Page 158 - The Life of A Teenage Girl (Stories About Finding Your Way)

CHAPTER 8

T
he next day passed quickly, then graduation day came. It was

unforgettable. The auditorium buzzed with excitement, and
the entire town seemed to hold its breath for us. Even the

mayor made an appearance—his presence adding a strange weight to
the moment, like what we were doing truly mattered.

When they called my name, I stepped onto the stage, nerves

bubbling beneath my calm smile. I gave my speech—short, honest,
maybe a little shaky—and accepted my certificate, hands trembling just

slightly as reality set in.
I wasn’t a little girl anymore. I wasn’t just someone waiting to

grow up. I had grown, at least a little. I was a teenager now, standing

on the edge of everything I used to imagine.
Of course, it’s not like everything changes overnight. I still have

high school ahead of me, and university beyond that. There’s so much
left to become. But today wasn’t for thinking ahead. Today was for

living. For laughing. For dancing barefoot with my best friends under
strings of fairy lights and paper streamers.

Today… we celebrate.

After the graduation, I saw Caleb talking to his friends, and I
wanted to say hi. I told my mother and sister to wait for me in the car.

I approached Caleb and greeted him with a simple, “Hey.”