"All right, what are you staring at? We should get going."
Seeing Lee staring blankly at her, Gwen smiled and bent down to pick up Hulk. "Don't forget, you still have to give a speech as the graduates' representative."
"What?"
Lee was still caught up in the emotion of the moment, and now he just looked baffled.
"Didn't I ask you yesterday? You said, 'Sure.'"
Gwen smiled sweetly.
Lee's face fell. "I only said I'd come to the graduation ceremony today. I never agreed to give a speech."
"But I already told Mr. Pierce, and the speaker's been confirmed."
Gwen smiled even more brightly. Ignoring Lee's protests, she took him by the hand and led him toward the graduation venue.
Midtown School of Science and Technology had a specially built outdoor venue. On either side were leafy woods, quiet and peaceful, and a sparkling river flowed nearby.
With such beautiful scenery, nestled between hills and water, it was usually a spot where couples from the school met up. It was only used as a venue on special occasions.
This year's graduation ceremony was being held there.
By the time they'd picked up their caps and gowns and gotten dressed, most of the people attending the ceremony had arrived.
The graduates, all in blue gowns, sat in several blue blocks at the front. The tiered seats behind them were packed with their families and school staff.
The ceremony opened with speeches from the school administrators. Schools everywhere followed the same routine: one after another, administrators nobody recognized took the stage and launched into long-winded addresses.
The graduates sitting obediently in the front rows listened with solemn expressions. Only their eyes gave them away: most were glazed over, their minds elsewhere. Years of schooling had clearly honed this particular skill to perfection.