"Adopted By" Oneshots!

Boba Tea, Sharpies, And A Bright Future

Year: 2029
Book: All of them, but with a main focus on Adopted by Six
Clem's Age: 18

Clem's POV

"I did it. I just graduated high school." 

Being the youngest in my group of friends...by a lot, meant that I was the last one to graduate. Year after year, since the year I got adopted, I've always attended someone's graduation. 

First to graduate was Keira Roland, then Josie Block and Penney Steingold, then Valerie Salazar-Roland. And then finally, three years after Valerie, it was my turn.

All the kids in my friend group went to the same school. I'm not sure if it was by pure chance or if someone arranged this on purpose. But spending middle and high school with kids just like me, kids who went through so much and got adopted by Broadway stars in the end, it made me feel like I wasn't so alone in the world.

I remember all the shenanigans we used to cause at school. We always sat at the same table for lunch, and sometimes our parents would come and drop off lunches for us. I remember one time, Josie Block and I got called down to pick up our lunches at the same time, and before Stephanie and my mom could see, we switched our lunches and ran. I remember Penney Steingold sneaking a box of Uno cards in her backpack and we all played Uno at lunch. 

I remember last summer, we all crammed in Catlynn McLemore's apartment, and since I was the only one in the Adopted by Broadway Squad, as we called it, who was still in school, the older kids gave me a crapton of advice for how to survive my senior year. 

And truth be told, I barely made it through senior year. It was, to put it lightly, exhausting. I took all Honors and AP classes, and looking back, part of me regrets that choice. But the other part of me was glad I did, because while it was hard, I certainly learned a lot, and that choice is what's gotten me here, graduating high school with high honors. 

"Hey." Catlynn said, snapping me out of my trance. I smiled and turned to her, and she handed me a huge cup of boba tea, my favorite drink in the world. "I made it myself, Red got me a kit for our anniversary. Congratulations, Clem. Happy graduation. You made it out of the hellhole that's called high school."

I took a long sip of the boba tea and giggled. "Thanks. Fun fact- I'm not going to college."

"WHAT?!" Penney and Josie said at the same time. 

I laughed and said, "Pen, I wasn't finished. I'm not going to college in America. I'm going back to Brazil for my four years of college, then I'm coming back home, to New York." 

"What are you going to college for? What do you want to be when you grow up?" Catlynn asked. I smiled and said, "I'm gonna be a songwriter. As a career. But on the side...I'm gonna volunteer for Make-a-Wish."

"Clem, that's amazing. I'm so proud of you, kid." Matilda Henson said, giving me the tightest hug ever. Then, a few minutes later, I felt someone tap my shoulder.

"Yeah?" I said, but then realized Catlynn was handing me a purple Sharpie. "What's this for?" I asked.

"It's a tradition here at Eisenhower, that graduates sign this wall. All of our signatures are here, we sorta reserved this spot." Catlynn said, leading me over. My eyes were drawn to all my friend's signatures in a rainbow of colors. 

Smiling, I uncapped the Sharpie and signed my name.

Clementine London Mack, Class of 2029 <3