Pieces of Me

ROXY'S P.O.V

The sun was beating down on us and I could feel myself begin to sweat, "Oh no, not now." I pleaded in my head. I could see the guys they were just about in the middle. Ray was blowing the horn every five seconds the principle pretended not to notice though I could tell she felt like giving Ray a Saturday school or something.

Before I knew it the five kids who were assigned speeches, including me were being called up to give our own. My stomach began to form a knot and I began to get light headed. I decided to focus on my hands that were folded neatly in my lap.

When I was called up I pulled my hand pack into the robe and got my cards out from my pocket that had my speech written on it. I had to bullshit the speech, not a lot of it really related to me. But what ever brings a smile to my principles face. I got up and made my way to the stand and adjusted the mic, making a sharp noise come from it. Everyone cringed and jumped at the noise.

"Oops, sorry," I said into the mic as I felt my cheeks grow hot and it wasn't from just the sun.

"Hi, my name is Roxy and I'm supposed to read you a speech I wrote you,' I started off, hey I was no Shakespeare.

"It seems as if senior year flew by. I can remember the beginning, all of us just waiting for the end,' The audience chuckled.

'But as we waited, I think this is the year we mostly discovered who we really are, and who the people around us are. We came here each wondering if we would get the normal High school experience, or find something more. I believe we each found both. And now as we take our steps into the real world, we'll remember our days at Saint John. I know I will,' I can't lie that last sentence was way to true for words.

'And I don't think I can use any fancy words to extend this speech. It's not really a speech, just the truth. So thank you for coming and remember to tip your waitress," I said and smiled out into the crowd as everyone began to clap.

It seemed like everyone was bored with my speech except for, you guessed it. All of the guys and my Uncle and Alicia stood up and began to scream and cheer. Frank even screamed as if he was performing at a concert. My uncle grabbed the blow horn from Ray and blew it as loud as he could. And began to cheer almost as loud as Frank.

I felt so embarrassed but very loved as I took my seat again. There was another girl after me then we would have to be called up to get our diplomas. First we had to stand up and line up again. Girls to the left and boys to the right. As I got in line Sophie quickly squeezed my hand.

"Great job," She whispered.

I smiled as I got in line in my place. I looked over to where everyone was sitting and waved to the guys, who excitedly waved back.
As I scanned the crowd again I didn't see any other family members. It made me feel disappointed, had they forgotten me altogether? But the guys and my uncle were all the family I needed. They were the ones there for me through everything, good and bad.

I had my hands behind my back and was nervously twitching them, snapping an extremely weird beat. George was up next. I wondered if he was actually going to stage dive after the principle handed him his diploma. As they called his name he stepped up and shook the principles hand.

The guys all stood up and again the horn was blown.

"Alright Georgie!" I could hear Gerard yell. I wondered if he would yell for me.

George lifted his diploma into the air and began to shake his butt. I began to clap and cheer while laughing, I could hear Sophie do the same from some where in front of me. George skipped off the stage and clicked his heels as he jumped down the stairs, not bothering to use them.

It would be Sophie's turn next then about ten more other girls and boys then it would be my turn. The people who had gotten their diplomas had to sit back down on the seats and wait for the rest of us.

Finally it was Sophie's turn. The horn was blown and I could hear about half the crowd cheer for her, it must have been her huge family, all her brothers and sisters cheering for her. It was times like this I wish I had a sibling, younger or older. It might have made the whole ordeal last year easier.

I began to fuss with my hair, worried the waves would be going down and my hair back to normal. I scrunched it as I took two steps forward.

"Almost there," I whispered to myself.

When it was my turn I carefully stepped onto the stage, my heart beating like crazy. The principle already had her hand out, and before I even brought my own up she grabbed it and shook it fiercely. I thought it would shake right out of the socket. I grabbed the diploma and I heard the whole left side start to cheer. It was all of the guys, my uncle and Alicia cheering.

"Roxy!" I heard Bob yell.

"Go Roxy!" I finally heard his voice say. It made me smile.

I lifted it into the air and waved it around, it reminded of me when I was around three. I would draw my mom a picture almost every day. She used to always seem so happy that I did. She acted as if my drawings were pieces of the most famous art drawn by the most famous artists. I would wave it above my head and say,

"Mommy, I have more art!" and run to her as fast as my little pink and white sneakers would let me. She would take it, kiss my cheek and say, "What did my little artist draw today?" and then she would gasp really loud and go on about how pretty it was, even if it was just a few stick figures.

Now I wove the diploma above me, smiling as wide as I can as my uncle and Ray snap pictures of me. For my grand finally I cheered for myself and skipped back to the seats also jumping down form the stairs.

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GERARD'S P.O.V

She was so happy as she waved the diploma above her head. We cheered, screamed and yelled as loud as we could. There were only two cameras and each of us grabbed for it, trying to take a picture of our Roxy. Steve had tears in his eyes, I didn't have any tissues or else I would have offered him one.

We took our own seats as Roxy took hers and continue to clap for all the other graduates. Some had even received scholar ships with them and they were handed to the kids who had received them. But Roxy didn't get one, she had so many things 'distracting' her from her school work, I'm impressed she graduated at all.

I would kill myself if she didn't, and to know I had a part in it as well. That was another reason we couldn't be together, I would distract her from everything she could be. I would distract her from her own potential.

When it was finally over we made our way through the crowd, shouting Roxy's name. We finally found her, her hand sticking out of the crowd, we recognized by the black nail polish and all the bracelets.Ray grabbed a hold of her hand and practically lifted her out of the sea of people.

"You guys!" She said excitedly and wrapped her arms around Ray's shoulders as she dangled from him. I chuckled.

"I'm never letting you guys come to another thing like this again! You guys were so embarrassing blowing that fucking thing every ten damn minutes," she said as she jumped into Alicia's arms.

"Yeah, but you love us anyways," Frank said stealing her from Alicia and pulled her into his arms.

She looked at me and said, "More than you know," Did she direct that at me?

Up close she looked even more gorgeous than on stage. Finally it was my turn to give her a hug. She seemed tense in my own arms. Usually she melted into them and would bury her face in the crook of my neck. But this time she briefly pressed her body to me then pushed me away. It felt like I had been socked in the stomach.

She moved away and avoided looking at my eyes, I could tell. She hugged Steve as he kissed her forehead.

"Your dad would be so proud Kiddo!" he said.

"I know," She said and smiled warmly.

Sophie came over to us, dragging some boy who looked a bit like her, except for his natural dark brown hair and brown eyes. I was guessing it was her brother.

"Roxy, meet my brother Kirk," she said and turned Roxy around.

Roxy's eyes nearly popped out of her skull, she liked him. I balled my fist up and pulled Laura closer.

"Hi," Roxy said shyly and look towards the ground as she shook his hand.