Disclaimer: WE DO NOT OWN NED"S DECLASSIFIED SCHOOL SURVIVAL GUIDE!! ….darn…

The Locket

I finger the locket that is hanging around my neck. I smile to myself, remembering when I got it, at the graduation ceremony in eighth grade.

At the graduation ceremony, Mr. Wright had asked Ned to give a speech, since he had given so much help to the student body throughout our three years of middle school.

--

"Hello my fellow Polk students!" Ned winces at the corniness of the sentence, but Cookie gives him a thumbs up from the audience. "Middle school is full of new experiences. There are a lot of firsts; like a locker and actually changing clothes for gym class. There are a lot of new things, too; teachers, friends, and a new school in general. There are a lot of changes in middle school; making friends, losing friends, and seeing friends in a new light," Ned looks at me and smiles. I feel myself beginning to blush.

"I know that I, personally, have made friends I intend to keep for the rest of my life. I can't see myself without them by my side. Especially one friend in particular, who I've known my whole life, and I really want to keep it that way." I notice Ned fumbling with something behind the podium. "I –err- have something that I, umm, wanted to give to –ow! - her right now." My heart begins to beat faster, and I feel the eyes of the entire room on me. It seems like everyone knows what's coming before I do.

Ned walks down from the stage, looking at me with love in his eyes and a goofy grin on his face. I look over at Cookie, who is dabbing a Kleenex at his eyes and smiling in his regular Cookie fashion. I feel like I know what's going to happen, but it's so surreal I almost don't believe it. Ned finally reaches me and takes my hand.

"Stand up with me," He whispers. I look around and hesitantly stand up. My eyes catch on Suzie's, and her face looks hard. She's knows that Ned would never do something like this for her. And she hates it.

"What's going on?" I whisper back. He just smiles and I notice something sparkly dangling from his right hand. My breath catches in my throat.

He lets go of my hand, reaches out and fastens a necklace around my neck. I know that everyone is watching us, but it doesn't matter. The only thing I can see is Ned.

--

I reach my locker and find Ned waiting for me, leaning against my locker.

"Move," I say, trying to push him out of the way. Unfortunately, the days when I was stronger than him have passed.

"What's the password?" He asks with a smirk.

I let out an exasperated breath. "You do this all the time. Why do you insist on playing these silly games?"

His smirk grows wider. "I promise this time it'll be worth it."

"I highly doubt that when the password last time was 'underpants'." I say annoyed.

He just smiles at me. "I told you. This time it will be worth it!"

I sigh. "Fine. 'Please and thank you'?" I guess.

"Do you really think the password would be please and thank you?" He asks amused. "This isn't Kindygarten."

"Kindygarten? Wow Ned. Wow."

"Come on we only have four minutes left. Guess!" He commands.

"Okay, okay. How about 'Ned is the supreme ruler of all.'"

"Ha-ha! That's a good one. I actually might use that next time."

"Alright then," I say pondering the possible passwords. "I got it!" I shout triumphantly as I smile at him.

"I love you," I say happily.

"Almost," He says grinning. "Let me give you a hint."

He leans in and closes the small distance that is between us. His lips are on mine in a matter of seconds. A feeling sweeps over me, it's the same amazing feeling I get whenever we kiss, that's different, yet the same every time. He breaks the kiss, leaving me breathless. His eyes look down to the necklace that he had given me all those years ago. He fingers it and smiles.

"I remember when I gave you this."

"I was just thinking about that." I say in response.

On the front of the locket is the year that we graduated, and on the back is our initials. When you open the locket there is a picture of Ned and I on our first date.

"I don't think I've ever seen you without that thing on since I gave it to you. Do you ever take it off?" He asks me curiously.

I blush. "I take it off when I take a shower." I say defensively.

I give him another kiss, and I can feel his smile against mine. We break the kiss and he steps aside, giving me room to open my locker.

He looks at the clock, and his eyes grow wide. "Shoot, we have a minute!" He says. I look around to see the hallway empty. I quickly grab my book, then take Ned's hand.

"Let's go!" I say, and we rush off to our next class, hand in hand.

We get to class just as the bell rings, and we smile at each other, taking our seats on opposite sides of the room. I bring my hand to the locket and a thought occurs to me.

Most relationships don't last from eighth grade all the way the way to senior year. But we did.

A/N:

We were hanging out, reading some of our old stuff, and we had a strange urge to write some fluffy Noze stuff. You like? I hope so. Or else! Just kidding. We wouldn't harm you in any way for disliking out fic! –shifty eyes-

REVIEW, s'il vous plait! :3

-The Famous Country Gurl, and the Freak.