Chapter 1: Heads
Spencer's POV
"Spencer Carlin Graduates! Spencer Carlin Graduates!"
Averting my attention from re-pinning my graduation cap to my hair, I turn to throw a blank stare at my girlfriend, who is maneuvering her black Porsche into a parking spot at the high school.
She puts the car into park, and turns it off before beaming at me, proud of her clever little joke.
So I guess I should explain the joke.
Ashley is not yelling an announcement of what today is and the accomplishment I am about to achieve like a proud girlfriend.
No, let me back up a bit.
So I have this older cousin in Ohio, Kate. And Kate is about ten years older than me. So Kate's Dawson's Creek was a little show called Beverly Hills 90210.
You following me?
Okay, here's more information.
So Kate told me that Ashley and I should rent the DVD collection of 90210 and watch it. It was apparently the rage, but I was far to young to watch it when it originally aired.
And so we did. It took us months upon months, but we watched the entire series of that show, a few episodes a night when we had time.
And we missed a plot line here and there. Most nights we'd end up fooling around…
SO anyway, you remember the episode when Donna, aka Tori Spelling, got all wasted before the prom? And then they almost did not let her graduate?
Well, let's just say my Ashley found that episode pretty hilarious. She walked around screaming "Donna Martin Graduates!" through the halls at school for a week.
And she received many looks…very similar to the one I am giving her now.
So back to present. NO, my sweet girlfriend is not making a proclamation. She's quoting 90210.
And it is taking all the restraint I have not to completely lose it.
And all restraint is gone. One look at her proud face, and it's all over.
"Baby, you are a complete goofball," I tell her sweetly as my laughter dies and I pull her into a tender kiss.
Pulling back she yanks tenderly on my blond curls, careful not to mess up the cap I have worked so hard to secure.
"I'm proud of you baby," she replies as she gives my face a few loving strokes. "You ready to do this thing?" She throws me a twinkling smile before hopping out of the car and beckoning me to follow her.
I slowly climb out of the passenger side and make my way around to her, smiling again as she takes my hand in her own.
Starting towards the front doors, we are met with some fellow graduates, who are adjusting caps and smiling nervously.
"Hey, guess what?" she asks a few classmates before we open the door to go inside.
They throw her confused and questioning looks as she turns and thrusts both arms in the air.
"SPENCER CARLIN GRADUATES!"
And I yank her firmly by one arm and drag her inside the school.
…
"Marcus Brock!"
I hear a few screams and hollers from the crowd as Mark takes the stage, proudly accepting his diploma with a handshake from Principal Beasley.
Ok, I'm next.
"Spencer Carlin!"
Oh. My. God.
Was that a bullhorn?
I avert my attention from the diploma that is being thrusted towards me to find my family on their feet, and my girlfriend with a large horn-shaped object in her hands.
And she's jumping up and down, almost manically.
I laugh out loud and give her a small wave before accepting my diploma and re-taking my seat.
But not before hearing…
"I LOVE YOU SPENCER CARLIN!"
Shaking my head lovingly up at her, I mouth:
I love you too.
After a few more names are rattled of…I hear another familiar one.
"Aiden Dennison!"
And there's the blow horn again.
…
The after-graduation party is at the beach. Kyla, Chelsey, Aiden and I have finally rid ourselves of the sweaty polyester gowns and are stripped down to bikini tops and shorts.
Well, minus the bikini top for Aiden, though sometimes…I wonder…
Glen and Madison are making an 'appearance' and we have not failed to chastise them both for being the 'losers' who came back to the high school parties. Though secretly I am glad they are both here.
The bonfire is burning steadily, and a line has formed at the keg. Ashley grabs two cups and fills them before re-joining the crew.
"Hey, where's mine?" Aiden pouts as she hands one to me before kissing me quickly on the lips.
"I'm not your bitch," she smirks as she throws an arm around my shoulder.
"That's right. She's MY bitch," I remind him, eliciting laughter from everyone.
Well, everyone except Ashley. In fact, the pout on Aiden's lips transfers quickly to Ashley's, who turns to me, attempting to pull an apology from me.
"Baby…" she protests, causing me to smile and tilt my head endearingly towards her. "Oh, who am I kidding?" she confesses before capturing my lips again.
I pull her into a loving embrace before casting a look of triumph at the dumfounded faces who have witnessed the whole scene.
Totally whipped.
"Alright, I'll get a round, but I need help carrying. Come on meathead." Glen signals for Aiden to follow him to the keg. "Alright you fucking losers. Out of the way. King High alumni in your presence!"
Aiden stands behind him, sticking his chest out, daring anyone to argue.
And I just laugh and shake my head, sharing eye rolls with their respective girlfriends.
…
As the last of the fire burns out, leaving barely more than glowing embers, I watch as people start to clear the beach slowly…and drunkenly might I add. Cabs are lining the edge of the beach, and I see a few disgruntled parents pulling their inebriated graduates into their cars.
The seven of us are huddled closely on blankets, finishing the last of our warm beers, swapping stories about our glory days, which ended officially today. I am leading into Ashley's chest and she has her arms wrapped securely around my stomach.
"Dude, you were drugged out of your mind. Your opinion hardly matters," Aiden teases Glen, who was in the midst of telling a pretty hilarious story about Aiden in French class last year.
"Whatever, man. If you ask me, you were the one smoking something," he retorts. "So anyway, he leans in and asks the chick if she wants him to tutor her. And he asks her in French. And to translate…he asked her if she wanted to come to his 'building' after 'work' to 'look at' some 'papers' with him. Or some shit like that. It was PA-THETIC."
"Shut up man. She thought I was charming." He throw Kyla a Cheshire Cat grin and wiggles his eyes at her.
"Yes, I am sure she was snowed, babe," she groans through rolled eyes.
We all laugh, sharing in her pain somewhat.
"You know what I will never forget, though?" Chelsey intervenes as Aiden pulls his face from Kyla's neck.
We all turn our attention to her.
Chelsey is usually a little less silly than the rest of us, and we are bracing ourselves for a tear-fest as she continues.
"When Ashley told Ms. Hudson that Kyla ate her homework before getting detention. Well after winking at Ms. Hudson and imitating cunnilingus before walking out of the classroom." She stares blankly at Ashley before bursting into laughter, joined again by the rest of us.
"Yeah, I mean for that to be a sign of what I was gonna do to Spencer after school, by the way," she chides and it's my turn to roll my eyes at my significant other. "What? I did…and then I DID." She winks at me and I feel my face grow hot.
Yeah…she really did.
"Well, judging my Ms. Hudson's preference for Polo Shirts tucked into khaki pants, and her unusually short finger nails, I'd say she put you in detention, on her week to be on duty, for a very purposeful reason," I smirk through a wink.
"Yeah, not my type," she states dismissively before taking my hand in her own and sucking on one finger. "I like fingernails," she informs me as she bites softly on my nail.
"Oh yeah, you like them scratching…"
"OKAY, OKAY, ENOUGH!" Glen yells before covering his ears and slamming his eyes shut. "Jesus, it's bad enough I have had to hear it a few times," he moans before opening his eyes again, his expression pained.
"Lucky bastard," Aiden mumbles before yelping as Kyla's flat palm smacks his chest.
"Alright, gang. As fun as this is, I need to get my baby home so we can celebrate her accomplishment properly." She looks right at Glen when she says this, and he moans again before pulling Chelsey to her feet.
"For the sake of all things holy in this world, get me out of here. And please tell me she's staying at your place tonight," he practically begs as she helps me to my own feet.
"Yeah, but I am pretty sure you'll still hear us," she throws over her shoulder as we turn to start up towards the beach. "Hey, breakfast at Ed's in the morning," she suggests and everyone nods in agreement. "But not too early, Glen, if you know what I mean."
"ASHLEY!"
And that's the last thing we hear as the laughter drowns out the rest of his ramblings.
Well almost the last thing…
"SPENCER CARLIN GRADUATES! SPENCER CARLIN GRADUATES!"
…
"You want to know my favorite thing about you?" she whispers as she wraps her arms firmly around my face, pulling me close enough to steal another loving kiss, as we wrap up into one another in post-coital bliss.
"What?"
"Your eyes…" She kisses the corner of one softly, causing me to close them gently. She then places two kisses on my closed eyelids.
"Is that it?" I tease as I open them again to meet her stare.
"No…I also love your cute little button nose," she whispers again as she places a tender kiss on the tip.
"Anything else?" I stroke my hands through her sweaty brown curls as she laughs softly.
"Jeez…tough crowd," she smirks. "But NO…that's not it. I love your silky blonde hair, how it always smells like coconut," she exhales before burying her face into my locks, inhaling deeply.
I feel my body grow flushed as she presses more firmly against my front before pulling back.
"That all?" I continue, secretly loving every moment of this flattery.
"Well, in case you have not figured it out, I love every little thing about you, baby," she says honestly as she stares deeply into my eyes.
"That's cheating."
"Okay, fine, fine. I love your beautiful, soft forehead," she continues before placing a long wet kiss to it.
And I decide that although I would love for her to list of every single part of my body, I'd rather her actually just get down to the business of ravishing the parts she has yet to mention.