Finally 18 (girlxgirl)

Chapter 24

"Cooper Washington!"

I quickly sigh, running a hand through my curled hair.  I stand to my feet and walk outta my row, up the aisle. I glance over at Alex's row, and see her slumped back in her chair, arms crossed as if she would honestly rather do anything but be here. She glances up at me and realizes what's going.

"YEAH, GO COOPER! WOAHH!" she yells and claps, sitting upright in her chair.

I smile at her and walk up the stairs and to the podium. "Hi," I smile. "I'm Cooper Washington anndd..before I get started, I just wanted to thank you all for coming out to support all of my peers and I at our graduation. So..thank you. Umm..I've never really done anything like this..soo, if I sound like a complete idiot, let's all just go with it, yes?" I hear slight chuckles from the crowd and nod. "Alright, cool. So..I've always been pretty sheltered. I would never wear revealing clothes, I would never cuss, or drink, or smoke, or speak without being called on. I still don't do most of those things. And it's honestly a choice I made myself. I have a vow to always follow rules. Or..had, at least. I thought that the only way to become something successful in life was if you started out as an innocent angel who never did anything bad. Not exactly wrong..but not exactly right either. This year, this interesting year, I've learned that..that you can go out past nine on the weekends, and you can say the 'd' word if you're ever really frustrated. I've learned that trying to be perfect and proper and amazing can indeed help you in the long run, but it can also deprive you of something amazing. Being a teenager, finally being a young adult. But I have also learned that being a young adult doesn't always have it's perks. There's new choices, new responsibilities..new loves.."

And after that, I totally lost track of everything.

○○○

"And now I present to you, the graduating class of two thousand fourteen!"

We all stand and throw our hats into the sky as the crowd cheers. I see Alex running up to me, and I open my arms as she runs into them, picking me up and spinning me around.

"WE'RE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES!" I scream.

"I KNOW!"

"WE'RE GONNA GO TO COLLEGE AND LIVE TOGETHER!"

"I KNOW!"

"WE'RE FINALLY FREE!"

"Holy fuck, I know," she smiles. I smile back and wrap my arms around her neck, kissing her lips.

"I love you so muuucchhh!" I yell, cupping her cheeks in my hands. She holds up her pinky and I lock it with mine. "Ooohh! We need to go out. Like now. I can just tell my parents there's an afterrr..celebration or something. WE CAN EVEN GO OUT FOR SEAFOOD AND-"

"Cooper."

"THEN AFTER WE COULD GO LIKE TO A RANDOM BEACH AND LIKE ST-"

"COOPER."

"Whaatttt?" I whine.

She stares behind me. I turn to see what she's looking at.

My parents.

She's watching my parents, as they stand, mouths open, gaping at us.

Gaping at my girlfriend and I, kissing and hugging and touching and loving each other right in front of them.

I can feel myself being torn apart right then.

Right down the middle.

○○○

"SIT," mom yells at Alex and I. I quickly sit down on the couch, Alex lazily plopping down beside me, as I grab her hand. "Sit on different sides," mom snips.