Finally, the day I’ve been waiting for has arrived - elementary graduation. Once I take that diploma, I will become an adult. I snickered a bit while looking at the mirror. “Hey, let’s go!” Bridgette called out. I ran down the stairs and my step mother said “let me put some make up on you,” I brushed her hands away, what the … this person wants me to be laugh at. “Ma, we are going to be late,” Bridgette impatiently said while reviewing her valedictorian speech. I took the opportunity to ran out of the house. “Where are you going?” Bridgette called out to me as I mound my bike. I just waved my hand without looking back and paddled my way passed the gate. I’d rather die than to owe that man another favour by riding his car.

There was a sudden heavy flow of traffic that I didn’t anticipated. So, I ended up carrying my bike on my shoulder and walking in the sidewalk. Damn! I was walk-running when a 500 bill flew across my face like a temptation. I heard it calling out to me, “Take me, take me,” it says.

I reached my hand out to grab what is rightfully mine but the wind carried it away from me. How dare the wind?  I growled like a lion and pushed aside the mountain that seems to block the path between me and MY money. I snatched it with my right hand, and clasp it with my left like it can fly away any time if I didn’t hold onto it tightly. When I came to my senses there was a mob crowding all over me, what the… they are trying to take away my money “It’s MINE!” I shouted before then running away. As if I’m going to give it back, I thought while holding unto the money I worked so hard to get. I rode my bike at the pedestrian lane when I noticed there were cops running after me. What the heck? I wanted to stop but I was too scared to get caught. What if they throw me to prison? I’m too young. So, I paddled as fast as I could until I hit a post.

I jumped up and tried to run but there was a lady in white who was stopping me. I punched her in the face.  Then, a man in white came and shoved me back down. I thought the ground would hurt but it was soft and everything was white… huh?! Is this heaven? Did I Die?  When I noticed my step little demonic sister at the corner of the room, I cried. Wahhhhhhh, why did I end up in hell? Then, I saw my step mother coming closer, “how are you?” she asked with those eyes full of pity.

“You ruined sis graduation!” Satan’s spawn sneered.

“Ah! The graduation… ! I missed it”, I said ignoring the devils daughter.

“You only think about yourself. We all rushed here and sis missed giving her speech,” the devils daughter continued. It’s my graduation too you know, I wanted to tell the evil brat but I kept my mouth shut and ignored her before finally realizing where I am. A hospital room, I doubt that the old man would be happy to pay for all this .

“Can we leave now?” I told my step mother. “We need to wait for the doctor, we don’t know what injury you may have suffered when you crash landed with your bike” my step mother said with a worried expression but I don’t care what they want. This is another debt that I will need to pay in the future. I stood up and walked towards the door. The devils daughter snickered and lay on the bed while my step mother tried to stop me from leaving.

I opened the door to leave despite my step mother’s objection. I was startled to see Bridgette running towards where I was and before I can ran from her, she jumped-hug me. I would have punched as soon as her skin touched mine but my right hand was stuck with dextrose. I struggled to get away from Bridgette’s octopus hold.

“Let go!” I shouted when I realized my attempt to slip away from Bridgette’s strong-hold is futile. But, she hugged me tighter. The is really trying to get me angry! I was ready to throw a fit when I noticed a little old man in green suit standing behind Bridgette.

“Ah! Leprechaun,” I exclaimed in shocked. Bridgette let go and look behind her. Bridgette face turned red, “I am so sorry Sir,” she said politely at the leprechaun. I was going to asked who the little man is when my friends rushed in without warning shoving the leprechaun aside. They were still wearing their graduation gown, “Boss! We thought something had happen to you!” they said while crowding over me. “Did you break any bones?” “Did you fall asleep again while riding your bike” “Did you faint because you were hungry?” their ridiculous interrogation was nonstop.

“AHHHHH! Shut up!”  I shouted. “We were just worried about you!” they yelled back angrily like it was my fault.

“Please quiet down, this is a hospital… geez!” the queen of the demons said. My friends suddenly quiet down and started whispering instead.

“What the?!” I blurted but they shhhhhh me. I just shook my head. These guys are crushing over my step sisters, the only reason why they approached me to begin with. Well, I can understand why they would like Bridgette, she looked like a doll and she’s always fair. I never hear her bad mouth any one. She is one of those perfect being that would make you realized that god is really not fair. But then, there is Barbie who has nothing but her face. She makes you realized that demon do exist. I laughed with the thought. Then, I remembered the 500 bill again, where is it? I rummage through my pocket but there was nothing. ! I almost died for nothing.

“Hey, what are you looking for?” Erik, one of my friends who like Bridgette, whispered. “Shut up” I growled  at him. “Here, eat this,” AJ, my friend who is also a Bridgette fan, shoved an apple in my mouth while gawking at Bridgette at the side of the room helping the little old man. “Who is that old dude?” June asked, also gawking at my step sister. I was also curious who the old man was, I have never seen him before.

The doctor came and advised that there is nothing wrong with me. I can leave the very same day. My step mother would like me to stay in the hospital for another day just to make sure that there is no concussion. Ha! Like I would let her keep me confined in this prison they call hospital. I just took the dextrose out and ran out with my friends. They continue to call out but I don’t care, today I am no longer a kid… I am already a High schooler, wohooo!!!

I can hear the loud music as we come closer to my house. Ah, the old man really went all out for Bridgette’s graduation. “Wow, high-class!” my idiot friends said teasingly, I just smirked.

The devils daughter met us at the door and stopped us from coming in, “There are important guest, so your friends cannot come in,” the villainous brat said. I turned my eyes on June with pity. His heart was devoured by this kind of monster. Yes, he was crushing over Bridgette but for some reason he claims that he is in love with Barbie. And yup, the devils daughter have so many names that I am having trouble remembering them all, so sometimes I just call her Barbie, her human name.

 We end up in my space - the storage just outside the garage- since the queen of hell blocked out path inside the house. We were all goofing around when Bridgette barged in, “There you are!” she exclaimed as she pulled me inside the house. I was trying to fight back but those morons I called friends keeps pushing me. I was fighting 1 against 4. “There is someone who has been waiting to meet you,” Bridgette hyper actively told me. When we got inside the house, the leprechaun was there. He warmly smiled at me. What the heck?

“Here she is,” Bridgette said as if presenting some food to sell. For some reason all the visitors clapped, what the hell is going on?

********************

I lay awake wondering if I was dreaming. Erik and I decided to go to the same public school together but then the most extra ordinary thing happened. I, who almost failed to graduate, suddenly get a free pass to YG academy, the richest school in the country.

This morning, I was chasing after a 500 paper bill, and tonight… I am hero?

As it turned out, while I was enamoured with the thought of grasping the 500 bill, I managed to save the old man from a drunkard trying to extort money from him. The mountain that I pushed aside was actually a dangerous man trying to stab the little man in green suit for money. The old man turned out to be the chairman and owner of YG Academy. I am still bewildered … despite all that, where the hell did the 500 paper bill I almost died for vanished to?