The Secret (Boston's Best 1)

Chapter Forty-Nine

Maddie

I answer the call and Aebhín and her girlfriend Ciara's lovely faces light up my screen.

"Hi, Maddie!" They both shout.

Laughing I say, "Hey guys. Show me the outfits."

Aebhín leans her phone against something and they both back up from the camera.

In Ireland –at least at my school, you can wear whatever you want to your graduation. Not the ugly uniform, thank god. So, everyone usually goes all out for it.

Ciara twirls and Aebhín starts talking like a news presenter. "And here we have the lovely Ciara Walsh modelling in a white floral knee length flowy dress from Penneys and white wedge heels from New Look."

Aebhín now twirls and Ciara takes the invisible microphone from her girlfriend and also talks like a newsreader. "And finally the magnificent, Aebhín-Shira Mulligan is wearing a matching baby blue skirt and long-sleeved top combination from Zara and a white denim jacket from the back of her wardrobe and because she's tall enough as it is at a peak of five foot nine she is wearing black Converse."

Aebhín curtsies, "Comfort over anything."

I grin, "Of course. Though I wish I thought of that this morning because my heels are only three inchs and I already want to die."

We all stay on the phone chatting for maybe ten more minutes before I hear Principal Gomez's voice through the speakers telling everyone to find their seat and for the seniors to stand where we were told to go.

I hang up and wish them both luck –Ciara was nominated as the students speaker for the year and Aebhín has to read a poem.

After maybe five minutes everyone is in place with Evelyn leading the line and then me and following behind us for the rest of the year in alphabetical order. I catch Matt's eye only about twenty people behind us and he winks at me.

The band starts playing and Ev starts their walk towards the stage, I follow them up and we sit with Principal Gomez and a few other faculty members. We watch as everyone filters into their seats in a sea of blue.

When everyone settles I notice Principal Gomez nod at me and I stand up and walk towards the microphone.

Here goes nothing, I guess.

Exhaling, I smile into the crowd even though I cannot see a thing. "I'd like to start off by saying welcome to our friends, family, teachers, and lower year students for taking time to come to our graduation ceremony. And of course a welcome to my fellow classmates. We're finally nearly finished now."

I chuckle and all of the students start clapping and whistling, obviously very happy at the thought of never having to come here again.

I smile, "When I was informed that I was selected as the Salutatorian, every person who I talked to practically begged me to keep this as short as possible. Which believe me I will, because I don't even want to hear myself talk this much so I doubt any of you guys do. Other people told me to try and make it funny because this day was going to be very boring and they'd just sleep through it all, and I was asked to quote Kim Kardashian a bit too, but 'keep it short' was asked of me the most. So for those of us who just want to get the hell out of here, I will finish as quickly as I can."

I hear a few chuckles from the crowd and continue, "I also just want to say thank you to the band and underclassmen in the crowd for coming out and supporting us and remember that it'll be your turn soon enough. Now, for those of you who don't know me, my name is Madeleine O'Brien and I only moved here from Ireland just over two months ago, so this was a big shock to me but I appreciate the opportunity nonetheless.