14. Graduation
In past few years Jamie had done brilliantly in school. For her GCSEs she had achieved nine passes; she got an A for English, she got an A for Maths, with Zac's help she got an A for French, she worked hard for Politics and got an A there as well, for Biology she also got a B, for Geography she got an A, for History she got an A in, and for Chemistry she got an A in. That was an A in everything. Of course, she had to work incredibly hard and her parents had to pay for tutors but she got it. She had only just finished her A-levels where she had done five subjects; Politics, Maths, Chemistry, History and Geography. She hadn't yet got the results for them. But she planned to go to Cambridge next year if she got A's in all five subjects and as apart from one bad History essay she had passed everything with an A.
But now it was Graduation Day. Her whole family was in London for the day. That included her close family; her mother, her father, her five brothers (Zac, Dylon, Phillip, Huw and Joss). Zac was here with his two little blonde girls; Jessie who was three years in September and one month year old Katie. As well as three grandparents; mum's parents and dad's mum (dad's dad had died when Jamie was four). There were three aunts from mum's side; mum had three older sisters called Winifred who was dark haired and had married young having seven children (Alaric, Catherine, Jocelyn, Violet, Curt, Abigail, and Grace), Mary who was dark and plump with one small son (Tony), and Rosie who was red haired with fraternal twins (a boy and a girl – Mark and Kate). Dad then had an identical twin brother called Martin who was dark haired and curly haired with deep brown eyes. Uncle Martin himself had two girls. Then there was Winifred's husband – Mark Evans. Rosie's blonde Irish husband – Kentigan – also came. Uncle Martin's older wife – Naomi – also came. All twelve cousins came. In the end we had a huge party. The Daniels' from over the road were also invited but unfortunately Ben was out of the country. But Mhari and the three little girls came.
She met Mr. Gilbert at the door and blushed. Why at the age of seventeen – eighteen in two month - could she not control herself around that teacher? But Mr. Gilbert ever the professional pretended not to notice his student's affections for him.
Jamie was sitting behind the stage erected for the Graduation. She was in between Belle Perkins, who was going to Edinburgh University to do Nursing, (to her right) and Fred Payne, who was going to take a year out to travel the world, (to her left). Fifteen rows down sat Spencer Clyde who was going to College beside Billy Clark who was staying in his shop job. Eleven rows in front of Jamie Martha Evans who had been cast a minor role in a Soap and hoped to go from there sat in the front beside Owen Etham who was already in a band and hoped to get a sponsor. Nine rows down Tom Harris was looking around for what Jamie didn't know. Jamie knew Tom planned to do Social Services in City University London. He was sat between James Hale who was going to do Journalism in Manchester University (to his left) and Daisy Harrison to his right. Daisy was doing Chemistry in London City University. To Daisy's right sat Jamie's boyfriend - Dean Hayman. Dean was going to try and become a footballer. Dean in turn was sitting beside his best friend Pete Heathcote who was going straight into the army after school. Behind Dean was, Nikki Jones, the police man's daughter and wannabee policewoman was sitting beside Jonny Jacobs, wannabee footballer, (to her right) and Albert Kurt, who was doing Politics in King's College, (to her left). Jamie was sat directly behind the most stupid boy in the year; Greg Miller who had absolutely no clue what he was going to do in life who was stuck between the two swats of the year Iona Mackenzie who was doing Physics and Engineering in Cambridge and Jordan (a guy) Munroe who was doing World Politics in Oxford.
Looking behind her she could see Emma Rose who was doing Law in Oxford; she was two rows behind her sitting on the end beside Morgan Ross who was going onto X-Factor to try and break into the music business. Rose Stephens the soon to be Veterinary Student was five rows behind Jamie between Rory Smith who was going to be helping his parents at their shop and Timothy Stewart. Rose Stephens' fiancé, Chris Tyler, was sitting right behind her whispering something in her here making her very red. He was staying in the accommodation in Dublin doing Acting Studies. The ugly boy to his right (Nathan Tanner) and Jamie's lesbian friend to his left (Jo Summer who was doing Drama at the Imperial College) were both looking very jealous in the way of the boy going out with the hottest girl in the year. To Jo's right were the twins; Ruby and Lindsey. Lindsey was hoping to inherit their parents' bookshop and Ruby was going off to study Animal Behaviour in St. Andrews. Michael Wood her gay friend who was going to Cambridge to study Genetics was sitting at the very back beside Hiram West who was doing teaching in Duram and Yvonne Yew who was doing English in Swansea.
Mr. Stanley the IT teacher and Mr. Newman the Physics teacher were fiddling with the music and power point settings. Jamie knew that there would be photos of them through there seven years here. She dearly hoped there would be no photos of them paintballing in Year Thirteen where her team lost spectacularly; she was covered in every colour of paint looking very much like she had swum through sick. Jamie knew Mrs. Rhodes had managed to take a picture of her in her disgrace she just hoped Mr. Stanley and Mr. Newman would be kind enough not to leave it in. Mr. Donovan had come to sit in. Mr. Brey was talking to an old graduate of Brookland – Dennis Oswald Simms who was taking part in the next Olympics in the shock put. Mr. Wiseman too was on stage greeting his old pupil like a proud father when his son was getting married. Mr. Grey was sitting in a grey suit beside Miss Bedfordshire.
Mr. Brey introduced Dennis Simms which caused Mr. Wiseman to grin at his old students' obvious success. Though Dennis Simms had been gone for seven years his fame made everyone in the room know him. Jamie could see Lindsey close to fainting with excitement. Dennis Simms was in smart-casual attire. He wore smart jeans and a plain white t-shirt which showed off his abs earned from swinging the heavy metal shock puts. He wore a silver chain necklace around his neck and trainers. These trainers were probably the most expensive item on his person. Though he was rich and famous he didn't really care about appearance and fashion. This made him a hell of a lot more attractive to Jamie; someone who was carelessly handsome! Looking around at the mothers, sisters, aunts, grandmothers, female teachers, and other girls in the room she could tell she wasn't the only one who thought this.
'Hello,' Dennis gave his world famous smile which had the whole female population of the room swooning after the twenty-five year old man.
Jamie saw Dean look her way and glare. She blushed and gave him an apologetic look before looking back to the speaker.
'Well I'm Dennis Simms – but of course you know that already,' he gave an easy grin again. 'Everybody does,' he said. 'I may have success, fame, and fortune. But it all started here,' here the young man turned to look at the teachers (especially the old P.E. teacher, Mr. Wiseman). 'The teachers,' he gave the teachers a grin. The older ones smiled back at him, 'the sports facilities which I regularly give funds to,' he added. And true enough there was a new Athletics pitch opened last year called The Simms Athletics Grass or The SAG amongst the students. 'My peers, who never failed to encourage me at my first tournaments,' he smiled at Jamie's year. 'And who can forget my family who annoyed the hell out of me at times,' this got laughs from the boys and girls of Brookland and tutts from the parents. 'But they pushed me when I needed pushed, were there for me when I was first dumped, offered a hideout from my first fan-girls,' he added knowingly and this time the guys laughed and the girls blushed. 'Know as I look out to where I was sitting seven years ago I see the young men and women of the future. The doctors, the actors, the sports stars, the politicians, the protectors of the country. But success isn't the most important thing in this world – know the most important thing is to know that you have loved and in return have been loved. That is the most important thing. So as I see you all sitting here I wish you good luck to go play the game that is life! Now I will give you your Graduation Certificates … Raphael Ahern who is going to Aberdeen Arts College … Nicole Ainge who will be going to work in a Managerial Position for Sports Direct … Zoe Allen who will be working for Kaleb's Hairdressing Saloon … Jasmine,' Jamie suppressed a name at that dreaded name, 'Penhallow who will be going to Oxford doing International Relations.'
Jamie walked up to where the hot man was standing. She shook his hand hoping that the white lights would mask the redness on her cheeks. It probably didn't help that at this time Mr. Newman and Mr. Stanley had chosen this time to flash up her embarrassing paint balling trip. She hated public spectacles; so embarrassing. And some people wanted to do this for a living. She looked at Dennis Simms knowing that he enjoyed his publicity. This was another reason she wanted to be a spy; they were so secretive that she didn't have to worry about public relations! Jamie couldn't wait to be off that damned stage. So much so she almost forgot to shake the headmaster's hand. She sat back down in her chair. The rest of Jamie's Year Graduation that night had past without anymore incident.
'Sonny Zeller, who has an apprenticeship with a local plumber,' finished Dennis Simms with a smile. 'Now I hand it over to the head boy and girl for a final word before they have to leave Brookland forever.'
Jamie watched as both Mr. Brey and Dennis Simms sat down on the seats at the back of the stage. Two people from Jamie's year got up to have their final word to their peers. Albert Kurt the black haired, hazel eyed seventeen year old (he wouldn't be eighteen until the end of July – yet infuriatingly that still made him more than a month older than Jamie) walked onto stage. Though, Jordan Munroe knew more about Politics and had better policies it was Al's popularity and girl-rating compared to the red haired boy's gangly features that earned Al the title of Head Boy – much to the annoyance of every teacher in the place. But Jamie secretly agreed with them. She had even voted for Al. Not that she would ever admit it if she wanted to have any friends!
Al was followed by the Head Girl. Keira King or KK to everyone else was a tall, slim, dark girl with wonderful golden brown eyes which were filled with constant empathy for the world. Though not particularly popular she had a way of understanding people and wanting to do good and see good in the world around her and help every inch of the world and people in Brookland. It also had been noticed that she was one of the few people that Alex Rider was still in contact with. In her time as Pupil Council member then Head Girl she had pushed constantly for Brookland to become an Eco-School as just last year they had. While Al basked in the glory of being an elected member of the school council KK pulled both their weights and pulled it well. Jamie once she got her Environmental Biology degree in Devon and got into the Green Party she would do everything in her power to stop global warming!
'As Head Boy and Girl Albert and I have insured that the drugs which were starting to corrupt are school after Skoda was released last year were stopped once more. But this time I have to admit far more legally!' This caused laughs amongst all except KK and Tom Harris who were friends with Alex Rider. But even the parents and new pupils and teachers had heard of Alex Rider Brookland's Most Infamous Pupil – ever! 'We have made sure that we have brought our pollution down to a minimum so when our own children walk these hallowed halls they too will have the good fortune to live in a world as stable as our own. Now I hand it to my partner Albert,' she smiled and stepped aside for Al to take the microphone.
'I have only one thing to add,' smirked the handsome young man. 'That it is good that there has been no more Alex Riders!' the general consensus was agreeing with Al.
But Tom Harris and KK looked very angry at this comment. Jamie didn't know what to think; she didn't understand the enigma known as Alex Rider but he somehow didn't fit the slot of school bad boy. Even more so as she still saw Alex Rider from time to time talking with Ben Daniels from over the road. Though they would always mysteriously stop talking about whatever it was they had in common when ever Jamie would go near them. Mr. Brey stood up too.
'Now I must say a proud and sorrowful goodbye to some of the most fine three hundred minds that I have ever had the pleasure of calling my pupils,' he paused. 'I know you think I probably say this every year – and that I do – but I, as always, really mean it. You managed to show unity and passion despite the terrible shooting of Mr. Donovan's maths class when you were only fourteen or fifteen. You passed your GCSEs with flying colours despite having no science department for much of Year Ten and a few weeks in Year Nine. So with a final farewell go with my blessing as we sing Blessed Be Thy Name.'
They sang the hymn and left. That was when Jamie noticed him. He'd obviously managed to get a seat in the shadows but now he had moved forward to where Mr. Brey was trying to engage polite conversation with Mr. Harris and Ms. Wynge (Mrs. Harris' maiden name that she had chosen to use after her divorce came through). After almost four years of separation Tom Harris' parents still couldn't be in the same room without throwing stuff at each other; Jamie felt very sorry for the son caught in the middle of it all. But that's not what Jamie was aware of it was Alex Rider in casual dress. He wore a plain white t-shirt and blue jeans. Jamie noticed a few scars on his arms (some years old some brand new). His deep brown eyes were as serious as ever. He was receiving a lot of attention from the surrounding crowds – which he was obviously not enjoying – as he was Brookland's living legend. Some of the newer students were surprised to find that Alex Rider wasn't just another urban legend.
'Annie,' said Alex softly talking to Tom Harris' mother, 'Gregory,' he added to Rom Harris' father. 'It is your son's Graduation put aside your differences for him at least.'
They both nodded though avoided each other's eyes. Tom Harris visibly relaxed.
'Thanks Alex,' smiled Tom.
'No problem Tommy-Boy you are my best mate,' he smiled.
'So what are you doing here this time Mr. Rider?' scowled Mr. Brey who knew Alex was not a great influence on his students.
'My best friend is graduating I'm going to be there for him!' said Alex sounding outraged.
When Mr. Brey moved away Tom added to Alex, 'I wasn't sure if you'd be able to make it,' he said softly.
Alex looked at me, 'I'll always try to be there for you Tom.'
'Thanks,' the two boys moved away as I was enveloped by my cousins – Mark and Kate.