Holding Onto You

Chapter 15 - Inspirational Speech

It's 5:15 am and we've finally finished getting ready. Aliyah and Zoel's parents and grandparents we're in the living room when we came out. I had on my tan red bottoms, this royal blue asymmetrical skirt, and a white elegant top. Zoel and Aliyah both had on dresses and high heels.

When we came down stairs all the women started crying expect for Zoel's Nani (her grandma). She tried to give us kisses but my mom told her not to mess up our makeup so we like air hugged. We sat at the big dinner table in the dinning room until the doorbell rang and Isaiah and Calvin showed up. Everyone got excited to take pictures so we did and I felt like it was prom again. I was standing to the side just watching them take pictures as couples slightly smiling like everything was fine.

"Where's Stephon? My mom asked. " Umm... I don't know. I think he's celebrating at his house so he couldn't make it. " I lied. "Oh ok well get in some pictures!" She pushed me with the rest of them while they gave us speeches and little pre-graduation gifts.

We left 5 minutes to six slick rushing to get to school. Isaiah and Calvin drove separately as we struggled thru traffic making it by 6:02.

When we got into the auditorium our principal announced that we would be having our ceremony at the Baptist Church like on Ebenezer Rd. Everyone was pissed. So we had to call and tell relatives it was at the church and drive there ourselves.

After an hour of panicking to get ready for this ceremony people started to arrive and the more people I seen the more nervous I got because of 2 reasons. 1. I had to speak in front of EVERYONE and 2. Because I didn't know where Stephon was.

******

At 8:30 the ceremony started and I was backstage in my cap and gown trembling with fear, then all of a sudden I heard my mom calling my name. She slowly ran to me because her heels were so high. She was crying trying not to mess up her makeup. "Oh my baby!" She said taking pictures of me with the assistant principal because none of my friends were around. The principal came backstage as the assistant principal went onstage to give his speech.

"Oh Mrs.Houston!" She said delighted shaking her hand. She told her how proud she was of me and that she's seen me grow since freshmen year. She quickly explained to me a "slight" change of procedures. "Ok so instead of you going out and saying your speech now your going to wait until everyone has their diploma and we'll have all the seniors stand behind you onstage and you'll say it then. "

She continued but I didn't like what she was saying so I got selfish and cut her off "But I'm the valedictorian. If I'm giving my speech other people will be paying attention to their kids and not me. Its not the whole classes speech. Its mine and I want the recognition that I deserve for writing it ..." She looked puzzled when I finished saying it. "Like we didn't even have the practice for that. People are going to be mad if they didn't get the memo and their not up there. By the time everyone's name is called people are going to be tired and not paying attention anymore. I don't want to have to give my speech at the end Dr.Hargrett. " I felt like a kid complaining but I didn't care. I'd rather do that than get pissed off. I worked hard on my speech and I wanted people to pay attention to it. "Okay. You know what. Never mind I'll tell Dr.Hosey (ass. Principal) that your on next. " "WAIT WHAT!? NEXT!" "Yes. " she said walking away.

I looked back at my mom who calmed her crying down she was glad i stood up for myself before she wished me luck and left. A few aching minutes that felt like seconds later the saluedictorian Thomas Pham walked up to me and said good luck. "Okay. Ms.Houston go onstage." Dr.Hargrett called walking up to me. She lead me to where the curtain opened on the side of the stage and I seen bright lights shinning down on Mr.Hosey and soon me. He looked to the side and introduced me. "And here is our 2014 valedictorian Imani Houston!"