Mrs. Summers wants to discuss changes.

At the end of the graduation ceremony, I joined most of the other Seniors in throwing my cap into the air. I don't know why, but I foolishly chose to try and follow mine in the mess and see where it went. I kept decent track of it, until I felt a hand on my shoulder. When I looked down, I saw a familiar sight: Mrs. Summers standing in front of me.

"John," she said. "As we discussed before, I want to talk with you... And only you... Later. Meet me in the back lobby."

She then removed her hand from my shoulder, turned, and maneuvered through the crowd. Unsure what to do next, I simply found my family, and informed my mother I had made a choice as she'd requested. Then, I found a restroom, removed the "graduation gear", and headed to where I assumed "the back lobby" was located. Sure enough, I was proven correct, as Mrs. Summers was barely-visible standing there.

"John! You found me!" she shouted. "Yes," I said. "For the last time, Mrs. Summers. I don't know what you might have wanted to talk about, but all I can think of to say is 'Goodbye'."

She grabbed my right shoulder in her left hand again.

"Actually, John," she said, "that's what I wanted to talk to you about. Now that you've officially graduated, things have changed for both of us. As you've mentioned, you've called me 'Mrs. Summers' for the last time you needed to. We can each call the other by our first names now. Mine's Violet."

I nodded silently, though I was laughing inside, as "Violet Summers" sounded like a **** code-name from the Sixties.

"Also, just because I'm not your teacher anymore doesn't mean I can't continue giving you information... For instance, I wanted to see you in a robe."

"I'm sorry about that!" I said honestly. "They make us wear it for the whole ceremony! But it didn't fit me well, so I got out of it as soon as I could!"

"Not that one!" she said, laughing out loud. "I mean the one here!"

Before I could ask, she bent down briefly, before standing again. The hand that wasn't already on my shoulder handed me something I couldn't identify in the near-full darkness.

"It's a room key for a place down the street," she explained. "Meet me in the bar. You're still not old enough to have ****, but that's only where we're starting our celebration of you becoming a man."

She then bent again, lifting her purse, and walking away before I could respond at all.