Today marks the first day of the rest of my life. Diploma in hand, I walk off the stage and back to my seat, watching the rest of my graduating class get their certificate to prove they did, in fact, pass enough classes in high school to finish in four years. Let's just say, I don't agree that some of these kids should be finishing high school.
"I can't believe we're already done with high school. It felt like yesterday was my first day as a freshman." I can't share the sentiment, EJ. It feels like a lifetime ago, mostly due to the distinct differences in lifestyles between then and now.
"This didn't exist when I was a freshman in high school." Holding up my phone, he chuckles under his breath earning a couple glares from our neighbors. I think that applies to most of the technology surrounding us in the gymnasium.
"Valid point." He turns back towards the stage, where Principal Gutierrez is giving one final speech about how we have to embrace the experiences we're granted and never worry about the risk.
"And with that, Class of 2021, I leave you with one final remark: what's meant to be will be." That's actually a pretty good quote, although I'm nearly positive it's not his. "Go live amazing lives and go Leopards!" All Miss Jenn's called us are Wildcats, so hearing the true mascot is a little odd. At the beginning of this year, I wanted nothing to do with the word "Wildcat", but it's been growing on me. Everyone rushes out of their seats to the hallways, meeting up with friends to take pictures, finding parents eagerly waiting with cameras, but I just watch as people's faces light up, taking selfies and posing for fun shots with their caps and gowns.
"Come on, Juliette. Our parents want pictures of the two of us and so does everyone else." Sitting in my spot near the middle of the bleachers, I don't know that I want to go down right now.
"Just a couple more minutes. Look at everyone."
"When did you become such a sap?" EJ jokes, but it's true.
"I've always been this way, although there hasn't really been anything big like this. I felt the same way after HSM was filmed." The final day, where they filmed the big game, academic decathlon, and the auditions for the musical, I watched as everyone was so happy, hugging each other, eating cookies, and posing for pictures. Feels a lot like old times.
"Well, you have thirty seconds, or I'm picking you up and carrying you down the bleachers." One last look, EJ. With a smile on my face, I drag him down the bleachers to take our own pictures. "Alright, then. We're going."
"I'm sure the theater gang wants pictures with us, too." I remind him, but he doesn't seem like he forgot.
"Yep, now let's go get pictures while we're all still here." We race to find everyone—my mom, his parents, and the whole theater gang, including Miss Jenn—and find they're in the theater.
"Finally, the graduates are here!" My mom says in a cheery voice, and we make our way to the stage, unzipping our gowns. Mine's white and his is red, and they make their way to a chair with our white and red caps. It's only after posing twenty different ways that EJ and I are both on the edge of insanity and ready to run off to our cars. And, with only a week left until I have to go to Los Angeles for songwriting, filming, and more songwriting, I want to spend less time getting my picture taken and more time with my boyfriend.
But, when I get a text that buzzes in the pocket of my dress—because dresses with pockets are superior—my focus is drawn away from the camera, and blinding flash, towards what's on my phone screen.
Kenny: Hey, the male lead cast for the movie broke his leg pretty bad and can't film for another several months
Me: How??
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My Lucky Charm is a Rose (HSMTMTS)
FanfictionAfter appearing in court a dozen times and seeing her story on live television, Juliette is praying that because she's a minor, no one will ever figure out it was her that was the "Seventeen Year Old Sleeper". That's the dreadfully awful nickname th...
