Ren perched her graduation cap atop her head and smiled at her
reflection in her mirror. In a week she was actually going to be walking
across a stage to get her high school diploma. She was going to be
standing in front of a few thousand people and giving a farewell address to
her class. And just a few weeks after that she would be traveling to UCLA
for an orientation and a meeting with the governor.
Ruby bounced into Ren's room, sporting her own cap and gown. "Doesn't this just make you feel so special?" Ruby asked. "I mean, here we are, on the brink between childhood and adulthood, at the peak of our high school success."
"You should do the valediction," Ren said, rolling her eyes good- naturedly. "But we have to work in a few minutes, we'd better go."
"I don't want to go to work," Ruby complained. "I'm tired of working."
"Ruby, you're the one who was so excited about it at the beginning of the year."
"Yeah, but I'm tired of a low-wage menial job. I want to have a career."
"That's what college is for." Ren handed Ruby her jacket and ushered her out of the room. "Come on, let's go."
Mrs. Mendel put Ren on the registers and had Ruby answer phone calls. Monique walked up and down the floors, cleaning whatever needed to be cleaned.
"Excuse me, I was recommended a product last week and when I brought it home I discovered it had no effect on my hair. Can I return it?"
"I'm sorry, ma'am, you can't return something that's already been used unless it's defective."
"It is defective! It doesn't work."
"I'm sorry. Let me see if I can get you store credit."
"I don't want store credit. None of your products will work on my hair. I just want my money back so I can go to a real salon."
After five hours of dealing with customers with similar complaints and logics, Ren finally closed down her register and went to the back room to get her purse.
"That was the worst day ever," Ren told Ruby as they walked out the door. "I am so glad I'll only be working here for a few more months."
"I still have to help out over the holidays," said Ruby.
"Yeah, but at least you'll get a big break from this." Ren put her arm around Monique's shoulder. "So Monique, are you excited about graduation?"
"I suppose," said Monique.
"Hey, what's wrong? You seem down," said Ruby.
"My mom won't let me have my car in San Diego," said Monique. "She thinks it's too dangerous for me to drive down there."
"What? That's horrible," said Ruby. "I couldn't live without some kind of transportation in a big city."
"You know what, on some weekends I can pick you up and we'll go somewhere," Ren offered.
"It's not the same," said Monique. "But it's okay. I guess I'll just take advantage of my car while I still have it, right?"
"Yeah," said Ruby, "that's the spirit."
"I'm going to drive down to Mexico on graduation weekend," said Monique.
"I thought you said your mom doesn't want you taking your car down there," said Ren.
"She doesn't have to know about it," Monique replied.
Tom entered Tawny's room with a large stack of books. "Ready to study?" he asked enthusiastically.
Tawny, who was sitting on her bed, didn't bother to get up. She just shrugged. "I don't know. I don't feel up to it."
"Well, finals are next week," said Tom. "I hope you're ready."
"Tom, not now, please," said Tawny. "I really don't feel well."
"Morning sickness?" Tom asked.
"Maybe."
"Well I won't study without you," Tom insisted. He sat beside Tawny and put his arm around her waist. She pushed him away.
"I'm sorry, Tom," said Tawny. "I really just need to rest."
"Let me take care of you," said Tom. "I'll play some music for you. I'll create a relaxing environment."
Tawny smiled. "Okay." She crawled underneath her covers and Tom patted the pillow beneath her head. He went over to her bookshelf and picked out a CD of relaxation music she used to do yoga. He slipped it into her CD player and slow Oriental music filled the room.
"Do you like foot massages?" Tom asked. "I'm an expert at foot massages." He sat by Tawny and began massaging her foot.
"That feels good," said Tawny. "Tom, I'm really glad you're my boyfriend."
"I'm really glad you're my girlfriend."
Tawny sat up slowly and faced Tom. "Tom, we have to make a decision," she said, "about our baby."
"Okay," said Tom.
"Look, I really don't think I can handle a baby. I mean, we're both going to college in a year, hopefully, and it wouldn't be fair to try to raise a kid at the same time. Especially since we're probably going to be on opposite sides of the country."
"So what do you want to do?" Tom asked.
Tawny sighed. "I think I want to give it up for adoption."
"That's a good decision," said Tom, rubbing her back.
"I know." Tawny's eyes filled with tears. She put her arms around Tom. "It's going to be really hard."
"But I'll be here," Tom assured her.
"Okay, it's the big day." Eileen adjusted Ren's hair and held her camera in her daughter's face. "Smile big, Ren."
"Mom, is this really necessary?" Ren asked, flashing her mother a cheesy grin.
"Yes, it is. You only graduate once!"
"I'll also graduate from college and graduate school," Ren pointed out.
"Mom, do I have to go to the stupid ceremony?" Louis asked, grabbing a banana from the kitchen counter and peeling it.
"Yes, you do," Eileen told him. "Your sister is the valedictorian."
"But I have to sit through six hundred names being called, and S isn't even toward the end of the alphabet," said Louis.
"Louis, Ren and Donnie will be coming back for your graduation next year."
"We will?" Ren and Donnie, who was perched on a kitchen stool making a power shake, said together.
"Yes, you will," said Eileen. "Oh, Steve, you look so handsome."
Steve entered the kitchen wearing a silver suit and a new royal purple tie.
"Wow, Dad, stylin'," Ren remarked.
"Yeah, looking good," Donnie added.
"Mom, we need to go to the auditorium, the service starts in forty- five minutes," said Ren. "If we account for traffic we should still be able to get there fifteen minutes early, but you never know."
"Ren, it's nine in the morning. I don't think there'll be any traffic," said Louis.
The doorbell rang and Louis ran to the hall to open it. "Maybe that'll be the new laptop I ordered with Dad's credit card."
"The new what?" Steve yelled from the kitchen.
Louis opened the door to find Tawny standing on his porch.
"Hi," she said. "Can I come in?"
"We were just going to Ren's graduation," said Louis.
"Yeah, Tom and I are going too, he's leading the National Honor Society vows," said Tawny. "I just wanted to say hi."
"Hi," said Louis.
"Do you want to come with Tom and me?" Tawny offered. "It looks like you guys have a full car."
"No, there are five seats in the car," said Louis.
"Oh."
"But I guess I can go with you guys anyways."
"Cool," said Tawny.
Louis called to his parents that he would meet them at the ceremony and climbed into the back seat of Tawny's car. Tom turned around from the front passenger seat to smile at him. "Hello, Louis. I'm glad you could join us."
Louis, Tom, and Tawny sat together during the ceremony. Louis absentmindedly ripped his program into small pieces and tossed it into the hair of the lady who was sitting in front of him.
After the ceremony Tawny approached Ren, who was standing in the middle of a big group of people with Monique and Ruby. "Hey, Ren," she said.
"Excuse me a minute," Ren told her friends, and stepped out of the circle.
"Ren, I probably won't see you much during the summer, but I just wanted to tell you how much you've helped me this year," said Tawny.
"Oh, thank you." Ren hugged Tawny. "I'm really glad we got to know each other better."
"Me, too," said Tawny. "I don't think I could have gotten through the year without you."
"Oh, Tawny," said Ren. "You can call me any time you want, all right? Let me know how everything is going. You can get my number from Louis."
"Thanks," said Tawny.
"How are you and Louis doing anyway?" Ren asked.
"We're okay, I think," said Tawny. "I think we'll make it."
"That's really good to hear," said Ren before Ruby grabbed her and pulled her back into the group of people.
Ruby bounced into Ren's room, sporting her own cap and gown. "Doesn't this just make you feel so special?" Ruby asked. "I mean, here we are, on the brink between childhood and adulthood, at the peak of our high school success."
"You should do the valediction," Ren said, rolling her eyes good- naturedly. "But we have to work in a few minutes, we'd better go."
"I don't want to go to work," Ruby complained. "I'm tired of working."
"Ruby, you're the one who was so excited about it at the beginning of the year."
"Yeah, but I'm tired of a low-wage menial job. I want to have a career."
"That's what college is for." Ren handed Ruby her jacket and ushered her out of the room. "Come on, let's go."
Mrs. Mendel put Ren on the registers and had Ruby answer phone calls. Monique walked up and down the floors, cleaning whatever needed to be cleaned.
"Excuse me, I was recommended a product last week and when I brought it home I discovered it had no effect on my hair. Can I return it?"
"I'm sorry, ma'am, you can't return something that's already been used unless it's defective."
"It is defective! It doesn't work."
"I'm sorry. Let me see if I can get you store credit."
"I don't want store credit. None of your products will work on my hair. I just want my money back so I can go to a real salon."
After five hours of dealing with customers with similar complaints and logics, Ren finally closed down her register and went to the back room to get her purse.
"That was the worst day ever," Ren told Ruby as they walked out the door. "I am so glad I'll only be working here for a few more months."
"I still have to help out over the holidays," said Ruby.
"Yeah, but at least you'll get a big break from this." Ren put her arm around Monique's shoulder. "So Monique, are you excited about graduation?"
"I suppose," said Monique.
"Hey, what's wrong? You seem down," said Ruby.
"My mom won't let me have my car in San Diego," said Monique. "She thinks it's too dangerous for me to drive down there."
"What? That's horrible," said Ruby. "I couldn't live without some kind of transportation in a big city."
"You know what, on some weekends I can pick you up and we'll go somewhere," Ren offered.
"It's not the same," said Monique. "But it's okay. I guess I'll just take advantage of my car while I still have it, right?"
"Yeah," said Ruby, "that's the spirit."
"I'm going to drive down to Mexico on graduation weekend," said Monique.
"I thought you said your mom doesn't want you taking your car down there," said Ren.
"She doesn't have to know about it," Monique replied.
Tom entered Tawny's room with a large stack of books. "Ready to study?" he asked enthusiastically.
Tawny, who was sitting on her bed, didn't bother to get up. She just shrugged. "I don't know. I don't feel up to it."
"Well, finals are next week," said Tom. "I hope you're ready."
"Tom, not now, please," said Tawny. "I really don't feel well."
"Morning sickness?" Tom asked.
"Maybe."
"Well I won't study without you," Tom insisted. He sat beside Tawny and put his arm around her waist. She pushed him away.
"I'm sorry, Tom," said Tawny. "I really just need to rest."
"Let me take care of you," said Tom. "I'll play some music for you. I'll create a relaxing environment."
Tawny smiled. "Okay." She crawled underneath her covers and Tom patted the pillow beneath her head. He went over to her bookshelf and picked out a CD of relaxation music she used to do yoga. He slipped it into her CD player and slow Oriental music filled the room.
"Do you like foot massages?" Tom asked. "I'm an expert at foot massages." He sat by Tawny and began massaging her foot.
"That feels good," said Tawny. "Tom, I'm really glad you're my boyfriend."
"I'm really glad you're my girlfriend."
Tawny sat up slowly and faced Tom. "Tom, we have to make a decision," she said, "about our baby."
"Okay," said Tom.
"Look, I really don't think I can handle a baby. I mean, we're both going to college in a year, hopefully, and it wouldn't be fair to try to raise a kid at the same time. Especially since we're probably going to be on opposite sides of the country."
"So what do you want to do?" Tom asked.
Tawny sighed. "I think I want to give it up for adoption."
"That's a good decision," said Tom, rubbing her back.
"I know." Tawny's eyes filled with tears. She put her arms around Tom. "It's going to be really hard."
"But I'll be here," Tom assured her.
"Okay, it's the big day." Eileen adjusted Ren's hair and held her camera in her daughter's face. "Smile big, Ren."
"Mom, is this really necessary?" Ren asked, flashing her mother a cheesy grin.
"Yes, it is. You only graduate once!"
"I'll also graduate from college and graduate school," Ren pointed out.
"Mom, do I have to go to the stupid ceremony?" Louis asked, grabbing a banana from the kitchen counter and peeling it.
"Yes, you do," Eileen told him. "Your sister is the valedictorian."
"But I have to sit through six hundred names being called, and S isn't even toward the end of the alphabet," said Louis.
"Louis, Ren and Donnie will be coming back for your graduation next year."
"We will?" Ren and Donnie, who was perched on a kitchen stool making a power shake, said together.
"Yes, you will," said Eileen. "Oh, Steve, you look so handsome."
Steve entered the kitchen wearing a silver suit and a new royal purple tie.
"Wow, Dad, stylin'," Ren remarked.
"Yeah, looking good," Donnie added.
"Mom, we need to go to the auditorium, the service starts in forty- five minutes," said Ren. "If we account for traffic we should still be able to get there fifteen minutes early, but you never know."
"Ren, it's nine in the morning. I don't think there'll be any traffic," said Louis.
The doorbell rang and Louis ran to the hall to open it. "Maybe that'll be the new laptop I ordered with Dad's credit card."
"The new what?" Steve yelled from the kitchen.
Louis opened the door to find Tawny standing on his porch.
"Hi," she said. "Can I come in?"
"We were just going to Ren's graduation," said Louis.
"Yeah, Tom and I are going too, he's leading the National Honor Society vows," said Tawny. "I just wanted to say hi."
"Hi," said Louis.
"Do you want to come with Tom and me?" Tawny offered. "It looks like you guys have a full car."
"No, there are five seats in the car," said Louis.
"Oh."
"But I guess I can go with you guys anyways."
"Cool," said Tawny.
Louis called to his parents that he would meet them at the ceremony and climbed into the back seat of Tawny's car. Tom turned around from the front passenger seat to smile at him. "Hello, Louis. I'm glad you could join us."
Louis, Tom, and Tawny sat together during the ceremony. Louis absentmindedly ripped his program into small pieces and tossed it into the hair of the lady who was sitting in front of him.
After the ceremony Tawny approached Ren, who was standing in the middle of a big group of people with Monique and Ruby. "Hey, Ren," she said.
"Excuse me a minute," Ren told her friends, and stepped out of the circle.
"Ren, I probably won't see you much during the summer, but I just wanted to tell you how much you've helped me this year," said Tawny.
"Oh, thank you." Ren hugged Tawny. "I'm really glad we got to know each other better."
"Me, too," said Tawny. "I don't think I could have gotten through the year without you."
"Oh, Tawny," said Ren. "You can call me any time you want, all right? Let me know how everything is going. You can get my number from Louis."
"Thanks," said Tawny.
"How are you and Louis doing anyway?" Ren asked.
"We're okay, I think," said Tawny. "I think we'll make it."
"That's really good to hear," said Ren before Ruby grabbed her and pulled her back into the group of people.