"Look at chu'," I awed when I seen Queen in her cap and gown, "Okay then bitchhhh."

"I know, I know," she repeated, smiling hard.

"I should've had you do my damn make up."

"Girl, you look bomb."

"Thanks boo," I grinned before I looked around at all our classmates, "Girl can you believe we finna walk the stage."

"Right," she squealed, "fuck walkin' imma skip across that bitch."

I threw my head back laughing at her goofy ass.

"I dare you, Queen," Crystal smirked coming out of nowhere.

"Aight," she nodded her head.

"Her crazy ass gon' do it too," Felicia laughed as she hugged me and Queen.

"Hell yeah," I smiled shaking my head.

"Where Deon's big headed ass at," Queen questioned them.

"Girl, y'all ain't hear what happen," Crystal whispered, gaining our full attention.

"No, what happened," I asked.

"His cousin got shot the other day, he told us he's in critical condition and might not make it," Felicia answered.

"Aww, that's sad," I honestly said.

"Yeah," she sighed before smiling a little bit, "he ain't gon' walk the stage because of the incident. He already got his diploma though."

"Yeah, I hope his cousin make it," Queen uttered.

"Girl, me too," Crystal agreed.

"Okay everybody get in your seats," our principal Mr. Brown yelled, "we 'bout to start in ah minute... get to your seats!"

"Aight see y'all after this," Felicia squealed in excitement before rushing towards her seat.

The rest of us made it to our assigned seats, with Queen being right beside me since we had the same last name. The benefits of being a Roberts.

"Welcome to Linmoore High School," Mr. Brown started, making the volume in the room go down, "today we gather here to celebrate our hardworking students' success.."

I spaced out as he continued on with his mini speech before he gave the microphone over to Sierra Cook, the valedictorian.

"Life. It seems to be moving at a fast pace for me and all of my fellow classmates behind me," she began, "we have achieved and passed the stage of childhood and teenage years. It was difficult for many reasons, but it's about to get a lot harder. We aren't babies anymore. We ARE adults! Whether some of us are still 17 or just turned 18 years old. Who cares? We are stepping into the chapter of adulthood by accomplishing high school and let me add... gaining our diplomas. Now is the time to follow our dreams and live by our own rules. Not our teachers or our families', only ours. With that being said I'll like to add in that I am proud of class of 2018 and I wish everyone the best!"

Once she sat the microphone on the podium, everybody applauded. Some people even hollered her name and gassed her up. Her speech was a little short, but it was truly inspiring and I admire her courage for standing and speaking in front of such a large audience because I don't think I would've been able to do it.

Shortly after she sat back down on her seat, Mrs. Wright began reading off names in alphabetical order. When she got to students with their last names starting with R, I grew butterflies in my stomach.

"Bro, I'm mad scared," I whispered to Queen.

"Shit, who you tellin'. Feel like I'm finna piss on myself," she whispered back to me causing me to scrunch my face up.

"Bitch, you spooked," I snickered lowly.

"Yes," she mumbled, "you see how many fine ass men is in the audience."

I smacked my lips, "Imma tell Bean."

"And watch he ain't gon' do shit wit' his goofy ass."

Before I could reply back to her, I heard Mrs. Wright say my name.

"Lanae Roberts," she smiled at me as the crowd cheered.

I stood up from my seat cheesing hard as fuck while Queen hopped out of her seat and pulled me into a tight hug.

When we both pulled away from each other, I quickly walked across the stage to grab my diploma from Mr. Brown.

"That's my baby girl!" I heard my dad yell from the front row and soon other family members and friends began hyping me up.

"Aww niecey pooh," Aunt cooed as she recorded me with her phone.

"That's my dawg, Bones! Woo! Woo! Woo," Bean hollered while pumping his fist in the air.

"That's my grand baby," Maw Maw and Grandma screamed at the same time.

"Go Lanae," I heard Felicia and Crystal shout from afar as I got closer to Mr. Brown.

"Yeahhhh, let's go Nae," Nick smiled as Victoria clapped rapidly for me.

As I finally made it to Mr. Brown, I grabbed my diploma from him and he congratulated me quickly.

Once I began walking the other half of the stage, I finally I heard the one person I've been waiting on.

"Let's go baby," Omari cheered for me causing my eyes to capture his, "you did that, ma!"

I blushed hard and made my way down the stage.

"Queen Roberts," Mrs. Wright announced.

I screamed for her as loud as I could while everybody gassed her up like they did for me. I completely forgot all about the dare until Queen skipped her way to Mr. Brown causing the room to erupt with laughter.

"As you can see Queen is very excited to get out of here," Mrs. Wright smirked.

"You already know Mrs. Wright," Queen smiled while grabbing her diploma.

"That's my Queenie Pooh," Aunt Mo voice roared over everybody's claps as she continued recording with her phone.

"Oh god," I heard Queen mumbled under her breath as she walked off the stage and stood beside me.

"Aww Queenie Pooh," I cooed causing her to give me a blank stare.

"Fuck you," she pouted.

I laughed at her because I knew she hated that nickname.

After every student walked the stage, everybody began exiting out of the building and making their way to the parking lot.

"It's too much bodies out here," I said as we searched for our family.

"I swear, like damn can everybody start headin' out," Queen glares at a boy and his mother as they took numerous pictures, "aight this ain't ah photoshoot."

I bursted out laughing as I threw my head back.

My laughter died down when I heard Omari's voice, "Lanae and Queen!"

My eyes follow his voice and soon they landed on his. He was standing up against the side of the building with a handful of Benjamins in the air.

"Damn is that moolah for me," Queen asked with a smile and wide eyes.

Mar chuckled as he began counting his money, "Both of y'all."

Queen squealed while clapping her hands rapidly, "Lucky you always been my nigga."

"Mhmm," he smirked before handing her half of the stack he had and then giving me the rest, "two G's each."

"Thank you Lucky," Queen smiled before giving him a side hug.

As soon as I opened my mouth to protest he shook his head, "Nah Lanae, I don't wanna hear it. This is for graduatin' aight? And I ain't takin' shit back so don't even try it."

I smiled before throwing my arms around his neck and pecking his lips a few times. I pulled back and looked into his eyes, "Thanks Mar."

He smiled before biting his bottom lip, "Ain't shit, you know I gotchu'," when I tried to pull away he swiftly wrapped his arms around my waist pulling me closer, "since Queen then left already, I gotta spit to you real quick."

I turned my head and glanced back to see nobody behind us now, "Damn, she left quick."

"Probably tryna give us sum' privacy, plus she walked over to everybody else."

"Oh okay, but what's up?"

"You comin' over tonight," he placed his hand on my ass, making my knees weak.

"I wasn't plannin' to, but I can if you want me to," I smiled as I gazed into his eyes.

"Yeah, cause..." he leaned down and began whispering in my ear, "I wasn't fuckin' around when I told you imma have yo' ass runnin'. I can't do shit right now, but tonight imma keep my promise, ma. Tu m'entends?"

I don't know what he said at the end, but all I know is that everything he was saying to me had my core throbbing.

"You hear me," he asked in a husky tone as he grabbed a handful of my ass.

"Y-yes," I stuttered a little bit.

He kissed me right behind my ear before tapping my ass and pulling away. I wanted to groan in protest, but I knew we had to get to everybody else soon.

"C'mon," he smirked as he grabbed my hand and pulled me towards our friends and family.

"There go the two love birds," Bean spoke loudly causing all eyes to land on us.

"Bean shut up," I laughed, letting go of Omari's hand.

"Right, the hell was y'all doin'," my dad questioned.

"Nothing dad, he was just givin' me my gift."

"More like that graduation dick tonight," Queen whispered to me causing me to push her way from me. She snickered, gaining everybody's attention.

"What you say to her," Aunt Mo smirked, looking at Queen.

"Yeah, I wanna know what got Bones look like ah tomato," Bean added in causing me to blush harder.

"Leave my baby girl alone," my dad said walking up to me. He smiled at me before pulling me into a hug, "Congratulations Nae, I'm proud of you."

"Thanks dad," I grinned, hugging him tighter.

Once we pulled away everybody else congratulated me and Queen on our success. We congratulated Chris as well when he joined us. Right now is literally the best moment in my life so far. I graduated high school and soon I'll be on my way to college.

I'm getting higher in life and closer to my dreams.

🎉🎓