and then came friday...

...class day.
even though it was rainy and soggy out, the day was beautiful. the senior breakfast went over well. graduation practice was smooth sailing.

everyone looked great, snapping picture after picture after picture in the student parking lot, cafeteria, hallway, classrooms. everyone gave hug after hug.

i gave my farewell address to the class. i was on cloud nine. as i walked up, i was not nervous but emotional, clenching my teeth to hold back tears. i know i talked too fast at first, but then i calmed down and spoke at times without even looking at my paper. people laughed. i was doing so well not crying, until one point. and when i cried, a long "awwwwww" spread across the auditorium. people cried with me. before my speech even ended, i received the longest round of applause, and again when it was over. it went over a million times better than expected. it was a good way to end.

after that i got a bunch of awards, which is always nice.
the slide show was amazing, thanks to dL.

then we got our yearbooks. in the library, everyone signed their hearts away until the very end of the day when they forced us to leave.

i went to my very last tennis practice ever, and had a hilarious time.

some friends went out for dinner that night, and to a party, and to airport hill to hang out. a good time.
it seemed like a good sign for how summer would be: together with good friends.