A/N: I'm ba-ack! Okay, so while I was on vacation, I thought of this! it's only gonna be a three-shot and I already have the chapters written out for this, so I won't worry about having to juggle three stories! Even though this is more of a friendship fid, it will have a bit of Loliver and only a hint of Jiley. You don't like? Just think of how bad it would be if it was Lake and Moliver! Talk about gross! Anyways, you've read the description. Read on if you like!
Disclaimer: Nope, not yet. I've been a bit too busy with my plan to take over the world. Maybe after that's done, I'll come back to this project.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
"Wow," I breathed, looking at our circle of four sadly. "This is really happening, isn't it?"
They all smiled. Not because it was funny, but more like our nerves were getting the better of us and we were trying to make a day that should be the best of our lives feel that way. If that even made sense, but whatever. My point is, we're trying to be just a bit happier.
"Yeah, I guess it is," Miley chimed in. This was so weird, Miley's usually a chatter box and now she's hardly even said ten words since we walked through the door fifteen minutes ago.
Jake flashed one of his movie star grins and eyed us sadly. "This is going to sound totally and completely sappy, but just deal with it." He took a deep breath. "The truth is, you guys gave me some of the best years of my life. Not to mention that you put up with my egotistical ways and made me a better person. And that's no movie line," he added, pulling another small smile out of us.
Oliver, who had been playing with his tassel, stopped. Putting his hands down, we saw that he was glaring at us through his brown hair. "You make it sound like we're dying, not graduating! Lighten up a bit! Just think about it: no more Skunkle and no more of Mr. Corelli's wacky project ideas and no more last-minute cramming for exams! I'm happy, and you guys should be happy, too!"
We all glanced at one another before smiles creeped up and on to our faces and we burst out laughing.
"As much as I hate to admit, Oliver's right," I said once our laughter died down a little. "Let's face it, we've been waiting for this moment ever since we hit high school and now we're dreading it? What's wrong with us?"
"I know," Miley responded, still giggling a little. "You know things are bad when Oliver goes all fortune cookie on us and it actually makes sense!" We started laughing all over again, except for Oliver, who was glaring at us again. And even though we told each other we wouldn't make this day all sappy, we caved in. Spreading our arms out, we pulled each other into a hug.
Suddenly, Mr. Corelli's voice came thundering from down the hall as he yelled "Places, people!" into a megaphone, completely disrupting our Kodak moment.
We all wished each other good luck and trudged over to our places in line. Oliver was somewhere in the middle, Jake was a few people away from him, and then a id or two separated him from Miley, and her from me. We weren't ever right after each other, but we could clearly see each other.
Shortly after I wedged myself into the line, our choir teacher started playing the piano music and we all followed the person in front of us as we filed in to the auditorium and took our seats.
If you looked close enough, you could see nearly every shift anxiously in their Seaview High blue and yellow caps and gowns. Our fingers tapped on our knees to a made-up beat playing inside our head while the principal and vice principal recited some crappy speech. Our feet stomped on the tiled floor endlessly while awards and medals for stellar students were handed out. And we all but sprang out of our seats as Saint Sarah, the valedictorian, told us some cheesy "There's no I in team" speech that made all the teachers dab their eyes with handkerchiefs. We were nervous and excited and couldn't sit still if we tried.
Finally, some random member from student council announced that it was time for the seniors to receive their high school diplomas.
The second we saw the barely-noticeable signal from my weird algebra teacher, we rose from our seats and got in alphabetical order for our teachers to call out names and officially end our high school lives.
It took a while, but my ears perked up when I heard the name of my dorky best friend being called. "Oliver Oscar Oken . . ." the principal read from the long list of names.
I grinned broadly as I saw him stumble on to the stage, grab his diploma, and shake hands with a few of the teachers. His goofy grin was clearly plastered on his face even after he nearly fell down the stairs and broke his neck.
He briefly locked eyes with me and gave me an ecstatic thumbs-up, accidentally nodding his head too hard and knocking his cap off in the process.
Quickly picking it up, he mouthed a reassuring good luck and placed the blue hat back on his head before striding back into the auditorium to take his seat once again.
My nerves began to build up all over again as my name drew nearer. Miley and Jake had already gotten their certificates and wished me good luck just like Oliver had. Pulling my head out of the clouds, I realized that I was next.
"Lillian Rose Truscott . . ." the principal bellowed. As I walked across the stage, I silently prayed in my head that I wouldn't have a Lizzie McGuire moment and ruin the whole graduation ceremony.
Luckily, I somehow managed to maneuver my legs over to the teacher, lift a surprisingly steady hand to grab my diploma and shake hands with the teacher, and not trip and fall off the stage.
Hmm . . . what if I did do that? Knowing me, I'd probably turn such a bright shade of red that I could put a tomato to shame. Or maybe my friends would help me. Hopefully. We would probably disguise it as stage diving as the senior prank. But what if no one caught me? Oops, let's get back, shall we? We shall.
Anyways, I took my seat in the auditorium again and let it all sink in. Looking around, I recognized the familiar faces of classmates and I smiled to myself.
There was Sarah, grinning from ear to ear and smiling to herself for being valedictorian. I spotted Dandruff Danny, still as flaky as ever, sneaking a few waves to his proud parents. Amber and Ashley had actually managed to scrape their way through high school without being held back. Barely. A few rows ahead of me, Matt Marshal listened intently while the continued to drone on. Not too far away from him, Lu-kiss-every-girl-in-school was busy flirting with another girl, oblivious to the glares aimed at him from her boyfriend. Please, as if he hadn't dated practically every girl in the senior class. Whatever. Becca Weller was walking across the stage, still looking like a model in her yellow gown and I even saw Rico, the shortest of the group, fidgeting around in anticipation.
Last but not least, I saw my best friends. Miley was rolling her eyes at the arrogant jocks sitting behind her that we cheering on their friends obnoxiously while Oliver kept glancing at the clock, wishing for the ceremony to just end already. Jake was leaning back in his chair, clearly relaxed. Well, he was until he almost over and he frantically steadied himself. I tried my best to stifle my laughter.
Once the final names were read and everyone was seated, the head of the school district uttered a few boring words before the principal stepped up to the stand once more and said the words we were all dying to hear.
"I now present to you this year's graduating class!"
There was a rustling of chairs as the seniors, including me, leaped out of their seats and started cheering. We joyously threw our caps in the air as we laughed and cried in joy.
Cameras flashed and kids screamed and hugged each other. I found my friends and we all squealed happily as it rained blue and yellow caps.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
So . . . how was it? Was it good? Terrible? Have you ever had a completely embarrassing moment like in the Lizzie McGuire movie? Please leave a review and tell me what you think! It makes me smiley and I'll give you guys some more virtual cookies!
Peace, Love, and Music!
Parakeet17