Mark's Roommate

Graduation

Chapter 31-

I sit next to a random girl from my grade, along with a boy who I slightly recognize from some class or other. Merida is only a few seats down and Connor is in the row in front of me, two seats away. The others scattered around the auditorium but we are all excited. The principal comes up to start us off and we all clap and settle down real quick. He starts off introducing us and talking about his experience as a teacher and what not, which everyone around me seems to ignore.

A girl from our grade is called up to speak. This girl I definitely recognize, she's from my LA class and was really good at writing. I pay attention to her speech, which talks about never giving up and believing in yourself and what your goals are. It sounds really lame and repetative, but the way she presented it was really good. When she's done, we applaud and the next kid goes up, another boy who I've talked to in History during projects and work time. He's nice and a really good public speaker.

His speech is about friendship and the lasting ones you get from high school and soon to come college. How we shouldn't take our friends for granted. I nod at the end and clap for him. My high school graduation speeches were great, but I seriously wish I was back home, hearing all those kids talk. I knew everyone, most of these kids I don't know. But, everything happens for a reason.

We start to get called up one by one to recieve our deplomas and shake hands with important people. We get up, row by row, as we watch each other officially graduate. We stand in our smooth blue robes and square uncomfortable hats on our heads, awaiting the moment. I watch RaeAnn get her name called and cheer for her. She does a curtsey and bow then shakes hand with the people and walks off. I watch Ollie and Kevin go, cheering for them. I watch Conner go and I cheer louder than everyone else. I watch as Merida goes up and I look to see how many more people I have in front of me. I start to get a little adrenaline go through my veins and I shake my hands quickly. I step up and wait for my name to be called. I hear it and walk forward and do a cartwheel and summersoult and stand up, hair a bit messy from my attempt at gymnastics and then shake peoples hands and get my diploma. I smile and to my spot.

The people around me shake my hand and pat my shoulder, even though I don't know them. I guess that comes with being really popular on the internet, along with graduation. I guess people are just really happy in general about everything, and happy that we all got to this milestone together. The principal says some closing remarks and then they say the lovely words,"This year's graduating class," and we all cheer and throw our hats up in the air and cheer. We run around and hug each other. I find my friends and we stand in a circle, like a football huddle.

"I'm proud of all you guys," I smile and get a little teary eyed. Merida squeezes my shoulder and I laugh. "But seriously, I am. I thank you guys for being so excepting of me, just jumping into this friendship."

"Why wouldn't we? You're awesome!" Ollie pipes up and I grin at him. We all go around and say something uplifting and then we have a group hug. I seperate and hug Connor specially, then kiss him quickly.

"Congrates," he smiles.

"You too."

We all walk out of the auditorium in a some what orderly manor and we find our families, or for me, Mark. I hug him and smile.

"Congrates," he smiles, handing me a wrapped box.

"Really?" I ask, speechless.

"Yeah, open it!" he urges. I unwrap the box and gasp at the contents. It's a little graduation dog that people sign, but it's not blank or anything. It has the signatures of my favorite YouTube gamers, like the guys from his Trouble in Terrorist Town series and Prop Hunt gang. I pull him into a huge hug and thank him over and over again.