A MassiexTodd graduation themed one shot. Hope you enjoy! This is for all of you who are graduating/have graduated this year! Congratulations!
When you were ten, it was more acceptable. People would say, "Oh, how cute. He's just a little boy with a crush." But over the years, as you dated girls your age and pretended to get over her, you knew it would be less acceptable if the world knew you liked her, because she, the most popular freshman-turned upperclassman in school would never fall for you, the lowly eighth grader-turned freshman-turned sophomore, and your crush could no longer be considered "cute".
But here it was, your last chance to show her how much she meant to you. Knowing you absolutely sucked, you practiced for hours and hours, wanting to play every note perfectly for her. Yeah, she was your sister's best friend, and yeah she was not as snooty as she once was, but you still wouldn't see her much this summer before she went off to UCLA, and you wanted to leave a good last impression. You slip your arms into the silly band jacket over your button down shirt—you know she loves a guy in a crisp button-down with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows. Grabbing your tuba, you run down the stairs to where your mom is waiting impatiently, complaining that Claire chose to ride to the graduation in the Range Rover. You roll your eyes. Who wouldn't choose the Range Rover over your mom's Ford?
Tapping your feet and humming Pomp and Circumstance in the passenger seat is driving your mom crazy, but you do it anyway, wishing for the billionth time that you had your own car. The instant the car comes to a stop in the parking lot of BOCD High's soccer field, you throw the door open and run to where all the other band kids are setting up stands and such on the stage, not wanting to be seen with your mom for even a second. You hear her shout something after you, but completely ignore it. You set up your stand and tune with the rest of the band. Being the only tuba, you are one of the few who get their own stand. They have recorded music playing over the speaker system as parents file in early, wanting to get good seats.
You chuckle as your mom leads to your dad to the first section of rows clearly marked "reserved for graduates" before getting into an argument with the usher. You laugh politely as the cute girl who plays trumpet and sits in front of you makes some witty comment about parents and their lack of reading abilities or something… you don't listen because you know Massie would have come up with something much better anyway. You can hear squealing from behind the stage, where the graduates are getting in alphabetical order.
You take a deep, calming breath when the band instructor signals to get ready—you've practiced for so long and are determined to play perfectly. And of course you somehow manage to, even if you come close to messing up when you see her walk in, head held high, hair still shining magnificently, even under her cap which is stylishly decorated with purple rhinestones. Wait, knowing her they are probably some kind of real gem. Everything is going right as you hold the fermata at the end of Pomp and Circumstance: You didn't mess up, and now, as part of the band, you get to sit on the side of the stage during the ceremony, which is likely the best seat in the house.
You sit through the principal's droning, and perk up to hear Kristen's valedictorian speech. It was a no brainer that she'd get it and lucky you, Claire is salutatorian. Way for her to not put any pressure on you; you'll have to remember to thank her for that later. They both make brilliant and profound and interesting speeches, but it's not like you'd be able to repeat them if asked. The kind of speeches that are nice while they last, but when they're over, they're over. Hey, no one had asked for anything more than that.
You expected the most boring part to be when everyone walked across the stage to receive their diplomas, but that part was actually quite entertaining what with all the whistles and cheers everyone got. Of course you cheered for your sister and all her friends, including those boys they always hang with, but loudest for Massie. She daintily climbed the stairs and walked across the stage earning what would be the loudest cheer of the night, and sitting so close, you hope she heard that your cheer was definitely the loudest. She smiles her brilliant smile as the cameras flash, and you can't help thinking that this will be one of your last memories of her.
The sad thought is soon replaced when the principal returns to the mike and shouts, "Congratulations to the class of 2009!" cheers erupt as the sky is soon raining '09-tassled caps. As soon as you are done playing the march as the graduates leave, you stash your tuba in its case, slip out of the ridiculous band jacket, and race to find Claire. Because, of course, she will be with Massie.
When you find them, you surprise Claire by giving her a huge hug from behind. Finally having grown taller than her, you are able to lift her up and spin her in a circle, yelling "congratulations!" She squeals, and turns around to hug you with a big "thanks" once you put her down. You compliment her and Kristen on their speeches, congratulate Alicia and Dylan, bump fists with all their guy friends, and accept praise for playing in the band along with the backhanded compliments about how you suddenly don't suck anymore. Then you turn to Massie, but are interrupted by none other than your mom, wanting pictures. You wait patiently as she snaps photo after photo, gushing over how grown up everyone is and that her baby is done with high school.
Finally she decides she's taken enough and leaves you alone. You turn to Massie for a hug, and she calls you cute in your button down, says you were great in the band, that she'll miss you and your antics when she is in California. You decide that she must be in a good mood, because this attention isn't standard. You are grateful that they let you hang with them until everyone starts to leave for the after-party Massie's hosting for the whole class in NYC. Of course, not having been invited, you turn to go to the Ford and wait for your mom, when someone catches your arm from behind. It's Massie, bringing you the tuba and band jacket you'd left on stage and placing a quick kiss on your lips before hoping in the range rover and heading for her party. Stunned, you look after the car as it drives away with many arms waving bye to you out the window. And even though you know the kiss was a friendly gesture and nothing will ever come of it, you can't help thinking that even if you didn't leave a nice, lasting impression on Massie Block, she sure as hell left way more than a lasting memory on you.
Hope you liked it! again, congratulations! if you feel like it, it'd be nice if you reviewed.