The music blare's out of place throughout the surrounding woodlands.

Even more out of place is the vast number of people.

It looks like the entire high school has shown up, with every click imaginable in attendance.

Geeks and comic book and D&D t-shirts, goths and their dark and baggy clothes,

and preppy jocks and cheerleaders in their

school jackets. All of us were united in the pre-graduation jubilation. Our differences over

the past four years lay forgotten for one last night together. The usual darkness

of Bitterroot National Park is kept at bay by a massive

bonfire at the center of the clearing. Not far from the fire, people dance and mingle. Others weave in

and out on wobbly legs, making their way to and from the assorted kegs and bottles of booze on offer at the repurposed picnic tables.

Shaking my head, I walk over to the abandoned playground set that Liam and I discovered last week.

Liam has been my best friend since first grade. The age when your only criteria for a best friend

was proximity. Over the previous 11 years, Liam has grown more popular and athletic,

while I have become shyer and more withdrawn. Despite that, he's still the closest thing to

a brother I have.

I grin at that thought and wonder if we'll remain close after graduation.

Liam got an academic scholarship for a state university, while I was accepted into a school in Pennsylvania.

I know I should be cherishing the short time that we still have together,

but he's Mr. Popularity, and I'm a wallflower. I've put in as much time as I can in the

forced social interactions department and decided to let Liam bask in the glory of being

the founder and host of the party.

Time for a little me time.

...