A/N: Well, here it is. I'll make this chapter as long as I can, but it won't likely be very extensive like recent chapters. Hope you enjoy.
Mordecai packed his possessions with a sigh before taking a long look around his room. It was still hard to believe this would be the last time he would be in this place. He thought of this place as home. His job as well, but still his home.
"Margaret's outside with her car. You know I hate you for this?" Rigby told him, walking in the room.
"I know. I hate myself for this decision. But I'll hate myself even more if I cheat my future," Mordecai said, holding a box under his arm. "This place is home, but there's no future here. No future for a family, which is exactly what I want. You need to think about the same if you want a future yourself. College is not for you. But if you can't work with your mind, you'll have to work with your back."
"But I'm no good at that! You know this," Rigby complained.
"Then get stronger. Work on it. And if having a steady job to buy your own house with Eileen isn't enough motivation, ask yourself this: Is this really where you want to bring your kid to? Around so many issues that happen at this place? Not to mention Muscle Man," Mordecai explained.
Rigby grimaced before looking at Mordecai with a frustrated expression.
"I hate it that you're right. I'll try," Rigby said.
"Good. I can't stay up here forever. Let's head down," Mordecai said, walking out of the door.
Mordecai headed downstairs and noticed his bags were gone.
"Where are my bags?" Mordecai asked.
"We put them in the car for you. Don't waste this opportunity," Skips told him. Mordecai nodded.
"I won't," Mordecai assured him. Benson then turned to face his former employee.
"And here I was thinking that you would be here the rest of your life like me," he said simply. Mordecai didn't even crack any kind grin or smile at that statement from how serious it was.
"So did I, sadly enough. But enough of that now. I plan on fixing that," Mordecai said.
"I see that. I wish you nothing but the best and hope to meet you later in life," Benson said, holding out his hand.
Mordecai grabbed it and shook his boss' hand. Then he turned to CJ and Stacey who were standing next to each other. Mordecai rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.
"Sorry for how things turned out," he said in an awkward tone.
"I don't really blame you. Just be glad I know you. Otherwise, I'd probably beat the crap out of you," CJ said.
"Same here. But even though you make messed up decisions that you don't think through, I still wish you nothing for the best. And you better come back fully educated," Stacey warned.
"I will. I'm promising you all, and I'm promising myself," Mordecai said, turning to his parents.
"I have to say, you made a good choice son," Mordecai's dad said.
"Wish I felt less crappy," Mordecai said. Mordecai's mom put a hand on his shoulder.
"There are moments where we have to do what is right, and what is easy. You're choosing the path that's right, which is much more responsible. I'm proud of you son," she said, pulling him into an embrace.
"Thanks mom," he said, returning the hug.
"Your flight's in a few minutes. You need to leave now," Skips said, tapping an imaginary watch.
"Alright. Bye everyone," Mordecai said, waving at them with a free hand.
"Bye," all of them said.
Mordecai walked out of the door and he saw Margaret leaning against her car with a sad smile. Mordecai closed his eyes while looking down before walking forward and putting his box in the car.
"Ready to go?" Margaret asked.
"Yeah. We don't have too much time until my flight leaves. So we need to get going," Mordecai said, getting in the car.
"Yeah. We do," Margaret said in a depressed tone before getting in the driver seat.
The drive to the airport was spent a short time in silence. Mordecai cut on the radio in hope of breaking the thick silence, but apparently the radio decided to be a smart aleck and decided to play the Chicago song If you leave me now. Mordecai face palmed as soon as the song came on. Margaret instantly moved to cut of the radio.
"It's like the world is messing with us," she said.
"Yeah, no kidding," Mordecai said shortly. His responses were generally short because he was afraid he wouldn't go through with his decision to go if he struck up a conversation with Margaret too long. But he saw that Margaret's hands were turning a paler red from her grip on the steering. Mordecai placed a calming hand on her shoulder.
"Ease up on the steering wheel," he told her. She took a quick glance at him before looking back at the road, her grip eased.
"Sorry. It's just that... I know how you felt before now," Margaret said.
"I don't wish the same feeling on you. Not even close. It's just..."
"It's ok. I've been in your position before, remember?" Margaret reminded him.
Mordecai nodded. It was one of his most depressed moments. Other than when he thought Margaret was engaged.
They spent the rest of the trip in silence. They couldn't really talk without bringing up the issue they were hoping to avoid.
They finally arrived at the airport and with the help of Margaret, it only took one trip for them to bring his luggage aboard the airplane.
"Flight 486 is boarding in two minutes. Attendants, please get to your flights as quickly as possible," a woman said on the intercom.
"We don't have too much time for goodbyes," Mordecai said.
Margaret practically tackled Mordecai into a hug while Mordecai could feel tears soaking into his shoulder.
"I'll be back. It won't be like last time. I can promise you that," Mordecai said, his voice heavy. "I promise."
Margaret forced herself to detach from Mordecai, who had to promptly turn around and head to the plane. He forced himself not to turn around in case he did not want to continue forward. Hopefully things won't end up like before.
A/N: Told you it wasn't going to be that long, but it is what it is. Now, I'm going to go over a few things that happens before Mordecai graduates. See you next time.