Two months passed.

Virginia never came back to school after break.

Her boyfriend looked so forlorn the last few times I've seen him

and I couldn't help but feel guilty.

My heart was far from being fine

and I'm pretty sure his was the same.

But this was all a part of life;

there's love

and there's loss.

There's misery and heartbreak

but there's also laughter and happiness.

And as I looked around at the graduates sitting around me,

I realized that this was just the beginning.

I didn't find my happiness here,

but maybe in my next chapter in life, I will.

I'm tired of hiding who I am

and I am tired of crying about feeling like I don't belong.

Looking back at that morning with Virginia,

I decided that that was the last time I would cry for a girl.

That was the last time I'd cry

for feeling unwanted

and unsafe

and unloved.

If I wasn't accepted here,

then I'd find another place

where people can love me

for me.

And now for our class valedictorian: Sarah Rodriguez.

Allowing the cheers to build me up,

I stood from my seat

and began my mark on the world.

~Sarah

| And that is all! I hope you all enjoyed reading Sarah's story; it stayed in the drafts for several years, but I'm glad I was able to revitalize it in some way :) |