The ceremony was starting when I got to school. Thank god that my surname puts me on the last of the line, so I still have some time before I can enter the hall. 

Going to the nearest bathroom, I went to wear my toga and cap and fixed whatever got messed up during the ride before coming to fall in line in front of someone.

"Belle!" someone exclaimed, making me turn around.

To my surprise, it was my friend Lucy who spoke. She was one of the very few people who can actually make me smile.

"My dearest Lucielle!" I smirked, purposely using her full first name to annoy her.

And it worked. She mock-glared at me as she lightly slapped my shoulder as her dad chuckled from beside her.

"How many times do I have to tell you to call me Lucy?" she grumbled to my amusement.

"I dunno. Maybe a million times more," I said, chuckling.

We were close to getting called to enter so I went back to face the front as we walked closer to the entrance.

"By the way, Belle. Where are your parents?" Lucy's father asked me, stoppinf me cold.

Before I had a chance to answer, the announcer called my name.

"Willows, Belladona."

I hastily made my way to the aisle and to my designated chair, only stopping by to smile for a picture midway through.

I only had a minute of trying to compose myself before Lucy sat beside me and leaned in to whisper.

"My dad's right. Where are your parents?"

"Busy" was the simple answer I gave.

"But it's your graduation day!" she argued. "It's supposed to be an important day for you guys."

"Got called in work, couldn't get out of it."

"Both of them?" she pressed skeptically.

"Yes," I said firmly, my eyes glaring at her as to warn her not to press any further.

To my relief, she kept her mouth shut and focused on the ceremony.

She knew it was a lie. She knew that something is wrong with my relationship with my parents, and she spent every chance she gets to get me to open up. But I just couldn't.