Chapter 5: Graduation Day

Niki

I stand in my room of mine and Spike's apartment in front of my full length mirror on the back of my door. I'm holding a blue silk dress that has a Chinese style collar and Chinese style print.

"Nah, I think Tam's wearing a dress like this." I say to myself as I throw the dress on my bed.

I grab another dress from my closet. This one is a red velvet dress. It's full length with a silt on the left side up to my mid thigh.

"Uh-uha." I say shaking my head.

I toss that dress on my bed then turn and pull another dress from my closet. This one is a pale sea green. It has straps spaghetti straps, is loose fitting and has two 2-inch triangle slits on the bottom sides. I smile as I take the dress off the hanger and slip it over my head. I run my brush through my blond curls. I'll just leave my hair down. I grab my silver hoop earrings and put them in my ears. I walk out of my room and into the living room. Spike's door is still closed.

"Damn it Spike. Ain't you ready yet?" I yell at her as I sit on the couch.

"Yeah, take a chill pill." She snaps through the door.

Then about a second later her door opens. She's wearing a skin tight red vinyl dress. Her silver hoops slightly showing in her mass of orange hair. Then the doorbell rings.

"That's Tam." I say turning to answer the door.

I open the door to reveal Tamera wearing a black silk Chinese style dress. It's sleeveless with a Chinese style collar and a Chinese snake dragon design on it. Her fiery curls back in a loose bun to reveal her earrings. They're gold studs with a gold heart hanging down with a pearl inside. A gold oval locket stands out around her neck. I smile as she walks in.

"Wearing you mom's locket?" I ask smiling.

"Yeah, I had to. She would have loved to be here for me." She says soberly putting her hand on the gold chain.

"She'd be very proud of you." Spike says walking up to her and putting her hand on her shoulder.

"I know. I-I just wish she was still here." Tamera says her pale blue eyes filled with unshed tears.

"But she is here," Tamera looks at me confused," She's here in spirit and she's here in you." I say smiling.

Tamera smiles back and wipes a tear from her eye. We normally don't talk about Tam's mom. Both Spike and I know it's a sensitive subject, Tam loved her mom a lot. I may not have known her long but she was a good woman… I just remember how heartbroken Tam was when she told us she was dead. I hurt me too, like it was my own mother. I was over by Tam's so much after I met her with Spike that she was like a second mother to both of us.

"Come on we have to be there in ten minutes." Tamera says sniffling.

"Ok." Spike says slipping her vinyl knee high boots on.

AJ

Me, Howie, Brian, Nick and Kevin walk into the auditorium as they're announcing Crystal's name. We all clap. I look down and watch her. She's in a black cap and gown with the bottom of a red vinyl dress trailing down from the bottom of the gown.

"That's my girlfriend!" I yell.

She glances up at us. She waves before she takes her diploma. As she's walking off the stage she looks up at us again and smiles.

"Tamera McCarty." The announcer says.

Tamera steps up onto the stage. She wears the same black cape and gown only the bottom of a black silk dress trails down her legs. Her hair barely peaking out of the bottom of her cap.

"That's my Spanish rose!" Howie yells as Nick whistles.

"Spiral macaroni red head!" I yell as Kevin claps loudly in my ear.

I know she hears me cause she stifles a laugh as she walks further across the stage. She gets her diploma. When she reaches the other end of the stage she looks up at us and waves.

I watch the rest of the ceremony, waiting for it to end so I can see and talk to Crystal. I spent all day yesterday with her, Howie and Tamera. We went shopping. I glance over at Howie and Nick. Howie's eyes stay on Tamera and Nick is searching for Niki.

Tamera

The ceremony just ended and me, Crystal and Niki are making our way to the bathroom. So we can take off our capes and gowns. Once I get mine off I take my hair out of the loose bun. Twisting it up into a bun atop my head I hold it in place with two black chopsticks. Crystal puts her hair half up in a braid to show off her silver hoop earrings. Niki just simply fluffs her hair and leaves it down. We all stand facing each other and smile.

"When they see us they're all gonna fall flat on their asses." Niki says smiling.

"You mean they're gonna all have heart attacks." Crystal says snickering.

"Come on. Let's knock 'um dead." I say smiling.

We all walk out of the bathroom me leading, Crystal on my right and Niki on my left. We walk out the front door and see the guys all standing around a tree. Once they see us Nick takes a startled step back into the trunk of the tree. AJ was going to lean on the tree with his hand and misses falling on top of Nick. And Howie was going to lean back on the tree but missed and fell flat on his back.

The three of us stifle a laugh as we approach them. I stand over Howie and extend my hand to him. He slips his hand in mine and I pull him up. He stood there for a moment looking me up and down. I see he's wearing a pair of black dress pants and a red dress shirt the first three buttons are open.

"You look… gorgeous." He says spellbound.

"Thank you, you don't look half bad yourself Howie." I say smiling and lightly blushing.

Before anyone can say another word I hear three shots. I drop and so does everyone else. I hear one bullet ricochet off the tree then Niki cry out in pain. I look over at her, Nick holding her close while she holds her hand over her forearm. A stream of blood flows down her apricot skin like a raging river.

"Oh my god! Niki!" Crystal yells crawling over to her.

I sit up on my knees and look around. Students, teachers and parents alike are all crouched down behind something. I see a black mustang drive past with a blond driving, a Latino chick in the back seat and a brunette in the passenger seat.

I shake my head and look back at Niki. They guys are all crowded around her. Nick holding her against his chest, AJ next to Crystal on Niki's right, Howie on her left and Brian and Kevin in front of her. I mover over in between Howie and Kevin.

"Howie give me you cell phone." I say holding my hand out.

"Ok." Howie says unsure as he puts his cell phone in my hand.

I quickly dial 9-1-1. As the phone rings in my ear I quickly run what just happened through my head. Three shots rang out, we all dived and a ricochet hit Niki. A black mustang drove past a few seconds after the ricochet hit Niki.

"9-1-1 emergency service." A female operator says breaking my trail of thought.

"There's been a drive by shooting. One person has a minor shot wound." I say trying to stay calm.

"Alright where are you?"

"On the University Of Florida Orlando campus across from the Pearlman Auditorium."

"Ok police and an ambulance are on their way. How badly is the person injured?"

"She was hit in the forearm with a ricochet."

"Alright now if you can try to remove the bullet. It'll lesson the pain."

"Ok." I say and hang up the phone with out a second thought.

I set the phone down on Howie's lap. Then move forward so I'm directly in front of Niki. She looks at me tears streaming from her lavender eyes.

"Ok Niki let me see your arm." She gives me a questioning look, "Just do it damn it!" I order as she lowers her hand.

Blood flows from the bullet wound in the center of her forearm. I gently turn her arm to see the top of the bullet protruding out of her skin. A slight smile crosses my face but disappears just as quickly.

"This is gonna hurt." I say putting my hand on the back of her forearm.

"What are you gonna do?" Niki asks frightened.

"Remove the bullet." I say as I hold the bullet between my thumb and forefinger.

I pull the bullet out of her arm with no problem and a cry of pain from Niki. Sirens approach and then everything goes quickly. We all give a testimony to the police on what happened and Niki got her arm looked at. The bullet didn't go through her bone, thank the gods, just the flab on her arm. Once everything was said and done, and after Niki was released it was early afternoon. We all headed to AJ's mansion, finally, still determined to have a good time.