Chapter 10

I really wasn't kidding when I said four months passed by fast. Actually let me take that back, four months doesn't pass by that fast, but even faster then what I thought. I mean last time I remembered it was the day after Christmas and I was worrying about what to do with myself, and now it's the night before my graduation ceremony! To be honest I still don't know what I've decided to do yet, I might just end up hiking my self back to West Virginia with my family.

These last four months have been crazy and exciting; exciting in the way that Ikuto would finally let me drive my poor Mustang the month before my graduation, think goodness for that I was worried it wouldn't work by the time I got to sit back into the driver's seat. Other then that I had final exams to test my knowledge and passed with A's (to my extreme excitement). Utah and Lulu finally stopped throwing me dirty looks and switched to something worse.

Now that I think about it I've made new friends in my last year of college then I did when I first started attending, I don't know if I should think the "assistant-teacher" job or just the fact that everyone I've meet is pretty awesome. Either way I'm leaving with good memories.

"You look like you thinking about everything that's happened to you this year," Ikuto said while taking a seat next to me on the couch and taking the remote from me and changing it to a show called It only hurts when I laugh. "That should include meeting me right?"

"You can think that all you want," Funny caring he could be one minute then self centered the next.

"That's not very nice Amu," he paused to laugh at the show before continuing, "Sooo you gunna tell me what'cha been thinking about?"

"No I don't think I will," I made a grab for the remote but missed entirely, "You don't need to know my every thought. Now give me the Remote!"

"What do you say?" Ikuto mocked while holding the remote even farther out of my reach, "Be a good girl and say what you should."

"Pwease!" I said like I used to when I was younger, I even put in the benefit of sticking out my lower lip and pouting.

"Cute but that's not what I meant,"

"I have no clue what you're talking about then." I said while turning away from him and putting up with the show he turned to.

"Yes you do and I'll give you the remote if you do iiit..." Ikuto said with a huge smile plastered on his face, that just made me want to smile and ignore him.

"Nah actually I'm good this show isn't as bad as I thought." I commented while laughing at the screen.

We preoccupied ourselves with the show, laughing every now and then at the stupidity that some people had, before I got hungry and decided to make a snack mix. Pushing myself off the couch slowly to see this last stunt I hurried into the kitchen and pulled out a huge bowl from one of the bottom cabinet and placed it on the counter. Looking around the pantry I decided on Cheese-its, pretzels, gold fish and yogurt covered raisons.

Dumping everything into the bowl and mixing it up, I tucked it under my arm while scooping up Yoru from the window with my other hand and dragging everything back into the family room handing the bowl to Ikuto while placing Yoru in my lap.

"Sweet snack mix!" Ikuto cheered when I shoved the bowl in his face, "Perfect timing" he said while shoving his face.

"Hey that's not all for you!" I complained while trying to take the bowl back from him.

After we had finished off the snack mix and got bored of watching TV, we started cleaning up the kitchen and the family room while talking idly about the on coming graduation tomorrow.

"Hard to think that you're graduating already," Ikuto sighed while taking the dish I was holding out to him to dry, "It feels like the year pretty much just started."

"Yea I know right, I sort of don't want it to end yet," I replied while washing a bunch of spoons and forks and handing them to him to dry and place in the dishwasher to dry. The conversation pretty much ended like that, I don't know why but neither of us were willing to talk about what might happen after tomorrow. I knew I should make up my mind and stop putting us through this, but I could make up my mind.

-Graduation day-

"Ikuto!" I shrieked while running around the top floor, "Where'd I put my shoes?" Normally I have to admit I'm pretty disorientated in the morning not to mention very forgetful but I think it always gets worse when I'm trying to get ready for an important even like this.

"There down here, along with your cap and gown," He yelled back at me, trying to suppress a laugh.

"Thanks!" I called back while yanking a brush through my hair one last time, before running down the stairs leaping over three at a time, and hitting the floor in front of the door with a loud thud before picking up my shoes and running into the kitchen.

"Geez, you make it like your running from something," Ikuto commented while holding out my cap to me after I'd managed to get on my heels and gown in a record breaking five seconds.

"Yea Shuddup, I don't wanna be late for graduation." I grumbled around a piece of toast that he had also shoved into my mouth while grabbing the cap that he was holding out and pinned it into place. "That would be a very bad thing!" I continued while walking swiftly to the door and grabbing my car keys.

"Wouldn't it be," Ikuto said back almost so low that I couldn't here, but I just waved and exited through the door and slamming it shut behind me before Ikuto could make another smart remark.

Once I made it there, and let me say that I'm proud to admit I made it on time and I wasn't the last person to arrive, they had us grouped together with other kids in the same major, so I was with a bunch of people that I recognized.

"Amu!" I turned around to see Tadase and Nick making there way over to me, both smiling brightly, and trust me you could tell they were excited as if hell itself froze over.

"Hey Tadase, Nick!" I said while giving them each a hug. "What are you guys planning to do after all this?" I couldn't help but ask.

"I already got a job in California as a person chief," Nick said while waving goodbye to greet someone else who had called his name.

"I'm going to be heading back to my home state," Tadase said while moving out of the way as his brother Kiseki came and threw himself at me.

"Oof! Hey Kiseki!" I said while hugging him tightly, "Thanks so much for the picture frame, I know I've told you millions of time but thanks still."

"It was my pleasure." He replied shyly, but before I could talk to him more we were about ready to start the ceremony.

It was like any other Graduation I went too when I was younger, except it wasn't as boring, probably because I could actually feel all the excitement flying through the air, or maybe it was the fact that I was actually graduating.

Like always it started out with a few handwritten speeches from some kids from the graduating class, this year it was Josh Kiddo and Alaina Renea that did the honors and I had to admit that they couldn't have picked two better people. They made everyone laugh and blink back tears. Right after the speeches some of the teachers were given there Dr Degree's and titles.

Then before I knew what was happening it was time to split from everyone else and head to your Major building to receive your Certificate or what ever you wanted to call it and awards if you won any.

All in all I think it was a pretty dull process until my name was called and my family cheered and took a bunch of pictures I'll never be able to live down. Just as quickly as the ceremony started it was over, standing up and going over to hug my parents, I had to try hard not to get emotional.

"CONGRADULATIONS!" could be heard all through out the campus as parents hugged there kids and talked about what was going to happen now, if they needed help cleaning out their dorms or apartments or if they were going to stay and find work in this Area.

"So Amu-chi..." My little sisters voice broke into my attention and forced me to stop looking for Ikuto and focus on her. She continued when she noticed that she had gotten my full attention, "Are you going to stay here or come back?" I wasn't sure how to answer and I was about to say I wasn't sure when I saw Ikuto leaning against the door frame looking through his cell.

"I'll get back to you on that," I told Ami through a smile as I made my way through the crowd and hugged Ikuto.

"Congratulations…" He whispered in my ear while hugging me back tightly. Now I finally understood what I wanted to do.

"I Hope you don't mind but you're stuck with me now!" I said while smiling widely. "I'm going to be pretty annoying and very demanding at times, but you've put up with me before so you can do it again!" I continued

"I don't mind at all, besides I told you I'd be fine for whatever you picked." Ikuto replied while hugging me even closer to him. "Its also good to know that you'll stay and let me tease you forever.."

Forever….yea I've made the right choice!