Hello! Bet you thought I didn't exist anymore, huh? XD Well here I am! I decided to start uploading a few pieces from a creative writing workshop that I took. A lot of the things that he made us write were to practice what we had been learning about our craft, and this is one of my favorite pieces that I did. I hope that you enjoy it too. There are a few others that I might put up later, so keep an eye out. Um...wow. XD It's not as easy writing here as on fanfiction because I haven't even logged into this account in forever. Anyway...like I said, enjoy. Love to all!

The sun was strong that June. In our black gowns-actually I would rather call them robes; 'gown' made me feel gay-we absorbed the heat and were baking to a golden crisp, the sweat making sure we were nice and juicy. Thank God the ceremony was finally coming to a close.

"Ladies and gentlemen! I give you the class of 2011!" the principal said with a smile as he spread his arms wide. The parents, siblings, and extended family members in the bleachers burst into applause as the band started up Pomp and Circumstance again. Three hundred seniors, now officially college freshman, stood from their folding chairs on the football field and threw their caps in the air. I watched mine to make sure I got it back. Mom would want to take pictures later and for that I needed the full costume.

As the mass of students walked out of the gate to go back to the school, James caught up with me. "Congrats man!" he said, extending his hand. I took it and we went in for a quick bro hug. "So, are you going to that project graduation thing?"
"Nah. Who wants to go to a stupid health spa all night?"

"I would have thought you. After all, Allison will be there." James raised his eyebrows and smirked at me. I swallowed hard. "And there's gonna be swimming."

Before my brain could run with those images, I shook my head. "Forget it, J. The school year is over and we'll never see each other again after today. Why should I torture myself when I know there's no chance?"

"Yeah, I guess." He put a hand on my shoulder. "Sorry Nat."

"Whatever. It's about time I graduated to a higher class of women anyway: sorority sisters."

"Yea-heh-heh, that's the spirit!" James and I fist bumped. "Hey, my grandma's over there. I'll talk to you later." He veered off toward his family with a wave.

"Yeah, later man." I stuck my hands in my scratchy robe pockets and continued up the path to the school. My thoughts wandered back to Allison. I couldn't believe that after four years I had never worked up the balls to ask her out, and now we had graduated. She probably wouldn't have wanted to anyway, but it couldn't have hurt to at least try, right?

Just as I was thinking this, I was tapped on the back of the shoulder. I turned around and came face to face with Allison. She had already taken off her robe and had it draped over her arm. She was wearing a modest pink dress and her wavy blonde hair was flowing down in front of her shoulders. Clutched to her chest was a yearbook that had pieces of paper sticking out at all angles. She smiled at me and the corners of her eyes crinkled. I felt something jump around in side of me on the second floor and in the basement.

"Hi, Nathaniel. Congratulations!" she said.

"Y-you too," I said.

"I, um...never got you to sign my yearbook." She held it out to me and I took it, our fingers brushing as it exchanged hands. "Here, let me get a pen." She unzipped her purse and started rummaging while I looked for a blank spot.

As I had suspected, the extra pages inside the front cover were all messages from friends who hadn't had room to sign on the actual pages. "Where do you want me to..."

"Here's one," she said, pulling out a blue pen that had Mickey Mouse ears on the top. "Um, right here. I made sure there was enough room in the back." She flipped the pages and on the inside of the back cover was a small space in the corner.

I took the pen and tried to think of what to say. What could I possibly say to the girl I had been in love with for four years that would fit into this tiny spot? I clicked the pen again and again, thinking.

"Ah...this is hard," I said. She giggled. "Alright." I put the pen to the paper and wrote.

Allison,

Have a great summer. It's been great knowing you. Good luck in college and maybe we'll see each other at a reunion or something.

Nat

I closed the book and returned it and the pen to Allison. "There you go."

"Thanks," she said, opening the yearbook back up to read what I had written. Her smile fell a little as her eyes grazed the page and she sighed. "Well, I guess I'll see you around then."

"Yeah. See you." Allison walked past me and caught up with a group of her friends. I watched as she said a few words to them with her head bowed, then they all looked over at me. I turned away and scratched the back of my neck, and when I looked back they were on their way up to the school together. I thrust my hands back into my pockets.

Yeah. It would never have worked out anyway.