A New Journey (High School Musical 3: Senior Year)

Chapter 13: Graduation Day

That following weekend, the Anderson family had packed up every belonging they had in their house and were set to move back to England after the school's graduation ceremony. As a part of her stay in Albuquerque, Queen Elizabeth had agreed to give a speech in honor of the senior graduates. She and the rest of her family had front row seats on the stage with the staff and teachers of East High. Queen Elizabeth cleared her throat and said to the audience and the graduates, "In one's life, one has the opportunity to overcome different challenges and struggles to achieve success. And there is no greater success than being able to graduate school or university. Each and every one of you has overcome different obstacles to get to today and it's a privilege to be able to be the one to say......well done. You have earned your place in the world and now you must be able to fight for it. May I say......congratulations and good luck on your journey to your new future!" The audience erupted into cheers and applause for the Queen. As the day went on, student by student gave their speeches then finally, it was Troy's turn to give his own. Troy made his way to the podium and bowed to Grace's family who smiled at him. He then turned to the podium and said to his fellow graduates, "East High is a place where teachers encouraged us to stick to the status quo. And define ourselves as we choose. Where a jock can cook up a crème brûlée. *Martha stood up and started to dance, causing everyone to laugh* It's a place where one person if it's the right person.........can change us all. *He made eye contact with Grace, who blushed while Sharpay nudged her with a smile* East High is about having friends that we'll keep for the rest of our lives. And I guess that means that we really are all in this together. Because once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat." The audience erupted into applause again for Troy. He turned to the principal and thanked him as he shook his hand. He also turned to the Queen who stood from her chair and bowed to her before she took his hand to shake it. Elizabeth leaned in and whispered, "Well done, Mr. Bolton. I do hope you're making the right decision on coming home with us. Because once we leave, there's no going back to your old life here." Troy smiled and whispered, turning to look at Grace, "I know I am, Your Majesty. My mind and my heart are made up." Elizabeth smiled and whispered, "Then, I should say......welcome to the family, young man." Troy grinned brightly and whispered, bowing to her again, "Thank you, Your Majesty. If I may be excused?"

Elizabeth nodded with a fond smile and watched as her granddaughter's boyfriend raced to the field to join his friends. The graduating class all raced to the field and stood where their hats and gowns formed a Wildcat, their school's mascot. There was a sudden silence before the graduates threw their caps in the air and cheered. Just then, the band began to play, which Kelsi conducted.

[TROY, spoken]
Here we go! (Woo!)

[RYAN, spoken]
C'mon!

[Grace, spoken]
Alright

[CHAD, spoken]
Little louder, now

[GABRIELLA, spoken]
Hey!
(Woo!)

[TROY]
Lookin' forward from center stage to graduation day
Time to get the future started

[Grace, with TROY]
What we leave, what we take with us, no matter what
It's something we're part of
We learned to fly

[TROY AND Grace]
Together, side by side (Side by side)
I just hope the rest of my life

[GABRIELLA]
Will feel as good as my...

[COMPANY]
High school musical
Who says we have to let it go?
It's the best part we've ever known
Step into the future
But hold on to high school musical
Let's celebrate where we come from
The friends who've been there all along, just like
A high school, high school musical

[RYAN]
Improvisation without a script
No one's written it
And now we have the chance to

[SHARPAY, with RYAN]
But someday, we'll be lookin' back, memories we'll have
All the songs that we lived through
The best of times

[Gabriella AND RYAN]
So why leave them behind? (Behind)
Why can't the rest of my life

[SHARPAY]
Be like my...

[COMPANY, Grace, TROY]
High school musical (Yeah)
Who says we have to let it go?
It's the best part we've ever known (Yeah)
Step into the future
But hold on to high school musical (Woo!)
Let's celebrate where we come from (Hey)
The friends who've been there all along
That's right (That's right)

[CHAD AND TAYLOR]
Now we finally realize

[TAYLOR]
Who we are, it just took some time

[CHAD AND TAYLOR]
We had to live and to learn to see the truth
(Learn to see the truth)
That nothing's ever impossible
Into the future, we all free-fall (Free-fall)

[COMPANY]
But forever, we'll always have high school
High...

[TROY]
Time to party, now, celebrate

[COMPANY]
School...

[SHARPAY]
'Cause the world's one big stage

[COMPANY]
Musical

[RYAN]
And any part you want can be yours

[TAYLOR]
Everybody sing, yeah

[COMPANY]
High...

[CHAD]
Yeah, the show is never gonna close

[COMPANY]
School...

[Grace]
It's what got us here, we know

[COMPANY]
Musical
High school lives on forevermore
High school, high school musical

[COMPANY, Grave, TROY]
High school musical (Yeah, woo!)
Who says we have to let it go?
It's the best part we've ever known
Step into the future (Hey)
But hold on to high school musical (Musical)
Let's celebrate where we come from (Celebrate)
The friends who've been there all along, oh, yeah

[Grace]
I wish my life could be like a...

[COMPANY]
High school musical (Musical)
Who says we have to let it go?
It's the best part we've ever known
Step into the future
But hold on to high school musical (Musical)
Let's celebrate where we come from (Yeah, yeah)

[ALL GIRLS]
All together makes it better

[ALL BOYS]
Memories that last forever

[COMPANY]
I want the rest of my life to feel just like a
High school musical

As the song ended, Grace laughed as Troy took her into his arms and spun her around. Troy placed his girlfriend back on the ground and placed his hands on her cheeks. Grace placed her hands on his wrists and said, a bright smile on her face, "What is it?" Troy grinned and replied, "Have I ever told you how much I love you?" Grace giggled and said, "Once or twice but I won't mind if you say it one more time." Troy smiled softly and replied, "I love you so much and more." Grace blushed and said, "And I you." The couple then kissed, staying like for a few moments. However, their moment was interrupted by someone clearing their throat. The couple pulled away out of sheepishness and turned to see Grace's uncle, Prince Charles. Charles smiled cheekily at the teenagers and said to them, "Well, that was absolutely lovely. I do hate to interrupt your moment but we best be off if we want to make time for you and your families  to settle in." When he meant "families" as in plural, Troy's parents had decided to join their son in England. Now that Troy and his friends were graduated, Jack didn't have a need to stay to continue his role as basketball coach. Troy and Grace's friends were going off to different colleges so technically they wouldn't be in Albuquerque much. However, they would still be friends and still stay in contact. Prince Charles nodded his head over to where the private planes were waiting for the families to board. The couple followed the older man to the plane which they would board with their respective families while Charles and the others would board with the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. The couple then turned to wave goodbye to their friends and boarded the plane. The planes then took off to their new future which lain in England.