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“Marissa Winslow,” the announcer called.
The audience applauded as she crossed the stage.
“Trent Young,” the announcer continued.
The audience grew louder when Trent did a backflip before accepting his diploma.
“And, our final graduate of this year’s graduating class, Kiki Ziegler!” the announcer shouted with enthusiasm.
Before the audience could even applaud, the speakers crackled and Kiki’s voice blasted out. “I’m the queen of this place. These people adore me.”
Kiki stopped at center stage and looked around confused by where her voice was coming from.
“These people follow me and fall at my feet like the followers they are—the ones Itrainedthem to be,” her voice continued echoing throughout the stadium.
The graduates looked around, their narrowed eyes conveying their disgust at Kiki’s words. Because there was no denying itwasKiki’s voice. And thanks to a little creative editing, every nasty thing she’d said was included.
“Shut it off!” the principal demanded whoever would listen.
“These sewer rats are nothing without me,” Kiki’s voice continued. “I own this place. Just like I’ll own the whole fucking town one day.”
Boos erupted from the graduates. Some stood and yelled at her while others shouted obscenities. Kiki, looking like a deer in headlights, rushed off the stage without her diploma.
Cheers erupted.
I glanced at Seren who was looking over his shoulder at me. I shrugged. He laughed, realizing that there was no way I was letting Kiki win. She’d done all the terrible things I’d once believed Seren had done to me—and then some. She deserved a little retribution. And if that meant letting people know the real Kiki, then I felt as though it was my duty as the “poor girl” in town to give that to them.
One of my classmates jumped to his feet, and the rest of us followed suit, throwing our caps in the air and leaving Kiki a distant memory.
Seren found me after the ceremony. “Well, that was interesting.”
I laughed, quickly changing the subject before my mom caught on to what he was talking about. “Congrats! We made it.”
He chuckled before looking at my mom. “Would you like me to take some photos of you and Grace?”
“That would be really nice,” my mom said, seemingly surprised Seren would offer to do such a thing.
“Thanks,” I said as I handed him my phone.
My mom and I smiled with our arms wrapped around each other’s waists as Seren snapped a bunch of photos.
“Let me get a couple of you kids,” my mom offered as she stepped away from me and took my phone from Seren.
I nearly fell over, knowing it was the last thing she probably wanted to be doing. Seren moved beside me, smiling down at me. I returned his smile as I wrapped my arm around his waist and he wrapped his around my shoulders—keeping it PG for my mom’s benefit.
“Smile,” my mom said.
We did and she snapped a few photos of us. I really hoped she knew what she was doing and didn’t cut off half his head. Scratch that. She knewexactlywhat she was doing and likely cut off half his head.
“That’s good,” I said as I stepped away from Seren and retrieved my phone from her.
Seren’s family appeared, ready to take their own photos.
“Congratulations, Grace,” Maureen said. She looked like she was trying to look put together, but her makeup was overdone and her words were weak.
“Thank you,” I said.
She smiled at my mom but said nothing.
