Nine Years Later (Harry Styles Fan-fiction)

Chapter 3

 Chapter Three

It's five minutes until graduation starts. Five minutes. Five minutes. No matter how many times I repeat the words, 'five minutes', they will never seem to sink into my brain. It just seems like this is all a dream. Forever I have been waiting for this day and now it has finally come. I have thought and dreamt about this day since I was a little girl and knew what graduation was. Now it's finally here.

I look up at the bleachers beside me and see Sam and my parents sitting there, beaming at me. I flash a large smile back before patting down my curly hair that is now clean. I was almost late, thanks to Sam. It's a lot harder than you might think getting food out of your hair. After I showered, I decided to just curl my hair myself. It's not like I was going to go back to the hair salon and have them re-do my hair. There wasn't enough time or enough money. My mom already spent a fortune to get my hair done the first time and I wasn't going to have her do that a second time.

My heart is pounding out of my chest and I still can't believe this is happening right now. Even when I was back at the orphanage, I thought about this day. When I got adopted, I thought about this day. I have thought about this day every day of my life. It just seems too surreal that it's happening right now. The five minutes go by in what feels like one minute and soon, a voice is booming out the speakers. The students all settle down around me and the gymnasium goes quiet. My whole class is sitting on the ground, in very uncomfortable tan chairs while our families and friends are sitting up on the bleachers.

I look up at the stage and pay attention to the person who is speaking. "Welcome, students, friends, and families, to the graduation of the class of twenty-fourteen!" The man says. The whole gymnasium erupts into cheering and applause. I can't help the large, ear-to-ear smile that forms on my face while I clap along with the others.

*****

"Gabriella Johnson." I hear my name called. I wipe my sweaty palms on my gown and slowly walk across the stage to meet his large hand. I am praying that I will not trip or make an embarrassment of myself right now. To my luck, I probably will. I unsteadily shake his hand and he whispers "congratulations" to me. I thank him and then slowly trot over to a woman and shake her hand. I should know who these people are, but to be honest, my mind has gone blank ever since I stepped foot onto this stage so I can't seem to think of who they are at the moment.

After I shake everybody's hand and they all whisper "congratulations" to me, I grab all of the things that the people have given to me and then walk off the stage. Thank goodness that is over. I can't believe that just happened. I can't believe I didn't fall. I can't believe that I am so close to being officially graduated from high school. I can't believe any of this right now. It's just too dreamlike.

*****

I run over to my parents and immediately grasp them in my arms. The whole gymnasium is erupted into loud cheering and talking, that I can hardly hear my father congratulating me. "I'm so proud of you!" He tells me, holding me tightly.

I let go of him and pull my mother in for a hug. She embraces me and I can smell the wonderful fumes of her hair. "Even though I am not your birth mother, I want you to know that you are the greatest child I could ever have and I'm so proud of you right now. Congratulations, darling!" She excitedly shouts very loudly into my ear because there is so much noise.

I let go of her and then look to my right, where Sam is standing. He shyly smiles at me before immediately grabbing my waist and pulling me into a hug. I smile and I can hear him laughing through my hair. He lets go and then looks at me, his eyes staring straight into mine. "Even though you're the worst best friend I could ever ask for," Sam starts to say. I widen my mouth and playfully slap his arm. He doesn't apologize but I know he's kidding, so he continues, "I'm still very proud of you."