Sixteen-year-old Jessica Jane Willens blocks off the world around her with a well-built wall that hides her stubborn, sarcastic, emotion-filled personality. The wall lacks any holes and simply reveals a surface facade of quietness. All she wants is...
A FLOWING SEA OF dark blue graduation hats sprinkled across the football field and onto the bleachers. Rows and rows of seats with seniors, ready to take on their next adventures. The crowds of parents, siblings, and relatives excitedly sat at the edge of their seats, waiting for their student's name to be called. The afternoon sun was high in the clear sky, an empty canvas besides a few loitering clouds. And at the front podium, a banner. 'Class of 2018 Graduating Class.'
Students with grins on their faces and gowns flowing walked across the stage, accepting their diplomas and shaking the school board members' hand.
As I sat in the metal chair placed in alphabetical order, nothing lingered on my mind besides excitement. I imagined my dad, watching me from heaven in a front-row seat, clapping along with all those people on the bleachers. I could practically envision his screams and whistles and over-exaggerated tears of joy. Him telling me that he couldn't believe that I wasn't his 'little girl' anymore and how he would miss me when I left for college.
In the midst of the clear day, a gush of wind flew by, miraculously bringing a stray paper towards me. On the paper was a sketch of a mouse. Not just any mouse, the Disneyland symbol. I swallowed my tears down and rapidly blinked to make sure I wasn't seeing things. No, it was really there. Dad's symbol to me that he was really here.
With that in mind, I focused my attention towards the stage. My brothers were all seated on the bleachers, screaming and whistling. Mason had literally brought a whistle and I could hear it loud and clear even through all the clapping. When I look their way, Eli holds up a heart with his hands and Caden looks at me with a grin on his face, adoration and pride filling his eyes.
The principal returns back to the microphone, adjusting it slightly before calling out the next name that blares through the speakers.
"Jessica Jane Willens." Alex whoops from next to me and shoves me slightly. Like a dream, I float onto stage. The steps are coated with a soft carpet and the principal smiles widely at me, handing me a scroll like diploma. She leans in and gives me a quick hug, whispering off mike in my ear. "I know you only joined us half way through the year but we are so grateful to have seen you grow at this school," she says. I beam back at her and whisper my own 'thank you.'
The school board members stand in a line and each shake my hand. I hear everyone clapping and cheering and Ryan screaming "That's my girlfriend" into the crowd. Practically skipping off the stage in joy, I hug the diploma to my chest. Proof that I survived high school. Proof that I made it. Proof that everything got better.
Somewhere deep inside, a part of me that I wished to hide, wished that my mother was here today. That she was there in the crowd of parents, hugging me and crying with the other mothers on how much she would miss me. But I knew that wouldn't happen even if she was here. I knew that if she was here, I would have never met my brothers, met all these people that changed my life, or have been happy.
Taking a deep breath and trying to memorize every part of this moment, I walk back to my seat. People clap my hand along the way and say congrats and I say the same back to them. Class of 2018. This all felt so surreal and I was on cloud nine.
The rest of the ceremony passed in the blink of an eye. Speeches from our class president, from the principal, and from the class speaker.
"And now, the moment you've all been waiting for. Will the graduating class of 2018 stand in their seats and get their hats ready," the class president, Haley, screamed into the microphone. We all enthusiastically shouted back.
Taking our custom-decorated hats off our heads, we held them in the air, ready to swing them high and close our high school chapter. "And five, four, three, two..." Haley counted into the microphone, taking off her own hat while doing so.
"One! Class of 2018!" Blue hats flew everywhere. Some higher than others and some right above our heads. The audience on the bleachers stood as well, clapping and cheering. It was loud- ear deafening almost being in the middle- but perfect.
Just perfect.
...
"Jess, I'm so proud of you," Caden said as I ran into his arms. I held on tight, recalling the moment I first saw him at the airport. How scared I had been and now, he was one of the most important people in my life.
I used to only have one important person, my dad. When he was gone, I thought I had no one. But years later, now I have more important people than I can count on my fingers. People that love me and people that I love back and a thousand times more.
"I love you," I say. I wanted him to know. Caden smooths out my hair and I see him trying to blink away a betraying tear. He places a rough kiss on my forehead and hugs me close to him.
"I love you so much, Jess."
Mason, Eli, and Aiden join the hug, just like one of the first days I was with them. This time, I hold on to them. "Thank you," I say. They don't have to ask what I'm saying it for. They already know. They all just hold me tighter, squishing me in the middle.
I break out of their holds laughing a second later. Alex comes running towards me, the boys not far behind her. She grabs my hands and we twirl around together, grinning like we were the entire day. She holds my shoulders and we both face the crowds of people in groups and the blue sky. "This is to the next chapter of our lives. The last time we'll be on this football field and in high school," she enunciates. I take in the view and hug her again.
Before I can respond, Ryan takes my hand and twirls me around so I'm facing him. "We really did it," his voice wistful. I cup his face in my hands and place a quick kiss on his lips, knowing my brothers would still murder him if it was anything more.
"We really did it." I finish as he smiles back at me, entangling our hands.
We really did it.
author's note: and we really did it too! first bonus chapter officially published. thank you so much for 40K reads and thank you for reading this book that when I look back at- still needs a lot of editing. though i'm pausing on the editing of this one, i'm starting several new stories that i'm planning to publish soon (ones with a less cliche plotline) so stay tuned for that. thank you again and i'll definitely post new bonus chapters in the future!
bonus ch #1 dedicated to Queen_Lovelys for singing/typing children's songs with me :)
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