I could taste the salty sweat on my upper lip and feel it soaking into the back of my undershirt.  No, not because I was nervous or anything.  The gym was just so “damn” packed that the body heat from all 127 students and whoever came with them to watch literally created a sauna.  The air was so thick it seemed to blur the faces of the families who sat towards the top of the bleachers.

I spent four years waiting and dreaming of that day, wishing that time would speed up a little so I could get it over with quicker.  I knew it wouldn’t be long until my name was called, with a last name like Atkins I was always in the first six or so. 

I walked into the gym that day full of excitement; I was ready to move on to something new.  I was already trying to picture what new things would come as I entered the next step of my life.  I remember telling myself that I wouldn’t be sad, that’s how I felt all four years. 

“Why would I be sad,” I couldn’t think of any reasons.  As I looked around at the faces of my peers it seemed to me the feeling was mutual.  We were ready to get out of there; smiles on everyone’s face anxiously waiting for the names to start being called off. 

Our class president, Kady stepped to the podium her smile didn’t seem as big as everyone else’s.  I’m guessing because she already knew what she was going to say.  We had already heard the speech about the next step in our life and how we are going to make something of ourselves, from the peppy class secretary.  Everyone laughed at that, we were going to college, we were going to have fun not make something of ourselves (some of us thought a little of both, maybe).

Kady’s speech started out talking about fond memories from our classes’ stint in High School.  From how we were the “class from hell,” according to all the middle school teachers, to football games and dances, float building and flower making parties, you know good ole American childhood High School stuff.  At first everyone would smile and let little snickers out at some of the stories.  About five minutes into her speech something changed.