Graduation day was hectic. It was the day where children were sent off to middle school finally, where there were more classes than just one and there were passing periods and lockers instead of cubbies and stricter teachers and actual homework that wasn't timed math tests and simple worksheets. Things were going to get harder, and David was ready and not ready at the same time. Today was the day of the rehearsal, where they practiced walking the stage and getting their diplomas (more like little papers that had "Good Job!" on them). David could hardly contain his excitement!

They were lined up beside the stage, not-so-patiently waiting to be called up and handed the rolled-up paper. Kids pushed each other around in the line they stood in, pointing and laughing at each other as they stumbled. David stood near the back, as they were in alphabetical order and Rojas wasn't really close to the beginning. He had his hands laced behind his back and he was bouncing on his heels. He was so excited to finally rid himself of this school, and go to a new one where kids were more mature and didn't bully others for things like being unable to read and didn't snatch others' glasses or lunchboxes. 

Middle school would be a far better place for David, he hoped. Teachers were more strict and the school his mama planned on sending him to had a no-tolerance policy for bullying, she told him. No kids could mess with him while he was there, for sure. He would finally be able to make some real friends who would care about him and would never tease him. He would finally able to be himself and embrace who he was. And he was beyond ready for that!

He watched as the line slowly dwindled, kids one-by-one walking up the stage and shaking hands with the principal. They were handed an eraser ("Just for practice," Miss Alvarez said, "You'll be getting your diplomas at the real thing") and walked off the stage on the other side where they high-fived their friends and whooped and cheered and whispered about how much more exciting the real thing would be. This made David wonder how similar high school graduation was. Was it the same thing but where the kids were older and had caps and gowns? Were they handed prettier diplomas? Did more people show up? It made him smile as he imagined what his real graduation would be like.

He pictured his whole family there, sitting front row: Mama; Papa; baby Angelica, who would probably be a little kid by then;  Abuela Maria and Abuelo Ignacio, Mama's parents; Abuela Catlalee and Abuelo Matias, Papa's parents; Tía Lydia and Tía Marta and Tía Kaila, Mama's sisters; Tío Angelo and Tía Emily, Papa's siblings. He saw them cheering and waving excitedly at him as he crossed the stage, whistling and whooping. His would be the loudest family at the entire graduation ceremony. He pictured his mama running up to him once he was offstage and thrusting a massive bouquet of roses toward him, his papa crying as he held him close, whispering, "My boy. He's all grown up now. My boy!" 

He hoped high school graduation would be as fun as he pictured it in his head. He hoped it wasn't going to be boring or anything. 

"Go!" one of the kids huffed, shoving the kid at the front of the line. David watched her go up, shake the hand of the principal, and get handed the little eraser. She waved at the rows of chairs as if there were people there, before descending the steps and joining the others. She was an okay looking girl, thin and bony with a bright red shock of hair. She was taller than the other girls, and didn't talk much. She usually kept to reading, something David wished he could do. It seemed like there was a whole other world inside books, a nice place to escape. He wanted that. An escape.

The line grew shorter and shorter, and soon enough it was David's turn. He went up the steps of the stage, sucking in a nervous breath. For some reason, he was scared. Graduation seemed all too important, and he didn't want to mess it up and make things worse. What if he tripped and fell and the other kids started laughing at him? He didn't want that to happen! He slowly strode across the stage, trying to keep his head held high. He needed to at least appear confident. 

The principal smiled at him as he approached. She was a nice woman, with dark hair and a nice smile. She wore a simple pencil skirt and blazer, looking nice and modest. David stepped toward her, holding out his hand for the eraser. She shook his hand with a smile, before pressing the little rubber object into his hand.

However, before he walked down the stairs, he turned to look at the chairs. They weren't as empty as they had been a moment ago; or had they been empty at all?

A blond man was seated in one of the chairs, a baseball cap over his head. Piercing blue eyes were focused on David, making him feel squeamish. He didn't know this man, but this man obviously knew him somehow. Was he a parent? Whose parent could he be? He didn't look like any of the kids, not even Johnny, who had blond hair too. 

But why would a random guy be watching some kids walk up and down a stage? Why did he seem so interested in them? David's stomach churned, and he moved to walk down the stairs, trying to shake the image of the man from his mind.

But those piercing blue eyes. They were stuck in his mind, and he couldn't shake them. They were so bright and creepy.