During the speeches, I kept looking at my family and I could feel their happiness when I saw them all. They were all very proud of me and it was my happiest moment of the day. Before I could comprehend that this surreal thing was happening, I stood up to get their diplomas. As if you could hear yourself thinking with all the chatter, I felt my heart pounding in every part of my body and all the emotions flooded through me as the guidance counselor announced "MaKayla Jaye Horne" to get my diploma. My brain was fuzzy as I rushed to my seat as fast as the length of my dress would allow. With everything on my mind, after the ceremony concluded, I met up with my family to take photos with them. I found my best friend and we both cried. After socializing with a few classmates and hugging my favorite teachers for the last time, I told my family I would meet them at Pizza Plus to eat. Being the girl who said so many times that I wouldn't cry at graduation, I sat in my car and cried my eyes out before meeting my family. I felt my heart tighten as if a part of me had died during the ceremony – and I guess in a way that