Chapter Fifteen: Graduation Night Part One
Author's Note: Two more chapters left (including this one)!! *sniff* I'm gonna miss this story SO much... I adore Henry... I don't want it to end!! Anyway... this chapter is dedicated to the loverly Hannah (She's A Star), because she's oh-so-threatening. :-)
By the way, I have over 200 reviews on this now... I can't believe it... *hugs all her reviewers, with extra hugs for Kate, Nor-nor , and Bohemian Storm* Thank you all so much for always reading and reviewing. You're the reason I keep writing...
* * *
The halls of Montmartre High were more crowded than usual, due to the addition of parents, siblings, friends, and long-lost relatives that had been invited to graduation. Seniors were identifiable by the tacky green robes that hid their more fashionable dresses and suits.
Each senior seemed surrounded by family members, and Chris was no exception. Uncle Harold and Aunt Kara had been joined by Chris' parents and his little sister. Little Marie was running around in her new dress, singing the Barney song. Chris shook his head. Kids.
His conversation with his parents was briefly interrupted by the arrival of Henry. The little senior looked even shorter in his gown, which almost covered his feet, even though it had been specially ordered. Introductions were made where needed, then Henry glanced up at Chris. "Evwything's weady."
"Thanks, Henry." He grasped his friend's hand. "I mean it. Thank you for everything."
"Don't mention..." He was cut off as Chris bent and abruptly hugged him. He embraced him. "I know evwything will work out, Cwis. I feew it."
"Hope you're right."
The two were interrupted by Marie, who had skipped over, her blonde pigtails bouncing everywhere. "Hewwo," she greeted them in her childish lisp, peering curiously at Henry. "Awe you a thenior?"
"I am."
"But you're so thort!" She stared at him a moment longer. "Like me."
Henry grinned. "Yeth, like you."
Her blue eyes lit up. "Cwis, he talks like me too!"
Chris almost laughed. Marie had found herself a friend. She was also a bit on the small side for her seven years, due to a prolonged sickness as a toddler. She was also attending speech therapy class, speech school as she called it, to help her with her lisp. He wondered what would happen if Marie had been several years older. The two might have made a cute couple. The idea made him chuckle.
By now, relatives and friends had begun to file into the gymnasium to take their seats, while the seniors drifted down the hall one last time before they got to receive their diplomas.
Chris and Henry walked together to where the seniors were meeting. It would be their last night at the school. They had returned to Montmartre High one last time. Who knew what would happen in the days, weeks, months, and years following tonight? Maybe they would remain friends, but maybe they would drift apart. But tonight, they were still together, walking through the same halls that they had all year, reliving memories and emotions that had once seemed so important.
But really, all that mattered was the future, and what he had learned. He had learned about love. Over the years, he would forget the dates, places, and figures that he had learned in high school, but he would always remember the lessons in love. He would remember Tina's scarlet hair, hair as firey as her temper. He would remember the kiss they had shared, the arguments that had raged between them, the sadness in her sweet eyes. And he would remember how he had finally realized that you couldn't fight love, not with all the strength in the world.
He had finally learned the greatest lesson of them all- that the greatest thing you would ever learn was just to love, and to be loved in return.
It was so simple, he didn't know why he hadn't realized it before. They had all made mistakes, but you had to forgive and move on. You had to make things right again. And tonight... tonight he would make things right again, no matter what it took. Because he couldn't live without Tina. He had come to that realization. She was his world, she had been from the moment he had seen her. She had captivated him like a diamond, a diamond that would never lose its sparkle. Their love was meant to be, he knew it. All he had to do was to convince Tina of the same.
* * *
No one laughed when Henry began his speech. No one snickered when he painstakingly made his way to the podium. After four years, he had finally earned his well-deserved respect, something he had never known until now.
He spoke like a true artist, painting with his words. He spoke of the past, the present, and the future. He spoke of friendships that would never die, no matter how many miles were between the friends. For once, no one seemed to even notice that he spoke with a lisp. He was an equal, welcome in the ranks of Montmartre High students, despite the fact that he had to stand on a stool to see over the podium. None of that mattered anymore.
It was their last night together as a class, he said, and he prayed to remember each and every one of them, and to remember only the good things, because the bad didn't matter anymore. He wished them his best on their travels across the world, wherever fate would lead them, and hoped to see them all again in the future.
There wasn't a person in the room who wasn't touched by his words, or whose heart didn't break to see him limp down the steps back to his seat. Because Henry had a heart big enough for a giant, though it was contained in his tiny form, and it was the first time they had realized it.
No one noticed that he had left an old, dog-eared book lying on the podium once he had left. No one, that is, except Chris, who smiled to himself as Henry turned around to wink at him. But his breath caught in his throat as Tina stood up to give the valedictory. It all came down to this.
She approached the podium, her green gown swishing almost elegantly around her lithe legs and her red hair pouring out from under the green cap. He saw the confusion flicker over her face when she saw the book lying there, but she didn't think twice about it and started into her speech.
"I'd like to welcome you all here tonight, on behalf of the class of 2002. Friends, family, classmates... we appreciate all the support you've given us over the past four years. But especially this year, our senior year. For many of us, it's been a rough year," she glanced up to see Henry mouthing to her 'the book,' and she finally looked down. She was sure her jaw dropped.
The book's cover, though faded, still bore the words of the title. She ran a finger over the engraved letters, remembering a conversation from long ago. She could still see Chris' eyes sparkle as he teased her, "As you wish."
~*~ "Okay, Westly."
He glanced at her. "You watched Princess Bride?"
"Of course, but the book is so much better."
"It's my favorite!"
"Mine too! I'd do anything to get the unabridged version..." ~*~
The conversation seemed to echo in her head as she read the words. "The Princess Bride- Complete and Unabridged. S. Morgenstern's classic tale of true love and high adventure."
She choked back a sob. He had remembered.
END CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Author's Note 2: It's been pointed out to me that the 'abridgment' of The Princess Bride is nothing but a stupid trick by William Goldman (thank you Kate and ChristineCS), but for this story, we're going to pretend that there IS actually an unabridged version by S. Morgenstern, even though he doesn't exist. He does now. Got it? Good.
Author's Note: Two more chapters left (including this one)!! *sniff* I'm gonna miss this story SO much... I adore Henry... I don't want it to end!! Anyway... this chapter is dedicated to the loverly Hannah (She's A Star), because she's oh-so-threatening. :-)
By the way, I have over 200 reviews on this now... I can't believe it... *hugs all her reviewers, with extra hugs for Kate, Nor-nor , and Bohemian Storm* Thank you all so much for always reading and reviewing. You're the reason I keep writing...
* * *
The halls of Montmartre High were more crowded than usual, due to the addition of parents, siblings, friends, and long-lost relatives that had been invited to graduation. Seniors were identifiable by the tacky green robes that hid their more fashionable dresses and suits.
Each senior seemed surrounded by family members, and Chris was no exception. Uncle Harold and Aunt Kara had been joined by Chris' parents and his little sister. Little Marie was running around in her new dress, singing the Barney song. Chris shook his head. Kids.
His conversation with his parents was briefly interrupted by the arrival of Henry. The little senior looked even shorter in his gown, which almost covered his feet, even though it had been specially ordered. Introductions were made where needed, then Henry glanced up at Chris. "Evwything's weady."
"Thanks, Henry." He grasped his friend's hand. "I mean it. Thank you for everything."
"Don't mention..." He was cut off as Chris bent and abruptly hugged him. He embraced him. "I know evwything will work out, Cwis. I feew it."
"Hope you're right."
The two were interrupted by Marie, who had skipped over, her blonde pigtails bouncing everywhere. "Hewwo," she greeted them in her childish lisp, peering curiously at Henry. "Awe you a thenior?"
"I am."
"But you're so thort!" She stared at him a moment longer. "Like me."
Henry grinned. "Yeth, like you."
Her blue eyes lit up. "Cwis, he talks like me too!"
Chris almost laughed. Marie had found herself a friend. She was also a bit on the small side for her seven years, due to a prolonged sickness as a toddler. She was also attending speech therapy class, speech school as she called it, to help her with her lisp. He wondered what would happen if Marie had been several years older. The two might have made a cute couple. The idea made him chuckle.
By now, relatives and friends had begun to file into the gymnasium to take their seats, while the seniors drifted down the hall one last time before they got to receive their diplomas.
Chris and Henry walked together to where the seniors were meeting. It would be their last night at the school. They had returned to Montmartre High one last time. Who knew what would happen in the days, weeks, months, and years following tonight? Maybe they would remain friends, but maybe they would drift apart. But tonight, they were still together, walking through the same halls that they had all year, reliving memories and emotions that had once seemed so important.
But really, all that mattered was the future, and what he had learned. He had learned about love. Over the years, he would forget the dates, places, and figures that he had learned in high school, but he would always remember the lessons in love. He would remember Tina's scarlet hair, hair as firey as her temper. He would remember the kiss they had shared, the arguments that had raged between them, the sadness in her sweet eyes. And he would remember how he had finally realized that you couldn't fight love, not with all the strength in the world.
He had finally learned the greatest lesson of them all- that the greatest thing you would ever learn was just to love, and to be loved in return.
It was so simple, he didn't know why he hadn't realized it before. They had all made mistakes, but you had to forgive and move on. You had to make things right again. And tonight... tonight he would make things right again, no matter what it took. Because he couldn't live without Tina. He had come to that realization. She was his world, she had been from the moment he had seen her. She had captivated him like a diamond, a diamond that would never lose its sparkle. Their love was meant to be, he knew it. All he had to do was to convince Tina of the same.
* * *
No one laughed when Henry began his speech. No one snickered when he painstakingly made his way to the podium. After four years, he had finally earned his well-deserved respect, something he had never known until now.
He spoke like a true artist, painting with his words. He spoke of the past, the present, and the future. He spoke of friendships that would never die, no matter how many miles were between the friends. For once, no one seemed to even notice that he spoke with a lisp. He was an equal, welcome in the ranks of Montmartre High students, despite the fact that he had to stand on a stool to see over the podium. None of that mattered anymore.
It was their last night together as a class, he said, and he prayed to remember each and every one of them, and to remember only the good things, because the bad didn't matter anymore. He wished them his best on their travels across the world, wherever fate would lead them, and hoped to see them all again in the future.
There wasn't a person in the room who wasn't touched by his words, or whose heart didn't break to see him limp down the steps back to his seat. Because Henry had a heart big enough for a giant, though it was contained in his tiny form, and it was the first time they had realized it.
No one noticed that he had left an old, dog-eared book lying on the podium once he had left. No one, that is, except Chris, who smiled to himself as Henry turned around to wink at him. But his breath caught in his throat as Tina stood up to give the valedictory. It all came down to this.
She approached the podium, her green gown swishing almost elegantly around her lithe legs and her red hair pouring out from under the green cap. He saw the confusion flicker over her face when she saw the book lying there, but she didn't think twice about it and started into her speech.
"I'd like to welcome you all here tonight, on behalf of the class of 2002. Friends, family, classmates... we appreciate all the support you've given us over the past four years. But especially this year, our senior year. For many of us, it's been a rough year," she glanced up to see Henry mouthing to her 'the book,' and she finally looked down. She was sure her jaw dropped.
The book's cover, though faded, still bore the words of the title. She ran a finger over the engraved letters, remembering a conversation from long ago. She could still see Chris' eyes sparkle as he teased her, "As you wish."
~*~ "Okay, Westly."
He glanced at her. "You watched Princess Bride?"
"Of course, but the book is so much better."
"It's my favorite!"
"Mine too! I'd do anything to get the unabridged version..." ~*~
The conversation seemed to echo in her head as she read the words. "The Princess Bride- Complete and Unabridged. S. Morgenstern's classic tale of true love and high adventure."
She choked back a sob. He had remembered.
END CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Author's Note 2: It's been pointed out to me that the 'abridgment' of The Princess Bride is nothing but a stupid trick by William Goldman (thank you Kate and ChristineCS), but for this story, we're going to pretend that there IS actually an unabridged version by S. Morgenstern, even though he doesn't exist. He does now. Got it? Good.
