-𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐂𝐋𝐄 𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐘 !✔️ [𝐦𝐥𝐛 | 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐡𝐞𝐢 𝐨𝐡𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐢]

0.09 | 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍
—————————
It's here. Graduation has came. The night before,  I was stressing like crazy. Trying to figure out what to wear and where to tell Shohei to go before the ceremony.

But now. I'm in the building of the stadium waiting to be seated. Me, Alex, and Cassie got to sit in the same row together so that's a plus. We took some pictures before we left the inside of the stadium since it's outside. But, I had got told at the last minute that I was chosen as Valedictorian for the our class year. So I had to type out a last minute speech and Shohei doesn't know about this so I'm nervous to speak in front of people.

We start walking to the field where chairs are lined up and I see the pamphlet where it shows the people who are graduating. I sit down and open it and see my classmates I grew to be friends with. Until.. I flip to the end and see,

"ROSALINDA MARIE CASTILLO, CLASS OF 2021
CHOSEN VALEDICTORIAN"

There goes the surprise because I look around and see him at the bottom of the bleachers with the angels team in casual formal clothing. I feel so nervous inside because after they do the intro, it's my turn.

"Welcome everyone! Today we are celebrating the class of 2021 as we finally have came to this time that the students have been excited for! So many conversations and decisions have been made within everyone! Congratulations to anyone who finally will be putting that degree to work! But before we start saying names and giving out the degree, we have a special guest giving a speech of her own. Our chosen Valedictorian who graduated with her International Relations degree and came to this university with an academics scholarship, please give a hand to Rosalinda M Castillo!"

Oh fuck, I'm so nervous. I feel like I'm falling with these heels. The click of my heels are heard from the mics on the stage and I finally get to the podium and see the speech I submitted on it.

Deep breath Rosie, you can do this. Deep breath Rosie.

"Good Afternoon! I'm Rosalinda Marie Castillo and I'm very honored to be your chosen Valedictorian! God I'm so nervous.. As a young girl, I got told. "Mija you need to figure out what you want to do in life. Don't be reading all the time." I was that bookworm in class and smart one. Through my years of growing up, I got to know amazing people and develop relationships.

Throughout my years in college, I've learnt to know that failure is one step to success. Coming from an immigrant family who worked hard to give me a future I desired for myself is something I will be extremely grateful for. Oh no I'm crying.. I want to thank my parents, my siblings, and my best friend Alejandro who have stuck by my side throughout this painful journey.

Through my experiences of being someone who wish she had a path for herself in high school, I just want to tell 16 year Rosie, it gets better. Si se puede mi amore. My dad has always told me when life gets hard which is gonna happen to us even if we wish it didn't was, "sweetie life is not easy. We learn and move on. We just choose to learn the hard way. Learn and Move on." and I've kept that saying close to me throughout my years of completing my degree as I did suffer from an injury last year that changed my life. But for my coach who said that it will heal and I'll get back out there. I finally pitched again"