HeavyDirtySoul | Tyler Joseph |

Thirty

Andrea

July 28th- Graduation Day

I stand in front of my bathroom mirror, adjusting my navy cap over my straightened and still colorful hair.

I can't believe I'm graduating high school.

If you asked me a year ago today if I was excited to graduate high school, I would probably think I wouldn't be alive to graduate. The pain that I was in for years upon years had brought me so low, I wasn't sure if I was going to survive high school.

But now I stand here in my cap and gown, preparing myself to go get my diploma and say my valedictorian speech to my peers and their families. I was being nervous. I had been practicing it for weeks straight, hours a night. It was all memorized but I clutched the paper copy in my fist in case I did forget during the speech.

I make my way out of the bathroom. My heels clicking on the wooden floor. I make my way into the den where my parents, Tyler and his parents wait anxiously for me for some reason.

"I'm ready to go." I announce. They all stand up, nodding their heads. And with that they all make their ways outsides to our cara.

On the ride there I was anxious. I sat next to Thomas in the back and twiddled my thumbs together in my lap, staying my speech to myself in my mind over and over, not paying attention to anything else that's going on like the conversation between my family or the fact they announce "we're here" when we arrive.

"Andrea?" My dad asks, waving his hand in front of my face.

"Yeah sorry. I was thinking." I say. Getting out of the car.

"Is everything okay?" Laurie then asks.

"Yeah, just nervous about my speech is all."

"You've practiced so much honey, it'll be okay." Laurie tells me.

I smile at her quickly before we all begin walking inside the building.

We walk around, my parents mingle with a few others while I hang with Tyler, Josh and Ella. We talk to some of our former classmates. I clutch hard into Tyler's hand like there's no tomorrow only thing is that there is a tomorrow. A tomorrow that is when I start a new chapter in my life. We all do.

Finally it's time to head into the main room. First all grads go in. We take our alphabetically ordered assigned seats.

I'm relatively far from Tyler, Ella and Josh. My name is Paul, that starts with a P. They're are Joesph, Dun and Finch. I'm the odd one out.

Soon enough awards are handed out first. That takes a while to pass. I can't focus though.

Soon enough they begin calling names. I don't lay attention though. I clap when necessary (when everyone else is). My eyes stay on the ground though. God damn, this is happening, this is it.

First out of us 4 I hear "Joshua Dun!" I call harder than anyone else. I let out a woo, like I hear Ella did far in the crowd, as well as Tyler. I watch Josh walk up there with his spikey colored hair. He grabs his diploma and raises his fist in the air.

He exits and they continue the roll call. Next out of us is Ella.

"Ella Finch!" I do the same, I clap my hands so hard it hurts and scream woo's. Josh does as well, as does Tyler. But Josh is the loudest. He loves her with all his big heart.

Next I go back and re read my speech to myself. I mouth the words to myself over and over and try my best to calm my nerves. But I only get more nervous as time goes on.

I'm snapped from my little trance when I hear "Tyler Joesph!" I snap my head up to see Tyler making his way up the short steps to the stage. His grin is so wide. There are small crinkles at the corners of his eyes. He looks so happy and proud of himself, he looks adorable. I clap and scream at my boyfriend, very proud of how far he's come.

He gets his diploma and walks back off the stage. Now, im the last. I anxiously wait there.

"Andrea Paul!" I stand from my chair and drop my papers into my seat. I have to read the speech after they're done calling names, I don't need them just yet. I walk up the steps and over to my principal.

I shake his hand and grab my diploma. My photo is taken and I walk off stage, sitting down. About 1/8 of my anxiety went away. All the other 7/8 was still lingering before the worst part isn't over yet, I sill have the speech.

Time seems to pass by because before I know it the names are all done being called and I hear. "And now, our valedictorian Andrea Paul will take the stage." I freeze and let out a huge breath.

I stand up slowly as the sound of the applause takes over the room. I walk ever so slowly up go stage taking my sweet old time.

I grasp onto my paper so tight my knuckles then a ghostly white.

I stand in front of the stand, with a mic before my mouth.

"Hey everybody. My name is Andrea Paul. I'm am this year's valedictorian for my graduating class. I've been going to McAllister High school since the 7th grade, and man it has been quite the journey." I start off, my voice slightly shaky.

"I have always been in the shadows I guess you could say. I've always been in the back watching all the emotional drama happen in this class. I've seen a lot of things go down. A few examples would be seeing friends fight, then make up, seeing couples make up and break up. Or get jealous. Ive seen heartbreak, I've seen happiness, laughs."

"School for some people must either have been great or the worse times of their lives. Some have gone through hell and back and some have had a great time. I'm telling you all right now. I'm so proud of all of you for making it his far, for surviving trough all the projects and assignments and stressful exams. You all did great. And now we stand here."

"This is the last time we'll ever step foot in school again. I've had my fair share of the emotional times too. Believe me. Everyone has. But in a few years time. None of that will matter. We'll have our futures set, everything planned out. Some of you may have everything planned out now. And congratulations on that. You're halfway through the after high school experience. The second half is getting to where you wanna be."

"So I'd like to thank not only the staff but all of you grads here for making high school and interesting ride for me. I may not have enjoyed it all, like most but I'm ending it on the highest point I've ever felt in my entire life. So thank you all for showing me the hardships and struggles of school. But also for the happy endings and successful outcomes." I end. The room erupts in shouting and clapping and several "woo's" from the audience and from the grads.

The neat part was, I didn't even have to look down at my paper once.

-°-

Final chapter!!! So sad its almost over!!

But there is an epilogue before its officially over :)