“Sucks to be you,” I teased Nero, before standing up with a smirk.
I made sure to give him a wave, and a flying kiss to both Siege and Dex, who were seated on my other side, before I walked towards the stairs that led to the stage.
I would have taken it as a champ if Nero had gotten to be the salutatorian. But of course, because he didn’t, I couldn’t pass up on the opportunity to annoy him about it.
He’s going to be playing D1 football at his dream school, anyway. I didn’t feel bad at all.
Adjusting the microphone so that it fell just in front of my mouth, I looked at the crowd. Suddenly, all the pride left my body, replaced with fear and nervousness.
I may have celebrated too early. I forgot that I have stage fright.
“To our esteemed faculty, friends, families, and my dearest classmates, good morning.”
Clearing my throat, I looked at my guys from where we were sitting, and they were each showing their own ways to cheer me on.
Nero was clapping and cheering loudly, Siege was just smiling wide at me with a nod for me to go on, and Dex, the weirdo, was biting his lip faux-seductively at me and winking.
I’d be alright.
With a smile, I continued my speech with all the clichés, thanking our teachers for guiding us in our academics, our families for showing us support—with a shout out to my dad and Nero’s mom—and of course, mentioning how we, as students, helped shaped each other to the person we are today.
“Now, I’m sure some of you don’t know me, and others, well, maybe you know me as the homecoming queen’s sidekick or the quarterback’s best friend,” I said, looking towards Nero. “For most of my high school years, I have allowed myself to be just that.”
It was only during our senior year when I have come out of my comfort zone that I figured out I can be so much more. And I’m not talking about my short-lived membership in the theater club thinking I could act—spoiler alert: I could not.”
The crowd erupted into soft laughter, and I doubled down.
“Or my even shorter trial to write for the school paper thinking other students will be interested in reading about which restrooms in the building are the cleanest—spoiler alert: no one read that article. Not even the editor, I think.”
Another echo of laughs, and I could hear Nero letting out the loudest one.
“I’m talking about how, this year, I learned to fight. To stop being a people-pleaser. Not to let others step on me like I’m worthless. And I’m talking about how I learned to be unapologetically me, because people who are meant for you and are meant to be in your life?”
I looked at my guys then, my heart feeling so full as I continued, “They will find you perfect the way you are.”
I looked back down at the speech I had prepared, knowing I went off-script a little bit, but seeing the expressions on my guys’ faces were worth it.
“Today, my dear classmates, I will leave the honor to our valedictorian to let her speech be the one to inspire you to pursue greatness.”
What I will leave with you is a challenge. Once you’ve moved your tassel from one side to the other. Once you’ve thrown your graduation cap up into the air, and you’ve removed your robe after the ceremony. Whether you’re going straight to join the workforce after graduating, or you’re going off to college. I urge you to embrace the unknown. To step out of your comfort zone.”
Life is best lived when you don’t know what’s next. And who knows? There may be a wonderful surprise waiting for you.”
Thank you, and congratulations to the graduating class of Fallen Oaks High.”
I stepped down the podium, making my way down the stairs as the crowd erupted into applause, and all I could think about was going back to my seat to be held by my guys.
“I’m soproud of you,anak.”
The ceremony has reached its end, and my dad immediately approached me and my guys as he handed me my bouquet, and I had the strongest urge to give him a bear hug.
I shared every bit of the success I have of getting salutatorian with my dad. For providing everything that I have ever needed and never failing despite raising me alone. For harboring a safe space for me to focus on my studies. All I have is thanks to him.
“Come on. Let me get a picture of you,” he urged, pushing me to pose for a photo with the stage as the background.
He lifted his camera up, looking through the viewfinder and taking a few photos, before he stood straight back up, looking at my guys.
“What are you guys doing? Get in there,” he said, completely surprising the three as their eyebrows shot up to their foreheads.
