Copy right 2002: Patty Hillard. Flames welcome. If you think I should do a
follow up chapter let me know at my email:
Tainted_Souls_N_Tarnished_Dreams@hotmail.com
Friday, May 24 2002 7:08 pm
Graduation "Saduation" 2002
Summery:
Grace and Andy were the best of friends. They laughed together at the same corny jokes and cried together at the same sad song. They even dated each other at the beginning of the year. But on Friday May 24 2002 at 2 pm, little did they know that everything was about to change for them forever. Their Love was never meant to be.
Graces POV:
Today was an unordinary morning. I woke up late which is unusual considering I'm usually up at 6 am. I had the hiccups, which was not a good thing. When I get hiccups I know something bad is going to happen soon. (I'm probably gonna be told somebody died today.) I thought, but realized how silly that sounded. How right that thought was. I threw on my favorite jeans and my #8 Dallas jersey, ready to do some serious damage at school on my finals. I curled my hair a little hoping to look a little different then I usually do for my Sr. friends to remember me dressed up instead of in uniform or in my favorite torn sweater. I figured the worst that could happen was I'd get detention for being late to school. I was wrong. Gods I was so wrong. And I wish I'd have paid more attention to my creepy feelings. Here's me and Andy's favorite song.
Andy's POV:
Today is great! I'm graduating in a few hours from the career center. And then I get to have a party after work. This will be great. I hope Grace can go. Hell I hope she's in school she has been sick all week. I throw on my favorite blue and white-stripped shirt that Grace loves. (Since she hates it when I wear red.) And a decent pair of pants before I go to my high school. But for some odd reason I can't help but be creeped out today. I guess I'm just really nervous. I head upstairs to grab my book bag and yell for my sister Heather to get up or she'll be late for school. Maybe that's it I'll have to take her to school. But I still can't help feel like it's something much worse going to happen today. I run back downstairs and grab my keys as I run out the door to get to school. It looks like rain. Oh well to late to get a coat now. Sides a little rain never hurt anyone. I smile today I'm gonna graduate and tell Grace I'm joining the army and then moving to Washington, D.C. to bad I didn't know that'd be the last thing I'd ever tell her. Wow our favorite song is playing. Normally country isn't my thing but this song is an exception.
*Sometimes late at night
I lie awake and watch her sleeping
She's lost in peaceful dreams
So I turn out the lights and lay there in the dark
And the thought crosses my mind
If I never wake up in the morning
Would she ever doubt the way I feel
About her in my heart
If tomorrow never comes
Will she know how much I loved her
Did I try in every way to show her every day
That she's my only one
And if my time on earth were through
And she must face the world without me
Is the love I gave her in the past
Gonna be enough to last
If tomorrow never comes
'Cause I've lost loved ones in my life
Who never knew how much I loved them
Now I live with the regret
That my true feelings for them never were revealed
So I made a promise to myself
To say each day how much she means to me
And avoid that circumstance
Where there's no second chance to tell her how I feel
If tomorrow never comes
Will she know how much I loved her
Did I try in every way to show her every day
That she's my only one
And if my time on earth were through
And she must face the world without me
Is the love I gave her in the past
Gonna be enough to last
If tomorrow never comes
So tell that someone that you love
Just what you're thinking of
If tomorrow never comes*
Author's POV:
Andy goes to his high school in Mineral Ridge while Grace goes to the career center. They are counting down the minutes hoping that lunch would come around soon to see each other one last time. Pity that they didn't realize that it'd truly be their last meeting. Or their last kiss. Well Grace studied for her Final exams that will be on Tuesday and Andy received his diploma from his high school. And by the time Lunch came around every body was too excited to really eat. Grace went to the cafeteria to find out they had to eat in the school restaurant and decided to have Andy eat with her, like old times for one last loving memory of them together. She really missed him but she knew she couldn't tell him and risk causing somebody else heartbreak. Grace just isn't like that. So they sat at lunch, made fun of the pictures she took, especially of her cousin Tad. And laughed until he got called to the cafeteria for the senior lunch and speech before graduation. They sat in the separate lunchrooms for 2 hours wishing they were still together. And hating the principal more and more for segregating the grades. When 12:30 rolled around everyone was hot, sweaty and very agitated to be locked away from his or her graduating friends. But the classes then went out the door to go to the high school for the main graduation ceremony. Grace being a loner by nature sat in the back by herself until two of her friends came over from cleaning up at the high school. But even then she felt terribly alone like something was still missing. But she just couldn't quite place it. The school plays one more song for the friends of the Graduates before the speech starts.
*If I Could Turn Back The Hands of Time
How did I ever let you slip away
Never knowing I'd be singing this song someday
And now I'm sinking to rise no more
Ever since you closed the door
Chorus:
If I could turn, turn back the hands of time
Then my darlin' you would be mine
If I could turn, turn back the hands of time
Then my darlin' you would be mine
Funny, funny how time goes by
And blessings are missed in the wink of an eye
Why oh why oh why should one have to go on suffering
When everyday I plead come back to me
CHORUS
BRIDGE:
And you had enough love for the both of us
But I, I did you wrong I admit I did
But now I'm facing the rest of my life a lone
CHORUS
I'd never hurt you (If I could turn back)
Never do you wrong (If I could turn back)
And never leave your side (If I could turn back)
If I could turn back the hands
There'll be nothing I wouldn't do for you (If I could turn back)
Forever honest and true to you (If I could turn back)
If you accept me back in your heart, I Love You
If I could turn back the hands
(If I could turn back) That would be my will
(If I could turn back) Darlin' I'm begging you to take me by the hands
If I could turn back the hands
I'm going down yes I am (If I could turn back)
Down on my bended knee yeah (If I could turn back)
And I'm gonna be right there until you return to me
If I could turn back the hands
(If I could turn back) If I could turn back the clock on the wall
(If I could turn back) Then I'd come to realize how much I Love you,
Love You, Love You, Love You, Love You
If I could turn back the hands*
Grace's POV:
That's a creepy song to play for graduation. It's more like a funeral song to me. Oh no not again. These hiccups are annoying. Man if this thing takes any longer I'll be asleep before they hand out the diplomas. ENOUGH WITH THE STUPID SPEECHES! So the school is closing big deal none of the students will miss it. Well I will because I finally got accepted by not only teachers but also my fellow students and made more friends this year then I have at my home school. I'm really going to miss it here, especially all my friends, and Andy. I want to cry so badly but then I'd look stupid. So all I can do is ignore the ceremony until they start calling names. Huh? Finally! They're calling the graduates names. *Eric Ashburn. * "Yea! GO ERIC!" * (Mean glare) Randy Biddle* "GO RANDY!"(Evil Glare) * Andrew Buckner* "ANDY!!! WAY TO GO ANDY!!!" (Big smile, finally a smile) * Bobby Ellston* "Yeah! Good Job BOBBY!!!" (Big smile and wave) *Eric Glunt * "Yea Eric!" *Justin Greyhouse* "YEA! Go destroy them cars Justin!!!" (Super Evil glare) * Victor Machio* ok don't know him but "Yea Victor!" * Cynthia Marsh* "WooHoo Go CYNTHIA!!!" *Merrill McVicker* "YEAH GO MCVICKER!!! WOOHOO!!!" (Evil glare) *Dana Miller* "Yea good Job Dana!" * Chad Wilkoff* "GO CHAD GET COOKING MORE COOKIES, COOKIE JUST DON'T POISON ANYBODY!!!" (Evil glare from Chad) Hee, hee, hee, hee. Umm. * Jesse Youngblood* "YEA JESSE! NO MORE CAR HITTING NOW! YOU OR ANDY!" (Evil glare from both Andy and Jesse) Geez is it me or does it seem like nobody wants my support. Can I help it if I'm a little too excited? Oh no not another speech. Huh? Wow it's already done!?! Great. "Hey McVicker come here and give me a hug! I won't get to see you no more." (Hug) "Bye" Andy is trying to fight his way through the crowd. "Andy hey congratulations! Gods I'm going to miss you. You're no longer a senior. And I can't have lunch with you no more now." We walk outside hugging each other. "Hey Bobby, Randy, McVicker, Chad. Congratulations! I hope you have fun. I'll miss seeing you guys. Bye" Andy and I walk towards his car and I look threw his book at his diploma.
Andy's POV:
I lean over and ask one of my friends "Why are they playing a funeral song for graduation," but he looks at me weird and says, "What song they aren't playing any sort of music." I'm so confused that everything up until Grace and I are outside is a blur. Man she looks so cute when she's smiling. I wish she'd smile more. It's weird how she seems to fit so well into my arms when I hugged her and even now while I holder her hand. I wish I didn't have to leave her yet. But there's no other way to stay here. Boy was that ceremony long though. I'm surprised that she managed to stay awake through the whole thing. She looks so tired today. I wonder why but I got a feeling that it might upset her if I ask her what's wrong. But at least I can support her for the time being. How could I have missed how sad she's been? Or how tired she looks. I just thought it was a simple lack of sleep but looking closer she looks like it's been weeks since she's had a decent sleep. I wonder what's wrong. Huh? She grabbed my hand again. It's cute watching her act so timid when normally she's very outgoing and playful. Now she seems like a lost little girl. Oh great somebody sprayed silly string on my car. Well I guess we gotta clean it up. "Hey Andy?" "Huh?" "I gotta go inside to get my stuff, do you want to go with me one last time?" "Sure. Why not?" We walk up to the building not even realizing until we get to the doors that she's holding my hand again. I hold the door open for her and she smiles a true and genuine smile. Then walks in holding my hand again. "Andy?" "Huh?" "You ready to run? I love running through these halls. I usually run to the cafeteria from first period and back to second before the bell (RIIINNGGGG) rings." She cringed a little when it rang and I thought it was funny how the bell seemed to ring on cue with her talking. We go to the classroom and get her books then we run to Brian's car. Her cousin Dana has her wallet and photo album. Grace takes them then she walks to my car with me. "Umm Andy? Can you give me a ride? Mine isn't here today I guess. Cause I don't see them anywhere." She looks so lost and it's starting to rain bad. "Yea sure." She stands at the side of my car waiting for me to unlock the back door and I get in telling her that Greg can sit in the back. She walks around and sits up front beside me and looks a bit nervous. Oh here goes that creepy feeling again. She leans over and hugs me twice. And I'm still hugging her when she looks at me and I kiss her. She looks surprised at first but then goes back to normal. Then I hear a knocking on the window thinking its Greg I unlock the back door. The person gets in but it's not Greg. I've never seen him before but Grace seems to have. She sits up and reaches for the door handle telling me to stay in the car, get Greg and leave. "What NO! I'm not leaving you here with this guy." "Please just do so, I don't want to lose you to." She hugs me and turns to open the car door when the guy pulls her back and pulls out a gun. Oh SHIT!
Grace's POV:
I was so surprised when Andy kissed me. I haven't kissed him since we were dating in October. But it seemed right for some odd reason. I hug him again when Greg knocks on the window. Andy unlocks the back door for him but when he gets in it's not Greg at all. But I know exactly who he is. It's my ex boyfriend Steve. Oh Shit I gotta get out of here and get him away from Andy. "Andy please stay in the car, get Greg and LEAVE!" "What NO! I'm not leaving you here with this guy." "Please just do so, I don't want to lose you to," I plead giving him a hug. I reach for the door handle books in hand handle in the other, when Steve grabs me by the back of my shirt and pulls me back. He pulls a gun out and aims it at me. Then at Andy. ('Oh SHIT' is right Andy.) "Well, well I see the little slut decided to go back to you ay Andy? Well did you fuck her, Huh? Did you? She was good wasn't she? But you know it's even better when you hold her down and force any position you want to do on her." He says taunting Andy. (Please don't take the bait Andy. Please. Shit he took the bait!) Andy lounges at Steve only to be hit in the face and thrown back into his seat. I decide that I can take the gun while he's distracted. I try to grab the gun from his hand but he turns it on me and shoots me in the chest. I can feel a rib break and the bullet practically explodes in my heart. I am too shocked to feel pain. The parking lot is still full of students they heard the gun shot. Here comes Greg and Taddy. Steve then shoots Andy in the head. I watch in numb horror as the bullet enters Andy's head. He slumps against the window breaking it with the force of his head hitting the window. Blood is everywhere. I open the car door and fall to the ground. The principal is there with a bunch of teachers and students. I sit on the ground crying because Andy is dead. I still don't feel any pain. Maybe I'm already dead and I got stuck on earth. Two big guys from Greg's class Nate and somebody else I don't know open the back seat and grab Steve. One hits the gun from his hand so it's on the back seat and the other holds him. I hear sirens as Tad picks me up and holds onto me. I just can't stop crying. The police and an ambulance arrive. They arrest Steve and take the gun. I have Greg grab my books and Andy's Diploma with all of his stuff before they take the car away. They put Andy on a stretcher and get ready to call for a second ambulance when I shake my head no. "No! I want to go with Andy! I NEED to be with him! Please? If he dies I want to be the last person he sees so he can die happy not scared. PLEASE?" I suddenly feel the pain but I don't know if it's from the bullet or from my heart breaking because I did this to Andy.
Andy's POV:
Grace is scared I can tell. I'm frightened as well. But for some reason I don't think she's scared for herself anymore. The guy who got in the car has just shot her in the chest. She has a more peaceful look on her face, and I think that she's dying. Oh please Grace don't you dare die on me not here not now. She looks scared all of a sudden I look up from her to the person in the back seat to see him raise the gun to my head and shoot. Then everything becomes so clear. Everything comes into focus. And I see Grace fall out of the car and I see Greg. Nate and Tad are with him Nate grabs the guy while someone else knocks the gun out of his hand. I look at Grace as Tad picks her up. She's shaking. I can't tell if it's because she's cold, crying or if she's convulsing from her body dying. I hear sirens then feel somebody lay me on a stretcher. They load me into the ambulance and I hear Grace screaming and fighting trying to get them to let her ride with me. Even with a bullet in her chest she's feisty, and that's why I loved her so much. I am tired of them telling her no. "P…please let her…c...come with …me. I…I need her…w…with me." They look extremely shocked and let her come with me. But Tad her cousin refuses to let her go. So they have him get into the back with us and he holds her on the way to the hospital. Nate has Greg get into Tad's car with him and they follow behind us. I look at Grace to see that she's starting to bleed really badly. I can't let her die. It's my fault he shot her. If I wouldn't have yelled at him he wouldn't have shot her. I look at the EMT and tell him to do me a favor. He looks at me and bends down to listen. "Please…if…if I die, I…I want you to…to give my heart and anything else needed to Grace. My li…license says or…organ donor. And…and…I want Grace to…to…have…m…my heart." He looks at me and the female EMT looks at me as well with tears in her eyes. They both agree to tell the doctor to do as I ask, then go back to working on an IV for Grace and me. She suddenly starts to shake uncontrollably and starts to cry again. Then she apologizes to me for getting me shot and says she's tired. She whispers I love you to me and her cousin Tad then leans into his chest and closes her eyes. They had a heart monitor hooked up to her and I watched in horror as it flat lined. But what can they do there's a bullet in her heart. They turn on the lights and sirens and start shouting over a loud speaker "EVERYONE CLEAR A PATH IMMEDIATELY! I REPEAT EVERYONE CLEAR A PATH IMMEDIATELY!!!" Shit she's dying in front of me. I don't understand how I am still alive with a bullet wound to the head and she has one in her heart and is dying in front of me. We arrive at the hospital as Tad removes her shirt and jewelry trying to keep them from having to cut her clothes off of her. They bring out a crash cart and Tad follows her while more surgeons, nurses, and doctors run up to me. I watch as they place us in a large operating room. Tad managed to get all of her belongings clothes and all before they could cut it off of her. I see them direct him out of the room as they put me under anesthesia.
Author's POV:
Andy lies on a bed as they work continuously to try to remove the bullet from his head. Miraculously the bullet didn't even crack his skull but it did do some damage to a few nerves and veins meaning that as soon as they removed the bullet from his head they had to have a neurosurgeon come in to repair the nerves and veins. But as for Grace her surgery was more complicated. They cracked open her rib cage and cut the bullet out as well as removed some bone fragments lodged in the hole in her heart. They then manage to repair her heart as well as fix a hole that was in her lung. Surprisingly they manage to fix her heart and remove the bullet with out having to do a heart transplant. The surgeons then sewed, stitched, and sutured up both Grace and Andy and put them in ICU for recovery. They placed an IV on Andy to do a blood transplant because it was easier to do his he was first. Grace was harder to find a match. Her blood type being AB- the only match they could find quick enough was sitting there holding her belongings. The nurse hooked up an IV to both Grace and Tad and a blood transfusion was then started. She received two pints. And then they rolled a cot into the room for Tad. No one had gotten a hold of her parents, only Tad's and Andy's. When they reached someone for Grace they were told the cancer had spread to her mother's brain killing her 2 hours prior to the surgery. They told her and Taddy when she awoke. Only to have her break down crying all-night and refusing to eat anything for the rest of the week. The 2nd week at the hospital both Andy and Grace were put on the 5th floor. They were given the same room and Taddy continued to stay by her side. Her best-friend Ben and brother Jon showed up together a day later along with a bunch of students from both the Sr. and Jr. classes at the career center as well as some of her and Andy's friends from their high schools. Recovery was slow but eventually Andy was released and then a week later Grace was released. She went home only to have to pack all of her and her mother's belongings. When she was finished she took everything to storage, and took some money to rent a house near her home school where she could keep her dogs. Her brother and best friend stayed with her for a few days to unpack her stuff and set up everything. Then they surprised her. And went to the landlord and taking all the money her classmates and fellow students raised they bought her the house. The insurance company already covered her hospital bill. And then they had some of the graduated Auto mechanics class work on her car. So by the time she was released she had a car a house and only two things missing her family and her mother. She managed to move on though. Andy went on to the army in Washington, D.C. Grace was told that Tad really wasn't her cousin after all. Jon moved to Michigan to be with his friend who eventually became his wife. Her best- friend Ben moved in with her and went to college. Tad and Grace married a year later. But tragedy struck again as Tad was hit and killed on her 23rd birthday while rushing to the hospital; she gave birth to twins, Cheryl Ann, Tad Jr. Her brother Jon divorced his wife and moved back to Ohio to take care of Grace and the triplets. Grace remarried to Ben in 2010. She became an elementary art teacher, teaching at McGuffy Elementary. Ben started working as a doctor in training at St. Joe's Eastland. In 2012 Jon died from falling off a roof at work. Grace and Ben had a son who they decided to name after her brother Jonathan Ross instead of Ben Jr. And then on Christmas 2064 Grace died in her sleep. She was laid to rest next to her first husband Tad, her 2nd husband Ben on the other side. And her mother, brother, father (who's body was flown up from Texas) and grandmother's graves near her as well. You could almost see heaven rejoicing over having their angel back. And you could, if you listened closely, hear the singing and laughter of her family as they hugged her and welcomed her back to the family.
THE END.
I do not own "If Tomorrow Never Comes" By Garth Brooks or "Turn Back The Hands Of Time" By R. Kelly. But I do own the story. This story is fictional, only some of the names are real. I also don't own St, Joe's Eastland or McGuffy Elementary. Flames and good reviews are welcome. Thanks.
AND CONGRATULATIONS 2002 GRADUATES!!!
Rogue MaCleod AKA Patty Hillard
Friday, May 24 2002 7:08 pm
Graduation "Saduation" 2002
Summery:
Grace and Andy were the best of friends. They laughed together at the same corny jokes and cried together at the same sad song. They even dated each other at the beginning of the year. But on Friday May 24 2002 at 2 pm, little did they know that everything was about to change for them forever. Their Love was never meant to be.
Graces POV:
Today was an unordinary morning. I woke up late which is unusual considering I'm usually up at 6 am. I had the hiccups, which was not a good thing. When I get hiccups I know something bad is going to happen soon. (I'm probably gonna be told somebody died today.) I thought, but realized how silly that sounded. How right that thought was. I threw on my favorite jeans and my #8 Dallas jersey, ready to do some serious damage at school on my finals. I curled my hair a little hoping to look a little different then I usually do for my Sr. friends to remember me dressed up instead of in uniform or in my favorite torn sweater. I figured the worst that could happen was I'd get detention for being late to school. I was wrong. Gods I was so wrong. And I wish I'd have paid more attention to my creepy feelings. Here's me and Andy's favorite song.
Andy's POV:
Today is great! I'm graduating in a few hours from the career center. And then I get to have a party after work. This will be great. I hope Grace can go. Hell I hope she's in school she has been sick all week. I throw on my favorite blue and white-stripped shirt that Grace loves. (Since she hates it when I wear red.) And a decent pair of pants before I go to my high school. But for some odd reason I can't help but be creeped out today. I guess I'm just really nervous. I head upstairs to grab my book bag and yell for my sister Heather to get up or she'll be late for school. Maybe that's it I'll have to take her to school. But I still can't help feel like it's something much worse going to happen today. I run back downstairs and grab my keys as I run out the door to get to school. It looks like rain. Oh well to late to get a coat now. Sides a little rain never hurt anyone. I smile today I'm gonna graduate and tell Grace I'm joining the army and then moving to Washington, D.C. to bad I didn't know that'd be the last thing I'd ever tell her. Wow our favorite song is playing. Normally country isn't my thing but this song is an exception.
*Sometimes late at night
I lie awake and watch her sleeping
She's lost in peaceful dreams
So I turn out the lights and lay there in the dark
And the thought crosses my mind
If I never wake up in the morning
Would she ever doubt the way I feel
About her in my heart
If tomorrow never comes
Will she know how much I loved her
Did I try in every way to show her every day
That she's my only one
And if my time on earth were through
And she must face the world without me
Is the love I gave her in the past
Gonna be enough to last
If tomorrow never comes
'Cause I've lost loved ones in my life
Who never knew how much I loved them
Now I live with the regret
That my true feelings for them never were revealed
So I made a promise to myself
To say each day how much she means to me
And avoid that circumstance
Where there's no second chance to tell her how I feel
If tomorrow never comes
Will she know how much I loved her
Did I try in every way to show her every day
That she's my only one
And if my time on earth were through
And she must face the world without me
Is the love I gave her in the past
Gonna be enough to last
If tomorrow never comes
So tell that someone that you love
Just what you're thinking of
If tomorrow never comes*
Author's POV:
Andy goes to his high school in Mineral Ridge while Grace goes to the career center. They are counting down the minutes hoping that lunch would come around soon to see each other one last time. Pity that they didn't realize that it'd truly be their last meeting. Or their last kiss. Well Grace studied for her Final exams that will be on Tuesday and Andy received his diploma from his high school. And by the time Lunch came around every body was too excited to really eat. Grace went to the cafeteria to find out they had to eat in the school restaurant and decided to have Andy eat with her, like old times for one last loving memory of them together. She really missed him but she knew she couldn't tell him and risk causing somebody else heartbreak. Grace just isn't like that. So they sat at lunch, made fun of the pictures she took, especially of her cousin Tad. And laughed until he got called to the cafeteria for the senior lunch and speech before graduation. They sat in the separate lunchrooms for 2 hours wishing they were still together. And hating the principal more and more for segregating the grades. When 12:30 rolled around everyone was hot, sweaty and very agitated to be locked away from his or her graduating friends. But the classes then went out the door to go to the high school for the main graduation ceremony. Grace being a loner by nature sat in the back by herself until two of her friends came over from cleaning up at the high school. But even then she felt terribly alone like something was still missing. But she just couldn't quite place it. The school plays one more song for the friends of the Graduates before the speech starts.
*If I Could Turn Back The Hands of Time
How did I ever let you slip away
Never knowing I'd be singing this song someday
And now I'm sinking to rise no more
Ever since you closed the door
Chorus:
If I could turn, turn back the hands of time
Then my darlin' you would be mine
If I could turn, turn back the hands of time
Then my darlin' you would be mine
Funny, funny how time goes by
And blessings are missed in the wink of an eye
Why oh why oh why should one have to go on suffering
When everyday I plead come back to me
CHORUS
BRIDGE:
And you had enough love for the both of us
But I, I did you wrong I admit I did
But now I'm facing the rest of my life a lone
CHORUS
I'd never hurt you (If I could turn back)
Never do you wrong (If I could turn back)
And never leave your side (If I could turn back)
If I could turn back the hands
There'll be nothing I wouldn't do for you (If I could turn back)
Forever honest and true to you (If I could turn back)
If you accept me back in your heart, I Love You
If I could turn back the hands
(If I could turn back) That would be my will
(If I could turn back) Darlin' I'm begging you to take me by the hands
If I could turn back the hands
I'm going down yes I am (If I could turn back)
Down on my bended knee yeah (If I could turn back)
And I'm gonna be right there until you return to me
If I could turn back the hands
(If I could turn back) If I could turn back the clock on the wall
(If I could turn back) Then I'd come to realize how much I Love you,
Love You, Love You, Love You, Love You
If I could turn back the hands*
Grace's POV:
That's a creepy song to play for graduation. It's more like a funeral song to me. Oh no not again. These hiccups are annoying. Man if this thing takes any longer I'll be asleep before they hand out the diplomas. ENOUGH WITH THE STUPID SPEECHES! So the school is closing big deal none of the students will miss it. Well I will because I finally got accepted by not only teachers but also my fellow students and made more friends this year then I have at my home school. I'm really going to miss it here, especially all my friends, and Andy. I want to cry so badly but then I'd look stupid. So all I can do is ignore the ceremony until they start calling names. Huh? Finally! They're calling the graduates names. *Eric Ashburn. * "Yea! GO ERIC!" * (Mean glare) Randy Biddle* "GO RANDY!"(Evil Glare) * Andrew Buckner* "ANDY!!! WAY TO GO ANDY!!!" (Big smile, finally a smile) * Bobby Ellston* "Yeah! Good Job BOBBY!!!" (Big smile and wave) *Eric Glunt * "Yea Eric!" *Justin Greyhouse* "YEA! Go destroy them cars Justin!!!" (Super Evil glare) * Victor Machio* ok don't know him but "Yea Victor!" * Cynthia Marsh* "WooHoo Go CYNTHIA!!!" *Merrill McVicker* "YEAH GO MCVICKER!!! WOOHOO!!!" (Evil glare) *Dana Miller* "Yea good Job Dana!" * Chad Wilkoff* "GO CHAD GET COOKING MORE COOKIES, COOKIE JUST DON'T POISON ANYBODY!!!" (Evil glare from Chad) Hee, hee, hee, hee. Umm. * Jesse Youngblood* "YEA JESSE! NO MORE CAR HITTING NOW! YOU OR ANDY!" (Evil glare from both Andy and Jesse) Geez is it me or does it seem like nobody wants my support. Can I help it if I'm a little too excited? Oh no not another speech. Huh? Wow it's already done!?! Great. "Hey McVicker come here and give me a hug! I won't get to see you no more." (Hug) "Bye" Andy is trying to fight his way through the crowd. "Andy hey congratulations! Gods I'm going to miss you. You're no longer a senior. And I can't have lunch with you no more now." We walk outside hugging each other. "Hey Bobby, Randy, McVicker, Chad. Congratulations! I hope you have fun. I'll miss seeing you guys. Bye" Andy and I walk towards his car and I look threw his book at his diploma.
Andy's POV:
I lean over and ask one of my friends "Why are they playing a funeral song for graduation," but he looks at me weird and says, "What song they aren't playing any sort of music." I'm so confused that everything up until Grace and I are outside is a blur. Man she looks so cute when she's smiling. I wish she'd smile more. It's weird how she seems to fit so well into my arms when I hugged her and even now while I holder her hand. I wish I didn't have to leave her yet. But there's no other way to stay here. Boy was that ceremony long though. I'm surprised that she managed to stay awake through the whole thing. She looks so tired today. I wonder why but I got a feeling that it might upset her if I ask her what's wrong. But at least I can support her for the time being. How could I have missed how sad she's been? Or how tired she looks. I just thought it was a simple lack of sleep but looking closer she looks like it's been weeks since she's had a decent sleep. I wonder what's wrong. Huh? She grabbed my hand again. It's cute watching her act so timid when normally she's very outgoing and playful. Now she seems like a lost little girl. Oh great somebody sprayed silly string on my car. Well I guess we gotta clean it up. "Hey Andy?" "Huh?" "I gotta go inside to get my stuff, do you want to go with me one last time?" "Sure. Why not?" We walk up to the building not even realizing until we get to the doors that she's holding my hand again. I hold the door open for her and she smiles a true and genuine smile. Then walks in holding my hand again. "Andy?" "Huh?" "You ready to run? I love running through these halls. I usually run to the cafeteria from first period and back to second before the bell (RIIINNGGGG) rings." She cringed a little when it rang and I thought it was funny how the bell seemed to ring on cue with her talking. We go to the classroom and get her books then we run to Brian's car. Her cousin Dana has her wallet and photo album. Grace takes them then she walks to my car with me. "Umm Andy? Can you give me a ride? Mine isn't here today I guess. Cause I don't see them anywhere." She looks so lost and it's starting to rain bad. "Yea sure." She stands at the side of my car waiting for me to unlock the back door and I get in telling her that Greg can sit in the back. She walks around and sits up front beside me and looks a bit nervous. Oh here goes that creepy feeling again. She leans over and hugs me twice. And I'm still hugging her when she looks at me and I kiss her. She looks surprised at first but then goes back to normal. Then I hear a knocking on the window thinking its Greg I unlock the back door. The person gets in but it's not Greg. I've never seen him before but Grace seems to have. She sits up and reaches for the door handle telling me to stay in the car, get Greg and leave. "What NO! I'm not leaving you here with this guy." "Please just do so, I don't want to lose you to." She hugs me and turns to open the car door when the guy pulls her back and pulls out a gun. Oh SHIT!
Grace's POV:
I was so surprised when Andy kissed me. I haven't kissed him since we were dating in October. But it seemed right for some odd reason. I hug him again when Greg knocks on the window. Andy unlocks the back door for him but when he gets in it's not Greg at all. But I know exactly who he is. It's my ex boyfriend Steve. Oh Shit I gotta get out of here and get him away from Andy. "Andy please stay in the car, get Greg and LEAVE!" "What NO! I'm not leaving you here with this guy." "Please just do so, I don't want to lose you to," I plead giving him a hug. I reach for the door handle books in hand handle in the other, when Steve grabs me by the back of my shirt and pulls me back. He pulls a gun out and aims it at me. Then at Andy. ('Oh SHIT' is right Andy.) "Well, well I see the little slut decided to go back to you ay Andy? Well did you fuck her, Huh? Did you? She was good wasn't she? But you know it's even better when you hold her down and force any position you want to do on her." He says taunting Andy. (Please don't take the bait Andy. Please. Shit he took the bait!) Andy lounges at Steve only to be hit in the face and thrown back into his seat. I decide that I can take the gun while he's distracted. I try to grab the gun from his hand but he turns it on me and shoots me in the chest. I can feel a rib break and the bullet practically explodes in my heart. I am too shocked to feel pain. The parking lot is still full of students they heard the gun shot. Here comes Greg and Taddy. Steve then shoots Andy in the head. I watch in numb horror as the bullet enters Andy's head. He slumps against the window breaking it with the force of his head hitting the window. Blood is everywhere. I open the car door and fall to the ground. The principal is there with a bunch of teachers and students. I sit on the ground crying because Andy is dead. I still don't feel any pain. Maybe I'm already dead and I got stuck on earth. Two big guys from Greg's class Nate and somebody else I don't know open the back seat and grab Steve. One hits the gun from his hand so it's on the back seat and the other holds him. I hear sirens as Tad picks me up and holds onto me. I just can't stop crying. The police and an ambulance arrive. They arrest Steve and take the gun. I have Greg grab my books and Andy's Diploma with all of his stuff before they take the car away. They put Andy on a stretcher and get ready to call for a second ambulance when I shake my head no. "No! I want to go with Andy! I NEED to be with him! Please? If he dies I want to be the last person he sees so he can die happy not scared. PLEASE?" I suddenly feel the pain but I don't know if it's from the bullet or from my heart breaking because I did this to Andy.
Andy's POV:
Grace is scared I can tell. I'm frightened as well. But for some reason I don't think she's scared for herself anymore. The guy who got in the car has just shot her in the chest. She has a more peaceful look on her face, and I think that she's dying. Oh please Grace don't you dare die on me not here not now. She looks scared all of a sudden I look up from her to the person in the back seat to see him raise the gun to my head and shoot. Then everything becomes so clear. Everything comes into focus. And I see Grace fall out of the car and I see Greg. Nate and Tad are with him Nate grabs the guy while someone else knocks the gun out of his hand. I look at Grace as Tad picks her up. She's shaking. I can't tell if it's because she's cold, crying or if she's convulsing from her body dying. I hear sirens then feel somebody lay me on a stretcher. They load me into the ambulance and I hear Grace screaming and fighting trying to get them to let her ride with me. Even with a bullet in her chest she's feisty, and that's why I loved her so much. I am tired of them telling her no. "P…please let her…c...come with …me. I…I need her…w…with me." They look extremely shocked and let her come with me. But Tad her cousin refuses to let her go. So they have him get into the back with us and he holds her on the way to the hospital. Nate has Greg get into Tad's car with him and they follow behind us. I look at Grace to see that she's starting to bleed really badly. I can't let her die. It's my fault he shot her. If I wouldn't have yelled at him he wouldn't have shot her. I look at the EMT and tell him to do me a favor. He looks at me and bends down to listen. "Please…if…if I die, I…I want you to…to give my heart and anything else needed to Grace. My li…license says or…organ donor. And…and…I want Grace to…to…have…m…my heart." He looks at me and the female EMT looks at me as well with tears in her eyes. They both agree to tell the doctor to do as I ask, then go back to working on an IV for Grace and me. She suddenly starts to shake uncontrollably and starts to cry again. Then she apologizes to me for getting me shot and says she's tired. She whispers I love you to me and her cousin Tad then leans into his chest and closes her eyes. They had a heart monitor hooked up to her and I watched in horror as it flat lined. But what can they do there's a bullet in her heart. They turn on the lights and sirens and start shouting over a loud speaker "EVERYONE CLEAR A PATH IMMEDIATELY! I REPEAT EVERYONE CLEAR A PATH IMMEDIATELY!!!" Shit she's dying in front of me. I don't understand how I am still alive with a bullet wound to the head and she has one in her heart and is dying in front of me. We arrive at the hospital as Tad removes her shirt and jewelry trying to keep them from having to cut her clothes off of her. They bring out a crash cart and Tad follows her while more surgeons, nurses, and doctors run up to me. I watch as they place us in a large operating room. Tad managed to get all of her belongings clothes and all before they could cut it off of her. I see them direct him out of the room as they put me under anesthesia.
Author's POV:
Andy lies on a bed as they work continuously to try to remove the bullet from his head. Miraculously the bullet didn't even crack his skull but it did do some damage to a few nerves and veins meaning that as soon as they removed the bullet from his head they had to have a neurosurgeon come in to repair the nerves and veins. But as for Grace her surgery was more complicated. They cracked open her rib cage and cut the bullet out as well as removed some bone fragments lodged in the hole in her heart. They then manage to repair her heart as well as fix a hole that was in her lung. Surprisingly they manage to fix her heart and remove the bullet with out having to do a heart transplant. The surgeons then sewed, stitched, and sutured up both Grace and Andy and put them in ICU for recovery. They placed an IV on Andy to do a blood transplant because it was easier to do his he was first. Grace was harder to find a match. Her blood type being AB- the only match they could find quick enough was sitting there holding her belongings. The nurse hooked up an IV to both Grace and Tad and a blood transfusion was then started. She received two pints. And then they rolled a cot into the room for Tad. No one had gotten a hold of her parents, only Tad's and Andy's. When they reached someone for Grace they were told the cancer had spread to her mother's brain killing her 2 hours prior to the surgery. They told her and Taddy when she awoke. Only to have her break down crying all-night and refusing to eat anything for the rest of the week. The 2nd week at the hospital both Andy and Grace were put on the 5th floor. They were given the same room and Taddy continued to stay by her side. Her best-friend Ben and brother Jon showed up together a day later along with a bunch of students from both the Sr. and Jr. classes at the career center as well as some of her and Andy's friends from their high schools. Recovery was slow but eventually Andy was released and then a week later Grace was released. She went home only to have to pack all of her and her mother's belongings. When she was finished she took everything to storage, and took some money to rent a house near her home school where she could keep her dogs. Her brother and best friend stayed with her for a few days to unpack her stuff and set up everything. Then they surprised her. And went to the landlord and taking all the money her classmates and fellow students raised they bought her the house. The insurance company already covered her hospital bill. And then they had some of the graduated Auto mechanics class work on her car. So by the time she was released she had a car a house and only two things missing her family and her mother. She managed to move on though. Andy went on to the army in Washington, D.C. Grace was told that Tad really wasn't her cousin after all. Jon moved to Michigan to be with his friend who eventually became his wife. Her best- friend Ben moved in with her and went to college. Tad and Grace married a year later. But tragedy struck again as Tad was hit and killed on her 23rd birthday while rushing to the hospital; she gave birth to twins, Cheryl Ann, Tad Jr. Her brother Jon divorced his wife and moved back to Ohio to take care of Grace and the triplets. Grace remarried to Ben in 2010. She became an elementary art teacher, teaching at McGuffy Elementary. Ben started working as a doctor in training at St. Joe's Eastland. In 2012 Jon died from falling off a roof at work. Grace and Ben had a son who they decided to name after her brother Jonathan Ross instead of Ben Jr. And then on Christmas 2064 Grace died in her sleep. She was laid to rest next to her first husband Tad, her 2nd husband Ben on the other side. And her mother, brother, father (who's body was flown up from Texas) and grandmother's graves near her as well. You could almost see heaven rejoicing over having their angel back. And you could, if you listened closely, hear the singing and laughter of her family as they hugged her and welcomed her back to the family.
THE END.
I do not own "If Tomorrow Never Comes" By Garth Brooks or "Turn Back The Hands Of Time" By R. Kelly. But I do own the story. This story is fictional, only some of the names are real. I also don't own St, Joe's Eastland or McGuffy Elementary. Flames and good reviews are welcome. Thanks.
AND CONGRATULATIONS 2002 GRADUATES!!!
Rogue MaCleod AKA Patty Hillard