"The seaweed is always greener in somebody else's lake, you dream about going up there but that is a big mistake. Just look at the world around you, right here on the ocean floor, such wonderful things surround you, what more is you looking for?"

"Lizzie, we're supposed to be adults"

"Under the sea, under the sea, darlin' it's better down where it's wetter. Take it from me, up on the shore they work all day. Out in the sun they slave away while we devotin' full time to floating under the sea"

"Lizzie, we'll be nineteen in four months" she turned and stuck her tongue out at me

"The newt play the flute; the carp play the harp; the plaice play the bass; and they soundin' sharp; the bass play the brass; the chub play the tub; the fluke is the duke of soul; the ray he can play; the lings on the strings; the trout rockin' out; the blackfish she sings; the smelt and the sprat they know where it's at, and oh that blowfish…"

"LIZZIE I'LL TURN THIS CAR AROUND!" she leaned forward and skipped to the next song on the CD.

"Gordo, don't be such a sourpuss. I was only having fun." She pouted.

As cute as she was when she sang, I woke up with a headache that morning, and her loud singing did not help. Maybe it wasn't her voice at all, maybe it was the sun blinding me as I drove down the road, but hey her singing was not helping.

"Sorry sweetie, I just have a headache." She let out a squeal and began rummaging through her bag. I ignored her and continued focus on the road, we we're two stoplights from the school and it had never seemed further away.

"Here." She handed me two pink pills and a drink when I pulled into the parking spot. I downed the pills and drink then turned to her,

"That was beer wasn't it?" she nodded. I sighed and got out of the car, "thanks, sorry about yelling."

"It's no big deal."

She grabbed her book bag and started walking away from me, towards the school. I felt bad about yelling at her, she was in such a good mood this morning when we woke up, but I just didn't feel it. I was so happy when I awoke with her in my arms but something inside of me snapped. Probably just tension from all the pressures of graduating but it seemed like something more, I shrugged it off as nothing and followed her into the school.

"You want to go look for your prom dress tonight?" I asked as I caught up with her.

"Sure, I have to go to work after homeroom, but you can pick me up there at 5." I nodded, letting her walk ahead again, just as she had turned a corner I realized something. I ran to catch up with her,

"Hey, Liz, where do you work?" she giggled, and pushed her hair out of her face.

"Remember where you went on your hot date with Brooke?" I nodded, and then laughed myself,

"They actually hired you?" she smiled.

"Yah, I'm the hostess there."

"Alright, I'll see you at five." I gave her a kiss and headed down to my homeroom.

There wasn't much else I had to do that day. It was actually going to be my first day with no plans since the week had begun. I walked out to the car and sat behind the wheel, lit up a smoke and put the car in drive.

I had been thinking a lot of what Lizzie had asked me on Monday, where are we going to live after high school? She hadn't brought it up since but I had been thinking of it non-stop. The idea of being with her, all the time, that couldn't escape my mind. I wasn't sure if Lizzie was planning on going to college right away, and if she was planning on it, I didn't know what schools she had been accepted to, so I went to the local news stand and picked up some newspapers for the surrounding areas to check out housing adds.

Sitting at the digital bean has never been very exciting; especially if you're alone, so when Larry walked in I was glad he noticed me and sat down beside me.

"Sign my yearbook?" he asked and handed it over to me, I dug through my bag for a pen then wrote down,

Wow, four years. Can you believe we survived? Actually I always knew you'd make it, while we've never been the closest of friends I've always admired you. You're a wonderful guy and I don't think you've been told that enough throughout your life. I can only hope we'll stay in contact in the upcoming years. You've always been a good friend to me, and I hope you can say the same about me.

Tudgemen, while you're peers laughed at you, you stood strong. You have an amazing spirit and I hope that in the future no one is able to break that.

Sincerely Gordo.

I re-read it, it sounded more like a love letter then anything but it had some good stuff in it, so I handed the book back to him.

"Can you believe how much we've all changed?"

"What do you mean?" I asked

"Well lets' look at you to begin with, in middle school no one would have predicted that you wouldn't have stayed friends with Lizzie for your high school experience."

"We're friends." I defended. He cocked an eyebrow, "alright so maybe not the best of friends like we used to be, but still we're friends."

"And look at Lizzie, you have to notice a difference there."

"Yah, actually I was just noticing it all for the first time the other day."

"Can you believe she drinks?"

"No, she smokes too you know." I added, he looked at me in disbelief.

"I guess when Miranda died, she lost a part of her innocence."

"I think it's safe to say we all did." We were silent for a few minutes, neither one of us knowing what to say. The subject of Miranda was very taboo. No one brought it up, she was never mentioned, not because she wasn't missed but because it's hard to talk about what you're in denial about, and everyone is in denial about that.

"I think I'm gonna jet, it's almost 5 and I gotta get to work." Tudgemen said as he stood up, I looked down at my watch and sure enough it was ten to five. I stood up with him.

"Thanks for noticing the time, I have to pick Lizzie up at work in ten."

He smiled at me once more, and said, "I'm glad you two finally worked something out." And with that he walked off.

I put a couple dollars on the table and walked out of the digital bean and headed out to get Lizzie.

"I can't believe the jerk, and for him to say I asked for it. Fuck it took every ounce of self-control I had not to slap the fucker. I can't believe that, where does he get off grabbing my ass?" Lizzie was ranting about work as we walked through the mall, looking for our prom clothes.

"Some people have no self-control Lizzie, and you look… dare I say it, wow in you're uniform."

"It's just a black shirt and white shirt, that's not sexy Gordo. Fuck I'm so mad. You know I started this day off in such a good mood, and he just brought me down. Screw Christina, words can bring me down."

"You're sexy when you're pissed."

"Gordo! Are you even listening to me, or are you just starring at my ass?"

"Both." She giggled. "See, I miss those giggles." She gave my cheek a kiss and pulled me into a dress shop.

"Do you know what you're wearing?"

"I was thinking of just going naked."

"Gordo!" I rolled my eyes; I loved it when she pretended to be annoyed by me,

"Seriously, I was thinking maybe a fifties style tux."

"Ohh that's good. Ok I'll go with a fifties style dress and we'll rock the socks off everyone there."

By seven o clock Lizzie still hadn't found a dress she was satisfied with so, she decided that we should head to the food court. I picked up a slice of pizza and some curly fries. She smiled when I put my tray down beside hers; "At least that hasn't changed."

"It could never. Lizzie, I was thinking about what you asked me on Monday before you got out the car." She looked up at me, with a mouthful of her sub stuffed in her mouth. "I don't know what you're plans are for after high school, so how can I know where we would live?"

She chewed and swallowed her food, "I'm taking some time off school, I feel like, I've been on this planet for eighteen years and haven't really done anything with my life, so I've saved up enough money for a cheap-ass apartment and food for a year, and I plan to just experience life." I smiled. That sounded perfect. "So I was thinking, I'd follow you to wherever you were planning on going to College and maybe hide in your dorm." I giggled; she really hadn't thought this out completely.

"At least some part of the old Lizzie still lives."

"Shut up." I stuffed some curly fries in my mouth while stifling a laugh. It was good to be out with Lizzie. It was these times that had been missing from my life. "You know this is the stuff I live for." I said as I swallowed.

"What stuff?"

"Being weird with you in the mall. It's this kind of thing, that really makes me happy."

"That, I understand."

We sat there, eating in silence stealing the odd glance at each other until our meals were finished and we embarked upon the rest of the mall. We had exactly an hour and a half to find her dress, and my tux. The rest of the things we would need, we decided to find tomorrow. Tonight was just on the main two things.

We were about to give up all hope when we walked into a store neither of us had been in before, and it was in that store, hanging on display Lizzie and I found our prom outfits.

"Lizzie?" I said as we threw our stuff in my trunk. She looked up at me and waited for me to continue. "My parents are still out of town." A sly smile came across her face,

"And what exactly are you trying to ask Gordo?" I blushed. She knew what I wanted, and she knew I was trying avoiding asking her straight out.

"Want to sleep over?" I asked shyly. She smiled and nodded.

"I need your cell phone though, mine's dead. Oh and can I bum a smoke?" I handed her all the things she had requested and began to drive home as she called her parents to inform them she wouldn't be home this evening because she was staying with her best friend.

Once we got to my house, I left Lizzie to search through my closet and dresser so I could go take a shower. Just as I had finished shampooing my hair the curtain was pulled open and a very naked Lizzie entered.

"I hope you don't mind, I need to shower too." She grabbed the soap from my hand, but I knocked it out her delicate fingers as I pushed her against the wall in a passionate kiss. She returned the favor and let her hands venture down my body. We slid down, so we were sitting with the water dripping on us, and continued to roam each other with kisses. Our mouths never fully closing; we ached for each other.

Just as we we're about to go a little farther then we should when she stopped me, "we can't do that here."

"Why not?" I asked, almost angry. She had teased me forever and still we never went to the next level.

"We have no condoms in your shower." I smiled, and hopped out of the shower with her following closely behind, we ran into my room and I pulled out the pre-mentioned item. I threw her on the bed and crashed on top of her, kissing her everywhere my mouth would venture. "Gordo, put it on" I followed suit and did as I was told.

We fell asleep under my covers, naked that night. Holding each other closely, neither one of us wanted to wake that next morning because at that moment, utopia had hit us hard.