The uniting people movement just ended and people like me finally get a fair shot at graduating. My mother Cathy Russell and father Jim Russell, made sure I got a good education, so I know this means more to them then it does to me. I've spent my whole life waiting for this moment, and no body is going to take this away from me. This is it, I'm in the first graduating class of Central High.
"You ready Stacey?" Jim shouts up the stairs, getting things in order for the ceremony.
"Don't rush her Jim. Give her time to get ready, this means a lot to her," Mrs. Russell says as the phone rings.
"Get the phone Cathy."
Cathy picks up the phone in the other room. She comes back in the living room and her hands are shaking.
"You alright Cathy? You look like you seen a ghost or something. It was another threat wasn't it?"
"Yes it was, but we got to see her walk across that stage Jim. No matter what," Cathy replies as her beautiful daughter walks down the stairs all dressed up for the ceremony.
"Ah, you look so beautiful. Doesn't she look beautiful Jim?" Mrs. Russell says.
"Yes she does, now let's get a move on it, before we're late."
While driving up the road to the school, my dad kept looking out of his rearview mirror as if someone were following us.
"Just keep on driving Jim. Just keep going," Cathy says.
When I looked at my dad I knew something was not right. I had this funny feeling inside, paranoid, as if something was about to go wrong. The car was quiet the rest of the way there. When we arrived, my dad rushed me in the building as though he were trying to protect me.
"Is everything okay dad?"
"Everything is just fine, now you worked hard for this Stacey. Now you just get that diploma and cherish it. This is the first class. All you got to do is touch it and you made history," Jim explains as they enter the school building.
I sat in the last row, this is where most people like me had to sit for some reason. I was just happy to be here. I had done something with my life. As I sat there I realized how hard it was for me to get here. People spit on me, stole my books, and even set my locker on fire. I don't know why they did all those bad things to me, but it's okay, as long as my mom and dad are here. As I looked back to see them that's when it happened. Booooom! Someone set off a bomb in the auditorium. My ears rung for a few seconds then I stood up slowly, my mind went blank for a second. People were screaming. There was blood everywhere. When I saw this, I just stood there as everyone scattered. My mom and dad were gone. In the midst of all of the chaos I went up to the table where the diplomas were and I wiped the dust off of mine and did what my dad had told me to do. I accepted it and graduated.
I am now seventy five years old and still remember that day. Every since then I have dedicated my life to seeing people graduate. All the money I have earned in my life has went to the graduating class of Central High.
I was a part of the First Class.
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