Sunday, May 25th

Chapter 38

School's out now, and it's the day of Caleb's graduation. Everything is finally going back to normal now, Zach is completely healed no sore spots or anything, they're letting Percy come out to the graduation today, Tobias and I are still going strong, and my mom is finally making a real effort to be a part of my life. I start to smile as I think of how good everything is now, and soon Christina who is getting ready with me notices.

"Why are you so smiley?"

"I don't know, just thinking about life, and how good it is." She laughs, before turning around to do her makeup. Soon, we're ready and we look in my huge mirror for one last check on our outfits. I am dressed in a strapless, white, high-low dress, with a pair of black strappy heels, and my hair down in loose blonde curls. Christina is in a strapless, deep purple, high- low dress, with a pair of silver strappy heels, and her hair up in a curly bun. We take a mirror selfie, before heading down stairs. When we reach the bottom of the steps Percy, Zach, and Tobias are waiting for us all in matching black suits with black button downs, and white bow ties. Christina picks Zach up, and I link arms with Tobias and Percy, as we walk out the door to my car. We all pile in, and hurry off to the graduation. Soon, we arrive and take our seats in the front, and soon the ceremony starts. I swear I almost fell asleep, but after what felt like forever they called up Caleb…of course he was last, he just had to be the valedictorian. But, my tiredness doesn't stop me from standing up and cheering my loudest for him. (My brother graduated years ago, so I don't remember if you cheer at graduations, but oh well) he smiles at us, before turning his attention back to accepting his diploma. Since, he's the valedictorian he has to give a speech, so he just stays up there after taking a picture. HE clears his throat before saying, "Friends, professors, administrators, and parents, welcome. We are graduating.

Can you believe it? Four years ago, most of us walked into these halls as nervous as we were the first day of school. We were the freshmen, the low men on the totem pole. Now, those same four years later, we're leaving the school behind to a whole new group of people, most of whom were just as nervous as we were when we arrived.

It has been a long four years and a short for years. Long because of all the drama and bad homework, the boring readings and early-morning extra credit projects, and all the other little pratfalls that hit us in high school. Short because of the lifelong friendships, the lasting memories, and the truly interesting and amazing things we learned between the occasional bits of drudgery.

Good or bad, long or short, I will always remember this place. While I'm thrilled to be our valedictorian, I can't say I've spent as many hours as some of us have between these halls: Our teachers, of course, spend an inhuman amount of time here, and many students do as well. Most of them even do it of their own choosing. I came by to get a book I forgot last night around 8 p.m. and found Susan Black, student head of the graduation planning committee, still here putting crepe paper on chairs and laying out programs in each and every seat. That's dedication.

It takes that kind of teamwork to survive anywhere in life, I found that out with the help of my amazing family. I know my experience is limited, but every problem I've overcome has been because someone has been there to help me. My support net ranged (and still ranges) from my parents to my friends to my teachers, depending on the kind of trouble I've had and its severity.

This isn't to say I've been a troublemaker—I only got sent to the office twice, and one of those times was a misunderstanding—but even for me, a relatively quiet student, a lot of help has been needed to get me through at times. This is where our high school truly excels, I think.

What's next? I will be going to college, as will many of my classmates. More of us yet will go to various branches of the armed forces to help keep our country safe home and abroad. Others may get right to work, or even take a year or more off to decide what they want to do. Leaving high school is such a brutal transition, as Principal Max put it, that I don't know what the world has in store for any of us.

I do know how I'll deal with those life events, though: by using the skills and info I've picked up here. It all comes down to help, and I've got plenty of people to thank for that: parents, siblings, teachers, friends... I guess that means the biggest thing I learned in high school is to lean on others when needed.

There's another, more important, side to that idea as well, and it's the one piece of advice I'd like to give you as we get ready to cross this stage for the last time: Make sure you're around when other people need someone to lean on. They'll thank you for it. Heck, one of them might even mention you in his valedictorian speech.

Congratulations, Class of 2014! We did it!"

The whole auditorium stands, and erupts into cheers. As the noise dies down, Caleb pulls out his phone as planned, and speaks up again, "Umm, one last thing before this wonderful event ends, my sister Tris convinced me to do this…said I needed to be more outgoing and funny. So, to capture this moment forever, I would like us all to take a selfie. So, if my classmates will please go out to the crowd."

He waits for them all to go down, and holds out his phone, taking three pictures.

"Thank you everyone, oh and you can find the picture up on my Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter later." They laugh, and soon the ceremony is over. Caleb walks over to us, and we all take several pictures together. After, we're done we head out to dinner at the fancy Italian restaurant that Tobias and I always go to. The rest of the gang, Susan and her family, and some of Caleb's friends agree to meet us there. When we arrive Caleb tells them that we have a lot more on the way, and since there's barely anyone there, they just give us the entire roof area. Percy, Zach, Tobias, and I go reserve a table for our friends, while Caleb goes and gets table for his friends. Soon, everyone shows up, and we're all having a great time. After, everyone is done eating their food, and we're all just sitting around talking, I stand up and say, "Excuse me everybody! I just want to propose a toast to my brother. Caleb, I'm so proud of you and I love you so much. Thank you for being there for Percy, Zach, and me whenever you could. I swear if you don't visit us, I will come and hunt your ass down. But, I love you big brother." We all raise our drinks and say, "To Caleb." He smiles, and I sit back down. We stay here for about 30 more minutes, before going back home. Caleb says he's having a graduation party at our house, so our group decides to stay at Uriah and Zeke's house. Tobias, Chris, Zach, Percy, and I hop back into my car, and I drop Percy off at the mental institution. After that, we just keep going to Zeke and Uriah's house, since their mom volunteered to take care of Zach and let him play with their younger siblings, Matthew and Elizabeth. We arrive in 5 minutes, and Zach runs inside their house. We just laugh before heading in ourselves, and as we pass their mom on the way to the basement, I say thank you. She waves me off, before carrying Zach up the stairs where the younger Pedrads are waiting for him. We continue our way down the steps, and find the rest of the gang waiting for us. The rest of the night is filled with laughter, truth or dare, and good memories, and now all I can say is that I'm glad we moved here. After all, who knows what would've happened if we just ended up moving to some other place, like Georgia? It probably wouldn't have been nearly as fun as Chicago…

Author's Note: Hey everyone, I just wanted you to know, just in case you forgot, that this story is officially over. All I have left is an epilogue…this makes me really sad. But, I'm also glad it's over because now I can focus on my other story 'The Jock and the Loner.' You should read it if you haven't, and it's going to be updated tonight. Also, sorry for the long wait, but please don't give me crap about it. I understand where you're coming from, but I've had a rough start this year and I've been busier then you'll ever know. So, sorry, but I can't help it if I have a busy schedule and other stuff going on in my life. But, anyway thank you to everyone who's stuck with me, throughout this story…

~Mrs. Unpleasant