Aurora wore her blue cap and gown with the other seniors of her class. This was it.
The graduation ceremony was underway, the principal's voice droning through the speakers. There was a distinct scent of freshly cut grass mixed with the faint chemical odor of the rented plastic folding chairs.
It was warm, the sun high enough to make her sweat under the heavy robe. Aurora only heard fragments of the speeches, something about "potential" and "the journey ahead", but she was scanning the crowd. Her eyes landed on her sires and mother, sitting stiffly beside each other yet smiling.
They gave a wide, long smile when he noticed her gaze. Next to them, Lacy waved happily her expression was completely reasonable. Aurora's fingers tightened imperceptibly on her program booklet, creasing the glossy paper.
The principal adjusted his microphone. "And now, it's time," he declared, voice abruptly sharpening. Silence fell, thick and heavy like wet velvet-ooooo, here it comes.
