Someday Soon
By: Sam Claes
When she walked onto the stage, my heart started beating faster. What if I woke up as I walk across
the stage? What if this was all a cruel joke? This moment I’ve been waiting for since I could understand
what it meant to walk across this stage.
“Clayton, Emily.” The next name is called and I bounce anxiously in my seat. My best friend pushes
my shoulders and I sit straight and still in my seat.
“Caitlin, calm down!” Stacey whispers. I roll my eyes at her. She doesn’t understand my anxious
behavior. She’s not going to be the first out of 6 older siblings to graduate from high school. She’s not the
one who’s been wishing for a way out of that life since 4th grade. I, on the other hand, am. The names roll
on and with each name, my heart goes faster and faster.
Finally my friends start to be called. I watch as my friend Adam Miller smiles his way across the
stage, dancing excitedly as his diploma reaches his hand. Then comes Chad O’Brien walking super confidently across the stage and grasps his diploma firmly in his hand, waving it around triumphantly. Then I
watch as Joshua Radford trips on stage in his haste to get his. I quickly do the calculations in my head. 47
more people before the V’s. Ashlee Stanford gets called next.
With each name my head starts to spin. I’m thinking at any moment that I’ll wake up and everything will be back to reality. I’ll be in a nasty motel, trying to study math books with 3 little kids running
around me screaming and jumping on my bed. I just know it. I flash back to my first day of high school.
…
“You look so pretty Caitlin.” My older sister Angelica whispers. She hugs me and I smile behind the
tears. It’s finally happening. I get to go to school, and start my journey into the real world.
“Thanks Ang.” I say, forgetting to whisper. Someone stirs and my heart beats erratically in my chest
as the fear bubbles. Please let it not be mom who is awake. Please.
“Hurry, let’s go.” Ang says, ushering me towards the door. A cruel voice wafts to me as I head for the
door. Ang stiffens and turns, as do I.
“What, you’re not gonna say bye to your mom?” the voice I had hoped I wouldn’t have to hear today
says. She’s leaning against the doorframe of her room, a cigarette hanging out of her mouth.
“Bye mom!” I say quickly. She smirks and shakes her head.
“I don’t even know why you’re gonna bother going. It’s not like you’ll stay in school for long.” She
says smugly. The anger wells up and I feel like I’m going to explode.
“Well you’re wrong!” I say. She glares at me and I feel Ang’s hand wrap around my arm tightly, trying to hold me back.
“Ha. Like you could ever amount to anything useful. You’re just like the others. Stupid, useless, and
ugly. That never got no one anywhere.” She hisses, making me clench my fists.
“I am smart! I am useful!” I cry out angrily. She laughs a mean sarcastic laugh and shakes her head.
“But you ain’t pretty.” She says cruelly. My sister Ang steps forward and lets me go. Fear consumes