Here's the next chapter. It will have Venice and the beginning of a relationship. Here you go. Oh and it is a bit OOC.
I woke up when Mom skipped into the common room. She stopped suddenly.
I looked up at Mom with sleepy eyes. I realized where I was, and what position I was in and I started to bite my lip. I got up off the floor quickly, waking Tristan.
"What?" He asked drowsily.
"Go back to sleep." I told him leaning down. Once he shut his eyes
I walked over to Mom's room knowing Mom would follow me. She turned around and shut the door.
"What was that?" Mom asked calmly. She knew that getting mad, would just make things worse.
"Um, me sleeping on the floor next to Tristan" I replied, not sure what to say.
"And you don't think there's something wrong with that?" She asked pointedly.
"Not really." I answered. Not quite getting what was wrong with it.
"Well you might not, but I do!" Mom told me getting louder. "I know that you're 18 and you will want to have sex soon enough, and you know for a fact that I am very open with this subject. But I want you to know that there are risks and you need to think. I know you will probably give your virginity to Tristan, but I want you to talk to me before anything happens!" Mom ranted.
"Mom don't you tell me there is something wrong sleeping next to Tristan. I know as an 18 year old I think about sex. But I also know it's my decision, and I also know that I will tell you before anything happens. I know we've had this conversation once already and my opinions are still the same. I'll wait until I'm ready, it will be MY choice, I will be safe and I will talk to you before anything happens.
So now that that is established can you drop the subject." I ranted in a calm voice.
"I'm proud of you Rory, I really am, but as I parent I worry. I definitely don't want you to do what I did." Mom told me.
"I understand that but I need to know that you trust me." I replied, trying to get her to understand.
"I trust you." Mom responded not missing a beat. She knew she trusted me; she didn't need to think about it.
"Are we good?" I asked her.
"Very good!" She answered happily. Then she started joking. "I have that picture in my head again."
"The one with the people on the other side of the wall, with their heads next to glasses, against the wall?" I replied, happy that things were ok with us again.
"That's the one, but they wouldn't need the glasses, we have good lungs." She repeated the same thought she had at her father's business party.
"We have special ranting abilities too!" I laughed as I opened the door. I walked out seeing all 3 of them awake and silent.
Mom whispered to me, "I think they heard us!"
"I'm pretty sure they did." I whispered back.
I looked at Tristan he was smirking. "Yep he sure did!" I thought.
I walked over to Tristan and sat down next to him and then decided I wanted more sleep since it was only 8. I lay down and Tristan started speaking to me.
"What are you doing?" He asked, confused.
I sat up, "Well, frankly, I only got about 5 hours of sleep and I want more so I am going to sleep!" I said then I lay back down and closed my eyes.
They were all looking at me weirdly. I could tell even though I couldn't see them.
"What are you all looking at?" I questioned not opening my eyes.
"Nothing!" they laughed. I opened my eyes.
"I'll be conscious in about 2 hours. Till then, see ya." With that parting thought, I shut my eyes and went to sleep.
As promised 2 hours later I was rubbing my eyes and getting up.
I sat at the table seeing the group congregated there talking.
"So how was your graduation?" Mom asked all of them.
"Mine was great. I was co-salutatorian with Jason." Tristan commented.
"I loved mine. I was so pretty" Katie laughed.
"Shallow much?" Tristan asked.
"I loved mine. I was valedictorian. I can remember my speech too." I said announcing my presence.
(By the way. I created this speech. And it belongs to me.)
I want to begin by thanking everyone here today, and everyone who
Isn't here but wish they were, and even all the people who helped us get here. These people are our parents, friends, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, that guy at Burger King who helped you with your homework, the girl at Border's that recommended a good book. We couldn't have done it without all of you. So thank you for believing in us.
I didn't actually know what I wanted to say to my fellow students. So
I decided to tell you about the one thing I believe in most. Which is
Carpe Diem.
Anyone here ever heard this before. I learned it from a movie when I was eleven. It became my motto, because I thought it was so true. I've had this motto for seven years and I think it's about time I share it with you.
Carpe Diem means seize the day! Take chances, live life to the fullest.
Do everything you can in one lifetime. Do something different. Rock the
World!
I think this is what high school is supposed to teach you. The fact that you can do anything and you should do everything you can in life. Not just calculus, creative writing, biology and chemistry and all the usual subjects that are part of the school's curriculum. Those are things that you may need to know later in life, but Carpe Diem is about how to live your life.
Carpe Diem reminds us to seize each day and cherish them dearly. We are at least able to make life great; we have the opportunity to make each and every day great. But do you want it to be great or just settle for good?
Every day opportunities await us and we must decide whether to take the chance or play it safe. I encourage you to take the risks, for nothing is gained without them. If we choose to take the risks we might be one step closer to becoming everything we want to be. Teachers give us choices adults give us choices. But what we do with them defines us for the rest of our lives. So will we use our choices wisely? Will we use them to the fullest? Will we take the safe route and just settle for what we get? Or will we take the risky route and aim for the stars? Will we take the chance and take a step closer to our dreams? Will we make our life worth the trip? This is what is Carpe Diem is really about.
Carpe Diem gives me confidence, confidence that I personally can achieve anything, that we all can do everything and anything that we want to. When I look out at my fellow students, I don't see a bunch of high school graduates. I see a Noble Prize winner, a soccer player that 8 year olds will aspire to be like, a teacher who will inspire hundreds of kids, a biologist who will save the last of the rain forest, a famous Hollywood actress, a doctor who will find the cure to AIDS. I know that sounds clichéd but it's the truth. We can change the world and make a difference. That's what I see. But do you see it?
When I stepped into Chilton Prep, I didn't think I would change the world, not in the least. But now I believe I can, as long as I seize my own opportunities to be something amazing.
Some of the days we spent here were hard, tough, and boring. But many of these days were just the opposite, great, fun, and dare I say it amazing.
But all good things must come to an end. Maybe this is end of our high school journey, but another journey starts today, the one that will last the rest of our lives. And are we going to make the journey half the fun?
Will you live out Carpe Diem? Will you take the safe route or the risky one? Will you rock the world? Will you make a difference? It's all up to you to decide. But in the mean time, I want to say one last thing,
Carpe Diem, Class of '03! Seize The Day, Live While You Can!"
I recited the speech to them, quoting it word for word.
They all started clapping when I finished. I blushed and laughed.
"Thank you very much." I said, as I took a bow.
"I need to get changed." Tristan announced.
"Yah, so do I." Jason added, realizing they were all in their clothes from yesterday.
"Me too!" Katie piped up.
"Me three!" Mom continues, looking down at herself.
"Me four!" I joined in.
We all looked at each other and laughed at our silliness before we all walked off to get ready. Twenty minutes later we all filed back into the room from different directions.
Mom was going over our itinerary for the day.
"Well! It looks like we got a cheese tasting to go to!" Mom announced happily.
"Food!" I yelled starving.
"What are we standing around for? Let's go!" Katie yelled.
We all quickly walked out of the door. We spent the day cheese tasting, and wine tasting, and sauce tasting. By the end of the day we were stuffed and tired. (So I didn't give details. Sue me. I didn't know what to say)
"I'm beat!" I groaned as I walked into the suite and dropped on the couch.
"We all are!" Jason agreed. All of us dropped onto the nearest soft piece of furniture and all within minutes were out cold.
We woke up at 9 the next day all stiff and sore.
I sat up slowly, trying to avoid pain.
"So much pain!" Mom muttered, not moving.
"OW!" Tristan yelled when he woke up and jumped suddenly.
"We have all established that we are in pain. But we have a flight to get to in an hour and 15 minutes." Jason reminded us, looking at his watch.
"1 hour!" Mom yelled, forgetting about the pain and ran to her room to get packed.
We all followed suit quickly and exactly one hour and 15 minutes later we were aboard the plane.
The plane ride was full of fun and laughter. Not long after we boarded the plane, we landed in Venice.
"Ten minutes? That's it?" Mom questioned.
"What was the point of taking the plane?" I asked.
"No idea!" replied Tristan.
"Well we only have about 8 hours here. We board the plane tonight at
6." Jason informed us.
"So what to do? What to do?" Kats mused.
"I want to make pizza!" I suggested. "I found this place that teaches you to make pizza!"
"That sounds perfect!" Tristan commented taking my hand and kissing me.
"That does sound fun!" Katie added.
"Well let's go then!" I said excitedly, as I led the way. We went to the hotel, another Hilton in fact and put our things down. Shortly after we got our things to the room, we headed to the restaurant.
"Why in the world do we need a hotel room, if we are only here for 8 hours?" I asked.
"Don't ask me. It makes no sense to me either." Katie told us, baffled about it too.
We came to the small restaurant and we walked up to the counter.
"We would like to make a pizza." I requested easily.
"Sure, how many?" The lady asked.
"5 please." I told her.
"Right this way." She said as she led us over to a counter. "Here are your ingredients. You can choose. The dough is already made for you. Have fun!"
We each lined up against the counter, Mom at the right end, Then Me, Tristan, Jason, and Katie.
I picked up my dough and started playing around. I kneaded it some and then decided to toss it up in the air. I caught it and did it again.
I looked around and saw each of my best friends playing around and without looking at my dough I threw it up. And it landed on Tristan's head.
"What just hit my head?" He asked.
We all broke out laughing and once I calmed down I picked the dough off of Tristan's blonde hair and showed it to him.
"Now I can't eat my pizza!" I groaned, disappointed.
"You can have some of mine." Tristan whispered in my ear.
"Thank you kind sir!" I told him jokingly.
"Your welcome milady." He laughed, as he bowed.
We all broke out laughing again. Once we calmed down we all finished up our pizzas and brought them to the lady so that they could be baked.
She took them from us one by one and we sat down at one of the tables.
"So what do you want to be when you grow up?" Mom asked the other
18 year olds.
"Lawyer." Jason informed us proudly.
"Teacher." Katie continued.
"Lawyer." Tristan contributed.
"What about you Rory?" Katie asked.
"She wants to be a journalist." Tristan answered for me.
"You remembered!" I told him.
"Yes I did." He replied proudly.
"Your pizzas are done!" we heard the lady tell us from behind the counter.
"Great!" We all exclaimed simultaneously.
They handed us 4 pizzas and we took them happily. All were cheese and we dug in.
"This is the best pizza I have ever had!" I exclaimed while picking up another slice, which was my 8th.
"I know it's amazing!" Katie added, while also taking another large piece.
"Plus, we cooked it, and we haven't died yet!" Mom laughed.
"Don't jinx it!" I scolded Mom playfully. "Remember last time.
We ended up with Luke taking as to the hospital."
"You're bad cooks?" Tristan asked, interested.
"Very, very bad cooks!" I corrected him with a serious face.
"I'll have to remember that!" He laughed.
"It would be in your best interest!" I commented, still eating my new slice of pizza.
We continued to eat and chat. Once we were done and paid the bill, we walked outside and saw a gondola.
"I've always wanted to ride in a gondola!" Mom shrieked.
"Well here's our chance!" I said as I laughed at how excited she was.
I turned back over to the man in the gondola. "Can it sit 5?" I asked politely.
"Yes, yes it can hold 5 and me." He explained, in a think accent.
"How much does it cost?" I again questioned.
"For you only 25 dollars!" He smiled.
"Thank you!" I said, as I stepped in followed by everyone else.
"Why am I the one constantly asking about the touristy stuff?" I asked the group once we all got seated.
"No idea!" Mom told me.
She looked at the water and got lost in her own little world. Probably thinking about a certain flannel backwards baseball cap diner owner.
Jason and Katie started talking and that left me and Tristan to talk to each other. Which I had no problem with.
As soon as I turned my head back to Tristan, he kissed me. When he broke away he asked me a question.
"Will you be my girlfriend?" He asked.
"Well that does imply you have to take me out on a date. Which you haven't done yet." I pointed out.
"Well in that case. Will you go out on a date with me?" He tried again.
"Yes, when and where." I smiled.
"Tomorrow night at 8, Paris." He answered, happy that I had said yes.
"Fine with me and now that I know we have a date set, yes I would love to be your girlfriend." I said before kissing him.
"This is so cool!" Mom squealed.
"Isn't it though!" I squealed right back. Perfectly content with Tristan holding me from behind, talking with my mom.
"It's so nice, being here, away from everything. Your past, your future, your secrets. All of it!" She listed, "You're free to be yourself, and just be happy in the present. No regrets about yesterday, no fears about tomorrow."
"I love that about being here!" I agreed.
"Well here is your stop." The rower told us. We all looked up at him, to see him smiling. We smiled right back and left but not before tipping him generously.
"Grazie! Grazie!" He bowed his head before waving good bye.
"Where to next?" Mom asked.
"Ask Tristan." I told Mom.
"Tristan?" she directed the question to him.
"We should go and see the buildings." He suggested.
"That sounds great. They are all so pretty!" I agreed.
"You're just agreeing since he's your boyfriend!" Mom teased.
"Yes I am." I teased right back.
"At least you're honest about it" She told me, laughing.
"Well what can I say, I like them honest." Tristan laughed.
"Well let's get going times a wasting. We got 5 hours." Jason hinted, while starting to walk away.
We got the message and started to follow.
We spent the day shopping and looking at buildings. We got back to the hotel and just grabbed our bags again.
We boarded the plane to Paris and we went through the routine again.
How did you like it? It was longer then the other ones. I plan on using Paris next. And then Düsseldorf as the next chapter. And then I plan on doing the last chapter. So you have 3 chapters left. Well review.