Billy and John ran down the hall as fast as they could. They didn't want to be caught anywhere near the chemistry lab. Especially not now. Smoke filled the room and the fire alarms were starting to go off. The pair made their way out into the courtyard where they sat under the tree laughing as hard as they could while still trying to catch their breath.

"That was great!" John laughed

"Yeah." Billy replied as he wiped some of the soot off of his face.

"But you know if we get caught we're going to be in deep trouble." John grins

"That's why we shouldn't get caught." Billy replies

The fire truck pulls up in front of the school and the men walk inside the building. A short time later they exit and the all clear is given so that the students could reenter the building. It was just in time for lunch, Billy's favorite subject. He and John carried their trays down the aisle way to a table with some of their other friends. They talked about graduation, which was only a week away.

"So Billy, you decided where you're gonna go yet?" one of his friends asks

"Nah, not yet." Billy replies he had been offered a football scholarship to Penn State, basketball to Duke, and baseball to Pittsburgh. But he wasn't sure that he wanted to go so far away from his family. Further yet he had no clue what he wanted to be.

"You don't know where you are going to college?" John was a little surprised with his best friend

"Nope." Billy replies as he eats a fry drenched in ketchup

They finish up their lunches and then the bell rings for 5th period. Chemistry. He thought about hooking it but then that would make him appear guilty of the explosion hours earlier. So he went into the lab, and took his seat next to Jenny Finley. She was the person who helped him get through chemistry class. Now if only he had paid more attention in class to the lecture rather than staring at her. Chemistry was his weak point and he needed it to graduate. He needed all the help that he could get for this final.

He sat through the lecture; his notebook looked more like chicken scratches than chemistry notes. The bell rang and his teacher made one last comment to the class.

"On Monday we will review what you need to know on the final." Mr. Douglas announced to the class.

As Billy was preparing to leave the room Mr. Douglas stopped him.

"Billy do you have a moment?" He asked

"Yeah." Billy said

Mr. Douglas closed the door and told Billy to take a seat.

"Now Billy, you're a week away from graduation and with your grade, I'm afraid that you may not be able to graduate with your friends." Mr. Douglas says in seriousness, "And the stunt that you pulled today with the explosion- yes I know it was you. Why are you doing this to yourself Billy?"

"I don't know." Billy says

"I want to see you succeed, I really do. But I don't know how to help you if you won't help yourself." He says

Billy looks down at the floor quietly.

"Billy, I hope that you can somehow figure it out." Mr. Douglas says

"Me too." Billy says as he picks up a study guide and walks to the door. "I'll try."

"I know." Mr. Douglas responds.

Billy didn't feel like going to English class that afternoon, nor did he feel like going to Music appreciation. Mainly it was sitting around and talking about nothing, listening to music was just a tiny part of the class but his teacher didn't care for much in the way of homework or tests and quizzes. So he hooked, and he left. It was a gorgeous Friday afternoon and so he headed off. He couldn't go home just yet or he would get in trouble with his aunt. He went to a local deli and got himself a soda and a sandwich. He wonders about his future. Suddenly it hit him that he was in danger of not graduating with his friends. He couldn't let that happen but he wasn't sure what to do. He pulled the study guide out of his backpack and began to look at it.

The Periodic Table:

Elements

Chemical Structure

Mass

The Atom

Mendeleev

Billy honestly had no clue. But the Periodic table would make up a significant portion of the final. He had a weekend to worry about that study guide. He looked at his watch. The Mets were playing at home that afternoon he had time to take his books home and be out before his aunt would come home. He could then catch a train and make it in time to watch the game. That was a plan to him and he headed for his aunt's house.

He got back to the house just before 2:30. His aunt wasn't due to be home for another half an hour. He could go in and put his books in his room and get back out. He dropped his books in his room at 2:34 and was back out of the house at 2:38. He was walking down the street at 2:45 when he saw his sister's car turn onto the block. He quickly turned into an alley and hoped that she hadn't seen him. He didn't have time to worry about that though, the Mets were taking on the Cardinals. It was a classic game in the making. Of course to Billy every Mets game was a classic in the making.

Billy arrived at Shea Stadium and got a ticket for the bleachers. Tom Seaver was pitching against Bob Forsche. It was going to be a pitcher's duel. The Mets had lost the night before with Keith Hernandez delivering a solo home run putting the finishing touches on a 6 to nothing victory. Today's game promised to be much better. The Mets had the lead 1-0 in the top of the 6th inning when an error set the scoring. The Cardinals scored 3 runs. They held a 3-1 lead until the 8th inning when the Mets scored on a walk and then a pair of singles. But the game ended with the Cardinals holding on to a 1 run lead and winning 3-2.

He headed home. When he walked in his Aunt handed him a piece of paper.

"A girl named Jenny dropped this off for you." His aunt said

"Thanks." Billy replied

"So how is Chemistry going?" His aunt asks

"It's going fairly well." Billy lied to his aunt

"How about lab?" She asked

Billy knew that he was busted. Somehow his aunt found out about what he and John had done earlier.

"It's going okay." He replies in hopes to stay out of trouble

His aunt knew that Billy had figured out the fact that she knew. And she had her own idea of how to punish him.

"Billy, I'm disappointed in you." She begins. "This isn't like you act out like that."

"It was a prank!" He argues

"Someone could have gotten hurt!" She rebuts. "You could have gotten hurt! Billy I've gone through that with you once and I don't want to go through it again. It makes me feel like I have failed your mother because I didn't protect you!"

"I'm sorry." He responds

"Yeah, you're sorry. You are sorry enough that you will spend your weekend here at home and studying chemistry so that you can GRADUATE with your class." She says

"Yes ma'am." Billy knows that there is no use to argue. And he knew that it was exactly what he needed to pass that chemistry test.

He looks at the paper Jenny had left. It was a copy of her notes on the periodic table along with her phone number. He decided that he would take a chance and call it.

"Is Jenny there?" Billy asks on the phone. "Jenny, this is Billy from Chemistry." He continues. "I was wondering if you could perhaps have a little extra time to help me study for the final… You can? That'd be great. Thank you!" Billy was excited as he hung up the phone. It was just 37 hours until the final and he was still very worried about how he would do.

Jenny came to his house to help him study. They go up to his bedroom to study. They go over every possible question that could be asked on the periodic table. After a couple hours they wrap up their studying.

"Well I think we've gone over everything." Jenny says

"I guess we have." Billy replies

An awkward pause occurs when Billy can't help himself and he leans in and kisses her. She is slightly startled but she doesn't pull away. A few seconds later there is a knock on the door.

"Billy, would Jenny like to stay for supper?" His aunt calls

Jenny packs her bag quickly.

"No ma'am I really must be going." She says as Billy opens the door.

"Let me lead you out." Billy says as he shows his guest to the door. "Thank you for coming." He says as closes the door.

"She seems nice." His aunt says

"Yeah." Billy says as he heads back up to his room.

Billy enters the classroom and takes his usual seat beside Jenny. The bell rings for 5th period to begin.

"Well class, it's time to find out how much you learned this semester." Mr. Douglas says

Billy leans in and whispers to Jenny.

"Thank you." He says

"So class, you have 50 minutes to complete this." Mr. Douglas says as he passes out the exam.

Billy looks quickly over the questions. He pauses a moment and then slowly begins to take the exam. 45 minutes tick away on the clock and most of the class has already finished. Mr. Douglas walks around the room to make sure that no one is cheating. Billy answers the last 2 questions and takes his paper to Mr. Douglas's desk.

"Billy, would you like to know what you got?" Mr. Douglas asks

"I'm afraid to ask." Billy replies

Since Mr. Douglas had made the test mostly multiple choice with a few short answer questions, it would only take moments for him to grade the exam. He takes out his red pen. He immediately finds an error. 3 excruciating minutes tick off the clock before he finally finishes. He makes his final mark on the paper.

"Here you go Billy." He hands the paper to Billy who stares down at it in disbelief.

"A C- minus?" Billy asks

"Yes Billy, you got a C- minus." Mr. Douglas confirms

"I passed?" He asks

"Yes Billy you passed!" Mr. Douglas replies

Billy lets out a sigh of relief and runs out of the room. It doesn't matter to him now; he passed the only class that he was in danger of not graduating from. It was a huge moment for him. It was a huge burden lifted from his shoulders. And in a few days it would all be worth it.

The courtyard was abuzz with families seated to watch the Class of 1976 graduate. Finally it came time for the students to enter. "Pomp And Circumstance" played as they all entered. Billy's sister, and his aunt were seated in the audience. It was a warm June afternoon, and the green caps and gowns the students were wearing didn't make the day any easier to bear. It was time for them to take the walk across the stage to receive their diplomas. Mr. Johannson called each student by name. Finally it was time for Billy to take the walk.

"William James Walsh." Mr. Johannson announces as Billy takes the step up onto the stage. He shakes his principal's hand and is given the roll that they all wish for. He had worked a long time for this moment. It was a triumph for him. He took his place with the rest of his class. After a few more names were called it was time for Mr. Johannson to present the graduating class.

"And with that…" He pauses, "Ladies and Gentlemen I present to you the Jefferson High School class of 1976!"

Cheers erupt. Billy's sister Ashley has tears in her eyes as she watches her little brother toss his cap in the air with the rest of his classmates. He and his best friend John embrace, each proud of the other's achievement. Billy searches through the crowd to find Jenny. She was the real reason he was sitting there today. He makes his way through the maze of people and finds her.

"Jenny." He calls

"Billy, congratulations." She replies

Without so much as a hesitation he kisses her once again. It seems like the world spins around them. And for Billy it did. It didn't matter what the rest of the world was doing at this point. She shared his kiss. It seemed like an eternity that they embraced, in reality it was only a few seconds.

"Thank you!" He says to her

"You're welcome Billy Walsh." She smiles as his sister and aunt approach.

"Congratulations Jenny." His aunt says

"Thank you." Jenny replies before she heads off to find her own family.

"I made it." Billy smiles

"Yes you did." His aunt responds fighting back a tear.

"I can't believe that my little baby brother is all grown up." She smiles and doesn't even attempt to fight back a tear.

"I know." He smiles as he hugs his sister.

He only has one thing left that he needs to do today. He asks for a few moments alone before he heads home. He has one more stop to make.

Still wearing his gown, and reunited with his cap he heads off to the cemetery where his parents are buried. He kneels down between their plots.

"Well mom and dad. I did it. Your little boy finally graduated from high school. I wish that you could have been there." He says with a tear trickling down his own face. "I love you." He says as he kisses his hand and touches each of their headstones. He hadn't thought that his parents really where there watching, but they were. They had watched him every minute of his life. They were always alive in his heart, and just the thought of them gave him warmth and strength to tackle the greatest of challenges. He slowly stood back up and walked back to his car. He had now officially graduated.