The Difference Between You and Me

Chapter 28

It's funny how time flies by. Ammie really thought getting old would take a long time, but it happened in a flash. Two years ago, she started Airama Nworb High and now she was fixing her graduation hat in the girl's bathroom mirror, an acceptance letter from NYU on her desk, a best friend who will be going to the same university as she was and whom she felt much closer to, and boyfriend who she was falling deeper and deeper for and who was willing to give long distance relationship a try. Ammie stared at the girl looking back at her in the mirror, she was almost unrecognizable, so much more accepting of and open to a lot of things and experiences. Ammie did go through a lot, three quarters of it she kept to herself, but she did make it through high school in one piece and for the first time in a long time her smile reached her eyes and she was...happy. It wasn't a foreign feeling, but it did feel weird to admit. Happiness was temporary as was a lot of things but for some reason her gut feeling gave her the impression that this happiness would last a while, and it gave her butterflies.

"Hey, are you ready?" Jade entered the bathroom, grinning with excitement.

"I guess I am," Ammie replied with a proud smile

"Let's go then"

"Lead the way," Ammie laughed, gesturing to the door and allowing Jade to exit before she did.

When they reached the part of the school where the ceremony will be held, Ammie gaped at the sight before her. She had no idea the school's lawns could be transformed into such a spectacular scene. Plastic white chairs were neatly arranged in rows of semicircles, with a wide gap in between two rows vividly separating the graduands' seats from that of the guests. A raised platform stood in front, with a portable podium wrapped in sky blue cloth with thinner threads of white cloth snaking down its form and completed with a bright yellow bow smack in the center.

The raised platform which would act as the stage was decorated beautifully with balloons, flowers and cloth wrapped so intricately to create various designs and added aesthetic to the backdrop. The lawn was freshly mowed it felt soft under her feet. Ammie smiled at how well organized and beautiful everything looked. She'd had a penchant for decorating and was a perfectionist by nature, not to mention excellent organizer. So, when she saw an event that met her standards she had to stop and marvel. Ammie turned around, to say something to Jade but she had long since left her side. She observed families entering in herds to meet their child, she watched as wide, proud smiles settled on all their faces. After a whole lot of drama, assignments and homework they were finally here, the end to a whole new beginning where each individual will be led by their very own dreams and aspirations into a new world of obstacles and victories, tears and laughter...

"Hello sweetheart," Josh appeared from behind Ammie. "Hi," she smiled, giving Josh a light kiss.

"We made it huh?" Josh sighed looking around

"We have," Ammie answered mirroring his movements. The guests were now taking their seats and those who were already seated chatted away excitedly anticipating the beginning of the ceremony.

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As the names of each graduand was called to receive their certificates, their family cheered heartily for them. Ammie leaped from her seat at the sound of her name and walked with held high to the stage, she could hear screams and shouts from her mother, brothers, Jade, Josh and the football team. She collected her certificate, looked in the camera and gave the biggest grin she could muster up, not caring that she looked silly, it wasn't about creating an Instagram worthy photo but to capture a moment that would span a lifetime memory, a moment that marked the beginning of the rest of her life.

"Congratulations," Mrs. Prince the principal whispered as Ammie shook her hand, "thank you," she whispered back and went off the stage. When Jade's and Josh's names were called similar applauses, screams, shouts and hoots echoed across the student body with Ammie ensuring her voice was heard above all for two special persons in her life. Everyone was happy for everyone even though not many got along with each other before, today was different and everyone was everyone's friend.

"And now we'll have the valedictorian speech delivered by this year's valedictorian, Jade McCallister". As Jade made her way to the stage for the second time, Ammie glanced over at Melody Armadale wearing the shocked expression she'd hope for, "that's right," Ammie whispered and turned her attention to Jade.

"Someone once wrote, 'there are two reasons why you meet people in life, either you will change their life, or they will change yours'. This is a quote that has resonated with me since the first time I saw it, not only because it has the potential to be true, but because it is true.

We aren't the same person we were when we first entered high school, which means that at some point throughout high school, we met someone who disrupted our lives for the better or for the worse and whether we choose to admit it or not we did change and we matured. We made lots of friends and we didn't, we laughed, and we cried, we loved, and we hated, we stressed, and we rejoiced, we judged, and we were judged. We watched as persons we knew become strangers and strangers become friends.

But hey the journey is over. And no matter how we look at it we've gain so much and lost so little. The persons who were once with us at the start, may have stopped at a different destination or decided to carpool with someone else, and that happened for a reason. Not because you were not good enough, cool enough, pretty enough, funny enough or popular enough but because they were never meant to stay, they were just a passing cloud, they came and went. But we must try not to miss the clouds in our life and instead hold onto the memories shared, because things end but memories last a lifetime and as long as the memories remain, the good ones, the happy ones, the ones that taught us important lessons then you shall say high school was a refreshing stroll".