Page 18 of Fire Dancing For Icey Dragons (Obscure Academy #15)

ZARA

I look in the mirror and try my best to straighten my graduation cap in the bathroom mirror. It's already slipping down and I haven't even started trying to walk around while wearing it.

"You need some more bobby pins," Yuri says, holding some out to me.

"Thanks." I take them from her and stick some of them in my mouth while I use the others to attach my hat to my hair. "Why do you think they want us to wear such impractical graduation outfits?" I murmur through the pins.

Yuri shrugs. "Tradition," she responds. "Are you ready?"

"As I'm ever going to be."

"All we're doing is walking across a stage," she points out.

"Yes, while wearing a cap and gown." I straighten out the hood I'm wearing, the blue and white piping indicating I'm graduating from Obscure Academy looking right after all of my years in a Sapphire Sparks uniform, even if keeping the hood on straight is already proving to be a challenge.

"Here." Yuri produces a pin and sticks it through the hood, attaching it to my dress beneath. "Just don't forget to take it out before you remove it."

"I'll try."

"But come on, we should get in line, it's not going to be long until they start calling the Ks, and then it'll be our turn." She takes my hand and pulls me out of the bathroom to where everyone is lining up. We make our apologies to the other students for coming through, even though we're supposed to be in alphabetical order, so it's not like we're stealing their positions.

The queue of students moves down surprisingly quickly as each of them takes to the stage and goes through the process of the graduation ceremony after their names are called. I know walking across the stage doesn't actually change anything and that I've already got my degree, but it feels so official.

"Yuri Kim," the Dean calls. Yuri walks across the stage with elegance. I'm not sure I'm going to be as good as that, I don't wear heels very often. She shakes his hand and walks off to the other side of the stage, moving the tassel of her cap to the opposite side to indicate she's now had her graduation ceremony.

"Zara Kingsley," the Dean calls.

I take a deep breath and climb up the steps onto the stage. I know that most of the people in the room don't care that I'm making this walk, but I'm still proud of myself. My mum walked across this stage, as did my dad, and I'm now following in their footsteps.

"Congratulations," the Dean says, shaking my hand once.

I do the small curtsy we've been told we're supposed to do. "Thank you."

He nods and I walk off the stage to follow Yuri through the corridor and out into the brilliant sun.

My best friend squeals and throws her arms around me. "We did it!"

"We did," I respond.

"And we're going to be moving in together again next week!"

I laugh. "We've barely been apart for a month," I point out.

"I know, I know. But I'm excited. This is going to be the start of the rest of our lives."

"Yes, it is." I smile at her, both excited and a little nervous about what the next chapter is going to bring. But I also can't wait to find out.

Thank you so much for reading Fire Dancing For Icey Dragons and the Obscure Academy series, I hope you enjoyed it!