Graduation 2008
In all of her years as a teacher, Alyson Darbus had never been one of those teachers to mourn for the departure of her students to the real world. She clapped them on their backs and shook their hands to congratulate them. If she liked a particular class of students enough, she'd get a gift or two for them. Never, though, had she cried for her students. Until then.
She watched as Gabriella Montez hugged her mother and tears streamed down both their faces. Maria Montez said something that made Gabriella blush. The motherly pride in Maria was evident and Darbus found herself almost as proud of Gabriella as Maria was. She had liked young Gabriella the moment she walked into her class on the first day of high school. The girl was shy and unconfident at first but high school, or rather East High, had changed her. Gabriella Montez had blossomed into a beautiful, confident and ambitious youth. Darbus liked to think that she had a part to play in Gabriella's developed self esteem.
Troy Bolton was standing not too far away with his own mother, his shaggy brown hair all over his face while his blue eyes shone with emotions Darbus herself was feeling though for different reasons. Happiness for the completion of high school yet sadness for leaving. Relief that Gabriella was going to be with him yet sorrow that Chad won't be. Darbus was confident that Troy would understand, or probably already had, that getting everything he wanted in life was not going to happen. He'd learn that true friends would always be with him as would true love. Darbus had a strong feeling that Bolton and Danforth would be seen at the reunion ten years from then, still best friends.
Ryan Evans and Kelsi Nielson were sat on the benches, the smiles on their faces large and wide as they stole sweet kisses when they thought no one was looking while discussing their future in Julliard together. They were another couple Darbus was sure would be attending the reunion together. Ryan's sister, Sharpay, sat not too far from them, her eyes glazed with tears as she stared into nothing, her hands supporting her head and her lap supporting her hands. Darbus sighed. High school had been Sharpay's comfort zone and now that she was being taken out of it, Darbus knew she was going to have problems adjusting to the real world. Alas, Sharpay had a loving family despite the way she acted and Darbus knew she'd soon learn that there were more important things in life other than money or drama.
Taylor McKessie and Martha Cox were hugging each other, their eyes glazed with shed tears. Taylor had been Martha's first friend and Darbus had always like McKessie for judging people on their character and not by the way one looked.
Chad Danforth, Zeke Baylor and Jason Cross were goofing off on stage and Darbus found herself smiling at the usual sight. Out of all her graduating students, those were three boys who had managed to mature over the years, yet still hang on to youthful innocence and mischief.
Danforth had always been immature and childish (and he probably would be for as long as he lived) but his ego had deteriorated and he had learnt that his happiness need not necessarily mean other people's happiness. Darbus was certain that McKessie had something to do with it.
Baylor was still more reserved when asked to interact with others but he fully became himself around his friends. He was the matured one among their group and his wisdom kept his group of friends grounded. Darbus smiled to herself as Zeke and Sharpay shared a small smile. She would not be surprised if they ended up together during the reunion.
Jason, however, was the student she was most worried about. The boy was naïve and a little slow sometimes. Alas, Darbus had a nagging feeling at the pit of her stomach that Jason was going to be fine. It hurt that she knew she was not going to be able to help him in his life after high school. She had never felt that way about any of her students and frankly, it scared her that she was getting too attached.
Hot tears sprang into her eyes as she observed her favorite students in all her years of teaching, a proud smile on her face. She felt like a mother who was letting her children go off to the real world, afraid that they might get hurt, yet confident that they would do well.
"A look of compassion on Alyson Darbus' face? I must be dreaming!" an irritatingly familiar voice teased and Darbus rolled her eyes, wiped the tears that had managed to escape her eyes and put her hands on her hips before turning to glare at Jack Bolton.
"What do you want, Bolton?" she hissed, ready to argue with him as she always was. Jack rolled his eyes, used to her reactions towards him. He turned to look at his son, who had by then joined his friends on stage. Even Gabriella had managed to get away from her mother and she and Taylor were laughing at their boyfriends and friends' childish behaviour. Martha was nowhere to be seen and from the corner of his eye, Jack noticed Ryan, Kelsi and Sharpay walking towards the group.
"It's hard, isn't it? Letting them go?" he asked softly, turning back to face his colleague.
Darbus' glare softened and she gulped, trying hard to hold back tears that were once more threatening to spill. Her voice trembled as she answered. "I've never loved a class of students like I've loved them. They are rare jewels, aren't they?"
"Yep. They definitely are," Jack grinned proudly. Their conversation continued on how the students had matured from the first day of high school and their future. Conversation between the two adults seized when both Darbus and Jack were tapped on their backs by Troy and Chad. Both teenagers grabbed both teachers by their arms and led them to two chairs that had been positioned in front of the stage.
"Bolton! Danforth! What is the meaning of this?" the blonde drama teacher growled, feeling a sense of déjà vu as though they were in the classroom once again. Behind Chad and Troy, Ryan, Kelsi, Zeke, Sharpay, Jason, Gabriella, Taylor and the other students of their class stood around them. Darbus looked at Jack for some sort of explanation if he had one but the basketball coach just shrugged and winked at her.
"We have something for both of you," Chad announced and the students grinned as Chad handed Darbus a colorful album while Troy handed Jack a white and red album. The older Bolton raised his eyebrows at his son but Troy just grinned at him.
"We made these for the both of you," Ryan explained as Darbus and Jack opened their albums. "It's a collection of photos we managed to snap in our time at East High with the both of you. It's our appreciation for everything you've done for us."
"Yeah, for your guidance," Gabriella added.
"For being a good drama teacher," Sharpay smiled softly.
"For always believing in me," Kelsi hugged Darbus, startling the older woman.
"For letting us make our own mistakes," Taylor laughed.
"For encouraging us to break the status quo," Zeke high-fived his basketball coach.
"For getting us to realize the important things in life," Chad's eyes twinkled as he eyed Taylor.
"For being tough on us when we needed the special push," Troy grinned cheekily at his father.
And the list went on from every other student in her class. This time, Darbus didn't bother to hold in her tears as she set them free in pride and happiness for her students. Finally, it was Jason's turn. He smiled softly at both of them.
"For never giving up on us no matter how hopeless we may seem to be."
At his sentence, Chad handed over an orange basketball with black signatures of not only the entire basketball team but the whole graduating class to Jack and Jason handed Darbus a white orb with similar signatures on it.
Not able to handle it any longer, Jack and Darbus outstretched their arms and almost immediately, they were both engulfed in a giant group hug. When they finally pulled away, however, Chad screamed his favorite lines for the last time as a student of East High.
"WHAT TEAM?"
"WILDCATS!"
"WHAT TEAM?"
"WILDCATS!"
"ONCE A WILDCAT?"
"ALWAYS A WILDCAT!"
A/N: Do you think I should continue this? Or should I just stop here? Review!