Joslynn's POV
I looked at myself in the mirror of my bedroom, wondering how I grew up so fast. I was in my black and blue cap and gown, along with a blue dress underneath with some black heels. I looked...grown. Like a woman. What happened? I feel like it was just yesterday when I was running around on the playground with my jump rope. And now...I'm graduating high school. Where did the time go?
Right then, I heard my bedroom door open. I looked up to see Louis. He looked a little nervous, but he was smiling. He was wearing a gray suit, along with a blue tie and black shoes. After a minute, he said, "You look beautiful."
I blushed a bit and smiled and said, "Thanks, Lou. You don't look so bad yourself."
He smiled and said, "We're going to have to go soon."
I sighed and sat on my bed and said, "I know...But, I don't want to."
"Why not?" Louis asked, a bit confused, as he came to sit by me on my bed.
I leaned my head on his shoulder and he put his arm around my waist. This was okay...right?
"I don't want to grow up." I said. I never had thought much about it before, but now...I was scared.
"No one does. But, it's part of life. But, you're not done growing. You can always be the silly immature girl you are."
I laughed a bit and said, "Like you?"
"Yes...but not the girl part."
I laughed again and said, "I just...I don't want to have to pay taxes, get a job, or do any of that stuff. I want to stay as a little girl and not know the dangers of the world."
Louis sighed and said, "I feel the same way a lot of the time. Remember when you were five and you wanted to grow up really badly? You put on your mom's heels and a princess dress and tried to do your makeup...It was really funny. You said you wanted to be a grown up and be in charge."
I laughed a bit at the memory, wondering what on Earth I was thinking. "Little did I know there would be so many struggles as a grown up...and I haven't even fully grown up yet."
"I know." Louis sighed, rubbing my back. "It's hard to face right now, but it will all be okay. I promise."
I smiled and said, "Thanks, Lou."
"I love you." He whispered.
I hesitated before saying, "I love you, too."
We both are adjusting, slowly, how to love each other without pain. Not being with Louis is hard. But, I'm doing it for myself. It's what's for the best.
I think.
~~~
Louis's POV
"Joslynn Marie Davis." The school principal, Mrs. Nichols, called out. Right on cue, the most beautiful girl walked out on stage in her cap and gown with a huge smile on her face. She looked confident and poised, and, well, gorgeous.
"Joslynn is undecided about where she plans to attend college, and she says she would like to personally thank her mom, dad, and her best friend, Louis, for their support throughout her high school years."
Joslynn then walked down the stage stairs to sit with the rest of the seniors.
She mentioned me? Wow. I didn't think she'd thank me personally.
After about 45 more minutes, everyone's name had been called. But, when they came to Joshua, they simply said "He couldn't be with us today," and now they were moving on to the valedictorian speech.
"I would now like to welcome Kayla Thompson to the stage to present the valedictorian speech."
Kayla then walked on stage with a huge smile on her face and shook hands with Mrs. Nichols. She got her papers together and then began speaking.
"Students, faculty, proud parents, best friends, everyone. Welcome to the graduation of the class of 2012. Good thing we all got to graduate before the world explodes." Everyone laughed a bit and she continued. "Let's flashback to about 1999. This was the year we were princesses, fairies, firemen, warriors, or anything you could find in the costume trunk. We were invincible. We were living in our own, perfect reality, wishing nothing other than to grow up...and to get that one last cookie out of the cookie jar. We would whine every day when nap time came. We wanted to use the 'big kid' scissors. We wanted to dress up like an 'adult.' We wanted to be older. We were 'too old' for nap time and safety scissors. I mean, I was five. I needed to live at least a little. I didn't have time for such foolishness."
I smiled, knowing what she meant. She then continued, "Now, let's jump forward to about 2005: our first year of middle school. We thought we were all grown up. I mean, we got to SWITCH classes. That was a huge stepping stone, alright. This was the year we classified ourselves as 'big kids,' even though we all got into fights about who was 'allowed' to like who. We all were just wishing for middle school to end and go to high school. So, let's jump forward to 2008: our first year of high school. Boy, was this a smack in the face. We all got piled up with mounds of homework we never thought were possible to assign. We were done with a lot of our silly drama, and we liked the feeling of being 'grown up.'"
"After being called 'freshmeat' a few times and being made fun of by the upperclass men, we finally arrived in 2012, the end of our high school career. We look back at it and we wonder where the time went. Why did everything have to go so fast? Can we be little again? I would die for a nap time and some cookies at 10:00 AM. But, that's not going to happen. After these next three months, we have to go off to college, some of us being miles and miles away from home. Some in other towns, states, or even countries. We have to go and pay taxes, and, the scariest, do our OWN grocery shopping. Now we have to go dig for the double stuffed Oreos that mom always knew to get. We have to go off into the world and face the challenges our parents face. Now I know what it feels like to get old."
I laughed, though...she was right. I'm 20, going on 21 this year. Am I getting old? "We're all here in this environment, not ready to leave. We grew up, not really giving the fact we would have to leave much of a thought. We all just sort of thought this was our life and it will be forever. For a long time, I thought for the rest of my life I was going to have to get up at 6:00 AM and go to this prison called 'high school.' I was so ready to leave. But now, we're all here today...no so ready to leave. But, we have to. That came really fast, alright. So, what's the point of this speech, you ask? Well, it's this: Don't wish away your youth. Sure, we're all still young, but we'll never be a kid again. I think everyone's biggest fear here is growing up. Though, we still have living examples of people who are able to hold on to their youth. Joslynn Davis, for example. I've known that girl for years. She's best friends with one of those One Direction boys. All over my Facebook news feed is them together acting like fools. But, it makes me smile. They've held onto their youth. They show it's okay to be a kid sometimes. So, thank you guys for that. You two are the number one example I could think of."
She looked directly at me, and I smiled and nodded my head in a way of thanks. Am I role model of youth? I looked over to Josie, and...she was crying. But, she was smiling. I don't think she's ready to let go. "I believe we will all always have a little bit of youth in us. Our youth is what kept the class of 2012 so tight-knit. We were a family of people who don't want to grow up. But, now, we all have to go our separate ways, even if it's hard. I will never forget the friendships I made here. I'm always going to remember goofing off in biology with Jacqueline and Eden, and swapping foods at lunch with Anna when I liked her sandwich better. And, no, that was not in elementary school. Try...all of high school. Even though we all grew up so close together and became such great friends, we're never going to officially let go of the bonds we made. So, I'd like to leave you all with a quote. 'Growing apart doesn't change the fact that for a long time we grew side by side; our roots will always be tangled.' I'll see you all together again in 2020, at our first high school reunion. Thank you."
Kayla then exited the stage, and everyone stood up. The entire graduating class was in tears, but I could only focus on one person. But, the speech did affect me, too. I don't want to grow up. I don't want to ever leave the people I have now. I want to stay with them for forever and never leave. I was always afraid I was growing up too fast. But, now, apparently I'm a role model of youth. I hope that will stick with me forever, because I know that speech will.
But, someone broke my train of thought. I then heard the principal say, "I present to you the graduating class of 2012!"
Right then, everyone's caps flew up. People were throwing theirs in the air over and over again, and they looked like they were having a blast. I never got to do that. I had to deal with my fame life. I never got a proper graduation. This made me sort of sad, though I feel like I made the right choice.
But, my mind then wandered to something that had been on my mind for about a month. I had to give Josie her graduation gift next. I'm worried about it, because I'm afraid she won't accept it. I feel like if she won't accept it...it could ruin everything we have or make it extremely awkward.
Five words were now on my mind: Don't screw up this time.
----CONTEST!----
I hope you guys liked it! I wonder what Lou's graduation gift to Josie is...leave a comment saying what you think it is and why!
ALSO, I have a mini contest. My FAVORITE COMMENT will get the next chapter dedicated to them and a shout out. If the person I choose has a story, I will also write a critique on it for them and promote the story!
In order for you to win, your comment must include: A guess on what you think Lou's gift is, why you like this story, and your favorite part in the story so far and why it is your favorite part! You must also VOTE for my story, and to indicate you voted, write "I like purple monkeys." ALSO, YOU MUST FAN ME. This is how I will release the contest winners. Write "I love Louis the Tommo Tomlinson" to indicate you have fanned me. I left this out earlier, but I've tried to tell people that have already entered. If you don't do these FIVE THINGS, YOUR VOTE WILL NOT BE COUNTED! But, I will be nice and try to remind you all who may have forgotten.
If no one does this I will be really sad. :( I will be judging these over the next week. YOU WILL HAVE UNTIL NOVEMBER 23 (the day after Thanksgiving) TO ENTER. I *may* except some on the 24th. If it is the 24th and I have not announced the end of the contest, you may still attempt to enter. Enter as many times as you want!
If I post a chapter BEFORE NOVEMBER 23, then you will get the NEXT CHAPTER AFTER THAT dedicated to you.
Note: It is possible I will have a 2nd place or a tie, in which case, I will dedicate the next few chapters to people. Now...GO!