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Extra: Graduation

-Stella-

"And now for her own speech today, one of our top students. Stella Andrews." The dean smiled.

"Hello everyone." I said as I got to the podium.

"So as much I've tried to shorten this speech it is fairly long, so Your going to have to bear with me." I said as the crowd laughed.

"When the dean called me into her office and told me that she wanted me to give this speech I was shocked." I said "I've never been the student that goes out of her way to do something for the school."

"So I asked her what I was supposed to say." I kept going "She told me that I was just supposed to tell you all about my experience here."

"So my name is Stella Andrews and I am 18 years old. Only born daughter to Stella St.Clair and first born to Carter Andrews."

"When I turned 15 I was sent on a plane here, quoting my fathers words I had an attitude problem and I needed to learn respect."

I could feel my dad watching but I ignored that.

"You may not know me. But my mom died during childbirth. She bleed to much and she didn't make it." I said "This left a sort of trauma when my father got married when I was 4."

"Then proceeded to have another baby by the time I was 5." I said "And yes I'm aware he moved quickly."

People laughed. I could feel him roll his eyes.

"On the ride to the airport at my home my father spoke to me of how this school would be good for me. That it would help me learn a lot." I said ignoring the stabbing pain in my chest.

"So when I had arrived at the school for the first time I was very angry." I said "Angry that he would just send me away, angry how I had to leave my whole life behind."

"But still I couldn't just not do anything So the first few months here were just me being angry at a lot of things." I said "But everyone had a story."

"One girl I meet was sent here because her whole family went here, another person I meet had parents who didn't want them home." I said.

"So naturally people asked me why I was here, what I had done to be sent here." I kept going "I never answered them, I didn't have the answer they wanted."

"How are you supposed to explain to people that your mom was dead, that your dad had married someone else." I kept going "And I also just wanted to get through the next 3 years."

"But about 4 months of being here I had to do a project for a teacher of mine at the time." I said "A family tree, as if that wasn't messed up enough in the ironic sense."

"So I Make the tree, put my mom and Dad. My dad's wife Lindsey, his other daughter Alex. All that stuff." I said as I looked at the paper.

"Then the teacher tells me I have to present it to the class." I said "So I get down the steps and I tell them about my family."

"My name is Stella Andrews, my mom died giving birth to me. This is my Dad Carter, his wife Lindsey." I said "All that stuff." 

"Then she goes on." I said "Telling me to tell the class my favorite thing about my dad."

"Now I remind you I'm still very angry at my father at this point, so I come up with the nicest answer I can." I said as I looked around all the people "My favorite thing about my dad is that is very persistent."

"He always does what he needs to get things done." I said.

"She nods and then asks about Lindsey as I just want to go to my seat." I said as I took a breath "So I tell her that I enjoy how organized Lindsey is, that she's also a really good cook."