Mr. Peabody and Joey arrived at the high school that Joey had attended. The canine took a seat in the auditorium while Joey went off to get her robe.
As Joey was putting it on, she saw her boyfriend, Alessandro, who already had his hat and graduation robe on. She hugged him and kissed him on the lips. They smiled at each other.
"This is it," Joey said, holding his hands.
"Yes. Are you nervous?" Alessandro asked.
"A little, but I'm excited. This is a huge moment."
At that second, Joey spotted her best friend, Christy, who just came in. They ran to each other and hugged.
"We made it," Christy said, excited.
Joey nodded in agreement. "We survived."
As soon as all the graduates were ready and it was time, Joey and all her classmates filed in the auditorium and took their seats. Joey saw her father in the audience. He smiled at her when they made eye contact. She smiled back.
The ceremony began. There were multiple speeches made by the principal, superintendent, valedictorian of the class, etc. The students from the drama class sang a few songs.
During the ceremony, Joey's mood changed. She had been cheerful, but then, it hit her like a ton of bricks. This was the last time she would ever be in school. This was the last time she and her classmates would ever all be in the same place at the same time. A long chapter in her life was ending. Everyone was so excited that they were graduating, but suddenly, Joey didn't feel like celebrating. Sure, school hadn't been easy, but it was consistent. It was a routine. While others saw this event as a new beginning, Joey perceived this as an ending, and the smile she had worn faded. However, she watched with joy when both her boyfriend and her best friend were called up to take their diplomas, because even though she was sad, she was also proud that they had made it this far.
"Josephine Samantha Peabody."
Joey held her breath as she walked on the stage. She hoped that she wouldn't fall as she walked. She shook hands with the superintendent and took her diploma. She heard her father cheering for her in the audience. She stepped off the stage and sat down in her seat and sighed in relief. She did exactly what she was suppose to and didn't mess up.
Later, everyone was given a flower to hand to their mother. Joey went to Mr. Peabody and presented the flower she was given to him. They hugged, and he kissed her cheek. "I'm so proud of you," he told Joey, smiling warmly. She smiled back.
The ceremony lasted two hours. By the time it was over, everyone was ready to go home. Pictures had been taken, and before they left, Joey took one last look around. Then, she and Mr. Peabody went back to the penthouse.