s when I really will begin my life.” He pushed away from the podium and walked to his seat, plopping in it with a scowl.
A half an hour after graduation had ended, Julie found Samuel in one of the empty corridors of the school, a bitter look in his eyes as he paced back and forth. “Charlie?” she asked worriedly.
“You,” he mumbled with contempt. “What do you want?”
“I was just…” She clasped her hands together and looked down at her feet. “What was your speech about, Charlie? Everyone was a little concerned about it.”
Samuel snorted. “Is that so?” He could see her nod with the corner of his eye. “Well, you should know.”
“I should?” she asked, raising her head and setting her curious eyes on him. “Because I was confused by it, too.”
“You can’t keep me here, Julie!” he snapped, spinning around and glaring at her with sharp eyes. “You’ll see! I’m going to New York tomorrow and you can’t stop me!”
“What are you talking about?” Julie asked. “Who said I was trying to stop you?”
“I know you’re trying to stop me!” he argued, walking toward her. Julie took a wary step back. “I don’t know how, but I know it’s you! Just because you’ll miss me-”
“Charlie, I really have no idea what you’re trying to say,” she cut him off in a shaky voice. “You’ve been acting strange all day and you’re starting to scare me. And I…I didn’t mean to slap you before. I mean, I did, but I’m sorry about it now.”
“This isn’t about you slapping me!”
“Then, what is it about, Charlie? Of course I’m going to miss you, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop you from going to New York tomorrow.”
“You’re lying!” he shouted and then clasped onto her shoulders, gripping his fingers tightly around them. “Tell me! Tell me how you did it!”
“Did what?” Julie asked in fright, struggling to get free of his grip. “Charlie, let go of me!”
“Not until you tell me how you did it! How you made this day keep repeating! Over and over again!”
“What?” Julie questioned at the ludicrous notion. “Charlie-”
“No, wait,” he interrupted as he looked down at her, feverishly studying her wide eyes. He could see in them both her fear and bafflement; she really didn’t have any idea what he was talking about. Slowly, his grip loosened from her shoulders until both of his hands fell back to his side. “I’m sorry, Julie,” he said, stepping back from her, steadily increasing his pace as he walked away.
“Wait! Charlie!” she called as he started running from her.
“I’m sorry, Julie,” he repeated as he reached the end of the hall. “I’ve got to go, though!” He then turned the corner and disappeared from Julie’s sight.
That night, Samuel Charles Parker III lay in bed in the dark, tossing and turning as he tried to fall asleep. At least everyone will forget tomorrow, he thought, as his mind recalled the events of the day. I made such an idiot of myself. What was I thinking?
He exhaled and turned onto his back. Wide awake, his eyes wandered across his bedroom ceiling. How could I have said that Julie? She must think I’m insane now…at least it won’t last very much longer. And tomorrow it will be the same old thing…she’ll be outside in her graduation robe, calling up to me…
Maybe I am insane, Samuel thought then. I could be…none of this is really making much more sense anymore…
He turned onto his side. At least I can redo it tomorrow, really make it up to Julie. Maybe that’s the whole point of this. Maybe then this will all stop and I’ll finally be able to get on with my life…
The clock then struck midnight, signaling the start of the last day of June once again.
“Hey, Julie,” he greeted her.
“I can’t believe you’re actually ready!” she exclaimed in disbelief.
Samuel just shrugged. “I just didn’t want to upset you, that’s all.”
“Well, that’s very sweet of you,” she replied with a good-natured chuckle.
Offering her his arm, he asked, “Shall we?” Julie giggled, taking his arm and the two headed to his car.
When they arrived at the school auditorium, Samuel took Julie by the hand and gave her a long kiss. Julie blushed and smiled bashfully. “What was that for, Charlie?”
“Just because I love you,” he replied.
Julie raised an eyebrow and placed a hand on his forehead. She joked, “Are you sure you’re feeling all right, Charlie? Because you sure are acting strange today!”
He laughed and said, “I’m being serious, Julie!”
“I know…” she said, trailing off in an embarrassed fluster. “And I love you, too, Charlie. And I want you to know that I’m proud of you, Charlie. You’ve accomplished a lot, being valedictorian and all.”
“Thanks, Julie,” he replied. He hesitated. “And Julie?”
“Yeah, Charlie?”
“You know that I’m going to miss you, right, Julie?”
Julie looked down at her feet. “I…no, I didn’t, Charlie. Not really.”
“Well, I am,” he told her.
“I’m going to miss you, too, Charlie.”
He then placed his hand on her chin and raised her hand. “But that doesn’t mean we’re never going to see each other again, Julie. You can come and visit me over the summer and when I’m at Penn State. And I’ll be home for the holidays.” Still seeing the melancholy in his eyes, he added, “And I’ll call you every day! And we’ll write to each other, too. You’ll see, Julie; it won’t be so bad.”
Julie managed to smile. “Really?” He nodded. “And you promise to call me-not everyday, but at least once in awhile.”
“More than once in awhile, Julie; I promise,” he told her. Her grin widened.
“Thanks, Charlie.”
James approached now, swinging an arm around each of them. “So, how’s the happy couple doing, huh?”
“Just fine, actually,” Samuel said with a grin and Julie nodded.
“You’re not scared, are you, Parker?” James asked with a smirk. “After all, today you make your big speech in front of all those people. I’d be scared shitless if I was you.”
“He doesn’t have to be,” Julie spoke up. “He’s going to make the best speech ever!”
James chuckled. “Aw, Jules! Your going to make the man more conceited than he already is!”
“He’s not conceited,” Julie replied with a smile. “Just confident.”
The day proceeded accordingly, graduation commencing and Samuel giving his graduation speech with a charming grin and flashing eyes. At the graduation reception, the pale yellow-haired girl approached him. “I loved your speech, Samuel!” she exclaimed. “It was very inspiring!”
“Thank you,” he replied with a smile. But his frown soon faded and he asked, “I’m sorry, but what was your name again? I just can’t seem to remember…”
To Samuel’s surprise, the girl grinned. “It’s Molly.”
“Yes, Molly,” he recalled, “I remember now.”
“I really would like to start anew,” she began as she had done so many times before, “like you said in your speech. I really want to start over when I get to college. It’s like having a second chance, don’t you think?”
Samuel nodded. “It is. And I’m sure you will. I’m sure we all will. At least, that’s what I’m hoping.”
“Charlie!” Julie’s voice called out to him.
He gave her a wave and then turned his attention back to Molly. “I have to go,” he said. “It’s been nice talking with you, though.”
“Same here,” Molly replied and then Samuel made his way through the crowd to Julie.
Throughout the whole day, there was only one mistake that he made; he forgot about the accident. He sighed in exasperation as traffic came to a halt.
“Looks like there’s been some kind of accident,” Julie noted, leaning over the dashboard to see the flashing lights. “A pretty bad one, too. There are ambulances, I think. I do hope that everyone’s all right.”
“Guess we’re going to be in traffic for awhile, huh?” he muttered sneeringly, more so to himself than to her as if to mock his own forgetfulness.
“Yeah, I guess so…”
That night, as Samuel pulled the blankets over him and plopped his head on his pillow, he smiled. Other than being stuck in traffic for an hour, the day had gone well. He was certain that tomorrow would be July 1, and that the last day of June would finally come to an end. After all, what else was there for him to do?
Samuel groaned as he sat up in bed. Again? he thought in puzzlement. But I was so sure…
“Charlie!” Julie’s voice came to him again. Samuel frowned, but got out of bed and made his way toward the window.
“Sorry, Julie,” he called back down to her. “I’ll be down in a few minutes.”
He found Julie sitting on the stoop again when he stepped outside. “Hey, Julie,” he greeted her. “Sorry I’m late.”
Julie stood up, blinking in surprise. “Are you actually apologizing?” She laughed. “You never apologize, Charlie!”
Samuel shrugged. “I guess I just didn’t mean to upset you, that’s all.”
With a smile, Julie said, “well, that’s very sweet of you.”
As he had done the day before, he offered her his arm. “Shall we?” Julie accepted his offer, her smile widening, and the two then left for the school for what would be the last time.
The rest of the day up until Samuel’s graduation speech followed the same as the day before, although this time there was a disappointment hidden behind Samuel’s eyes. However, when it came time to make his speech, Samuel’s desperation suddenly sank in and it was then that he finally felt the heat of the sun blazing down at him. He stood at the podium and he felt like breaking down, just falling apart and crying. But he couldn’t do that, not in front of all of those people. Yet he couldn’t think of how he could fix it, how he could end June 30 and begin July 1. All he could do was just stand there in despair, helpless to do anything to stop his hopeless situation.
“I…” he began slowly. “I…had a speech written.” He paused, lowering his head as to hide his eyes from the audience and his fellow graduates. “But I really don’t feel like reading it anymore…” He was quiet for a good twenty seconds and he could feel his hands begin to tremble. “I…I don’t know what to say to you all anymore…I can’t think of anything worth saying anymore…it all seems so pointless to me.” Samuel swallowed hard and then raised his head to the audience. “Please, someone tell me what it is you want me to say!” he cried desperately. “Tell me what you want me to do! Please…just make this all stop…someone…anyone…” his voice cracked as if something were gripping onto his throat and he trailed off while the audience murmured to each other in puzzlement. “I just can’t figure it out!” he exclaimed. “I don’t understand what you all want from me, why you’re keeping me here!” He lowered his head again, the heat of the sun now pounding down on him at full force. He shook his head. “I don’t care what happens anymore. I don’t care if I never get to go to New York or if I never get to go to Penn State or if I just end up some bum on the street; I just want today to end and tomorrow to begin.”
Suddenly, the sky grew dark and cloudy and everyone else around him was silent, as if frozen in time. Samuel looked about him at the unmoving, unblinking faces. “What…what’s going on?” he asked.
“Are you sure?” a voice asked and he looked down from the podium to see the yellow-haired girl, Molly, standing before him. “Are you sure you don’t care?”
“Molly?” he asked in perplexity. “I don’t understand…what’s-”
“I’m sorry to put you through all of this,” she began. “But I…well, you know what happens to me tonight, don’t you?”
“Tonight?” The image of him and Julie sitting in his car, lights flashing up ahead and sirens sounding, flashed across his mind. “You mean, you were the one in the accident?” Molly nodded. Samuel scowled at her. “So that’s why you keep repeating today, is that it? Because you didn’t get a second chance you don’t want to give me one?”
Molly shook her head. “No, that’s not it.”
“Well, then you’re in some sort of denial!” Samuel exclaimed. “You just can’t give up on the hope that you might have a second chance, a chance to start a new life!”
But Molly shook her head. “If that were the case, I would have picked yesterday, not today. No one wants to die more than once, after all.”
“But…then why?”
Molly bowed her head, reluctant to speak. “I really liked your speech. You really believe in it, don’t you? That we can start anew?”
Samuel warily replied, “yes.”
“And that’s why I was happy for you. I didn’t want you to find out that what you hoped for wouldn’t come true. I thought it would be better if you still believed that it could still. I didn’t want your dream to end tomorrow; it just didn’t seem fair. If both of us had to die, at least one of us could still dream.”
“Die?” Samuel asked, a fear pricking at his skin. “What do you mean-”
“Your plane is supposed to crash tomorrow, Samuel, before you ever reach New York,” she interrupted, hastily speaking the words she dreaded. Samuel opened his mouth, but he couldn’t speak. His hands started trembling again and he felt his knees buckling under him.
Finally, he managed to reason, “I…I just won’t take my flight tomorrow. I’ll take a later plane.”
“It doesn’t work like that, Samuel,” Molly answered sadly. “You’re meant to die tomorrow. Even if you don’t get on that plane, you’ll just die some other way.”
“But…but that’s not fair!” Samuel cried, his angry tears burning in his eyes. “After I worked so hard! I’m supposed to go to New York! I’m supposed to go to Penn State! I’m supposed to…I’m not supposed to die! I have an internship and a future and all these stupid plans! What about Julie and mom and dad and James and-and-it’s just not fair!”
Molly frowned. “It’s your choice, Samuel. You can either live today forever or die tomorrow.”
Samuel shook his head, trying to hold back his tears. “No! I don’t want this stupid choice! I don’t want to hear this! Why are you telling me this? Why couldn’t you just let it happen? I don’t want to know!”
“I’m sorry, Samuel,” Molly replied, “but you already know now. You have to choose.”
Samuel leaned against the podium to keep from falling. “To live the same day forever or to die tomorrow…” he repeated and then almost began to laugh. “Maybe I’m just dreaming…maybe this is just some crazy nightmare…” But a fear stabbed at his stomach and he began to sob, “It’s not fair! What a stupid choice! I don’t want to die, but…who wants to live in a dream that’s never going to come true?”
Suddenly, the air around him felt cool and he lifted his head to the breeze in surprise. “It’s cool…” he realized, remembering how hot it had been through every June 30 he went through over the last few weeks. He then took a deep breath and stood up straight. He said to Molly, “I want to end today and see what tomorrow’s like. I’ve decided. But could you do one more thing for me? Could you make sure that my graduation day was the one I had yesterday? I liked that one best.”
Molly nodded. “All right,” she said with a bittersweet smile.
He smiled back and then took off his graduation cap. Chuckling as he looked down at it, he said, “To the future, I guess.” He then tossed it to the sky.
Samuel Charles Parker III rose from his bed in disbelief. “Today…it’s…it’s tomorrow,” he whispered. He grinned at his new revelation as he got of bed.
“Samuel!”
“I’ll be down in a second, mom!” he called back, still grinning and hurried to get dressed. However, as soon as he reached his closet, he stopped, worry spreading across his face.
“But…today I…” He shook his head. No, don’t worry about that now, he thought. There’s nothing you can do about it anyway. His hands began shaking again and a knot was forming in his stomach, but he forced himself to get dressed.
It was at the airport when he saw Julie that his fear truly set in. You just have to be brave, he thought insistently. No matter what, you were going to leave yesterday behind. And now it’s over and I really will start anew today. Not the way I had planned, but at least…at least it will be different, whatever it’s like.
“Charlie!” she called out when she saw him, giving him a big wave. She jogged up to him and threw her arms around him. “Oh, I’m going to miss you so much!”
Samuel swallowed hard, a large lump forming in his throat. “Me, too, Julie.”
She released him then and gave him a big grin. “But I promised myself I wasn’t going to cry today,” she said, pointing a finger at him. “Today’s a happy day for you! You must be so excited!” Samuel somehow found the strength to nod as tears slowly formed in his dark eyes. “Besides, we’ll call each other all the time and write to each other, too, just like you said yesterday, right?” Samuel shook his head, as he quietly began to sob. Julie frowned in puzzlement. “Samuel?” Unable to hold it in any longer, he began crying. “Samuel, what’s wrong?” Julie asked, taking his hand and looking up at him in worry. “Why are you crying?”
“It’s nothing, it’s nothing,” he told her through his sobs, shaking his head still as he spoke. He pulled his hand from her and placed it on her cheek, resting his other hand on her other one. “Just promise me something, Julie? Promise me you’ll remember that I love you.”
Shaken, Julie nodded. “All right, Charlie. I promise. And you won’t forget I love you, right?”
He shook his head. “No, I won’t. I know I won’t. I’ll be sure it will be the last thing I think about today.”
Julie stared at him with bewildered eyes, unsure what to make of his last comment. However, before she got the chance to ask, an announcement rang through the airport, “Flight 452 to New York now boarding.”
Samuel smiled as he continued to cry, although he wiped the tears from his face with his sleeve. “Well, that’s my flight. I’ll…see you around, Julie.” He leaned forward and gave her a long kiss goodbye. When he stood up straight, he touched her face one last time before heading to the terminal and boarding the plane.
And while the plane took off, all Samuel Charles Parker III could do was think about Julie, as he promised her he would, and wait for his old life to end and his new life to begin, whatever it would be.
