the bucket list ; grayson dolan

18 ; farwell

kelsey
graduation day

as i listened to the boring speech the principal was making i looked around the room. rows of family's and friends in the stands, i looked behind me a few seats back grayson was smiling at me. today is a great day

the students got up row by row to accept their diplomas and shake the boards hands

grayson and ethan were next to get up

"ethan dolan"

"woooooo!" i screamed

then " grayson dolan"

i cheered so loud my throat started to hurt. i watched him walk across the staged and i was so proud of him

my row was up next and i patiently waited in line for my turn to accept a piece of paper that took me four years to obtain

"kelsey steel" the announcer said

i could hear grayson, ethan, and brittany scream for me. as i walked across the stage i couldn't be happier. this is what i've been waiting for

i sat back down and watched the rest of my class graduate, when they were done i knew it was time for me to go up and deliver my writing piece to my whole class and their families

i was a little nervous but more excited

"next we will have kelsey steel early graduate and soon to be creative writing major at ucla, come up and read her high school farewell" the principal announced

everyone clapped as i walked up the stage

i walked up to the microphone, opened my paper, and smiled

"thank you principal wilson" i say

"high school is full of accomplishments. getting high grades, winning the homecoming football game, or building a robot for the schools science fair. i was going to write this about my early acceptance into ucla but when i think back on my years of high school that is defiantly not my biggest accomplishment. no it wasn't my grades or my writing i was proud of the most. see in freshman year i realized i had spent so much time on my school life and not enough on my social life so i wrote a bucket list. it was the little things that mattered to me like go to party, watch all the home football games, cut one class. small things that made me happy. but there was one thing on that bucket list, one thing i wanted so bad for no reason. i saved it for last because it was the hardest one. i knew i couldn't do it alone so i had to use some help. i still don't know why i wanted what i wanted. there were some rough times but overall i'm glad i took my chance because i got something better then a good grade or a touchdown at a game. i got my person. a person i'll have for the rest of my life, well hopefully. and that is so much better then a stupid high school accomplishment. so yes my biggest high school accomplishment is taking a huge chance. one that changed my life. so i'll ask you class of 2019, what did you do for yourself that you are most proud of? forget that score or award because that won't matter. so that's my farewell, thank you high school for well not much, it's been rough. but thank you for the chances and the people, that i will take with me forever. farewell high school, it's been fun"

i backed up a little and everyone was cheering, people were even standing. i smiled bright, shook the principals hand and went back to my seat.

"alright class of 2019 move your tassel from left to right. congratulations you are officially high school graduates!"

(i know that's not how it goes ^ but just go with the flow please and thanks)

i took my hat off and threw it in the air. grayson came up behind me, grabbed my waist and kissed me

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everyone was outside taking pictures and greeting their families. i was looking around for everyone but mrs.dunn found me first

"congrats kelsey! you're farewell was different but beautiful!" she said

"thank you" i smiled

"i have someone who would like to meet you, kelsey this is writing professor at ucla mr.jackson" she explained

"hello so nice to meet you" i shook his hand

"nice to meet you too kelsey. i loved that piece that you read. i'm aware that you will be attending campus in the fall but i think that you are the perfect candidate for ucla's summer writing program. you get to come to campus early, get to work with published authors and even have a chance to publish a expert from a novel you could write yourself" he explained

"are you serious? that's amazing!"

"yes and it all starts next week" he smiled

"wait what?" i questioned "oh i don't know"

"this is a once in a lifetime opportunity kelsey" mrs.dunn said

"i have other people to offer it too it's fine if you don't want it" mr.jackson said

i looked to my right and saw grayson talking to ethan and brittany. he caught me looking and smiled at me, i smiled back

"no no i want it"

"perfect see you next week kelsey" he shook my hand again and walked away talking to mrs.dunn

i took a deep breath and walked over to my best friends

"we did it!" i yelled

they all cheered, this is everything i've ever wanted right here. having my best friends by my side. but my dream is waiting for me across the country

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