Author's Note: Welcome to yet another installment to this story that I feel has gone on forever. I want to thank you all again. I feel like I've been very unappreciative. I really need to thank you all though. It's because of your reviews that I've become and absolute nutcase for writing again. I've started another story (an original) and as soon as I finish I'll get the link up.

Look at the ball and watch what I do with it.

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We returned home later that night and died from exhaustion. The next day we had school which was completely pointless in my opinion. The seniors had become so completely rowdy and impossible to deal with in class, some teachers didn't bother coming to class. Instead they retreated to the teachers lounge and did whatever teachers do in there. I have the suspicion that they chain smoked.

The next coming Friday was our last day and the day after was our graduation ceremony. I overheard Sarah Black talking to all her friends by her locker about how she was going to style her hair, what shoes she was going to wear and debating whether to wear pants or a skirt underneath her graduation gown. I turned my laugh into a hacking cough as soon as she cast her glare upon me.

We received our yearbooks that Monday, so everyone was in a large swarm with pens in hand and yelling at each other. To me, yearbook signing has always been a bit on the stupid side. I have an awful memory, therefore I've forgotten who most of the people were who signed my middle school yearbooks. But would I ever change it? Not for the world.

There has always been a bit of a typical note written in everybody's yearbook when they aren't exactly sure what to say. "Had lots of fun in class this year! I hope you have a great summer and I'll see you soon. Call me at -. Stay sweet!"

I try to avoid that, but it's really tough. You see, I am possibly the worst yearbook page writer in the history of the entire…yearbook I suppose. I never know what to say exactly because it either sounds too fake, that I don't care enough, angry, that I don't really know the person or some other strange thing. How was I supposed to sign these yearbooks this year, when we all knew we wouldn't be coming back next year to see each other and get another chance?

Rini, Maron, and I were outside in the courtyard during lunch and marveling at our new yearbooks. It was a nice sunny day and unseasonably warm. "Marcus Young looks like a little hottie in his picture." Rini said. "Page 84."

Maron scoffed. "Puh-lease!"

Across the courtyard, a door banged open and out came an ecstatic Bulma. "Oh my god you guys, you'll never guess!" She yelled excitedly. She ran to us with her yearbook clutched to her chest.

"Did you make senior quote!" Maron asked excitedly, flipping to the last senior page.

"No! Even better! The principal just called me into his office and he told me that…" She stopped to take a breath. "The staff elected me valedictorian!"

"Wow Bulma! Congratulations!" I said to her.

"Thanks so much guys! Hey! Would you sign my yearbook?" She asked, nearly throwing the book into my lap.

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The week went by much faster than I ever would have dreamed. I had been looking forward to graduating since my first week of Kindergarten, and suddenly the moment was upon me and I wasn't as excited as I thought I'd be.

The ceremony was planned at 3:00 in the afternoon, but all the grads had to be there in their caps and gowns at 2:00.

At noon, I felt someone sit on my bedside and rub my back. I smiled and sighed a tired content sigh. I felt a soft kiss on my cheek.

"Wake up, Chi. It's time for lunch, then we have to get ready for the ceremony." Goku said softly.

"I'll be down in a second." I mumbled.

"I know that's bullshit. I need to see you get up, or else you'll never make it in time."

I groaned and slowly rolled over and sat up. "What's for lunch?" I asked in a grumpy like manner.

"Tacos."

My eyes shot open excitedly and I nearly ran down the stairs.

After stuffing myself full of the Mexican wonder food, I got into the shower to wash off my body and wash my hair. I decided to leave it straight and down for the occasion. It was a hot day so I put on a black tank top and a short black skirt on underneath that I had bought especially for the occasion. I strapped on a pair of high heeled black sandals. There, I was ready to put on my gown.

I opened the closet doors and stared at the gown with the honors tassel draped over the shoulders. I had graduated on honor roll from my cumulative GPA from last year and this past quarter. As I looked over the plain looking gown, I felt the urge to cry. I held a hand to my mouth and took in deep breaths so I could sustain my cool.

I heard a knock on the door. Goku was standing there with his gown on and a pair of black dress pants underneath. In his hand was his cap, still without the tassel. He had his shiny black prom shoes on too. "Woah," He said sizing me up. "I think you need to go like that."

"Oh shut up." I said to him and returned to look at my gown hanging in the closet. "I was just about to get my gown on."

"It's freaky to think about isn't it?" He asked, plopping himself on my bed as I took my gown off its hanger. "We're done. After today there is no more."

As I pulled my gown over my head, I walked over to my full length mirror and admired the reflection. I stood in silence looking for a moment then suddenly turned around and asked "Do you remember the first day we met?"

"Where did that come from?" he asked with a confused look on his face.

"I just…want to know."

"I think so. I definitely remember the first time I ever saw you. I was pretty pissed off that the new kid on the block was a girl. You were sitting on the lawn playing with a Barbie."

I draped the honors tassel over my shoulders. "That's funny."

"Yeah."

We remained in silence for a moment. "Would you have ever imagined that on our graduation day we would be engaged?" I asked.

"I never thought about graduation before this year, actually." He said thoughtfully. "I never really thought about my future either. Well, last year I thought I was going to State to play football, but I quit that after my second game this year. What about you?"

"I had hoped, but dreams aren't ever supposed to come true. Not for me anyways."

He stood up and walked over to me. He kissed me on the head and wrapped his arms around my waist and held me tightly. "You're a freaking pessimist."

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Goku and I went in a separate car than Mom, seeing as we probably weren't going to be home that night. We were given our cap tassels and seating assignments as soon as we arrived. As I would have expected, it was in alphabetical order. Bulma was given a seat on the stage but was expected to join the student body as soon as her speech was over.

All the girls surveyed each other with appraising eyes. I was ever so relieved to see that Sarah Black had solved her fashion problems. Under her gown, she had a nice pair of flared, black business pants. Her hair had been put up into a fancy bun which was covered up by her cap when she wore it; making her look bald with only her blonde bangs out in the front.

A group of the nerds were over in a corner playing games on their graphing calculators, almost looking bored to be witnessing their own graduation. Keegan Bates, the guy I voted for Prom King was in the group too, telling a political joke to one of his friends, who laughed so hard he had to push his glasses up. I knew that he had got accepted into M.I.T. with a hefty financial add package to go with it.

"Okay people!" One of the volunteers shouted at us. "It's time to line up!"

In the line up, I saw a girl with chestnut brown hair who had an unrecognizable face. I frowned. I knew everyone in my graduating class. How could this one slip by me?

She saw me looking at her and she smiled back. "Hi Chi-Chi. Long time no see." I recognized the voice, which immediately made me remember.

"Woah! Andrea! How are you! I thought you were on exchange in…"

"Austria? Yeah, I am. Jackie Clause is here too and she's supposed to be in Taiwan right now. We came back for the week so we could graduate with everyone." Her eyes sparkled and she seemed so much more confident than the girl I knew last year.

"So are the rumors true?" She said in a low voice, trying to make sure no one would hear her. "About the baby? About Goku?"

I nodded. "I had a miscarriage so it didn't exactly work out or anything."

"What would you guys have done? Did it totally break you guys up?"

"Nope. If anything it got us lots closer. He proposed to me a couple weeks ago, so we're getting married in the beginning of September."

Her eyes shot wide open and she searched for the ring on my finger. "No…way! I'm so happy for you!"

"Any guys in Austria?" I asked.

Her eyes lit up and she began to tell me about a guy named Florian. She told me thing after thing about this young man until 'Pomp and Circumstance' began to play, signaling for us to start marching down the hall.

It felt unreal to be walking and hearing this song. The band was up on stage and playing the song on repeat. The auditorium was packed with people and many were forced to stand up. I scanned the crowd and saw Mom sitting with my father in the far left sector of the auditorium in the third row. They must have seen me too because they both waved. Mom wiped her eyes with her sleeve, then Dad gave her his tissue. He winked at me.

As soon as we all were seated, the principal began his speech. The look on his face was one of pride and accomplishment. Finally we were going to get out of his hair.

Then it was Bulma's turn. She stood up and walked slowly to the podium. "Fellow students, some of you may know me as a friend, some of you may know me as a classmate, or just some girl you've seen once or twice in the hallway. Unfortunately, some of you may not like me at all. I ask you right now to put any differences between us aside and listen to the congratulations I'm about to give you all."

She looked up from the podium and smiled weakly. "That's all I wrote." There was a moment of silence. "It was soon after I wrote those words that I realized that there aren't enough words to explain to you what a great accomplishment you've all made. How many times have you heard the 'this is the first day of the rest of your life' speech or the 'Webster's Dictionary describes a graduate as…' speech. You don't want to hear it anymore than I want to say it. This past month has changed my view on this one day completely. Of course I'm looking forward and seeing what lies ahead, but for now, stepping back and reflecting for just one day, is what we should do.

"I want a show of hands of people who can remember their first day of school." She said, and waited for us to respond. Slowly, everyone's hand slid up.

"How many of you can remember the person you first played with?" Fewer hands went up this time.

"And out of those who still remember, are they somewhere in this graduating class?" Nearly no hands went up, but a few did.

"Mine is." I looked for Maron in the sea of grads. There she was with her hand still raised and misty eyed. "What I want to say to you all, is that no matter who your friends were, are, or will be, you will always remember them when you look back at high school. You won't remember cheating on a test, failing gym, your locker combination, or even some of your teachers names, but your friends will always be the things that you remember. No matter where you end up, there won't be a day that goes by that you don't think about your friends.

"Congratulations to this years graduating class." She said, with a weaker voice. Her eyes teared up. "Even the Literature majors couldn't put my sincerity into words."

The applause was nearly deafening. Andrea clapped with teary eyes as well. Her best friend, Sophie, had been killed after homecoming of our sophomore year in a drunk driving incident. I could recall Sophie and Andrea being together ever since the day I moved here when I was 8. It must have been killing her that she was graduating without her best friend.

As soon as Bulma joined our ranks, the first row stood up and walked to the side of the stage. The first to take the long walk was John Ackerman. The principal announced each name and a small list of accomplishments from their four years of high school. I wondered what they would say about me, seeing as my past two years I hadn't done anything very notable other than the Spanish club.

The first of 'us' to walk was Bulma. "This years valedictorian and last falls Homecoming Queen, Bulma Briefs has been accepted in the University of Michigan chemical science program." Her face was glowing with happiness and pride when they handed her the scroll.

Next was Rini. "Rini Grantt has participated in drama club, including the lead female role in our sister school's fall musical, tutored elementary school children, and has been accepted into Central State University with a major in history."

I waited a while until I realized that Andrea had gone. As she was walking down off the stage with her scroll, I heard my name announced and I began to walk. I smiled a big smile and thought of how lucky I really was. Only 2 and a half months ago this dream would have been impossible.

"Chi-Chi King was a participant in the Spanish club, drama club, and tutoring." Wow. I did the drama play my sophomore year and tutored my freshman year. Way to bring up ancient history. "Chi-Chi is graduating with honors and plans to go to Eastern Community College and major in secondary education."

They must have gotten the college and major from the sheet I filled out at the beginning of the year to tell the staff what we were planning to do when we got out of high school. Truth be told, I wasn't interested in college anymore, and certainly not secondary education.

I was handed my scroll from the counselor who smiled a big, assuring smile. As I walked down the stage, I saw Mom and Dad clapping heavily.

I swapped happy glances with Andrea as we sat and watched. After a while Krillin was walking across the stage with a large smile on his face as well. "Krillin Masaki is graduating this year with honors and a scholarship to play football at the University of Kentucky. He has previously enjoyed playing football and tutoring junior high students."

The next one to receive their diploma was Maron. "Maron Rockafellow was elected this years Prom Queen and has participated in various Track and Field activities. She plans to attend Eastern Community College with a major that is yet to be decided." Maron's cheeks were red and puffy from crying. She smiled the entire way across the stage though.

Vegeta was next. He walked with a strut and a large smirk on his face across the stage and snatched the scroll rudely out of the poor man's hands. "Vegeta Sai has participated in football, boxing, and the French club." French Club? Oh, I'll get him for that later. "Vegeta is continuing onto Duke University to play football."

We waited a while until the principal said Goku's name. He began to walk across the stage with a sheepish grin. The applause from the audience was incredible. "Goku Son was elected Homecoming King last fall, was the starting quarterback on the football team for 3 years, and has participated in a number of school fundraisers." As his consoler gave him his scroll, he playfully punched him on the arm, and in return he jokingly recoiled. He came off the stage with both Mom and Dad applauding as they had done for me and sat several rows behind me. I caught his eye and her mouthed the words 'We did it'.

When the last student, Robert Zimmerman walked off the stage, the principal said "This is our 2005 graduating class." The roar from the students was incredible. "Students, you may all move your tassels to the left."

In unison, we all passed our tassels from the right side to the left. When the band began to play 'Pomp and Circumstance' again, we all tossed our hats into the air.

We'd all done it. Some of us, hardly. But as we sat there and watched our hats fly into the air, we all tried to remember the kid we played with on the first day of Kindergarten.

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Author's Note: I apologize for the weird ending, but in a way it was kind of a cliffhanger to make you think a bit. I hope you all enjoyed it. THANKS FOR READING! See ya next chapter!

Annie Bacchi