YOU BELONG WITH ME , Ben Plunkett

valedictorian

"Okay, spill!" I squealed as Mandy answered my FaceTime call.

"Oh my God," she laughed. "Okay for starters...I think he might be growing on me," she admitted. "He's not the bad guy I thought he was. He's actually really sweet,"

"Aw, Mandy!" I said.

"Wait, how come you didn't tell Ben and I that he worked at the Rec center?" she asked and I shrugged.

"It must have slipped my mind," I said, honestly. My phone buzzed with an e-mail from the school, and my eyebrows furrowed with confusion. "Oh, I just got an e-mail from the school,"

I opened the e-mail, nervously.

Congratulations, graduate. You have been selected as Class Valedictorian..

  "Mandy..." I couldn't breathe. I screen-shared the letter. My best friend grinned from ear-to-ear when I showed her.

"I am so mad about my 94 in PE! But I am so, so happy for you," she squealed.

"How am I...how will I do this?" my hands shook. "Do you think they'll let me have Ben next to me when I read my speech?" I asked, seriously. Mandy smiled, softly.

"He really calms you down, huh?" she asked, shifting her position.

"He's like...my anchor, Mandy. It's like I can't breathe without him," I admitted. "Do you really think he gets tired of me?"

"No," Mandy shook her head, as she propped up her phone. "I'm sorry that I said all that stuff," she whispered. "I didn't mean to get you into your head like this,"

"No, you're right. I'm a mess." I told her.

"Yeah, but you're our mess," she told me. "Seriously, no matter what you have going on in that head of yours, Ben and I will always be there for you,"

"Are you really not mad that I got Valedictorian? I feel kind of bad," I said, honestly.

"What? Are you crazy! No! I'm so happy for you. You've worked your butt off. You deserve this," she said. "Are you going to tell Ben?"

"Should we add him to this?" I giggled, and she laughed along.

"Well, duh," she said. "Add your boyfriend," she teased.

"God, I wish," we laughed again.

Ben's face popped up on the screen seconds later.

"Benjamin Walter Plunkett, are you ready for this news?" I asked, and his eyes widened.

"Am I in trouble?" he asked.

"Yes," Mandy said.

"..because you're going to have to stand right next to me as I give my Valedictorian speech at graduation," I concluded, and Ben's face broke into the biggest smile I'd ever seen.

"Jasmine Marie Ortiz, I would be honored to stand by your side as you give your speech," he said. "Wow, congratulations, Jazzy,"

"Thanks, Ben,"

The three of us laughed and talked for the rest of the night, until we all fell asleep, still on FaceTime.

*

Angelina Speaks:

I've had this idea from the very beginning. Jazzy as Valedictorian 🥹

I can't wait to write the speech part lol I have a lot of ideas.