A Little Cinderella Moment

Chapter 117

The school year is flying by. Finals are vastly approaching; concert rehearsals are in full swing and it's almost time for prom season. Chase has been working hard at school and working harder with football. Right now, he has done all he can to impress the college scouts. We all have been working hard I've even seen Jen studying some prelaw books and even reading about the LSATS. Selena went to some business seminars to see if that is truly the route she wants to go down after graduation. Lucas has been working just as hard if not harder than Chase with his schoolwork and with football. Greg on the other hand has slacked off a little but he has already confirmed he has a secured place in college already. But which one? I don't know.

College acceptance letters should be coming in the post soon but how long after finals will they arrive? Hopefully not long as I believe they wait for finals and the final grades before sending out the letters. All this pressure can make or break some high school seniors. I think this has made me and my friends. Even though I have seen some seniors crack this close to the end I hope they come out stronger on the other end.

The girls and I have been working every day after school and having every other weekend off work so we can study and prepare for our finals. And I think the boys have done the same. We are still trying to all get together and study as well as spending time with each other, having fun, and being with our other halves. Trying to split the time between everything has been difficult, but we have made it work as best as we could. It's funny when we were kids, we all said at one point or another "Oh, I can't wait to grow up," Yeah well that is now coming back and biting us in the ass. I see why parents say enjoy your childhood because it will be gone before you know it. Just like this senior year has gone by in the blink of an eye, before we know it, we will be going our separate ways heading off to college.

A couple of weeks later now and finals are in full swing this week. Today alone I have three tests. They have tried to spread them out but unfortunately there are some days where tests are bunched up together as they are today. Tomorrow is a little better I have two tests then one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I do wish they were all like that, but this week will be done before I know it and finals will be over.

It was arranged by all our parents to do a huge barbeque, or as Selena's parents would call it a fiesta, to celebrate us finishing our finals. It is happening at Chase and Jen's home because their yard is big enough to hold such a large gathering. If I'm correct as well this barbeque will be the first time Dad will be introducing Hazel to Mr. and Mrs. Lockwood but don't quote me on that. She may have already met them I don't know; all I do know is that this will be the first time I am coming to any form of event with a woman on my dad's arm in many years. It's almost a bittersweet feeling. But that is happening this weekend I still have one more day of finals to do before then. I can't believe my senior year is almost over.

Finally, finals hell is over. My final exam is finished, they are all done. Walking out of my final exam Jen and I get called to the principal's office. What for we don't know. As far as I am aware we haven't done anything wrong, we haven't complained about anything, and all the shit Candace has put us all through is now in the past and has been dealt with. We head directly there thinking of every possibility we could think of as to why the principal would want to see us.

Sitting in the principal's office feels a little nerve wrecking because of the unknown. I ask Jen what she thinks it could possibly be about as we are sitting here waiting for the principal to enter the room. Jen said something that I didn't even consider until now. It must be about graduation. Why didn't I think of that sooner? I have a tiny suspicion on why the principal would want to speak to Jen. But why me too? Guess I'll just have to wait and find out. Hopefully I won't be kept much longer, the anticipation is killing me.

Meeting is over and I was off to the library to read up on the colleges I heard that are attending to concert in a few weeks' time. I do have my dream school, but it is best to be prepared and research on where you dream to go and where else has offers that you want. Just hearing that even Julliard will be there has made me even more nervous to perform at this concert but that's not all. The principal has asked me to sing a song at the senior graduation ceremony. I accepted of course but what do I perform? At first, I thought the song I wrote but I scrapped it as I'm not satisfied with its outcome. Why did the principal want to see Jen you ask? Well Miss. Jennifer Eliza Lockwood has been named valedictorian of the senior class of 2024. And I could not be any prouder of my girl than I am right now. She deserves this honor more than anyone I could think of.

Selena comes to join Jen and I in the library after her last final exam. Sitting down in a chair and putting her bag on the floor she sighs.

"I can't believe this year is almost over, it feels like we just started the school year and now in a blink of an eye it's done."

"Every year feels like it goes quicker. Just look what we had planned the day on the beach on New Year's Day? We planned just us girls to drive down to Anaheim to spend Spring Break at Disneyland. Look how much fun we had then and didn't want that to end. Yet that felt like we were there for a day, but it was a week," Jen said to Selena.

"That was a fun week. It was so nice of the guys to join us one day in the park and the memories we all made and how the guys surprised all of us with a Disney promposal," Selena says.

"That was a fun day I agree and how they planned their promposals at the park with Mickey, Minnie, and the Princesses with a banner in front of the castle. Priceless. Our guys can be romantic when it matters. I don't think anybody could turn a promposal like that down," I tell them.

"If somebody ever did turn down something like that then they are not worth the guy," Selena says then she turns to look at Jen. "So, what did the principal want to talk to you about? Is it what I think it might be?"

Jen nods her head with an ecstatic expression on her face. "The principal just confirmed it. I am this year's valedictorian. With my incredible GPA, extra curriculum activities, and the only senior to be on the honor roll every year there was no competition." She's not lying. That is what the principal had said to her word by word. "I just need to come up with an impressive speech based on the memories we had made during high school and the future we will want to achieve."

"Wow, no pressure with that but I am so happy for you Jen, I know you will kill it with your speech," Selena says hugging Jen in congratulations. Then she turns to look at me and asks, "What did the principal want to talk to you about?" I tell Selena what I was asked to do at the graduation ceremony, and she squealed quietly in excitement. "I knew it, I knew she would ask you; you killed singing the national anthem at the final home game for the football team she would have been stupid not to ask you to perform. Do you know what song you want to sing?"

That's a good question, after a little thought I still didn't know. So, I tell Selena I don't know but would like to stick to a similar theme as Jen with her speech Jen suggested that I speak to my dad and see what he thinks. Now that is a good call. I'll talk to Dad when I get home from work tonight. I think I might have an idea, but I want my dad's opinion on this.

School day is now over, now it's time to go to work. Since Chase is my ride, he drove me to work today, and he sat at a table studying and even going through some files from the office and get them cleared up while he waits for me to finish work for the day. The girls and I are rushed off our feet today. Work is crazy busy. I glance over at Chase's table now and then during my shift to see he's been joined not just by Lucas and Greg but with a small handful of the football team too.

It was nice to see some of the football team hanging out like they used to. This is probably the first time I have witnessed it since before the holidays. A handful of the guys left with a crowd of girls who came over and sat with them while the others stayed with our guys to keep them company before we got off work. When my shift finally finished and I approached their table I overheard the boys talking about buying tuxes and where are they getting theirs from. I didn't know guys talked about things like that.

When I questioned Chase about it in the car as he drove me home, he told me it was something we will discuss this weekend. He does have a point I have other things going on in my mind and my dad is the only one I need to talk to. Chase didn't come into the house after dropping me home as he had an early workout in the morning. I told him if he has an early anything in the morning not to wait around for me and go home and rest. Chase told me not to say anything so crazy like that he will wait all night if he has to just to spend some time with me and to make sure I got home safely.