Haruhi straightened her denim skirt that cut off mid-thigh. She wore a dark purple halter that ruffled elegantly down the middle and dressy black flats. Her hair was down with some of it pulled into a pony tail on the back of her head. A white rose clung to her left ear. The outfit was simple, and tasteful. Perfect for the graduation party she would go to after the ceremony.
"Well mom… This is it. I need you now more than ever, please...please watch my speech." She smiled before Kotoko's shrine.
"She'd be proud Haruhi." Ryojji stated from the door way.
"You think so?" She bowed her head.
"Of course. Look at you," He knelt down next to her. "You're graduating from high school to become a lawyer just like you dreamed. You had a great time and you made great friends and even then, you got straight A's. I'm sure she'd weep with joy at the beautiful young woman you've become." He hugged her to his chest.
"I miss her a lot Dad." She simply said. One tear fell slowly from her eyes, but she refused to grieve today. Today she would celebrate. Today they'd cheer for her, and she'd finally leave to chase her dreams. So no, it was NOT a day to cry. It was a day to laugh, to smile, and hey, if along the way she loosened up enough she'd probably party.
Three knocks were heard at the door, breaking the sweet moment.
"Okay…Go, graduate, become an adult." Ranka wiped a stray tear from his eye.
"Love you dad." She kissed her dad's cheek and rushed toward the door.
"You ready?" The twins asked in unison. She nodded meekly and the three trotted toward the limo.
"Nervous?" She asked the two. "Ha! We've been waiting for this day for years!" Hikaru laughed.
"If anything, we're probably a little upset about this." Kaoru finished. "You?" They asked together.
"Well…..Yeah mostly." She chuckled.
"Well let's loosen up then!" Hikaru shouted clicking a button in the car. Loud music began to blast while Kaoru opened the sunroof.
"Graduation day! Graduation Da-a-ay!" They all sang together. The car eased toward the school's sports field. (Graduation's held there.)
"And of course, we honor our student's efforts and achievements." Headmaster continued.
"Now our school's valedictorian was chosen to make our traditional speech. Ladies and gentlemen, Haruhi Fujioka." He backed away from the microphone allowing Haruhi to step forward. The crowd roared at their high school friend. She pushed her tassel out of her face and laughed nervously.
"U-Um. Sometimes, we think of Ouran a-as a safe place where we call home. Am I right?" She got no response but a cough from somewhere in the crowd.
"O-Oh…Me either." She laughed. Haruhi turned around and skimmed over the graduates nervously to find one…just trustworthy friend. The room froze as she spotted a blonde haired lavender eyed male. He wore a black cap and gown as did the rest and yet he somehow stood out.
Say something he mouthed.
Haruhi's head snapped forward. She looked out into the crowd.
"Um…I'm," She looked down at her speech and like a train; it hit her smack across the face.
Haruhi smiled.
"You know what?" She grabbed the flashcard she made and ripped them to shreds.
"I spent this whole week coming up with sugar coated words and silly little formalities, when in actuality, Ouran Private Academy is the most brutal place I have ever been in my life!" She breathed with gusto.
"In my three years here at Ouran, I have been bullied, I've been criticized, I've been forced into awkward situations, I've pretended to be a boy for the first year I was here," She paused for air. "And I've been truly and honestly happy for the first time since I can't remember." A sad smile graced her features.
"When I walked into Ouran Academy, I had not the slightest clue that I'd be walking into the best years of my life!" Haruhi slammed her hands onto the podium.
"Ouran Academy has taught me that no, life isn't just studying and business, as some would like you to believe, it's a life and a future, with friends that stay by your side, even when they're not next to you physically." She threw her emotions perfectly into this speech's delivery.
"In other words, I love about every person I've come into contact with in this school…Ouran isn't just a staff of students and teachers…it's a family." By now she was crying.
"Ouran will follow me until the day I die. I know that Ouran lies within everyone here as well." She motioned to the students behind her.
"Thank you." Haruhi bowed and walked toward her seat as the crowd roared.
The headmaster composed himself and approached the podium.
"I now here-by declare these Ouran students class of 2010, free of Ouran Academy's classes, though not its memory's." He smiled as the students behind him screamed and threw their caps into the air.
The party went on after and everyone was talking, dancing and, overall, having a great time celebrating.
Tamaki sat next to Haruhi casually sliding her a small smile.
"That was a lovely speech Haruhi." He said in his 'Host' mode.
"Yeah thanks." She smiled back
"Haruhi, I'm sorry I left. I promise I won't do that anymore." He took her hand.
"Are you okay? You know…with your grandma?" Haruhi looked pained.
His eyes closed for a moment.
"She'll be happier now…with Grandfather." He sighed.
She looked at him smiling brilliantly.
"That's very mature sempai, but I haven't seen you in years and I want a hug." She laughed, leaning into him.
He complied and hugged her back.
"I love you." He whispered. Feeling her tense he shoved her away from him.
"What…?" She stared blankly.
"I know you have law school, and I know you're going to become a great lawyer but the reason I wanted to wait until you graduated to see you…" He stopped dead, for Haruhi began to cry. So much for not crying today. She laughed bitterly to herself.
"I'm sorry." He wiped a tear from her cheek. "Nothing's changed…You can forget I said that." He stated quietly. "Why would I?" She clutched his hand on her cheek.
"Well you-"
"You idiot…" She looked down.
"Haruhi I-"
"You leave me, us! For three years, come back finally tell me this and you're sorry?!" She spat.
"I'm so sorry Haruhi." He tried to pull his hand away, she clutched it tighter.
"No…stop. I don't want you to be sorry about this. You made me who I am today by everything that's happened." She looked up at him. His eyes were tormented.
"I won't wait anymore Tamaki. You're saying this means that you promise you won't leave like you did." She showed desperation.
"Haruhi…?"
"You promise?" She held up her pinky with a childish grin. She was miraculously making jokes at a time like this.
"I promise." He wrapped his pinky around hers, smiling broadly.
The music playing around them flooded the two graduate's ears.
She leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on his mouth. He happily kissed back.
Haruhi wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned forward so she mouth was to his ear.
"Guess what." She whispered playfully.
He smiled.
"I love you" They sighed together as the final line of the song played.
If I ever…leave this world…Alive...
So what'ya think? :]