Changing | SM

Part 94: graduation

Shawn:

💞1 month later: graduation week💞

This is it.
This is finally it.

I honestly wouldn't ever imagine myself in a graduation gown and cap, walking up the stage to receive my certificate. But here I am, fixing my robe in the mirror and seeing the smile of my tutor, and girlfriend, in the side of the mirror.
"I feel like a pope."
"You're one handsome pope." She chuckled as she walked up to me, fixing my tie and cap before planting a sweet kiss on my lips.

"Are you ready to go?"
"Are you?" She raised her one eyebrow at me and I smiled with nerves. "I have to say I'm nervous." She grabbed my face in her hands, squashing my cheeks. "You're so cute." "Adriana!" She laughed, "Okay okay, motivation. Uhm... don't be. You deserve this. You worked hard to get here and now, we're graduating. Time won't stop for us and we need to keep going. But I'm so proud of you." She pecked my lips.

I took her hand in mine as we headed out to my car, ready to drive to school. "What if I trip on stage? What if I don't get a certificate or people laugh at me? What if-"
"Stop doubting yourself!" She turned over to me as we parked up at the school. "I'm nervous Adriana!" She smiled, looking over to me but her eyes weren't entirely on me.

"Well if I can't convince you to stop stressing... maybe she can." She pointed behind me and I saw my parents walking up to my car.
"Kiss me." She took my chin in her hands, giving me a deep, passionate kiss before getting out of the car.
Gosh I love her.

As we walked up to my parents, I already saw the tears in my mums eyes. "Do I look good or what?" I did a little spin, seeing the smiles on their faces. It feels good to see them here, seeing their happy hearts and sparkling eyes. "I'm so proud of you!" Aaliyah rushed up to me, giving me a big hug before my dad also stepped up.
"Well we never thought this day would come, but here you are and you've proved us wrong. I'm proud of you Shawn, so so proud of you." "Thanks dad." I sniffed a bit as he patted my back in the hug he gave me.

They went over to greet Adriana and I pulled my mum aside. "I was hoping for a last bit of motherly advice about how to deal with nerves?"

She smiled, pulling me in to a big, warm hug. "You have no reason to be nervous honey. Go out and own it. You've gotten this far and achieved so much in this short period of time." She stood beside me, pulling me in to her side.

"Adriana is proud of you. She told me that, and I can see it in the way she smiles when she looks at you."
"I really got hella lucky when I found her." I smiled. "The worst of circumstances brought you two together and you made it look like art." She paused, looking up at me with big eyes.
"I want her to be my daughter in law, nothing less okay!" She patted my chest. I gasped hard and loud, "Mum! We're about to graduate high school!"
"I know I know. But for the future, just keep it in mind!" We laughed, and I pulled her in to a hug again.

"Thank you for not leaving me."
"Never."

With that we left the conversation and walked back over to join the others. I wrapped my arms around Adriana from the back, holding her close to me as we made small talk before having to go inside.
Luckily she sat beside me, so I had her hand to hold for the nerve wrecking times where they only get closer and closer to calling my name.

"Shawn Mendes." She gave my hand a squeeze as I stood up, walking to the stage to receive my certificate after my name was called. "Congratulations son." The principal shook my hand.
"Woah! Yes! Well done Shawn!" I heard Adriana screaming and I looked over to her, seeing her clapping her hands and standing up.

She was alone at first, but then my mum, dad, sister and Brian also started yelling, making the rest of the senior graduates also go to their feet as they cheered... for me.
I locked eyes with Adriana, sending her a wink before walking down stage.

They then called her name but I couldn't stay to watch. If you receive your certificate you have to leave the hall and go to the gym.
But I waited by the door.
"We did it!" She laughed, running up to me and jumping up in my arms. I spun her around in the hallway, giving her a big hug. "God, I'm so so incredibly proud of you." She smiled, caressing my cheek as we still chuckled of excitement.

"I couldn't have done it without you. I love you so much baby, more than anything." I crashed my lips to hers, both of us smiling in to the kiss.
"No kissing in the halls Mr. Mendes." I pulled away, seeing Miss Grundy walking up to us with a smile on her face as we laughed at her statement. "Congratulations with your graduation." She shook my hand. "Thank you for having hope in me Miss Grundy." She smiled at me, "I'll miss having you two in my class. Let's just say, after forcing you two to work together, it was interesting to see how the hatred glares turned in to loving glances." My cheeks burned at her statement and I saw the same happening to Adriana.

"You have her to thank Mr. Mendes. She came to me every day after school and talked about your progression. She's the one that never lost hope in you, she's the one that never gave up on you." I looked down at Adriana, wanting to cry from greatfulness.
"I wish you two the best for the years further." We greeted her before walking to the gym where the graduation will finalize.

-

"Graduates of 2017!" We threw our caps in the air, screaming and laughter filling the air.
I did it.
I'm a graduate.