Where it All Began

Graduation Day

Maddie's POV
We graduate today. I can't believe how far we've come. After the wreck, Wes got a "new" truck. A 1996 Cherry red Ford F-150. Granted he didn't get to drive it home because of his leg, he gets to drive it to graduation later because he broke his left leg and doesn't need it to drive. Since we have to be there earlier than most people, since I'm Valedictorian and he is the Class President and we have to make a speech in the middle of the ceremony, Wes is picking me up in 20 minutes so we can get there and have our papers and everything ready. I saved putting my dress on for last since my mom had to help me, as I'm still in a cast. I got my makeup and hair done and hollered down the stairs at my mom. Mom! Coming! When she got up to my room she went to my closet and got my dress out of the back. I was sitting at my desk where all of my makeup and everything was so she came over to me and unzipped my dress for me. I'm in spandex and a tank top so I just need her to help me get it over my leg and zip it after I get it on all the way. Thanks mom. No problem sweetie. Wes should be here any minute. I'll help you down the stairs. Thank you. Alright. C'mon. We made our way to the stairs and down to the living room. I had my cap and gown still in my bag to put on when I got there and my crutches as the lovely accessory I've become quite used to. I saw Wes pull into our long drive way so I pulled out my phone to call him. Seconds later he picks up. Hey babe, I'm outside I'll be in in a minute. Oh, no it's okay. I'll be out in a second. Don't bother getting out and having to come all the way up. I'll just have my mom carry my cap and gown. I'll be there in a minute. Okay. See you in a sec. Yep.
"Hey mom Wes is here! Can you help me carry my bag out to the truck so he doesn't have to get out?" "Yea I'm coming. Go ahead and start heading out and I'll grab your bag." "Thank you" I made my way to the door and opened it. I looked over to the truck and saw that Wes got out anyway and was on my side opening up my door. Babe I said it was fine. I could've done that. I know. I just thought I'd help. I went to him and gave him a kiss. Thank you. Mom will be out in a second with my stuff. Okay. Go ahead and get in. I'll pull the truck closer to the house. Okay. I got into the truck and he made his way back to the drivers side. He got in and drove closer to the house where he usually parks when he comes over. As he put the truck in park I saw my mom opened the door and walked towards us. "Here's your bag. I'm so proud of you two.. I'll see you later. Kick ass with your speeches." We all laughed at her last comment and headed for the school. I can't believe we are finally graduating. I know. I can't believe it either. But on the bright side, we get to get these damn things off of our legs next week. Oh thank god for that! Hey, if you want, after our graduation party later we can keep looking for apartments up in Chicago. I know we never really got to get into detail with most of them. But, last night I was looking at some of them and I found a couple that I think you will absolutely love. I just need you to see if before I put our application letter in. That  sounds great. What part of the city were they in? The first one was in Joliet and the second one was near Wicker Park. Both of them were pretty convenient for both of us for college. And, if we stay there after college the one in Joliet is 25 minutes away from the best firehouse in Chicago and about 35 away from district 13, which is one of the best police stations in the city. Wow. Sounds like we found our place. He pulled my hand up to his lips and kissed my knuckles. Then we pulled into the school parking lot for the last time.

Oh my god.. It's my turn to say my speech. I feel like I'm going to throw up. I tough it out and hobble my way up to the podium.
"Okay.. So, as valedictorian I was required to write a speech. I know most of the people that write speeches at graduations make it all sappy and emotional, but mine isn't quite like that. When I was told I had to write a speech and present it to everybody I got nervous. But now I think I'm ready. So, here goes nothin'. I've always gone to this school. And my very first day as a 7th grader at the high school. I found my best friend. The one that has been there for me the whole way. And the one that has never left my side. In the fall, I'm going to the University of Illinois at Chicago. Most people don't want to go that far for college but I have absolutely no better place to go. When kids are young they have a dream job. Most of them are silly and will get grown out of. Like I think I remember when I was in, what 2nd grade?, my best friend told me she wanted to be a stunt car driver at Disney Land when she got older. Those kinds of dream jobs don't stick. When I was around the age of 8 or 9, I realized that there was one job that I wanted. That was to be a firefighter. As I got older I never let that dream go. I have no other job that I can think that I want to have. My sophomore year, I decided to take an EMT class that would help me in the future. I knew what I wanted to do after college. And I knew that I was going to get all the practice and support I could get. Junior year I took a Criminal Justice class that would also help me. And then, I finally took the Fire and Rescue class my last year of high school. I can honestly say, those were the best 3 years of high school that anybody could ever have. With those three classes I learned integrity, trustworthiness, and that the brothers and sisters I will get on the job are my family. When I go off the college, I want to be able to be at the top of my class and get through the academy easily like I have always planned. So, as most of you know, Wes and I got into a car wreck a few weeks back. Oddly enough, we both ended up with a broken leg and a concussion. When I woke up in the hospital later that day, I knew for sure what I wanted to do. I knew 110% that I was going to be a firefighter. To be able to save lives everyday like they saved ours, that will be the most amazing thing in the world. We both got a wake up call that day. Wes and I both realized that tomorrow isn't guaranteed for anybody. Especially in the fields we are going into. With me becoming a firefighter and him a cop, I want to be able to live life to the fullest. Never look back at the bad that has happened and focus on the good. Everybody in this graduating class all knows that to be able to move on with life, you have to move past all of the bad things and go to the future. There are so many ways that I can say this but I won't (you're welcome), only because I know this graduating class has a bright future to move on in life and to succeed. That best friend that I found in 7th grade? He turned out to be my boyfriend. My other friends? They're still around all the time and have my back. My dream job? Never left. So, congratulations to all of you guys sitting in front of me today. Good luck."
Everybody clapped and I made my way down to my spot with the rest of my class. That was when the first row stood up to get their diplomas. A few minutes later my row stood up and went to the side of the stage and lined up. Names started to be called. "Molly Elizabeth Mackinaw......... Michael Jonah Monroe.......... James Theodore Miles............ Megan Alexandra Mulligan.......... Madison Elizabeth Moore......" When I heard my name I made my way up the stairs, slowly but surely. Once I got up the steps I made my way to the center of the stage to shake the principals hand along with the rest of the school board. I took my diploma and went to the other side of the stage to go down. Like tradition holds, there are juniors to help the girls down the steps and giving them a red rose. I can believe I'm finally graduated... I went back to my row and sat down when the last person went. Now, our school is a little backwards when it comes to graduation. We start at the end of the alphabet and go to the beginning. They're to the Js. That means Wes is close. "Alexander Michael Johnson...... Jonah Spencer Jackson...... Elizabeth Grace Johnston.... Wesley Aaron Jones..." I smiled and saw Wes hobble onto the stage, looking just about as ridiculous as I probably did. He went to the center, shook hands with the school board, and took his diploma. He made his way to the stairs, and then back to his seat. I looked up at him and he gave me the biggest smile imaginable. We were finally high school graduates..

After the ceremony we all went out into the cafeteria and the hallways to take pictures with family and friends. I got one with all of my siblings and parents, as did Wes. Then we got together to get a picture. To make it look less tacky, we leaned on each other so we didn't have to use our crutches in the picture. Our parents had to make sure we got more than one so Wes pulled me into a hug while our moms snapped a picture. I smiled and spoke up. So! Who's ready to head out so we can get everything set up?! Miss enthusiastic are we? Oh my god yes! We all left and headed out. I went with Wes in his truck and we headed to his house for our party since it was way bigger than my house. And we're going country and doing it in the old barn out back. Wes and I pulled up first and drove all the way to the back to start setting everything up. When I opened the barn door I fell in love with what he had done already. It was absolutely gorgeous. And what made it better was in the middle. Wes had cut one of pictures in half of us kissing and put it on the edge of each of our poster boards. Then he put the poster boards right next to each other to put them back together again. He even has the barn decorated for my side and his side. Not that it needed to be separated, it was just easier this way for when family showed up from each side. I looked around and was amazed. It was all so perfect. I started to tear up a little bit and Wes saw. He hobbled over and pulled me into a hug, which made us both drop our crutches onto the barn floor. He wiped away my tears with his thumb and smiled. Hey. What's wrong? Nothing... It's just all so perfect. Thank you... He answered me with a kiss and pulled me deeper into our hug.
So why don't we start looking at those apartments until people start to show up? Sounds great. We can just set the laptop up on one of the hay bales and just sit up there. Sound perfect. I'll go get it from the truck. Be right back. Okay. He went out to the truck and came back with his backpack around his shoulders coming my way. He stopped in front of the hay bale and smiled. Here. Give me the bag and then I'll pull you up. Yea, here. Wes gave me the bag and then set his crutches off to the side. Ready? Oh my gosh. The real question is, are you ready? I know for a fact you won't be able to lift all of my weight by yourself. Try me lover boy. He threw his head back in laughter and I pulled him up onto the hay bale without any trouble at all. Damn girl! Told you I could! Wes got out his computer and pulled up the first tab. Okay. This is the one in Joliet. It's got 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, a full kitchen, a fairly big living room for just the two of us, and the view is amazing! Oh my god I love it! Before I get too attached show me the other one. Okay. So the one in Wicker Park is smaller than Joliet. It's inly got 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, smaller kitchen, and the living room isn't all that big either. Well, we're moving to Joliet! Really?! Yea! This is amazing! I can't believe we finally found our place! I can't wait to move in with you babe. I can't wait either. It'll be amazing... I gave him a kiss and I heard somebody clear their throat from the barn floor. I broke the kiss and looked down at who was standing there. JESSE!!! I got down as quick as possible to go hug my cousin. I haven't seen him in at least 2 years. I'll be seeing him a lot more soon though. He is a firefighter in Chicago so he will be helping me with drills. Oh my god what're you doing here?! "Thought I'd come see my little cousin graduate! My flight ran late so I could be make it. I'll be staying the weekend though, if that's okay with everybody." Yea of course! "Now. What did I hear about somebody finding an apartment in Joliet...?" Uh, yea. Wes and I are getting an apartment up there. He's going to Chicago U and I'll be over at UIC. Oh hey, before I forget. Would you mind going over some drills with me once I'm starting the academy? It's not for a year or so but I wanna get started as soon as possible. "Yea of course." Thanks. Okay so last time I saw you was like 2 years ago when I came up for the Blackhawks game. I don't believe you've quite met Wes fully.." I hobbled over to Wes and helped him down off of the hay bale. He smiled and shook Jesse's hand. "Hey man. It's been awhile." Yea it has. I think it's been at least 4 years actually. Pretty sure I was like 14 at the time... They laughed and Wes pulled me closer to him. I wrapped my arms around his waist and laid my head against his shoulder. This was going to be a great day.

About an hour later everybody started to show up. People showered Wes and I with graduation gifts and apartment items that we would need. Finally we got a break from all of the people for a little bit so we laid down on the lower hay bale and fell asleep in each other's arms for a little while for a much needed nap. Around 5 we woke up to the last guests arriving before we could take everything down. Luckily the people that came were just some neighbors so they left soon after. Well, we're finally high school graduates. Three months from tomorrow we're moving to Chicago. I know. I can't wait.. Wes gave me a kiss and we started to make our way back to the house.