• I sat in my fold-up chair, anxiously awaiting my name. It was Graduation, in the year of 2010. Almost eighteen and I sat like it was the first day of kindergarten, sweating and obnoxiously close to an anxiety attack. I was actually way calmer than my friend Ian, who was shaking like a chihuahua on steroids.

    "Calm down Ian. It's only graduation. No big deal." That was Grace, another of my variety of friends. She was the "cool" chick in our group, on the outside anyway. Inside was just as full of jelly as everyone elses.

    "I know. I just can't help but feel that something isn't right about today. Like somebody has passed judgement on us all and something terrible is going to happen." He said. He was ghost white, and his eyes held the terrified glint of a deer caught in the headlights.

    "I know what you mean. It makes me extremely anxious to feel this sense of foreboding before I receive my deploma." I said, glancing around me as well. My brown eyes, nearly black with the fear I felt, landed on my rock, my friend and ally, and my boyfriend, Andrew. He smiled at me and put his thumbs up. He dreamed of one day becoming a Military Police Officer, and I approved. It was at least a constructive way to deal with his "issues".

    Finally I hear my name. The walk along the carpet, up to the podium and accepting the diploma, was very surreal. Like I was in a fog. The rest of the day went by with a blur. The sense of foreboding stayed with us all throughout the day. Nobody could muster a smile. Our night was a very trying one. We had rented a place for our own grad night, and instead of a festive affair, it was dark and very....well, im not exactly sure.

    "Ayla, I have to ask you something. When I become an MP, would you wait for me if I asked?" Andrew asked. this was totaly out of the blue, not even in my range of thought.

    "Yes." My answer fell automatically. No thought was required.

    He sighed. "Good. I go to the Academy in three weeks."