Gotcha (24 page)

The band starts playing “Pomp and Circumstance,” and now the goose bumps turn into a full-body rush as I follow the long parade of grads into the theater and to our seats on the stage. We rehearsed the whole thing this morning, but without an audience and the robes it had an altogether different feel.

There are speeches, and I watch as my classmates, one by one, march across the stage and shake Fetterly’s hand. He hands them their diplomas, and various scholarships are awarded. As each person’s name is called, their baby photo is flashed onto a large screen, which then melts into their formal grad photo. How far we’ve come.

Joel’s name is called. As he walks across the stage, he makes eye contact with me and winks. I look up to see his baby photo. He was as cute then as he is now.

And then Warren’s name is called. At first the applause is polite, restrained, but it gradually increases in intensity, becoming harder, more enthusiastic. I see Mariah, on my left, stand up to give him an ovation. One by one, more grads stand up. By the time he is shaking Fetterly’s hand, at least half the grad class has risen to its feet. Only Warren could pull that off. He smiles and waves at us.

As I watch him pose for a photo with the principal, I remember the day I went to his house to talk about what
had happened in the park. I started by apologizing for letting the mobbing go on so long.

“It wasn’t your fault,” he reminded me. “It was the Gotcha Gods.”

I nodded and let it go.

Then I told him how hurt I was that he’d set me up. He shook his head and threw up his arms. “At what point did everyone forget that this was a game of strategy?” he asked.

I could only shrug. He was right.

“Are you sorry for anything?” I prompted.

He thought about that for a while. “I guess I’m sorry for some of the things I said to you that night,” he admitted. “I was way out of line.”

“I forgive you.”

He looked surprised. Then he said, “Thanks for calling the cops. I hate to think of how far it might have gone. I was so friggin’ cold!”

I could only laugh. “I’m just glad it was you that night, and not someone else.”

“Huh?”

“No one else would bounce back so well. They’d be too mortified to go back to school, their egos crushed.” I shook my head. “It must be nice to be so confident.”

“Confident? Yeah, I guess.” He actually looked surprised by that. “And I have a great body too, don’t you think?” Warren smiled, that same old smile, and I knew he’d be okay. Better than okay. He’d be back on top in no time. I talked to him about my idea for the valedictory ceremony,
and when I got ready to leave, he hugged me. It felt like the embrace of a good friend.

When my name is called, I’m handed my diploma and four scholarships, amounting to almost five thousand dollars. I look into the crowd, trying to find Mom’s face. For a moment I think I see Dad’s, but I’m mistaken.

After all the diplomas have been awarded, and the vale-dictorian has given her speech, it’s time for grad council to do its thing. Part of it is expected, but part of it will be a surprise to the other grads. I’m nervous, wondering how they’ll react.

We agreed to let Warren do the talking—after all, he has
that
voice. The seven of us approach the podium, and he waits until the theater is quiet before he begins. “As you know,” he says, “it’s a tradition at Slippery Rock High for the graduating class to honor the school with a gift. This year, those of us on grad council have decided to plant a young maple tree outside the front of the school. It is our hope that future generations of high school students can use it for shade on warm days and then enjoy the beauty of it in the fall, when its leaves turn to magnificent colors.”

There’s a polite show of approval, but it’s really a most unremarkable grad gift, given what’s been done in other years, and everyone knows that.

“As well this year,” Warren says, “the graduating class is taking something away from the school.” He pauses for
dramatic effect. “We’re retiring a long-held tradition, with hopes that the students of next year’s graduating class will create something new, something fun and something safe.”

Warren reaches into the hollow interior of the podium and pulls out the jar full of beads. He holds them up for everyone to see, and once again the glossy, multicolored beads slide across the smooth inner surface. “We’re destroying the beads instead of passing them on to next year’s class, as was the tradition. It’s in this way that we feel we can make the most positive contribution to future generations of this school.”

The theater is silent for a moment as people absorb what he has said. Then the clapping begins, and it turns into a thunderous roar. I can’t see her, but I bet my mom is clapping loudest of all.

The after-party at my house was awesome. We laughed and cried and tried to imagine what we’d each be doing in ten years. Phillip recorded our predictions on video tape, and we planned to watch it at our ten-year high school reunion. We ate tons of junk food, and I sent the leftovers home with everyone so my mom wouldn’t be tempted to cheat on her diet. Gotcha wasn’t mentioned even once. I think that was intentional.

Joel was the last one to leave. He has completely forgiven me for betraying him in Gotcha. He helped me clean up, and then we chilled for a while. I felt...at peace. I didn’t want the day to end, but we planned a hike for the weekend. It will be my first one since I last went with my dad years ago.

I’m too keyed up from the whole evening to go to bed. I turn on the computer and check my e-mail, an obsessive habit that I have to wean myself from. After all, it’s been months since I’ve heard from Dad.

Tonight is no exception, but I’m feeling so mellow that I write him a note.

From:
[email protected]
To:
[email protected]
Subject: I DID IT!

hey dad! i hope yur still checkin email.

guess what!!!! i gradded 2night,+ I got $5,000 in scholarships! whoo hoo!! i wish u could have been there. mom and i sure miss u.

xo

ur kittiekat

I shut off the computer and hope that wherever he is, he’ll know that he’s still loved. And forgiven. Well, maybe not completely, but I’m getting there. Joel has shown me the way.

Shelley Hrdlitschka
is the author of a number of best-selling titles for teen readers, including
Sun Signs
,
Kat’s Fall
and
Dancing Naked
. Shelley lives in North Vancouver, British Columbia.