Personal Narrative

“Are you excited, Jackson?Today’s your big day!” my mom asked me.
“ Of course I am!” I answered with a mouth full of luscious velvet cake.
“ What did you say? I couldn’t understand a word you just said.” my mom said, giggling.
I swallowed my cake and shouted “You bet I’m excited! I’m graduating Pre-school! Who wouldn’t be?!”
“ I love your enthusiasm, sweetie, but there’s no need to shout. Now come on, we need to get to our seats before it starts. We wouldn’t want to miss anything!”
“ Okey-Dokey Artichokey!” I said in a sing-song voice that sounded just like really immature 4 year old, which describes me perfectly.
Skipping, I went over to my seat, which, luckily, is right by my two best friends, Mallory and Campbell. I’ve known them since we first started pre-school, and it means a lot to me that we get to graduate on the same day. Heck, I’ve known Campbell since we were in the baby room, and we’ve been inseparable since then.

“ I see you’ve tried the cake.

Is it good?” Campbell asked.
“ Yea! It’s the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth! It’s super soft, and it tastes really sweet, like candy, and…. Wait. How did you know I even had it?” I asked.
“ Cuz’ you have it all over your mouth. It looks like you face planted into it.” Mallory answered.
“ Oh. Tanks for telling me!” I wiped off the cake onto my robe they made us wear. I’m saving you for later, you delicious looking devil , I thought to

myself.
“ Tanks? Do you mean Thanks?” Mallory said in a questioning voice.
Ugh. There she goes again, running her mouth about how she can pronounce the “th” sound and I can’t. What a show off. One of these days, I’ll learn to pronounce it better than her. Who’ll be cooler then, Mallory? Huh? Fight me, punk.
“ Duh. Dat’s what I said. Tanks.”
“ Whatever. You just can’t pronounce it. Now be quiet, it’s about to start!”
Defeated, I slouched in my chair. At least I didn’t try to swallow the sand in the sandbox the first day. I thought.
“ We will now begin to call up this year’s graduates for pictures and diplomas. Once you receive your diploma, get shoulder to shoulder and we will take your picture. Then you are free to do whatever you want, as long as you do not damage anything. Now, please walk up to the stage and claim your diploma when we call your name. Mallory Neighbors, Campbell McCluney, Jackson Wells, William Crocker, and Ryan O’Davis.”
Cheers broke out in the crowd. Flashes from the cameras of eager parents temporarily blinded me. As I started to march up the stage, I saw all of my friends together. They were chuckling and chatting, having a great time. Seeing them all together made me realise how lucky I was to have such awesome friends.I started to feel a tingling feeling in my stomach. It wasn’t an “ I feel like I’m going to throw up” kind of feeling. That feeling...It gave me hope and filled me with joy. Yet I didn’t know what it was. So I continued marching up the stairs until I reached the center of the stage. The teacher handed us our diplomas, and we took the picture. I walked off the stage and nearly ran out the door when my teacher stopped me. She looked me in the eye.“I’m going to miss you the most, Jackson.” she told me in a soft voice.
She hugged me tighter than I’ve ever been hugged. Seriously. It was like a starving bear was strangling a fish so he could finally eat. Then every one of my teachers came to say their goodbyes.
I said “ See ya later, guys! I’ll miss you!” to all my friends.
Then, as I walked out the door, I realised something important. That feeling I felt seeing all of my friends cheering and laughing. It wasn’t pride, sadness, fear, or that feeling where you need to poop really bad and it won’t come out. It was love. Or that cake I ate earlier. Who knows. I’m only 4.