I Was Born This Way | Fack

Epilogue

Word Count: 1,164 words

Trigger Warning: Self Harm, Drunk Driving

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Finn's POV

It's been two years since Jack's mother died.  It's been two years since our lives have changed forever.  Luckily, my mother welcomed Jack into our home with open arms.  Since both of his parents were dead, he had no where else to go which was fine by me because it meant that I got to spend every single day with him.  I obviously felt extremely bad for Jack since he has gone through so much in the past couple of years.

Soon after his mother's untimely death, Jack started to harm himself thinking that no one would ever love him and that everyone would just leave.  It made me feel terrible.  Thank god I found him in time!  He ended up in the hospital once but made it out perfectly fine.  I convinced him, after a while, to take an antidepressant which he finally agreed to, making him feel much better and more like the boy that I fell in love with three years ago.

As for me, I ended up telling my mom everything that happened during that fateful trip to Boston.  She was upset that I was going to keep it from her but then she hugged me and told me that she would always be there for me.  It made me feel loved.  All I need in this world is my mother and my Jackie.  She did, though, have me go back onto my medication to help with my schizophrenia and my episodes became less and less frequent and haven't occurred in over a year.  I finally feel normal again.

Our high school graduation was a blast.  Jack ended up becoming the valedictorian!  My beautiful baby boy!  I cried during his entire speech, I couldn't help it.  It was beyond emotional.  I remember him spending so much time writing it and he wouldn't let me read it because he wanted it to be a surprise.  That made the moment even more special.

Hello, fellow graduates!

As most of you probably know my name is Jack Dylan Grazer.  Some of you may know me as the boy with parents who didn't love him or as the pathetic faggot.  Many of you have bullied me over the years and I am telling you right now that your words didn't affect me.  I am standing here and I am strong as everyone in this room is.  We are all different and special in our own ways.  I know it's cliché but we all matter.  And with that, I am going to tell you all a story.

My life has always been a challenge.  My parents would fight when I was younger and I would think that it would never end.  Then my dad was hit by a drunk driver and he was killed.  My mother and I were crushed despite his sudden outbursts of rage, we missed him.  I thought my life was going to be over, I didn't think I had anything to live for.  That is, until I met the wonderful, smart, talented Finn Wolfhard who has made me who I am today.

I fell in love with him but I was scared of my own feelings.  He is truly the only thing that kept me alive during my darkest moments.  He helped me overcome the bullying, the stress, and even my mother's own suicide.  I literally had no one, except Finn.  We had been dating for a year when my mother passed and I was heartbroken; I even tried to kill myself shortly after.  I didn't know what to do.  Finn did.  He loved me and brought a smile to my face when I didn't even know I needed it.  I moved in with him and I was the happiest that I had ever been.  Nothing was going to ruin me anymore.  After three years, I stand here before you with the most loving boyfriend in the world who has literally saved my life.  He has taught me how to live.  I mean it when I say that life is worth living.  Finn taught me that and I am so thankful.  And for that reason I am standing here today, as we begin the first day of the rest of our lives.  I want each and every one of you to know that I was born this way and that you were born the way you are and that is okay and that life truly is worth living!

Lastly, I want to end with a poem by Edgar Guest:

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must—but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a fellow turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don't give up, though the pace seems slow—
You might succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a faint and faltering man.
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor's cup.
And he learned too late, when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out—
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt—
And you never can tell how close you are.
It may be near when it seems afar,
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit
It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit.

Thank you!

When Jack finished his speech on that day, the entire room erupted into applause and I was wiping away tears from my cheeks.  I could not ask for anyone better than Jack.  He is my love, he is my life, he is all I have to live for.  I just hope it can last...

Right now, we are getting ready to leave for college after a summer of love and romance.  Jack told me that he would go to the same school as me but I kept on telling him to go to the school that he wanted to.  I didn't want to be the one to hold him back.  After much hesitation, he decided on DartmouthCollege in Hanover,  New Hampshire.  Me, I decided to go to a college close enough to him (I know, I'm a hypocrite).  I chose the University  of New Hampshire.  We were going to be a hundred miles apart but I knew our love could surpass everything.

As the day approached, I started getting really excited but also extremely devastated that I was going to be away from Jackie.  I knew that it was going to be tough, but I was ready for the challenge.  I just hoped that Jack was too.

As long as journey doesn't end in heartbreak...

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Thank you everyone for reading my book! I have really enjoyed writing it and I hope you read my future books! I already have plans for the next one! Thank you!