One House Behind | ✓

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Shelly

It was time. I stood in front of the computer in my living room as my family sat on the couch. I was actually going to graduate. These past few months were rough.

With all my AP classes and my finals taking up most of my time, Tanner and I spent less time with each other. But it wasn't that hard as he had finals too. Everything had been calm and now, I was finally graduating.

"What is she doing?" Seb asked as he sat on my mom's lap.

It took but a second for her to warm up to him. As much as she could've wanted to fight it, he became her son. It was a random day when he called her mom and she broke down. I knew it killed her, we had talked about it, but it was the pivotal point for her.

Sebastian was a name she wanted for her son. A son who all of us could adore and cherish. He may have not come from her but Sebastian had become enough for her. I didn't mind as long as he didn't have too much attention.

"She's going to graduate. They have to do it on screen before we go to her school and get the actual award."

"I want an award!"

"Shh son, it's starting," Dad said as he sat down and nodded at me with a wide smile.

Graduation time!

******

"You did it! My girlfriend's a high school achiever! One of the top people from her class too!" Tanner yelled as he walked across my lawn with his family.

"Congrats Susie," I smiled.

"And to you too, Miss Shelly."

She bowed a bit in her matching gown. Together we giggled before we hugged each other. As a fellow graduate of hers, if I felt like it was liberating, I'm sure she did too.

"Yeah. I am," I replied to Tanner.

He took quick strides until he was in front of me. Holding my waist, he kissed me so hard I ended up bending back. I laughed and the kiss broke apart.

"Congrats Shelly," he said, his smile so wide I'm sure it hurt.

"Thank you," I grinned at him.

We welcomed Tanner's family in and we enjoyed the rest of the afternoon. At around five we set out to get our diplomas. I felt giddy the entire car ride, I was finally graduated.

With good grades too, no less than a B- grade average, which was weirdly a high average in my school. It felt good to say that. Everything was great. Life was good.

Arriving at the school, everyone had their car decorated like I had mine. It was the last time that I was ever going to go down this parking lot. My heart fluttered with pain and my smile almost turned down.

"Congratulations seniors!"

Everyone called out as we drove down. It made my chest burn with nostalgia. They always did say good things must come to an end. Even though high school had been rough on my personality, it made me tougher, and prepared for the outside world.

"Congrats, Roshelle."

"Thanks, Mrs. Bett," I responded.

She had been my counselor since the start of high school. Saying goodbye was hard as the tears welled up in my eyes and my throat went dry. I couldn't find my voice and went with a simple wave to her.

Then she handed me the diploma, blew a kiss at me through her mask by putting her hand to her mouth before extending it to me, and then went to the car behind me. We had to idle as there were people taking pictures on the wall. I wished Tanner were with me so we could take a picture there together.

My stomach started to do summersaults as we pulled up to the wall. Getting out with our masks, we walked over. Tears found their way into the world as they soaked my cheeks. I always got sentimental when things ended, this was no different.

"Oh sweetie," Mom said as she came up and held my shaking form.

"It's over," I sobbed.

"You're telling me. It seems like yesterday you were in kindergarten."

"It's finally over." I felt like the words were stuck in my heart.

"Yep. It is," Mom sighed into my shoulder.

We finished the pictures and got back into the car. Driving away was like leaving the cemetery with my grandfather still there, like a piece of me was missing. I thought graduating would be easier, I always wanted to leave high school, but it was different now. I wanted to stay.

Pushing away the sad thoughts, I joked the entire way home with my family. School was done and I was happy. No more fake friends, although McKenna was one of the only friends that I still rarely talked to, and no more early mornings or afternoon waits for the bus. 

Everything was different, everything was perfect, and that made me happy.

*******

A/N:

Old A/N only!:

𝐀/𝐍:
Sʜᴇ ɢʀᴀᴅᴜᴀᴛᴇᴅ! I ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ʟᴀsᴛ ғᴇᴡ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ᴀ ʙɪᴛ ᴏғ ᴛɪᴍᴇ sᴋɪᴘs ʙᴜᴛ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ʜᴀs ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴᴇᴅ ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ ɪɴ ᴅᴇᴘᴛʜ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ I ᴄᴀɴ'ᴛ ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ᴛʀᴀᴄᴋ ᴏғ ɪᴛ ᴍʏsᴇʟғ. Tʜɪs ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ʙᴇ sᴏᴍᴇᴛɪᴍᴇ ɪɴ Jᴜɴᴇ, ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ғɪʀsᴛ ᴡᴇᴇᴋ ᴏғ ɪᴛ ɪғ ᴀɴʏᴏɴᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴄᴜʀɪᴏᴜs.

Bᴜᴛ sʜᴇ's ɢʀᴀᴅᴜᴀᴛᴇᴅ!! Eᴠᴇɴ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ sʜᴇ's ғɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ, I'ᴍ sᴛɪʟʟ ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ sʜᴇ ɢʀᴀᴅᴜᴀᴛᴇᴅ. Aɴᴅ sᴘᴇᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴏғ ɢʀᴀᴅᴜᴀᴛɪᴏɴs, ᴡᴇ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀʟᴍᴏsᴛ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇᴅ ᴏᴜʀs ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴏᴜʀ ɴᴇxᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀsᴛ. I'ᴍ ɢᴏɴɴᴀ ʙᴇ ᴀ ʀᴜᴅᴇ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ, ᴀᴛ ʟᴇᴀsᴛ I ᴛʜɪɴᴋ I ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴅᴇᴘᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴏɴ ᴡʜᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀsᴋ, ʙᴜᴛ I ʜᴏᴘᴇ ʏᴏᴜ'ʟʟ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇxᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ.

As ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs, ʜᴏᴘᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏᴇᴅ!