A/N: OK, this chapter's a little long, but it's a little happier than the previous chapters (or at least I think so!). Yeah, this is three chapters in two days, but I think it's time for some happier times, don't you? So . . . here we go.

12.

The big day had arrived. It was the day of graduation for James Knox Polk High School. The 350 graduates-to-be were gathered in the school gymnasium in their caps and gowns and were awaiting instructions from their administrators. The bleachers were pulled out and most of the students were sitting, talking, laughing, and having a great time just knowing that their high school careers were nearly over. Mr. Wexler was on the gym floor trying to direct traffic with his bullhorn. Louis, Twitty and Tom were all sitting up in the bleachers.

"So, Lou, this is the big day! Do you have anything planned?" Twitty asked Louis.

Louis had a mischevious look on his face. "Whatever do you mean?"

Twitty smacked Louis in the shoulder, "Hey, man, you know Wexler's ban on you ends today. It's graduation. Come on, you know you've got something up your sleeve. I mean, it's our graduation. You know you've got something planned."

Louis kept grinning and looked down, "Ohhh, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, Louis, you kidder. Of course you've got something."

"Yeah, what is it? Something to do with that spaghetti bomb you used years ago on Coach Tugnut?" Twitty suggested.

"Oh! I bet I know what it is! It's a stink bomb of some sort!" Tom interjected.

Louis shook his head. "That's kid stuff. I've had weeks to think and sort this thing out . . ."

Louis was interrupted by the sound of Wexler's bullhorn. "Attention, please, students. The time is almost here! Now, if you would please get into your graduation order, alphabetically by last name as we practiced, and the sooner we get this done, the sooner you will be high school graduates and the sooner that you won't have to be here, and the sooner that I won't have to see Louis Stevens anymore! Wait, did I say that out loud?" There was a short pause by Wexler as he thought about his last comment before he finished,"Anyway, get into order!"

Louis, Twitty, and Tom all slapped each other a high five and ran into line and found the people they were supposed to be standing next to. Louis found his place and made sure that he had his magic remote control with him. And, once the whole crew of 350 had found their places, several minutes later, the senior class made its way outside. It was early in the evening and the sun was not yet down. The graduates looked out the gym and could see the site of their graduation: the hallowed Donald Stevens Football Field. Yes, Donnie experienced so much success at Polk High that the school insisted the field be named after him. Everyone, including Louis, was experiencing some shivers. After all, this was one of, if not THE crowning moment of one's youth: the high school graduation.

The long, single-file line made its way onto the field, one-by-one as the school's band valiantly and beautifully played "Pomp and Circumstance," the official graduation theme. The class made it to their seats and sat down. Mr. Wexler took his position at the front podium and was preparing to speak. The football grandstands were filled and all of the Stevens' were there: The proud parents, sister Ren and big brother Donnie were present. The grandparents were there as well and were snapping photographs. They couldn't have been prouder . . .

HONK!!

Everyone started looking at Louis. He was shifting his eyes saying, "What? Did you hear something?" Yes, as it turns out Louis stuffed an airhorn under his graduation gown. Wexler proceeded to get down from his podium and march all the way across some 20 rows of students and grabbed Louis and searched him. "Hey! Hey!" Louis cried. "That tickles!"

"Ah ha!" Wexler proclaimed as he pulled out a horn as the whole audience was laughing. The whole audience that is, except for the Stevens' clan. Well, Donnie was laughing a little, but Steve, Eileen, Ren, and the grandparent Stevens were not amused. Wexler wagged his finger at Louis and stormed off, only bringing more laughter from the crowd and the students. Twitty, who was seated in the row behind Louis, leaned over, held out his hand and said, "Dude, that was awesome."

Louis slapped his pal's hand and said, "You ain't seen nothin' yet." Then he pulled out his remote control and started waving it. "The 'ol windbag didn't take this!"

Wexler approached the podium and gave a nervous smile and a nervous chuckle to make up for the previous event. "Well, now that that's taken care of, let's carry on with the ceremony, shall we? With the end of another year and the graduating of another class of fine students, a lot can rush through the mind of any given student, teacher or principal. The word 'school' is derived from the old Greek word 'schoalia,' meaning 'a place of leisure and/or learning and I would like to think that . . ." But, as Wexler droned on with his opening speech, Louis was in the back tilting his head back and forth and moving his lips, mocking the principal, as always. But finally, the principal finished his speech and he, along with several other administrators stood in line to hand out diplomas and shake the hands of the anxious students.

Some 250 students had their names called before "Louis Anthony Stevens" was called. Louis was strolling proudly up the aisle to the front with the rest of the row. He quickly reached into his pocket to retrive something he needed. Nope, the special remote control was not to be used yet. He received his diploma in his left hand and shook the principal's hand with his right and buzzzz! Yep, it was the old classic hand buzzer. Wexler was steaming and Louis held up his hand showing the buzzer and Louis said, "I'm sorry, this is the last thing. I swear." He laughed all the way back. He held up his hand for the whole crowd to see as he had his tongue wagging out. There were several in the stands that cheered and laughed. However, his parents had buried their faces in their hands in embarassment. Tawny chuckled a little bit. She figured only Louis would be doing this during graduation. Corey was sitting in his seat and was looking rather cross. He whispered to the guy next to him, "What a loser."

Finally, Dwight Alexander Zigghoff, the last name, was called. Mr. Wexler approached the podium one final time and announced for the entire crowd, "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the graduating class of James Knox Polk High School!" Almost simultaneously, almost 350 graduation caps flew into the air. Almost. While everyone else was tossing their caps in the air in jubilee, Louis had reached into his pocket for that infamous remote control. He pressed it, a red light appeared and behind the bleachers, a cage that was housing big, slobbering dogs was opened and ran out onto the football field in pandemonium. Now, Louis threw his cap upward in celebratory fashion.

The dogs were running ferociously up to the front and started to lick administrators like crazy. Mr. Wexler received quite a bit of licking from a St. Bernard. Coach Tugnut, though still the gym teacher at Lawrence Junior High and was present to congratulate students, also received quite a bit of love from the dogs. Fortunately for the teachers, Tugnut had a whistle and blew it as loud as he could. As a result, the dogs backed off and ran into the crowd.

Meanwhile, Louis and Twitty were jumping up and down and hugging each other. They were probably doing it as much for the fact that they had just graduated as it was with the success of Louis' final prank as a student. However, the celebration stopped when Louis was suddenly jumped on by one of the mutts. A German Shepherd had jumped up and taken Louis down from behind. "Hey, dude! I think your plan back fired on you a little bit!" Twitty exclaimed.

Louis, on the ground and getting doggie kisses, said, "Yeah, maybe just a little." They were both cracking up.

Then Tawny came by with a huge smile on her face. "Hey, guys. A funny thing happened after I graduated. I saw a bunch of dogs unleashed on the administrators of our school. I wonder who might have orchestrated that plan? Hmmm?" she wondered sarcastically.

Both Louis and Twitty were laughing pretty hard. Louis got up off the ground and Tawny hugged him. "Um, congratulations, Louis."

"Uh, you too, Tawny," Louis said as he was hugging Tawny, in a very awkward fashion.

"Congratulations, Twitty," she said as they hugged.

"Congratulations, Tawny," he wiped the hair out of his face. "So, what now?"

"Oh, I think I'm gonna say hi to a couple other people and then I'm probably gonna split," she replied.

"Yeah, we'll probably do the same. Do you wanna hang out tonight?"

"Sure, just give me a little while so I can see some people. And I'm trying to find my parents, too," she said as she scanned the crowd. "Bye for now."

"See ya. Hey, Lou, lets work the crowd," Twitty suggested. They quickly ran into Tom. Hard to believe as it was, Tom didn't have very much people to talk to. He, Twitty and Louis were pretty much the three amigos. Finally, Louis saw his family as they were looking for him.

"There's my baby!" his mother exclaimed.

"Congratulations, son," his father proudly said.

"Thanks, Dad."

"Way to go, Louis. I never thought I'd see this," Ren said.

Louis chuckled. He responded with the sarcastic, "Ha ha."

Now it was Donnie's turn. "Lou, congratulations, man. I always knew you could do it . . ." Donnie could only begin his congratulatory remarks. He was caught from behind by Coach Tugnut.

"Donnie! Oh Donnie!" the old coach cried as he wrapped his arms around Donnie so tight that he could almost not move.

"Um, Coach . . . it's nice to see you too, I guess."

Just seeing Donnie again may have been too much for Coach Tugnut. Maybe he was re-living all the great moments he lived through when Donnie was still in Sacramento. Maybe he was just choked up to see the son that he never had again. Or it could have been that he had grown very lonely since Mrs. Tugnut left him for that Danish kick-boxer, Ansgar.

So, Donnie and Tugnut went off on their way catching up on their lives. Donnie had entered his name into the NFL draft a few months earlier and he recently found out that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had selected him. He didn't need to report to mini-camp for another couple weeks, so he was able to come to Louis' graduation. Tugnut was still torturing seventh graders with their physical endurance tests.

"So, Lou, congratulations again. Well, I suppose we should get on back to the house. I'm sure you've got friends that you'd like to hang with tonight." his dad said.

"Oh, I think Twitty, Tom, Tawny and I were gonna go get something to eat, but probably nothing else."

"Well, we'll see you at the house then." And the Stevens were off. All of them, except for Donnie who was still being entertained by Tugnut who just didn't seem to want to let him go.

In the distance one could hear, "Coach! I gotta go! My ride's leaving! And you're really freaking me out here!"

"Hey, Lou. Me and Tom are ready. You?"

Louis was looking around. Then Tawny showed up. "Hey, guys."

"Alright. Let's split," Louis announced.