"Kennlee I swear if I have to tell you to sit down one more time I wi-"
"You will what? She is your sister not your child." I'm cut off by my mom
"She will not sit and I am trying to finish my speech." I respond
"Kennlee sit down and leave your brother alone." My mom says to my sister
"But mama," Kenn says
"I honestly don't want to hear your excuse Kennlee. Leave Cage alone until he is done." Mama says
"Thanks ma." I say
Kenn and I live with our mom full time. We usually go to dad's on the weekends, but since I've gotten older they let me just house hop as I want.
"So ma I'm going to dad's house tonight and he is taking me to the school in the morning." I say
"B, I wanna go!" Kenn yells
"Ok Cage, just don't be late for your own graduation like I was and not tonight Kennlee. Maybe tomorrow." Mama says causing Kenn to pout a little
"I'll tell dad to come get you in the morning. You can ride to the school with us." I say to my sister. Even though she can be a pain in the ass sometimes, she is adorable and I cannot stand to make her upset. The drive to my dads house is fairly short. My parents haven't really moved from the area they grew up in. I even go to the same high school as them. My grandpa and my mom renovated the house we live in some years ago. My mom and I have lived here for about sixteen years. I go to the same high school my parents went to and I'm going to the same college my mom went to. Well, I am going to the east campus which is in Georgia. Mom went west in California.
"Yo pops! I'm here!" I yell as I walk into my dad's house and plopping down on the couch next to him
"Where is Kenn?"
"I didn't bring her. I wanted to talk to you dad-to-son and mama told her no."
"Oh god. Did you get someone pregnant? Cage! We've told you to be safe. It is hard raising a kid while going to college bel-" I cut him off
"No dad. I want to talk about mom."
"What's wrong? Is she ok? Is she pregnant?"
"What is it with you and people being pregnant. No she is not and yes she is ok."
"Ok good."
"But, there is this guy. She says it's not serious but I know mom. She likes him"
"Oh."
"But I also know you. You fucked up dad. Multiple times, but you still love her I can tell."
"Watch your mouth and of course I still love your mom, but I'm not in love with her. We broke up years ago."
"Really dad? You want me to believe that?" I say smirking. He is so still in love with her. He looks at her the way he did in all of our old family pictures and my nana says that that's love. My dad can act like he doesn't want my mom back but he does. He doesn't know that I know but he keeps a picture of her in his wallet. It's not even a family picture. Just one of her in an over sized hoodie that says Mama Bear and it has random bears on it. It's ugly as crap but apparently it was a joke. If that not love I don't know what is.
"Yes because it's the truth."
"Ok. If you say so. I'll be in my room." I say getting up and walking towards the stairs, "Just get her back. I don't want a step dad." I add
I fall onto my bed and immediately call my girlfriend. I haven't told my parents about her yet but it's just because they over think stuff. We just started dating about a month ago, but I have been chasing after Hailee for four years now.
"Hey there." Hailee answers
"Hey babe. How are you today?" I ask her
"I'm good, better not that you called. How is your day?"
"I've been working on this speech all day. Are you ready for tomorrow?"
"I'm so ready. Your graduation party is going to be so much fun."
"My parents are crazy for agreeing to it."
"Shit. Hold on." She says and I hear the phone shuffle
"Shit. shit. shit." I can hear her mumble
"What happened Hails? Are you ok?" I ask sitting up in my bed
"I'm decorating my cap and just spilled that cement glue everywhere. I'll call you back. My mom is going to kill me."
Hailee hangs up before I can respond to her. Luckily she did hang up though because my dad came bursting in my room seconds later.
"I'm going out. I'll be back. No girls over..."
"I know dad and are you going to see your lady friend?" My dad just laughs at me and shakes is head.
"Not even Hailee and I mean it." He says with a smirk and leaves my sitting there looking confused. How does he know? My dad leaves the house and I raid the kitchen. After making a sandwich and grabbing some chips I head back to my room. Eventually I dosed off and was being shaken awake my dad.
"Get up! You have to be at the school in less than an hour and your mom will kill me if you're late."
I hop out of my bed and rush to get ready, "We were suppose to get Kennlee!" I shout
My dad curses and then calls who I assume is my mom, which lead to us going straight to the school. As soon as I get there I'm ushered into line and Mr.Bei mumbles something about almost being late like my mom. I just apologize and wait to walk in.
Like my mom, I'm Valedictorian. She never pushed it on me I just felt like it would make her proud. With that being said. I also play rugby like my dad did. He didn't make me do that either but if you've ever played the sport you'll know is addictive. The music starts and it brings me back to reality. I'm the first person to walk out and my parents are sitting in the same section we sat in for both my mom and dad's graduation cheering very loud.
"Welcome parents, friends, and families." Mr.Bei says and starts his speech
Mama jokes and says she is surprised he is still alive. He is really old. He was both her and dad's principle.
"Please welcome Mr. Cage Mosely." Mr.Bei says
"Hi everyone." I say
"The first time I was in this auditorium was at my mothers graduation. She was valedictorian as well. That was seventeen years ago. Over those years my parents have helped me to become the man that I am and thank them everyday. I am living proof that teen parents can beat out the stereotype they are given." I say to the crowd
"Now, here I am standing the same spot my mother stood giving a speech to my peers. I am beyond excited to be here. I just want to first say to my little sister Kennlee, you have to keep the tradition going so be prepared to work hard." I say causing the crown to laugh
"To my parents, thank you both for all that you have done and I hope to have a new car. To my papa Billings and nana Mosely, thank you both for helping my parents when they had me and thank you both for also being there for them allowing them to be there for me. I have always felt like I have had four parents because of how much you both care for me. I am grateful to have you all as my grandparents because you raised my parents to be the amazing humans they are today and you both never gave up on us. " I pause because that part made me tear up
"And to my classmates WE ARE DONE! We no longer have a dress code. We no longer have five minutes to get to class. We don't have to leave our phones in our lockers. We are free. So let's go out and live life. Be smart, but live life. Don't go out and expect life to be handed to us. That's not how it works anymore. Remember, WE ARE THE FUTURE and we are the change. Also, party at my place tonight! Thank you." I say and throw my hands up while walking away receiving claps and screams
The program goes by smoothly and afterwards we take pictures and receive gifts. I see my parents talking together and they are both actually smiling. That's rare when they are around each other.
"Don't you two make a happy couple." I say to them as I throw my arm around my moms shoulders
She shrugs my arm of and scrunched up her face.
"Eh." She says
"Eh." My dad agreed
"You two so want each other." I hear Jenna, my best friend say as she walks up
My mom rolls her eyes again dismissing the comments me and Jenna have made because we ALWAYS make these comments around them.
"Congratulations Jenna! I can't believe my babies graduated."
"Thank you Ma Cara." Jenna calls my mom Ma Cara because she has been like a mother to her for reasons I'm sure we'll get into later, but for now just know she's a sister to me.
"My favorite child graduated." My dad says and hugs Jenna
"Excuse me?" I snap back
"Don't be that way bro. You know I'm the favorite." Jenna says causing us all to laugh
"Whatever. Where's Nana and Papa?" I ask
My parents tell me they went to wait at the car to avoid the crowd and Kenn went with them. We make our way out to them and take another round of pictures. I can't help but over hear my parents talking off to the side.
"See you around mama bear." My dad says causing my mom to blush
"Bye Dean." She says with a slight eye roll