Room 206 - Luke Hemmings

forty

"Are you sure?" He still looked uneasy, turning in his chair away from his desk to face me better, reaching absentmindedly for my hips to pull me closer.

"Yes," I smiled, allowing him to pull me forward innocently but quickly changing the setting of that and slipping onto his lap. His pale cheeks turned pink at my sudden action and I ran my fingers through his hair, leaning closer to his ear.

"And if it all goes well, I think we should have our own after party tonight after the grad dance," I whispered, pressing a soft kiss right below his earlobe where I knew it drove him crazy. I backed off of him, standing and leaning down to kiss his cheek. I stepped back and saw his face was still quite pink, a nervous expression taking over his features.

"Um... Yeah definitely," he said, nodding.

"To what part of that?" I asked.

"All of it," he rushed out immediately. I smiled at him.

"I'm going to get my parents. They've got their rounds to make though so it should be a couple minutes," I made my way back to the door, intentionally giving my hips a little swing while I walked because I knew he was watching.

-

Despite Luke's nervousness about meeting my parents, they adored him just like I thought they would. It went well and also like I thought, they didn't waste much time in talking to him and just thanking him for helping me get my grade back up before leaving to go do whatever else they felt necessary before my graduation.

I got ready with Eleanor, who was excited beyond expression as she curled her hair, nearly burning herself a couple times due to her excitement. I didn't know how to feel considering I had no idea what it meant for Luke and I but I was enthusiastic for the fact that I got accepted into the college I wanted and I was finally graduating.

El and I headed over to dining hall, which was he only place big enough to hold graduation. I felt an arm grab me and pull me around a corner and into a dark room. I panicked for a moment before I got a whiff of a sweet musky cologne and relaxed knowing it was Luke.

"Luke! I need to be out there in a couple minutes!" I whispered.

"Shh, it's okay." I felt his hands on my face. "I just wanted to tell you personally how proud I am of you, because I won't be allowed to show favoritism out there."

"Thank you," I tried to say but was cut off by his lips against mine, a very rushed kiss, though passionate as I leaned back against the wall behind me from his force. I kissed him back for a few seconds before he pulled away abruptly and gave me a slight shove out the door and back around the corner.

I met back up with Eleanor and went to line up with her for our graduation, holding her hand tightly. The ceremony was long and boring. Cameras flashed at me as I walked, shaking hands with Headmistress Morris and sitting with the rest of my graduating class as a few teachers made annoying speeches. Many parents cried, including my own.

The dance was supposed to be going on pretty much as soon as they could get it after the ceremony, but with all the sentimental parents taking pictures and hugging people and crying, they knew it was going to take much longer.

"Oh, Daisy and Eleanor let me get one of the two of you together!" My mother pulled me towards Eleanor standing meant and I laughed as she wiped her eyes to use her camera and take a picture of the two of us.

"I'm just so proud of both of you!" She turned to my father. "They've grown up so much! Oh, Alex, come here and get a picture with Daisy too!"

"Of course, Mrs. Williams," he smiled at her and put his arm around my shoulder to take a picture with me for my mom. She knew we'd broken up, not the reason why, and she was sad about it but glad that we were still friends. I told her it was because it'd be too hard to stay together going into college.