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Liam’s name ricocheted through Maybelle’s skull over the nearby speakers and the crowd went nuts as Liam strutted across the stage, proudly shaking hands with the representing faculty, and accepting his diploma. But of course, he did not stop there, no, Liam would not be so basic. Topping off the strut he stopped at the end of the stage and threw himself into a perfectly executed backflip.
The audience erupted into shouts, screams, and whistles. The boisterous excitement perfectly timed with the announcement of “Maybelle Mason”, allowing Maybelle to cross the platform, shake hands, accept her diploma and simply exit the stage past a bowing Liam before any cheers or claps could be meant for her.
Welp, started out Harbor High invisible and ended strong with being absolutely and completely, non-existent.
Again, she was hit with a rush of memory but this time she couldn’t ignore the twinge of disappointment in herself as she thought back to when she was the all-star, when she was captain of the basketball team, ultimate social butterfly and a friend to all. The young, innocent girl with big dreams, less responsibility, and a lot less baggage. Maybelle was very different now and for the first time in a long time, the realization made her sick to her stomach.
Liam finally found his way back and clumped into the seat next to her, “They called you? I didn’t even hear!”
Maybelle shrugged easily, “It’s hard to hear up there,Ibarely even heard it.” She excused. Let him have this moment, no need to guilt him when Maybelle was mainly to blame for her lack of effort to be known in the world.
She nudged her twin playfully, “The backflip was cool.” Maybelle offered and Liam beamed, draping an arm around the back of her seat as they continued to call names.
Trey’s name was next in line to be called and Liam leaned over quickly stating, “Trey said he would do a flip too.”
And that he did.
But while Liam sauntered swiftly, probably due to nerves, Trey swaggered gracefully shaking the hand of each teacher as he mouthed “thank you” to each one. He paused with Principal Nobly, a short pudgy woman in her early sixties. Trey accepted his diploma from her, and instead of just shaking her hand like the rest of the students he grasped it and planted a smacking kiss to the tops of her age-worn knuckles then winked before he ran and threw himself into a quick cartwheel followed with a fluid backflip that he landed with ease.
Holy guaca-freaking-mole.
By the deep red of Principal Nobly’s blush illuminated by the stage lighting the whole audience could tell she was getting the goddamned fanny flutters, but no one could judge because so was everyone else.
Liam shot to his feet like a proud mother as he put all his pride for his best friend into his applause, “THAT’S MY BOY!” He hollered above the crowd. The bromance was strong with these two. If they don’t inevitably marry each other, their future wives better be ready for a lifetime of third wheeling.
Not too long after Trey’s stunt, the ceremony concluded with the graduates tossing their caps into the air. The graduatesand audience filtered out of the auditorium together so friends and family could meet up to exchange flowers and take pictures to look back on and remember this monumental night.
Liam and Maybelle walked out together to find their mom just outside in the hall. As soon as they were within reach, Stephanie Mason pulled her kids into a crushing hug, “Ah, I am so proud of you both! My graduates!” When she pulled away, she placed both of her hands on each of their cheeks, “I am so, so proud.” She repeated, this time with a lot more emotion written her words and face.
The twins both leaned into their mother’s touch as tears lined her eyes.Stephanie quickly blinked before any tears could fall and ruin her makeup for a second time tonight, “Alright, let’s get some pictures of you two and do you have any friends you want to grab a picture with?”
Liam pulled Maybelle in with one arm to pose for the picture their mom readied to take. Maybelle shook her head in answer to her mom’s question while Liam nodded, “Yeah, just a quick one with Trey and a few other buddies from the team.”
Stephanie nodded as she held a small digital camera prepped and ready to snap the picture, “Okay, say cheese!”
Liam obeyed as he grasped Maybelle in tight, plastering on a cheesy grin while Maybelle hugged him back and smiled bright.The camera flashed and before the twins could recover their eyesight from the bright light and part from one another, two muscled arms wrapped around each of their shoulders keeping them glued together from behind.
“It’s not a family picture without me.”
Maybelle knew that voice, but she still peered back over her shoulder to be met with Trey’s green eyes and gorgeous dimples.She immediately whipped forward before she could be taken with awe.
“Here, let me get out of your picture.” Maybelle blurted, trying to twist out from under Trey’s arm. He moved his arm off her shoulder only to grab her by the back of the dress and gown, tugging her backward so she pressed firmly into his side. Trey wrapped his arm through the back of her open gown so his arm could lay in the space between the navy-blue gown and her thin, pale blue dress. His hand, now hidden, fisted the fabric of her dress at the opposite hip pulling her taut against him.
The screaming of panic and excitement that roared in her head wasn’t in English or made of any real words at all. The most accurate explanation of what was in her head was “electrified goop”.
Maybelle in her stress, glanced over to see if Liam or her mom had witnessed the spectacle, but Liam was oblivious as he exchanged a quick hello with a passing football parent, while her mom’s face tilted to the floor as she hid what looked to be a chuckle.
Suddenly, Trey’s cheek was a light pressure against Maybelle’s hair while his lips radiated a heat next to her ear.
“You really need to stop running away from me, May.” He hummed into her, and she melted.Electrified goop. Now a very accurate description for her whole body.
“Okay you three, big smiles!” Stephanie announced. Maybelle’s face must have disobeyed her electrified goop brain as she willed a smile to form, because her mom lowered the camera.
“Lovebug, smile for real please!”Maybelle did everything she could not to shoot her lovely mother a feral death glare. Trey’s fingers that had gripped the fabric of her dress now traced up her waist and slowly stopped where they pressed into a sensitive area on her rib cage that sent her wriggling like a floppy fish.
A defiant smile pulled at her lips as she threw an elbow into Trey’s abdominal wall of steel. Trey didn’t even flinch from the blow, but he did throw his head back with laughter as she continued to squirm from his tickling.
“Maybelle, you good? Just smile so we can take the picture.” Liam lectured.
