Don't Let Me Go || l.s.

Chapter 29 - Graduation (Part Two)

A/N: Only the epilogue left! (Sequel, anyone?)

Leg bouncing nervously, Louis fiddled with the hem on the sleeve of his graduation gown and watched as people went up, one by one, getting their hand shaken by the headmaster and a few other higher-ups in the school system while getting handed their diploma. Being Valedictorian, it was arranged that he would still go up once his name was called, and then whenever his graduating class finished, he would go up and give his speech. That had his nerves going wild.

Whenever Harry was called up, he stood up, screaming and shouting while his mate, Erin, chuckled and slapped his back, urging him to sit back down. He did, whenever Harry smiled into the crowd of students before disappearing back into his seat. Erin got his attention after a few more students went up, smacking Louis’ arms a few times with the back of his hand. “Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.” He whispered, until Louis rolled his eyes and looked over towards him. “Yes?”

“Are you nervous?”

“What even kind of question is that, E? Of course I’m nervous! I have to give a speech in the front of the whole student body, ya twat.”

“You’ll do great, I just know it. I’m mostly looking forward to after it’s finished.”

“Trying to get rid of me that quickly?”

“Not quite.”

**

“Now we are going to have our Valedictorian, Louis Tomlinson, come up and give his speech. If you will,” Mr. Larkins- headmaster- smiled, giving a gentle pat on Louis’ back as he walked to the middle of the stage. The podium seemed much larger as he stood in front of it, and he took a quick glance up to the crowds of people in chairs, before back down to his speech that he placed down on the podium.

Taking in a deep breath, Louis adjusted the cap on his head and cleared his throat. “Here, in Greenwood Academy, is where I grew as not only a student, but also as a person. It was at this school that I learned things that my mother could not teach me; that I could not teach myself. Here, because of one certain person, I found out who I am now, and who I want to become. That, my fellow student body, graduating class of 2014, is because of my boyfriend.” Collective gasps were heard around, and Louis rolled his eyes. “Is it really that big of a shocker? Did I not look flamboyant enough for you all today?”

There were a few chuckles and giggles, but Louis continued on. “The staff members here- teachers, Mr. Larkins, even the academy’s guidance counselor- were always there to help me whenever I needed it. But, my boyfriend caught me at a rough time in my life, found out all of the baggage that I carried along, and still stuck around. He gave me something no one else could. And to think that first day I met him, I wasn’t even going to come to school.” He smiled shyly, finally looking up at the crowd of people and tapping his fingers on the wooden podium. “I think that what I’m trying to say is that maybe things are tough for you, and have been for awhile, but you shouldn’t give up. You have to keep fighting on, because there are bigger and brighter things for you outside of school!

“School, if you absolutely hated it, you’re done. You’re done for however long you would like. These things, these hardships that you had during Sixth Form, or even Secondary and Primary, were just bumps in the road along the road that you travel on. You need to keep travelling, keep going, to reach your destination that you were ultimately meant for. Thank you, to my friends and family and the staff members of Greenwood Academy! To my boyfriend. And I thank the people who made my life hell, because guess who isn’t up on this stage right now, giving their Valedictorian speech? And then look at who is.

“I feel like this speech should have started with a ‘friends, family, we are gathered here today’ but that would make it sound too much like a funeral. So, I’m going to end it here. I love you all, even the ones who didn’t think I would make it where I am today, and I congratulate my fellow classmates.”

Clapping. There was clapping and cheering and Louis was smiling so big that his cheeks were going numb. He stepped off of the stage and walked back to his seat, but not without receiving pats on the backs and wolf whistles. He sat down for a few minutes, as Mr. Larkin thanked Louis for the speech, and then asked all of the graduating students to “please stand.” Everyone turned the tassels on their mortarboard to the left, and as Mr. Larkins said “your graduating class of 2014, everybody”, all caps went into the air.

And as Harry finds him in the crowd, pulls him on the stage, speaks into the microphone to get everybody’s attention and then gets down on one knee, Louis wonders how he got so lucky to end up with this beautiful boy. But for now, as a ring is slipped on his finger and lips are pressed against his, he figures he shouldn't question it.