Teacher's Girl (Aflyingwhale)

EMMA’s POV : 

All the senior kids were hung-over.

How could they not? They were all drinking until daylight at Madison’s party.

Everyone except Tiff, Carrie, and I.

We stayed up all night, though, going through this pros and cons list.

The result of the list was still inconclusive, but it had to wait.

It was eight in the morning and my friends and I had somewhere else to be.

By the time I got to school in my cap and gown, I was already on my third cup of coffee.

Dad whipped out his old camcorder and he was following me around everywhere with a proud smile on his face.

Mom couldn't stop crying, she actually brought a roll of toilet paper in her handbag.

I was super jittery and I was sweating buckets as I sat on my chair amongst my fellow classmates.

The ceremony was being held outdoors, in the school courtyard.

The sun was shining so bright and I was feeling lightheaded.

I barely had breakfast, except for half a toast and three cups of black coffee.

And the worst part about this was that I had to get up on stage and deliver a salutatorian speech.

I was pretty sure I looked like a train wreck and make up could only go so far.

With my nervous and shaky legs, I heard my name being called out and I had to walk up that stage and stood on the podium.

On my way up there, all I was hoping for was that I didn’t fall on my butt and embarrass myself in front of hundreds of people.

And phew, at least we got that part down.

Standing on the podium, I looked out to the sea of people.

I was clamping up immediately.

But when I looked at my fellow classmates, I saw Tiff, Carrie, Mark, and Tyler cheering at the top of their lungs for me.

That made me smile and I calmed down a bit.

I took a deep breath and opened the folded up paper in my hand, preparing to speak.

"Welcome friends, family, and teachers.Without all of you, I wouldn't be where I am today.It is an honor to be standing before you on such a memorable occasion.I would like to start out by thanking my wonderful parents, mom for your loud constant push and dad for your silent strong support.Despite all my ups and downs, you two are always proud of me and I am so proud to be your daughter and I want to continue making you proud to be my parents,"

I looked to the crowd and I found my parents sitting on the front seat.

Mom was halfway through her toilet paper roll already and dad could barely hold the camcorder up.Still, he was smiling at me and giving me a thumb up.

"Now, I would like to address my fellow classmates.Let's admit it guys, it's been one hell of a ride.We came through these doors four years ago, confused and excited.And here we are today, standing in our graduation caps and gowns, still as confused and excited,"

I turned to my classmates and they let out a laugh.

"After today, all of us are going to different places to start a new journey.I don't know about you, but I’m absolutely unprepared.My friends and I stayed up all night last night and we came up with this pros and cons list.Basically, I was trying to make an adult decision about where I see my life is going.

adulthood,"

My classmates clapped and cheered in agreement.I waited for a while until the noise died down before continuing.

thing about being prepared is...there’s no such thing.You can never be prepared for life.Life just happens sometimes.The best thing you can do is to admit that you don't have it all together and you may never will, and that's okay.Life isn't about always being in control, making things perfect, winning all the time, and getting away scathe free.Sometimes it’s about taking risks, breaking the

eyes darted around the crowd and it landed on a familiar pair sitting in

saw lan

ear to ear as our eyes met, meanwhile lan

me, all those things may end up being the

with a small smile directed atlan.

going forward, I hope that we would be brave

to break the rules, and to

in love.Laugh with your

dinner with

all, as Winston Churchill once said, the greatest lesson in life

2018, have a wonderful journey ahead,"  I waved my hand goodbye and everyone followed with claps and

were literally jumping

my classmates were giving me high fives and hugs as I made my way back to

I did

me because he was the valedictorian

as Mark walked to the podium with

of guys sitting at the back was laughing maniacally,

the microphone

and faculties, y’all put up with a lot.Shout out to my parents, my family, they're all here.Shout out to my lovely girlfriend, Carrie, I love

you too!"Carrie

the class of 2016, we did it.Yes, you should all be proud of what you've accomplished.We've come so far.If you don't believe me, just think back to freshman year.We were all ugly and awkward people.We were going through puberty and we thought Kanye West was cool.Imagine that, how much things have changed.Now I know I’m supposed to be up here giving everyone a

get tougher after high school.The world is going to discourage us and tell us things that make us doubt ourselves.Don’t give in to that bull.You just keep doing what you love

gestured to the row at the back and

held up a sign together and it said: FUCKTHEREST! : "Do what you love, and that,"he said again and everyone erupted

but it was

 "Congratulations class of

again and did the literal mic drop.  We

we all needed to hear and exactly what Mark always wanted to do for himself

was our class president and he was always

We all did.

be the most real

a guy

and found that she could be

well beyond his years, I had no doubts he would do great things in

ceremony was over, I ran to my mom and dad and we

took more pictures with my friends and their families

thanking all my

lan and Hailey standing

to see me, so while my parents were busy talking to Tiff and Carrie's parents, I sneaked away

Congratulations!"Hailey pulled me into a hug

bouquet of sunflowers and said, "We

smiled at the

"Congratulations,"lan said.

you,"I looked up at

it was so great, especially

started rambling, but lan quickly cut

get a minute, alone?"he said

sure.I'll be in the

smiled sheepishly and waved

Hailey was out

"So..."I said.

standing

though we were far away from everyone, it was still in the school area and

your speech.It was

I thought

that mega-watt smile,