"Albert Bryon Mack" The voice of Professor Janson echoed from the speakers in the giant auditorium. "With honours!" The crowd erupted in cheers and applause, and Alby stepped across the stage to receive the diploma from a smiling teacher awaiting his arrival. And as he walked, his eyes turned to look at the crowd, searching for the little group that were his cheering friends and family. With not even a little bit of effort, he found them. Because even though he'd almost literally begged Minho not to, he brought a big foam orange number one finger that was adorned with his name in big black letters. Alby had to roll his eyes, but even then a smile lay plastered across his lips by the time he reached the professor and took the offered diploma. She shook his hand, congratulated him and wished him good luck, even as a new name of a fellow graduate erupted from the speakers in the auditorium. Now he was free to do whatever he wanted, and he became thankful that his last name started with M, because it meant that he would be able to be around his friends and his family by the time it was Gally's time to walk across the stage. If he was going to be cheered for so loudly, then he would make sure Gally got the same reception.
It hadn't even been a couple of seconds after Alby had reached the group, when his mother had wrapped him in a proud hug, soon followed by a warm congratulatory pat or embrace from each one of his friends. Thomas smiled and patted his shoulder, Minho, close behind Thomas, hugged the crap out of Alby and mentioned how proud he was, and also how much he was going to use Alby's knowledge to be able to pass his last year with honours as well, something that Alby solely smiled to and agreed with. After Minho came Newt, who finally left Teresa's side for a moment, and hugged Alby with a couple of pats to the back. It was clear to the graduate that the moment had been a little hard for the blonde boy, but even then Newt seemed genuinely happy for Alby. To not be able to graduate with your class was probably hard to accept, but then Alby and Gally both comforted themselves by knowing Newt would be going to classes with Minho, Thomas and Teresa. "Congratulations, Alby." The blonde boy said, a genuine smile adorning his features as he stepped back enough for Teresa to literally attack the graduate in a tight hug.
"Thanks." Alby smiled, chuckling shortly and wrapping his arms around Teresa's tiny frame. "Careful, Agnes. You're gonna hurt someone." He joked, gently setting the girl on her feet and unable to stop himself from retaliating the giant smile on her lips as she returned to Newt's side and held his hand.
"Sorry, I'm just really happy for you." She admitted, taking a seat again and shrugging innocently before anyone around her told her to sit down with angry demeanours. After all, names were still being called as graduates made their way across the stage.
They all sat and whispered amongst each other with excitement as they awaited for the name of their second graduating friend to be announced as loudly as Alby's had been, and after a few minutes it was. "Gale James Wellington." The voice erupted from the speakers. "With honours!" Cheers broke again, and just like for Alby, the noise came from more than just the little group of friends sat near the tall graduate, for both Gally and Alby were quite popular in their class. This time, Minho rose a big green number one foam finger with Gally's name scribbled in as equally black letters as the ones that scribbled Alby's name.
"Yeeeeeeahhhh" Gally cheered from the stage as he walked across the stage to take hold of his diploma. "No more schoooooooooool." There were some laughs along the audience, even from some of the teachers, as Gally so joyfully exclaimed a series of excited cheers moments before taking his diploma. And then he was running in the direction of his group of friends.
The cheers continued, and the six friends embraced in a big group hug prior to their having to sit down as quietly as they could until the ceremony ended. But the truth was that they all just wanted to celebrate already; even Newt, who sat quietly with Teresa's hand in his and her comforting words being spoken in his ear, wanted the ceremony to just end so he could go celebrate with his friends with a normal cup of Starbucks coffee.
It seemed like forever to the friends, but finally the time came for the graduates to throw their graduating caps up to the sky and break in cheer while their family and friends clapped along and smiled at the tradition.
A few more congratulatory hugs came for Alby and Gally from fellow graduates and their parents later, but then, after what felt like an honestly long time, the six friends were all stuffed in Minho's five-people car. Thomas obviously sat on the passenger seat, while in the back Teresa sat on Newt's lap. "Are we going to do it or not?" She was saying, holding onto the back of Minho's head rest while looking around at the rest of her friends, and attempting to not become flushed due to Newt's hands on her waist, something of which she was very aware of.
"I don't see why not." Gally replied, his shoulders lifting in a very nonchalant manner. "As long as you don't ask me to sleep in the same tent as Alby here, because if he farts as much as he does while awake I can't imagine how much he does while asleep." He chuckled, ducking away from his friend's defensive slap at the back of the head and shoving him away.
"Watch it, shuck-face." Alby warned in the most serious of tones regardless of the grin across his lips. "I know where you live." Gally snorted.
"We can take my mom's van." Thomas said after a couple of seconds, thinking of the space they'd need for food, water, and everything that was normally packed for one person, multiplied by six.
"There's no need for tents." Newt admitted after Thomas. "I can ask my aunt if she'd let us use her lake house." He offered, "It's in the middle of the forest, and she's got a boat she lets me use sometimes."
"In the middle of a forest?" Gally asked, leaning forward shortly so he could look at Newt, who nodded with a grin. "Like the horror films?"
"Exactly like the horror films." Minho said from the driver's seat, glancing up toward the rear-view mirror so he could see his friends in the backseat. "Trust me, I've been there." He confessed. "And it's as much amazing as it is terrifying."
Newt literally rolled his eyes and let his head fall against the headrest of his seat with a big smile across his lips. "You're only saying that because my aunt scared you." Minho scoffed.
"If I die in a horror movie way, I'm haunting your ass, Newt-ee" Gally announced, sitting back and smiling. "But I'm in."
"I'll bring the booze." Alby offered, allowing his fingers to play with his blue graduation cap as a smile continued adorning his lips. "And I'm guessing a swim suit?"
"Oh, definitely." Newt confirmed, listening to the agreeing echoes of the other friends. "Unless you prefer skinny dipping, of course."
"HYEAH!" Thomas suddenly blurted, and it had every single one of the other five friends breaking into laugher. "Oh, come on!" He said, lifting his arms in a short flail. "I can't be the only one that has always wanted to skinny dip in a lake."
"It's starting to sound like a very rated R graduation celebration." Newt admitted, making Teresa snort and blush a deep red at the way his hands suddenly lowered a little on their hold. Though it had been only because Newt's arms had gotten tired, the motion had felt like something completely different to both of them. "Sorry." He whispered only to Teresa, and even though the other friends continued teasing Thomas for his over-excited blurt, Teresa's head shook from side to side in the most discrete of motions.
She turned around a little so she could look at Newt, a motion that could be confused as her looking out the window, just so she could whisper with the same low tone as he had. "It's okay." But the other reason she did so was so that she could hide her blush from the other boys.
"Fiiiiiiine, no skinny dipping." Thomas finally allowed after flailing again, his eyes rolling shortly regardless of the smile across his lips.
"How does next weekend sound?" Minho smiled, attempting to change the subject to shift his mind away from the very distracting image of a naked Thomas jumping into the water, and emerging with droplets of water trailing down his skin and his stomach, and-
"Why next weekend? Do you guys still have exams to do?" Gally wondered, interrupting Minho from his slightly erotic reverie and making a clear of his throat to escape him before daring to speak again.
"One. On Thursday." He admitted, forcing his eyes to stay on the road so they wouldn't travel to Thomas', who Minho had become very aware was looking at him.
"And I promised my mom I'd help her move into her new place on Tuesday." Alby suddenly announced, nodding once in Gally's direction and making the green eyed boy nod in understanding.
"Next weekend sounds fine." Teresa admitted, finally looking in front again, even if she was still a little flushed. "Should we bring games or something?"
"And movies?" Newt continued her inquiry.
"Yes." The other three friends said in unison, making Teresa smile.
"Glad we all agree." She said, chuckling and allowing her big blue eyes to wonder toward the window to see where they were. The trip had been a little long, but that was because the six friends had decided to go to their usual Starbucks, were they'd all met, to drink a cup of coffee and celebrate Alby and Gally's accomplishments; regardless of if the place ended up being a forty five minute drive from the ceremony auditorium.
"We can stay there a week or two if you'd like." Newt offered his friends with a smile, forcing himself to stay still to not become embarrassingly aware of Teresa on his lap.
"A whole two weeks with you shanks." Alby said, his brows lifting in a very surprised manner. "Sounds heavenly." He joked with a sardonic tone and a snort; regardless of the way he mocked it, the whole thing did sound inviting to the usually serious friend.
"Away from the city and the New York insanity?" Gally asked, scoffing a breath, nodding and finding himself enthusiastically smiling. "You bet it sounds heavenly." He admitted. "Even if it means getting the crazy from all of you instead."
It was moments like those, when she planned new adventures with her friends or hung out in the coffee place where they all met, that Teresa wondered what things would have been like if she hadn't suddenly decided to talk to Minho and Thomas that first day. She wouldn't have found such a friend in Thomas, nor have such a carefree relationship with Minho; she probably wouldn't even have met Newt, since the very reason they crashed against each other that day in the hallway had been because she'd been looking down at her phone while texting Thomas. She wouldn't have met Gally and Alby either, two guys she'd grown very fond of. Her life would be completely different, more boring.
And as she watched and heard her five friends continuing to plan about the time at the lake - watching Minho and Thomas exchange little looks, or hearing Minho joke with Gally, or Newt's laugh behind her-, she realised that she was more than happy with how things had turned out.
Teresa Agnes simply wouldn't have it any other way.
To Be Continued.