Independent Study

Chapter 1

I wake up to the smell of warm bread and mom's home made coffee she makes for Dad. I get up and tell everyone Good morning. I have three brothers there names all start with a "J" , .first there Jack,  jack is my oldest brother he used to work for this company but he quite, second there's John, John is the second oldest he is also the funniest, he makes me laugh all time. Then the last one is Joe,  Joe is a 5 years older then me, he is also the smartest, and then there's me. I am the youngest and I am the only girl in my family,  well there's my mom and me..

I eat and then get ready for today. Today is the most exciting day in my life. It's the day I will find out if I am worthy of going to city hall, and help fix our world from the nuclear war that happened years ago.

Today I am wearing a white dress with some flats, my hair is pinned back with a couple of pins my mom has, I don't wear make-up so I don't have to worry about that, my mom says my face is pretty as it is. But then again she always says that. We all get dressed at the same time,  my mom likes to be there early and just talk to some other parents.

When everyone is ready we go out and started to make our way to the "Central square " it's like the main place in our district,  our district is "Hammond lake" .

I am not sure anyone has ever been chosen to go to the city hall, from our district,  my mom says there has but a long time ago, I wonder Why Joe never got chosen,  he is beyond smart. I am to, I learn a lot from my Dad,  he works for a plant business,  he can tell which plants are edible and which aren't, I learn so much from him, so if a time comes that we need to have to do stuff like that then I'd be ready to know.

We walk, for what seems like hours but it's only been a couple of minutes, then I see it, the square seems like it's been changed although it hasn't, it seems different, Maybe cause of the decorations??... I don't know but it seems different.

I make my way to my friend Chelsea,  she looks gorgeous,  wearing a peach colour dress with soft white flats.

"Chelsea you look.....gorgeous " I say

"Really??, cause Im looking at you and you look like the gorgeous one here, Malencia." she says and I blush

I look around to see if I see any of my other friends I know.  And I do, I see Thomas,  he is wearing a suit with black dress shoes. I walk over to him and say hello

"Hey, so umm I am really scared to find out if I am worthy of going to city hall are you?" I say trying time make conversation

"Yeah I am, my mom has been crying non stop about me leaving if I do get chosen, what about your parents? ", he says

I really don't know what my parents think about me getting chosen but I hope they know it's for the better.

"Oh well we really haven't talked about it, I think there Okay with it " I say with an unsure voice.

"Oh well Good luck Malencia" he says and gives me a hug and makes his way toward some other boys

I walk back to were Chelsea,  but I can't find her anywhere.  So I go and sit down at a table.

I sit there until Mr. Bridges goes on top of the stage and has all of us graduates get on the stage along with him.

"Good morning everyone, I am so happy everyone could make it for this special ceremony today." he says and plasters a smile on his face .

I walk up and stand next to Zariah,  she is the only girl who has flucked our grade twice, and finally she is graduating. Something I know for sure about her is that she has a huge crush on Thomas, I mean he is cute and his eyes are like green Ruby's but I would never see myself liking him romantically.

Then Thomas gets on the stage and stands right next to me. I lean in and whisper "Thomas,  uhh I am sorta scared,  I don't know if I am going to get chosen or not" I say and I can feel the tears almost pouring out of my eyes.

Just then he grabs my hand, from the side so no one can see, I hold tight and make sure I hold in my tears as well.

They start calling us by alphabetical order. I am always last so I have a while to figure out what to say.

"Thomas Andrews" Mr. Bridges says in the microphone

Thomas releases his grasp on my hand, and walks forward, they hand him a certificate and a firm hand shake.

"Bethany Cambel" says Mr. Bridges

One by one new graduates get off the stage and make there way to there family's.

I am the last to be called, "Malencia Vale" he says and I almost flinch at the sound of my name being called.

I slowly walk towards him, when I reach him he hands me a certificate and taps my shoulder and says well done.

I get off the stage and almost slip but someone catches me. I look up and it is Thomas.

"Thanks I could've died,  well not died but you know." I said, trying to keep my cool

He just laughs, all that has my attention is his smile, it's big and bright.

"Well next time be more careful, Mal " he says and looks at me with his green hazel eyes.

I break off the eye contact,  "Okay well Thanks again Tom,  ill see you if I get picked and I know your already going to get picked." I say quite teasingly.

I make my way to my parents and they congratulate me with a hug and kisses.

"I am so happy for you Mal" my mother says.

"Thanks mom." I say and give her another hug.

Then my Dad comes over and hugs me and kisses me and congratulates me.

We stay for a couple of hours and I go out and find Thomas. I like when I talk to him, he listens and I like that,  he is very cute to, I know I said I would never like him but I think it'd only a phase.

I find him by the lake, I try and be quite but my flat hits a stick on the floor and snaps.

He looks back and smiles. I smile to.

"So umm.. what are you doing out here?...I mean like what are you doing?"I ask correcting myself

"Oh just thinking... about you know" he says then shrugs

I feel Iike I bothered him, so I just make my way back to the celebration.

I feel a tug on my shoulder. I look back and see that Thomas smiling.

"What?, Why are you smiling?"I say

"No it's just you look really beautiful tonight" he says trying not to blush

Instead I'm the one blushing, I look at Thomas and give him a big hug, and thank him.

Then I walk back to my parents and we leave home for the night.

When we get home I take a shower and get into some pajamas. Which is a long shirt and socks.

Then my Dad comes on.  "Hey I just wanted to tell you, I'm proud of you sweety, and if you don't make it to city hall it's fine, you could find a job in the square" he says trying to put it into a more happy tone.

"Dad, thank you for everything.  I love you Dad." I say and get up and give him a hug.

He then leaves and closes the door behind him. And I fall asleep.