N: Merry Xmas and happy holidays from WritingSux and I! here is a chapter! it's the last chapter of our beloved girls in high school. We now embark on the adult trials and tribulations of these two! read on! review it and love it! but basically tell us what you think!

Graduation day –

I was nervous, beyond nervous, I was petrified. In less than four hours, I would be standing in front of the school delivering a speech about young minds and the future.

Fudge.

I hadn't thought about this part as I was too caught up in Bo and our relationship for the last month. That is until Mr. Aberdeen stopped me in the hallway last week handing me the program outline for graduation. My name right at the top underneath commencement speaker.

I stared at the purple gradation gown hanging from the top of my closet doors. My life had changed so much and so fast since the night of the spring fling when Bo and I gave in to our love for one another. The next day it felt like everything started to move in fast forward with quick pauses where Bo and I would cave to explosive teenage hormones and do things that made me blush if I let my thoughts drift too long.

I was leaving for California in two days to get setup at Stanford for next month's classes. Tamsin was coming with me so she could get the apartment ready for the both of us. Then I would come home for a week, pack my things and head west. Bo would be on that second flight with me, her parents had agreed to let her spend a handful of weeks in the Golden State before she had to come home and get ready for her fall semester at RISD.

Leaning forward on my knees, I closed my eyes trying to calm the storm in my stomach. Today was going to suck hard.

"Lewis! You decent?" Tamsin poked her head in the crack of my bedroom door.

I didn't look up, just nodded with my head in my hands, "Yes."

"Thank god, I don't think I'll ever recover from last weekend and walking in on you and Bo in the bathroom." Her eyes grew wide, "The things the porn channels never prepare you for." She flopped down next to me on the bed, poking my side, "You two are like rabid rabbits, trying to procreate like it's the end of the world."

I groaned, lifting up to look at my best friend, "Tamsin, I apologized a thousand times for that. Even bought new sheets for the guest room." I smiled taking in that Tamsin looked amazing in the simple pale blue dress she chose for today. Her hair was up and way, neatly done up with more care than her usual ponytail or letting her wild blonde hair flow as it may. She had light makeup on that brought out the softer side of her intense green eyes. "You look really nice."

She rolled her eyes, poking me again, "Shut up." She then looked at the gown on the closet. "Holy shit, we made it, Lewis. Three stage steps and an hour long ceremony away from being officially classified as adults."

Raising an eyebrow, "I'm still sixteen. I can't buy cigarettes or vote, so technically…"

"Technically you and you're girlfriend have banged it out enough times to put any adult to shame. You have the brain of ten million adults trapped in that head of yours and who gives a fuck that your sixteen fresh out of a learners permit. You'll be a bigger adult than I will ever be." Tamsin hugged me, "I'm so proud of you, Lauren. You've grown into a real lady with a huge set of balls. California better be ready for what we're going to do to it."

I hugged her back, chuckling, "Thank you, Tamsin. It's all your fault I'm like this now." I smiled letting go and moving to stand up.

Tamsin smoothed out her skirt, "So when's Bo getting here? Your mom said the grandparents will be here soon. My dad will meet us at the auditorium." She looked around the room, "He wants to come to dinner tonight with the family, if that's okay?"

I nodded, "Of course it is." Tamsin had been fully adopted by my parents and my grandparents over the last few months. Anywhere I went, she tagged along and when her dad was in town, he would often stop by for family dinners at my house. It was a strange blended family and it was amazing.

I let out a slow sigh, reaching for the gown, "Bo is meeting us there." I ran my hand over the cheap material, "She's been acting really weird the last two weeks." I glanced at Tamsin, "It's making me nervous."

Tamsin looked away from the box of X-files shirts I had packed, "Weird how? Every time I see you two together, it's disgusting in a Hallmark romance movie kind of way."

I shook my head, "She's been distant. We talk about the future, California and she gets weird. Changes the conversation or distracts me…by doing things." I cleared my throat, staring at the floor, "I get nervous that she's going to break up with me. That this long distance thing isn't her thing."

Tamsin stood up, huffing and shaking her head, "I know I tell you a million times, Lewis, but you need to hear it again. That cheerleader adores you, loves you, covets you and all the other romantic bullshit that we learned about in English Lit." She placed a hand on my shoulder, "You have to stop worrying that Dyson is going to do something or that this whole thing with Bo and you is a really elaborate prank. I saw the way she looked at you the morning after spring fling. It was like she was about to give birth to your puppies right there on the hardwood floor and propose to you."

I blushed, rolling my eyes, "Shut up." I bit my bottom lip, trying to hold back the grin. "I just love her so much, that I'm scared it's not real."

"Oh it's real. My guest bedroom knows it. The back of Bo's Camaro, those sad Star War sheets know it and I heard a rumor you and Bo did it in the back of the chem lab supply closet." She looked at Princess Leia on my pillow. "Poor Leia, kissing your brother seems so tame now compared to what you've seen here. Lewis and Dennis naked cage match."

"Shut it! My mom might hear you." I shoved the blonde, my face a bright red. I should stop telling Tamsin everything. Including how Bo and I christened my bedroom two weeks ago instead of working on her biology homework. Overall Bo and I had been exploring the new level of our relationship to a point that I wondered if it was healthy to have that much sex. I couldn't help it, she had unlocked a side of me that was incredible and I was addicted to her like I had been to a certain redheaded FBI agent. But Scully didn't have the amazing boobs Bo did.

Tamsin laughed at me, moving to pick up my bag, "Move it Lewis. We have pictures to take, so shake off the lovely shade of apple red on your face."

"I'll be down in a minute." I reached for my graduation cap, thinking about the weirdness that had been Bo. She had been acting extremely strange since the one morning we went back to her house before going to the park with Tamsin. She ran up to her bedroom with an envelope in her hand while I sat and chatted with her parents. Trying very hard to ignore the knowing looks her father was giving me, knowing that I had broken the gentleman promises he placed upon me. When she came back down, she was different. Mildly distant and nervous until we met up with Tamsin.

And that was how it had been over the last few weeks. Bo would be normal and fine until we were in the same room alone. She would get worse if I asked about her fall classes, change the subject and ask me about random weird things. Bo was acting weird and my worst fears were boiling up.

Bo was going to break up with me, I could feel it.

All because of a bunch of stupid states in our way.

I took in a slow breath when I heard my dad call me downstairs.

"Breathe Lauren before you pass out." My mom grinned at me as I stood off to the side of the stage I was about to take. She smoothed out my hair, "Your dad and I are so proud of you."

I shrugged, reaching for my missing glasses, having gone with contacts for the day, "You knew I was going to be valedictorian when I was in the sixth grade. This isn't a surprise."

My mom laughed, "No it isn't, but the incredibly strong, beautiful young woman you've become is what has made us very proud." She shook her head, "Who knew you had it in you?"

I shrugged again, looking out in the crowd to see Tamsin sitting at the end of the row next to my empty seat, looking bored and annoyed to be in the front row with the rest of the nerds. I smiled, still in disbelief that she was second in the class. My eyes moved to the empty seat on the other side of her where Bo was supposed to be. My smile faded, "Have you….have you seen Bo?"

My mom nodded, "I have. She's behind you waiting for her turn." She pulled me into a hug, squeezing me tightly, "I love you, Lauren. Also, I know what you two did in your bedroom. Do it again, and I will be a childless mother." She pulled back, patting my bright red cheeks, laughing, "Can't hide secrets from a professional secret keeper."

I bent my head down, whispering, "I'm sorry."

Her hand lifted my chin up, "You should be, but I'm happy in a weird way that you've found your way to someone who loves you." She shrugged exactly like I did, "Upside, I never have to worry about a teen pregnancy."

I groaned and covered my face while my mom kissed the side of my head and walked away laughing.

Two seconds later, I felt warm hands pulling my hands from my face, "Lauren, you look like you're about to throw up all over the floor."

I looked up into the bright brown eyes of my girlfriend, feeling my nervous heart skip with excitement like it did every time I looked at her. I couldn't help the stupid grin from covering my face, "Hey, I was looking for you."

Bo grinned, kissing me quickly, "I was tied up with my parents. They want to take me to dinner after the ceremony." She looked down at our hands tangled together, "But I'm free after and I…I want to talk to you about something." She furrowed her brow nervously, "And I hope you're not mad when I tell you that something."

I felt my stomach tumble like a rock into my stomach and squeezed her hands, "You can tell me now, Bo." I let out a slow stream of air, this was it. If she was going to break up with me, I wanted it to happen now and not drag it out.

Bo shook her head, meeting my eyes again, "After. After all of this, I will tell you." She looked over her shoulder at Mr. Aberdeen waving at me to get ready. "I should go sit down." She kissed me again, "We will have all the time later to talk." Our foreheads met as Bo closed her eyes, whispering in a ragged voice, "I love you so much Lauren Lewis, it's ridiculous how much I love you."

I swallowed hard as she leaned back, searching her glassy eyes for some sign of the impending doom. I saw nothing but her love and it settled me, I licked my lips and whispered out a few words that might have been I love you, but I was in panic mode and trying to hide it.

Bo winked at me and hustled away, her own purple graduation gown flowing like a purple cloud as she ran down the stairs to sit next to Tamsin.

I stared at the two of them for a minute to calm down before Mr. Aberdeen pulled me to the stage.

I scanned the auditorium at the graduating class of 1996, catching people smiling and waving my way. All people I had helped over the last year, and it helped to settle me down. Then I hit the cool kids sitting in the back, glaring at me. Dyson was flipping me off while Ted and Bev giggled, swigging from a mountain dew bottle I knew had more vodka than soda in it.

I tilted my head down towards the podium where I had a small card with the words, "I want to believe" written on it in Tamsin's handwriting. It made me smile and focus. I cleared my throat and looked up, finding the people I loved as I spoke and delivered the speech of my life.

"I can't help it, I have to piss so bad. It's all that free lemonade back at the snack table." Tamsin was holding her gown up as she rushed towards the girl's bathroom outside the auditorium.

"Or it could have been the four dozen cookies you ate while your dad asked me about helping you get into the computer science program, then drowned down with four gallons of that weird lemonade Mr. Carp's wife made." I half ran behind her, needing to escape the crowd of people congratulating me on Stanford and the epic speech I just gave. "We need to hurry up, my mom and dad want to get to the restaurant soon. My dad has been complaining about being borderline starved for the last hour." I swallowed hard, "That and Bo wants to talk to me about something."

Tamsin rushed down the hall, "About what? Doing it in the locker room? Or on Mr. Carp's desk as a last hurrah?" She giggled at me, "It's no big Lewis, she told me she wanted to talk to me later as well while we sat on those cold ass metal chairs, kept asking me if an hour commute from our apartment to UC Berkley was a crazy commute. I told her I didn't fucking know, or cared since we were living right outside of campus. She probably wants me to the best man at your wedding."

I rolled my eyes as Tamsin took the last corner like a race car and ripped the heavy wooden door open to the bathroom, tossing me her cap before it closed. I didn't even think about why Bo was asking about UC Berkeley, Callie was going there in the fall and mentioned us all getting together right before the semesters started.

I leaned against the wall, looking around at the lines of metal lockers that had been the walls that witnessed my strange evolution from gangly Nerdo Lewis to Lauren Lewis, valedictorian of the class of 1996. I was still gangly, but I was growing into myself and actually stood tall enough to look at the lockers. See how they were all different colors and decorated with stickers, pictures and words of encouragement for the next senior class. I smiled to myself, how funny the world looked when you actually looked up from the floor to face it head on.

I shook my head, flipping Tamsin's cap over to see she had placed a picture of Bo, her, and I at the spring fling. I grinned, feeling so many things in that moment.

"Hey Lewis."

I shot my head up at the sound of Ted's voice and glared at him. "Ted."

He smiled softly, holding his hands up, "I'm not here to do anything stupid. I know Tamsin is in the bathroom and my nose just stopped hurting." He took a step closer, "I just wanted to tell you that your speech was cool. It got me thinking about shit."

I nodded, smiling tightly, "Thank you." I looked over my shoulder, hoping Tamsin was done and about to come out.

"I feel like a dog for what I did to you at the swim meet." Ted looked down at the floor, "One of these days I will learn to not be a follower."

I stared at him, confused why he was doing this. Apologizing for terrorizing me for the last handful of years, "Well, I hope you learn it sooner than later." I pushed off from the wall, looking around for Dyson. "Where is Dyson? You two are always attached at the hip."

Ted raised his head, "He's around the corner, talking to your girlfriend. I took the moment to go to the pisser and found you here. Thought I would say my piece when I had the chance, before Dyson found me." He smiled tightly as the bathroom door pushed open, Tamsin walking out, blowing out an exaggerated sigh of relief.

Ted's eyes grew to the size of small tires, "Yeah, I should go." He turned and ran down the hallway and disappeared into the men's room.

"What the fuck was Ted doing?" Tamsin's voice turned icy.

I handed her cap back, "He wanted to apologize for being a jerk and thank me for my speech? I guess? I don't really know." I turned to look down the way he had come, "But he said Bo was around the corner talking to Dyson."

Tamsin heard the urgency in my tone and shoved me, "Go, go get your girlfriend. I'm going to back to the parents." She smirked at me, "If you have to, make eye contact with Dyson then launch a knee into his balls. He never sees it coming. If I had an idea, he's probably trying to apologize to Bo. Her mom let it slip to my dad that they found out he had been terrorizing you. They told his parents and he has to spend the summer working at his uncle's rubber plant to learn how to be a man."

I raised my eyebrows in disbelief and laughed, "The poor bearded rich kid has to work at Bilson's Rubber Manufacturing?"

Tamsin winked at me, "Yup, cleaning the pits in the heat of the summer. He's going to smell like the piece of shit he really is for months." She shoved me, "Go, stand up to the fuckface once more before he's nothing but a glimmer in our rearview mirror."

I smiled and turned to walk around the corner. Knowing what Dyson's immediate future held, gave me a strong sense of strength. I could face him one last time, maybe kiss Bo in front of him before we walked away hand in hand towards our own future.

I drifted away in thoughts of the future and turned the corner, looking up at the sound of Bo's soft voice.

But what I saw, nothing could ever prepare me for it.

Bo was kissing Dyson. Her hands were on the side of his face, her fingers tangled in that stupid nasty beard of his. She was kissing him, hard. He had his arms wrapped around her waist and it was clearly a passionate, intense kiss that they both were enjoying.

I stared for a second, hearing a soft whimper come from Dyson as he pulled her closer and they continued to kiss.

All of my fears became a reality. Bo was breaking up with me because she had gotten back together with Dyson. This whole thing between her and I was a lie, a lie to get Dyson back and destroy me. The nerd.

I closed my eyes and spun around, running back towards the auditorium. I wanted to vomit, scream, and break and the brick walls around me. Instead I ran, ran as fast as I could as the tears streamed down my face, my heart breaking into a million pieces with every step I took in the low heeled flats Bo chose to go with the pale grey dress I wore under the gown.

I kept running as the tears turned into sobs, I had to cover my mouth from letting out a sharp cry of the pain my heart breaking. I ran past the open doors and barely heard Tamsin yell my name, I was too focused on getting out of the building and out to the fresh air.

I exploded out into the sunny spring day, sucking in as much of the clean air as I could to slow down my sobs. I ran right to where my parent's car was parked next to Tamsin's dad's silver corvette. I ran in-between them and threw up immediately, crying as hard as I ever had in my entire life.

After I threw up, I fell back against the side of the silver corvette and slid down to the ground, covering my face as I cried like the idiot I was.

"Fucking A Lewis! We need to sign you up for the track team…." Tamsin came around the back of my parent's car, looking down at me. "Oh fuck, what happened!?" She crouched down next to me, wiping at my cheeks.

I sniffled around choked sobs, "Bo…Dyson…they….kissing in the hall. She's back with him" I scrunched my face up, gasping, "This. Her and I…it was a lie. She…used me."

I watched as Tamsin clenched her jaw, her face turning that one shade of pale red that told the world she was about to destroy much of it. "Where they fuck are they."

I shrugged, shaking my head, "Back inside by the bathrooms outside the auditorium."

Tamsin went to stand up, her fists clenching, "I will fuck them both up to the point dental records won't be able to identify their remains."

I grabbed her arm, tugging her back, "Don't. Leave it, leave them. Just take me back to your house." I used her strong arms to get back on my feet. I stared in her green eyes, "Does your dad still have that standby perk at the airline?"

Tamsin nodded, "He does." She looked over her shoulder at the crowd of people rushing out of the school. "Why?"

I looked down at the ground, my heart mixed in with the vomit, "I want to leave tonight, I can't be here anymore. I can't see her or be reminded of her." I closed my eyes, "I don't think you'll understand."

Tamsin sighed, wrapping her arms around me in a tight hug, "I do, Lauren. You're my best friend and I'll do whatever you ask of me." She huffed, "I can't believe that stupid fucking cheerleader had the fucking audacity to do this to you. A fucking year long prank and I didn't even see it. I'm a fucking idiot for letting this happen to you, Lauren."

I squeezed her harder, looking up to see our parents coming over, "I was the idiot, Tamsin. An idiot to ever think that I could have a Bo and be in love with someone like her and ever think she'd love me back. I am a fucking idiot." I sniffled into her shoulder.

Tamsin leaned back, "Did you just say fuck?"

I closed my eyes, "Can we go? Before I throw up again or contemplate doing something stupid by letting you go find those two." I swallowed down the need to throw up, thinking back on all the things I gave Bo, mainly my entire heart.

"We can, I'll tell my dad we need to stop off at your house to change before we meet your parents. I'll call the airline while you shower." Tamsin opened the back door to my parent's car after my dad saw us and unlocked it from afar.

I sat down, wiping more tears away, "Thank you."

"Never ever have to thank me, Lauren. I'll always be there." She shut the door to greet my parents, giving me a chance to recover.

A minute later my mom and dad hopped in, my mom looking back at me with a look on her face, "Are you okay? Tamsin said you needed to stop at home before we went to dinner."

I plastered a fake smile, pushing out some words, "I got the after show nerves. Threw up outside from everyone praising me. You know how I can get in a crowd."

My mom squinted at me, "Yeah, I do." She squinted a second longer, "Are you sure you're okay?"

I nodded, looking out the window, "Totally."

My dad piped in, getting my mom to focus on getting us out of the parking lot before we got stuck in the impending traffic jam of everyone leaving at once.

As she started the car, I looked back at the doors. Watching the flood of purple gowns and parents exit. Smiling, happy excited to be moving on to the next phase of their lives or on to the greatest summer of their lives. I pressed my head against the cold glass feeling the car back up, when I saw Bo running out of the doors, pushing people out of the way. Dyson two steps behind her.

She stopped in her tracks at two cars away from my moms and we made eye contact. There was a look in her face that I couldn't read and it forced me to close my eyes as the tears rushed forward.

The last thing I saw of Bo Dennis was her standing next to her new boyfriend with his arm around her, grinning that wolfish grin and kissing her cheek.

And I left the heart she broke in a puddle of tears and vomit, with only one thought in my head.

I never wanted to see her again.

XXxxXXxx

Graduation day.

Who would have thought that I would have made it to this point? I almost didn't but thanks to Lauren and her big, beautiful brain I was graduating and walking across that stage today. I smiled a little as I thought about the soft spoken, insecure nerd that Lauren had been before everything had happened between us and with Tamsin. In the months since that god awful day at the swim meet Lauren had transformed into this wonderful person who had managed to steal my heart. I sighed then chuckled to myself. I sounded like some crappy romance movie that I watched on those days when I need a good cry.

I walked to my closet and I opened the door and I pulled out the hideous purple graduation gown that I was being forced to wear in public. I was going to look like Grimace in it. I scowled at the polyester material for a second then I turned around and walked over to my bed with it and laid it down. I looked at myself one more time in the mirror and my hand automatically went to the necklace that was hanging around my neck. I grinned at myself. Besides graduating today I was going to tell Lauren that I had gotten in UC Berkeley which was only an hour and a half away from Stanford. After the whole not getting accepted to Stanford my mom encouraged me to apply to NYU while my dad continued to push me towards RISD. I was still determined to be close to Lauren so I looked for schools that were close to Stanford. That was how I found UC Berkeley. So I applied to the ones in California and NYU to get my mom off my back. I got into both.

I was going to surprise Lauren tonight with my acceptance letter to UC Berkeley and a necklace. The necklace matched mine which was the other half of a heart and hers had my initial on the back while mine had her initial on the back. It was something cute that would remind of us each other. But before I gave her the two presents I was going to show her my NYU acceptance letter first as a joke. I was surprised I was able to hide it from her this long because I was terrible at keeping secrets. Anytime Lauren asked me about the fall semester or if I needed help setting up my course load I would throw myself at her or I would change the subject to something that would make her forget that she had asked me about college. I knew it was awkward but I didn't know what else to do but tonight the two of us were going to go camping at our spot and I was going to tell her and we would celebrate.

I heard a quick knock on my door and I turned to see my mom standing in the doorway. She had tears in her eyes and I just smiled at her. I understood her overreaction because it was nothing short of a miracle that that I was graduating. Before I could react she was wielding a camera and the flash went off. I blinked a couple times and remembered why I hated occasions like this. This is why I was going to elope if I ever decided to get married.

The spots didn't clear so I rubbed my eyes and said, "Mom cut it out. I'm surprised you still have film."

My mom was winding up the camera for her next shot then she set the camera on the bed before coming over to me. She began to fuss over me and said, "Your father bought all the film at the drug store, so we have film until it expires in 2001." My mom ran her hand over my hair and her eyes started to shine with tears. "I'm so proud of you Bo."

I stopped looking in her eyes and glanced down at the carpet that was on my floor. "Yeah well, we both know that we owe this day to Lauren." I chuckled a little then remarked, "If it wasn't for her I would probably be repeating the twelfth grade."

My mom chuckled and moved away from me as she said, "If you hadn't turned your act around you would have been sent to military school." I gawked at her and she looked up from my jewelry box which she smiled. "It crossed my mind once or twice. Wear your grandmother's earrings they would go well with your dress." I took the earrings from her and as I put them on she commented, "Is that a new necklace?"

I put the back on the left earring and told her, "Yeah it is."

"From Lauren?" I bit the inside of my bottom lip as I thought about what I was going to say because I had used my credit card to buy mine and Lauren's necklaces. I must have taken too long to answer the question because my mom asked again, "Bo did Lauren give you the necklace?"

I went over to my bed and I picked up the hideous graduation gown. As I took it off the hanger I tried to come up with any half-truth that would work but I decided the truth would be more logical since my mom would find out anyways. I put the gown on and avoided my mom's gaze as I told her, "I bought it. I bought Lauren and I both necklaces." I paused for a second then continued, "With my credit card."

I mentally prepared myself for what was coming but the scolding never came. I looked at her and I saw that small smile that was on her face and was worried about what was about to come next. If she told me had to work at the company for the summer I was going to lose my shit.

My mom walked over and she adjusted the gown then zipped it up for me. "You know when you father was trying garner my affections he didn't have the funds to do so, but he worked hard and he bought me small simple things, go out on cheap dates or something." A grin came to her face as she continued, "And when he gave me those small gifts I remember how I felt. I felt special that someone this wonderful and thoughtful would have gotten me something." My mom looked in my eyes. "Lauren will love whatever you gave her because it came from you. It doesn't matter the price Bo."

I played with my piece of the heart and said, "I know mom but I just wanted to give her something that showed her that no matter how far apart we are I'll always be thinking about her." I chuckled and remarked, "Granted we'll be only an hour and a half away but the sentiment is still the same."

My mom smiled at me and said, "I'm certain it is. But in any case Bo….I will be expecting repayment on however much you spent on those. That's not why your father and I gave you a credit card." She sighed then a sad smile came to her face. "I can't believe you're going to California."

I took hold of her hand and said, "I'm certain you and dad will be there every month to visit and I'll have Lauren and Tamsin nearby so I won't be alone or anything." I grinned and added, "And you don't have to worry about me getting good grades because Lauren has me covered there mom. I'll be okay."

My mom blew out a breath then said, "I know you will be Bo. I'm just…" She trailed off then finished with a forced smiled, "I'm just being your mother." She wrapped her arms around me and gave me a hug. "I love you Bo."

I hugged her back and tears formed in my eyes as I returned the sentiment, "I love you too mom."

She held me for a moment then as she let go of me she commented, "And with you in California it means I won't be subjected to you and Lauren's uh…active sex life."

I felt the blood drain from my face and I started to stammer, "I, I, I have no idea what you were talking about mom. Lauren and I have never-"

"Cut the crap Bo." My mom said holding up her hand. "Remember how I said I was working late that one night about a month ago and I actually ended up coming home early?" I nodded my head. "Yeah well I got home a lot earlier than you thought I did."

I felt the blood drain from my face. Of course she would have heard me and Lauren because I thought we had the house to ourselves so I wasn't concerned about being heard and once I had Lauren preoccupied she didn't care either. It took me a week to reassure her that my mom didn't hear us. This was something I wasn't going to tell Lauren. "Oh my god! Please tell me you didn't tell dad."

My mom laughed then said, "Do you think Lauren would be over here so often if your father knew?"

I blew out a breath of relief. Not only would my dad would have killed me, Lauren would have probably denied me sex until we graduated college. I drew in a deep breath then said, "Don't tell him until I'm like forty or just don't tell him and definitely don't tell Lauren."

My mom laughed again and this time I laughed with her because the situation was pretty funny.

"Bo, Colleen, can we get a move on please?" My dad bellowed up the stairs. "I want to get a good seat."

"If I didn't love him…" My mom said before she walked over to the doorway of my room to shout, "Phil, give us a second. We're having a mother-daughter moment."

I walked over to my full-length mirror to make sure that I looked good and to check that the necklace was hidden under the grown then I walked out of my room with my mom following behind me. When we got to the main floor of the house my dad got a huge smile on his face and said, "I might have to start going to church because I swear I didn't think this would happen."

My mom gestured for him to move closer to me and said, "Go stand next to her Phil. We'll take a few pictures before we go."

My dad stood next to me then he wrapped his arm around my shoulder. He gave the side of my head a kiss and whispered, "I'm proud of you Bo." I couldn't fight the grin that broke out my face and I hugged my dad as my mom took pictures.

In the post-graduation commotion I had lost Lauren and Tamsin. My parents, grandparents, and a couple of other relatives were probably looking for me but I wanted to congratulate Lauren and tell her what I thought about her speech. I had heard it before today when she had been writing it but I still wanted to let her know how the whole class seemed to have hung onto her every word. I was close to yelling out Lauren's name when I heard someone call my name. I turned around to find Bev walking towards me. I rolled my eyes in annoyance. I was so excited that I would never have to see her fake, superficial ass ever again. When she was close to me she held up her diploma and said, "I told you we would make it."

I scoffed and remarked, "I actually worked for my grades and though they weren't the greatest I still earned them. I didn't have to have my parents bully the administration into letting me pass."

"Geez Bo I was coming over here to be civil towards you and congratulate you but clearly you think you're better than everyone around you." Bev retorted which turned the conversation into one that I no longer wanted to be a part of.

I shook my head and remarked, "Whatever Bev. I got to go. I'm looking for Lauren and Tamsin."

"Oh she and Nerdo bolted out of here."

I eyed her for a second. I wanted to punch her in the face but instead I took a deep a breath and thanked her then headed out of the auditorium to look for Lauren and Tamsin. I walked by the snack table and when I didn't see at least Tamsin I was about to go find Lauren's parents, but then heard my name being called again. I swear I just wanted to find my girlfriend. I let out an irritated breath and turned around to see Dyson coming towards me. After my run in with Bev I didn't want to hear whatever bullshit he was about to spout off. I turned around and began to walk away from me. I felt him grab my arm and he dragged me down a hall that wasn't too crowded. I shoved him away and said, "Fuckin let go of me asshole."

"Wow dating that nerd has done wonders for you vocabulary Bo." He remarked with a smug grin on his face.

I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him. "What the hell do you want Dyson?"

He looked away and scratched the back of his head then his eyes met mine again. "Look I'm sorry about how everything went between us. Tamsin must have told you that I'm working at my uncle's factory because of all the shit that I did to Lauren."

"Serves you right." I said as I continued to glare at him. He didn't deserve my forgiveness for all the shit he did to Lauren. He was lucky that I was able to show restraint and didn't punch him in face.

Dyson let out a frustrated sigh and countered, "Bo I'm trying to apologize here can you give me some wiggle room?"

I scoffed and retorted, "Fuck no. The person you need to apologize to is Lauren. I'm not the one who was terrorized for four years."

Dyson grimaced a little and said, "Yeah and I'm on my way to do that. I figured I'd start with you first because you would be easier."

I shrugged. "Well you thought wrong."

He looked away and sighed then he said, "Okay well clearly you don't want to talk to me. So I'm going to go. Can I get a hug at least? End on something that resembles good terms."

I thought about it. I didn't want him to touch me but I was going to be the bigger person because after this I wasn't going to have to deal with his ass anymore. I moved to give him a quick hug but as I moved in he kissed me and pulled me closer to him. For a moment I was stunned by what was actually happening then I grabbed the side of his face and two handfuls of his beard. I tried pushing him away but he had a good hold of me. I did the only thing I could do to get him off of me.

I brought my knee up and slammed it hard into his groin. Dyson jumped back and howled out in pain. I turned my hand into a fist and I punched him on the side of the face then ran away from him.

Of course the fucking asshole would try to attack me. I tried to show him an ounce of civility and he pissed all over it. I found my parents in the atrium of the school and I went up to my mom and asked, "Have you seen Tamsin or Lauren?"

My mom shook her head and my dad said, "Yeah I actually saw her go flying out of here seconds ago. For a little twerp she moves pretty damn fast."

I began to worry about Ted getting to Lauren and I ran out of the school to look for Lauren. I had walked out of the side door that led to the parking lot and as soon as I walked out of the door I recognized Lauren's mom's car. It was pulling out of its parking spot and Lauren was looking out of the window. The look on her face was one I that couldn't read. I moved to the curb and as the car drove by I felt an arm wrap around my shoulders. I looked up to see it was Dyson and I shoved him away from me then glowered at him. "What the hell did you do?"

The shit eating grin on his face made me want to punch him again. "Nothing Bo. But it's pretty obvious Lauren's come to her senses. She doesn't need a girl like you. In college she'll be able to get chicks that are smart and can keep up with her smarts wise." He clicked his tongue. "Not have to dumb it down all the time."

I glared at him but I couldn't keep his words from latching onto the one insecurity that I tried to ignore. The one that told me that Lauren would realize at some point that I was nothing but a dumb cheerleader and that she was wasting her time on me. I felt a lump form in my throat and managed to ground out, "Fuck you Dyson."

I stormed away from him and I went back inside to go get my parents. I had to leave and I had to talk to Lauren. Dyson had to have done something. There's no way she would just dump me like that. There had to have been a reason.

There was no reason. Not a single one. She had left with no reason. No phone call. No message or note. Nothing.

I was sitting in my room at my desk and I was running my finger over the gold chain of the necklace that I had gotten Lauren. I had gone over to Lauren's house after dinner with my family and when her mom answered she told me that Lauren was gone. That she had taken an early flight to California. I knew she was leaving in two days but I thought I had time. I was trying to rack my brain about what had happened to get her to leave early.

There was a knock on my door and I got up to answer it. My mom was standing there with a small smile on her face and she asked, "How are you doing?" I just shrugged. "I'm certain you probably want me to send him away but that kid that hangs out with Dyson is here."

I got a confused look on my face. "Ted?"

"Yes Ted. I only see him with Dyson and I don't think he's ever been introduced to me." My mom remarked.

I couldn't figure out why Ted would be here so I said, "Yeah. I'll come down."

She looked at me for a moment then asked, "Are sure you're okay Bo? I know Lauren leaving early has to be tough on you."

My throat tightened with emotion but I had decided not to cry until there was something to cry about. There could have been many reasons why Lauren had left. I swallowed any lingering upsetting emotions that I was feeling then said, "Yeah mom I'm fine. I'm going to go see what Ted wants."

We went downstairs and my mom gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze before she headed into the living room. I motioned for Ted to go out to the front porch and after the front door was closed I said, "What do you want?"

Ted leaned back on the rail of the porch and said, "I thought you should know something. I told Dy and he told me that you deserve it, but I saw how you and the nerd were and I thought you should know."

I wrapped my arms around myself. I knew what he was about to say wasn't going to be good. "Spit it out Ted."

He cleared his throat then sighed. "I'm starting to realize what a dipshit Dyson is but I get why you're angry. I'm doing this because it isn't right." He looked away then ran his hand through his hair before he said, "After graduation I was walking to the john and before I turned the corner I heard Lauren talking to Tamsin. The two of them were talking about Tamsin's crush on Lauren and Lauren told her that she was with you." An uncomfortable look came on his face. "Tamsin called you a dumb cheerleader who wouldn't be able to fully understand her and that she would understand Lauren."

I turned to look down the driveway and I drew in a deep breath. I had always brushed off any jealousy that I felt about Lauren and Tamsin's friendship because I thought Lauren was in love with me. She couldn't have possibly faked all of that. But maybe she had started to feel something for Tamsin. I could have misread the signs. I bit my bottom lip as I thought longer about. There was no way that this could be true. Tamsin always said that she was just protective of Lauren. That she had never felt any other feelings towards her. I was confused as to what was real and what was just my imagination and the one person I could talk to had left.

Then tears began to fill eyes as the reality slammed into me. I wasn't on the plane to California with Lauren. Tamsin was. Then on top of that Lauren had left without saying anything to me. She had just left without any of the messy breakup stuff that followed. My eyes began to burn as the unshed tears threatened to fall from my eyes but there was no way in hell I would let Ted see me cry.

When I had a handle on my emotions I turned to look at Ted and I put a half-assed smile on my face as I told him, "Thanks Ted. I'm going to back in, way too much celebrating."

He nodded and said, "Sure thing Bo. Hey look though. I'm sorry about everything. You don't deserve that."

I tightened the hold that I had on myself and said, "Thanks."

I went inside then ran upstairs to my room. I slammed the door close then headed over to my desk. I picked up the necklace and I moved to go throw it away. Feeling all the hurt and betrayal Lauren's abrupt departure had created in me. I wanted to think that Ted was lying to me but with the obvious staring me in the face what else was I to believe. I stared at the necklace and I felt every emotion I was feeling slam into my heart as it broke into a ton of pieces.

My breath caught then I began to sob at the loss of the first person I had truly loved and because of the heartbreak that she had caused. Still holding onto the necklace I went over to my bed and laid down on it. With the piece of jewelry clenched in my fist I held it tight against my chest as I continued to cry. Lauren had left me for Tamsin and she had done it in a way that was so devastating that I knew it had to have been Tamsin's idea. Lauren, no matter how much she betrayed me, wasn't capable of being that careless with another person's feelings. As the pain of heartbreak wrapped around me I clenched my fist tighter around the necklace that was in my hand.

The last physical connection I had to the girl who had taken my heart and broken it.

XXXXX

Eight years later –

I scanned over the desk, looking at all of my notebooks and brand new law books neatly stacked up on the edge. I had at least three more hours until my first class, introduction to litigation, at Harvard Law.

I was nervous as all hell and there was no reason. I had three bachelor's degrees from Stanford. One in biomechanical engineering, software engineering, and then as a last shitty whim on a bet placed by Tamsin, a bachelor's of Law. Oddly enough out of the three degrees, law was the only one that held my attention. I could figure out biomedicine and software in a matter of minutes. Science was easy because always had a direct route of hard facts, hard testing and hard hypothesis. Whereas law and becoming a lawyer was a test of my intellect. Humans were ever evolving and the law could be manipulated in unique ways to cater to such evolution. That and I had grown to love an intense verbal sparring match with other intellectuals.

I reached for the first stack of notebooks to put them in my worn out messenger bag and begin to line up all of the black ballpoint pens in their respective slots along the interior. Organizing was the only way to keep my nerves at bay, well aside from the learned behavior of getting drunk as hell. A trait passed onto me by Tamsin. I smiled at the black frame glasses that I only used when I was writing notes or using the computer. Long gone were the years I spent pushing errant glasses up my face and hide behind them.

The downstairs front door swung open, followed by my best friend and forever roommate's dramatic groans. "Lewis! You still home?"

I rolled my eyes hearing her drop her gear bag like a lead balloon on the hardwood floors. "In my room Tams."

I set my bag down and moved to throw on the Boston Police Department hooded sweatshirt I stole from Tamsin and sat down on the edge of the bed.

Tamsin trudged up the stairs, shoving open my door as her polyester dark blue pants with the heavy gear belt hit the floor. "Whoever decided polyester was a great idea for police officers…."

"Need to be tarred and feathered." I smirked at the tired blonde, "You've been saying that almost every day for a year and a half. I can hear it in my sleep."

Tamsin shuffled, trying to shake her feet free, but failed and stumbled to fall on the bed next to me. I dragged her to sit next to me. After eight years of living together, nothing about Tamsin bothered me. I had seen her naked on accident, in her underwear a million times, and in her varying states of sweatpants and shorts. She had become my sister through and through after year three of being at Stanford.

She squinted at my desk, plucking at the buttons her dark blue shirt, "You're nervous aren't you?"

I shrugged, pushing some hair behind my ear, "Sort of. There's something about today that has me really nervous, fuck if I know what it is." I looked over, "You know you had the grades to do this with me." I frowned slightly, I hated that Tamsin opted to become a cop while we were still in California. We both had tried to work at her dad's company after graduation. Tamsin grew horribly bored and bailed. Signing up for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's department to put her forensic science degree and criminal justice minor degree to good practical use.

She did that for two years while I grew bored with software engineering and applied for Harvard Law one drunken night. I was immediately accepted and put on a waiting list while Tamsin transferred to Boston Police Department.

"I did, but you know I lack the patience to keep my mouth shut. You know you have the guts and balls to do this with me. We could be like Ponch and John on the mean streets of Beantown." She threw her shirt on the floor, looking over at the two boxes I had yet to unpack. Two boxes my mom dropped off a week ago trying to clean out the basement. "You ever going to do anything with those? Donate, recycle, burn the living fuck out of the contents?"

I frowned, looking down at my hands, "Can we not talk about it?"

Tamsin shook her head, sitting in her underpants, white t-shirt and bulletproof vest, "We can, but we've not been talking about it for six years now."

I sighed, rubbing at my eyes, "Yes, and I would like to keep it that way." I went to stand up to move the boxes away when Tamsin beat me to them.

She flipped open the top one, reaching in to pull out a Mapleview High yearbook, my purple graduation cap, and the small white envelope that I knew was stuffed with pictures. She held up the envelope, glaring at me as her beat up pizza slice necklace dangled over her vest. "Burn these then, or at least cut her out of them and keep the goods ones of you and I." She walked over to me, "But you have to let go of something, Lauren. That cheerleader has been tailing around in the attic of your brain like those incestuous grandkids in the old Victorian house." She held out the envelope, glaring at me to take it.

I shrugged, "I want to, but then I think about it. She was my first everything. My first girlfriend, my first time, my first kiss, and my first huge fucking heartbreak." I slowly took the envelope from her.

Tamsin chuckled, "Yeah and I was your second kiss and your almost second time." She folded her arms across her chest as I blushed. "Lauren, you were hammered as fuck, beyond fuck and your dad let it slipped he ran into Bo on his trip to New York. I don't think he ever really understood what she did to you and that letting you know he had coffee with her and her new girlfriend would set you back so far and into a gallon jug of Jack Daniels."

I grimaced, "And for whatever reason, I thought sleeping with you would make me forget her." I slowly looked up at her, "Instead I kissed you, ripped your shirt and puked in your bed." I was embarrassed, still, for thinking I could turn my incredible friendship with the blonde into something more. Thankfully Tamsin was a bit more sober than I was and could fend off my drunken grabby hands and desire to forget the way Bo touched me when we made love.

Tamsin laughed, nodding, "And this is why you're banned from Jack Daniels." She sat back down next to me, poking my shoulder. "If it makes you feel better, you've got some mad kissing skills. Just a shame I feel absolutely nothing for you in my bathing suit area."

I laughed, shaking my head, "You have such a poetic way with words." I stood up suddenly, walking to the desk to tuck the envelope in the back of a drawer. "This weekend. You and I will burn the shit out of the memories of the cheerleader over a case of beer."

Tamsin hissed out a yes and hopped to her feet, "Beer, fire and destroying memories." Tamsin scooped up her pants, "Sounds like a hell of a weekend." She hit he doorway before looking over her shoulder, "By the way, dad will be over next month for a visit. He wants to check maybe buying the brownstone on either side of us as rental income property. So try to keep this clean, okay?" she waved her hand around my spotless room.

I rolled my eyes, "Yes Officer." I waved her away, "Go, shower. You smell like a shit and gun oil."

Tamsin chuckled, winking at me, "Two of my favorite scents." She closed the door behind her, laughing as she drug her discarded uniform pieces towards her room.

When she was gone, I leaned on the edge of the desk, my stomach turning like it always did when I thought about Bo. She had been my everything and shattered it all in the blink of an eye. Destroying my heart and hope.

In the last eight years I had changed, grown and become a woman. I had finally grown into my body, put on muscle over the skinny bones. Ditched the glasses and found a style that bordered on geek chic, a look that gained a lot of female attention. I literally went from ugly, gangly duckling to gorgeous nerd model, as Tamsin described me to her friends when they asked for the story of how we met.

I dated here and there in college and at the software company, especially after I launched an attack on Tamsin, hoping to fill the void of losing such a big part of my heart. I would never admit it to Tamsin, but I never really wanted to fall in love again. I didn't need it, nor did I want it. Losing Bo like I did and being the butt of a terrible prank had me wishing to shove that part of me away in a locked box. I would continue to date here and there for my body's physical needs, but not for companionship.

I had Tamsin, I had my family and the few fringe friends that I'd have drinks with on weekends, but nothing more. I found that the fairytales and romance stories I had been told were just bullshit lies only created to sell greeting cards, flowers and expensive jewelry.

Other than that, love was not necessary or desired. I had given my heart away once in the belief that once would be it. I had plans to seek out a full future with Bo, and it became fruitless, painful dreams. It got worse when I was tipsy right after we moved to the brownstone and I went on Myspace. Stumbled across Bo's page and saw how happy she was. A new graduate of NYU with tons of pictures of boy and girl suitors, getting swallowed up in the irresistible charms of Bo Dennis.

I ended up crying on the keyboard before crawling into bed and wrapping myself up in my brand new adult Star War sheets. Sobbing as the high school heartbreak felt as fresh as it did on graduation day. The sobbing would turn into hard anger that would linger for days when I would see her kissing that shitty fucking beard, holding onto him like I craved her to hold me at night. The audacity she had to pull the school nerd into such an elaborate, hurtful prank. If I ever saw her face to face again, I was pretty sure the first words out of my mouth would be telling her to go fuck off.

I glanced at the desk drawer, this weekend. This weekend I would burn the pictures and all the stupid little things Bo gave me, drew for me, the love notes that encapsulated our very short and very young romance. Burn them and her away, then maybe I could move on to something else.

I finished packing my bag and took it downstairs to set by the front door. Where I found Tamsin eating a sandwich on the couch in only her underwear watching Cops reruns.

I sighed, at least I had Tamsin. If anything I would become a crazy lonely cat lady with Tamsin as my forever platonic roommate.

Things could be worse….I guess.

The classroom was packed, making me very glad I had arrived fifteen minutes early to secure my spot. I was in the exact middle of the auditorium style seating. A perfect place to hear and see the instructor.

I carefully laid out my notebooks and pens, arranging them in a specific order. I had heard this law professor was a tough as nails defense attorney and I did not want to be the focus of her negative attention.

I barely looked around at the other students as they took the seats around me, focusing on what I had to do. I didn't want to make friends in the first few weeks of Law School knowing that study groups would be forming around the second month and people would flock towards me if they latched onto how intelligent I was. I learned that lesson when I was a freshman, leaving me doing all of the work in group projects until Tamsin caught on and threatened to punch the living fuck out of the eighteen year olds taking advantage of me.

I smiled at the thought of my voracious body guard, I would have to make sure she kept her fists and threats in check. I was in Harvard Law and she was a cop, we both didn't need the shitty reputations. I already had a moody one, didn't need to add shitty to it.

I glanced at the clock, five more minutes and class would start. I flicked open my notebook when a brunette hurriedly slid into the seat in front of me. Mumbling and cursing silently to herself as she emptied out the overstuffed backpack she dropped on the floor.

I smiled at the memory of overstuffed backpacks in high school and in my first few months at Stanford. Eager, nervous and in a hurry all the god damn time.

I watched her for a second until the professor walked in, booming in a strong feminine voice to the classroom. "Welcome to Litigation 101. I am Professor Keating and if you are not seated by the time I set my briefcase down on this desk, I suggest you leave, because you are already late."

I grinned at the woman as she moved effortlessly to the desk, scanning the students with a hard intense pair of brown eyes. I already liked this woman and her intensity.

I clicked my pen and got ready when I heard the girl in front of me mutter another curse word and turn towards me, and ask in a very soft voice, "Excuse me, I forgot my stupid pen in the last class. Do you have an extra one I can borrow until the end of class?"

When her bright brown eyes met mine, I felt my heart twitch, skip, and tumble hard into the pit of my stomach. Memories of how those brown eyes looked in the first light of morning, how they looked when she watched me explain a chemical equation and how they looked that first night we….I swallowed hard, not saying anything as the slow realization of recognition hit her. Her face went pale and her jaw twitched as she forced out, "Lauren? Is that you?"

I let out a breath, "Mother fucking Fudge." I looked down at the cover of my law book.

Bo Dennis was sitting in front of me, asking if she could borrow my pen.