Bastille of Blue Stone

1: The Graduate.

"Say- Graduate!" Mom proclaimed.

"Graduate!" My roommates and I said, and the blinding light flashed and we all winced trying not to close our eyes for the group picture of the four of us. Jake, Port, Ben and I.

"Good night!" Ben proclaimed in his southern accent, and we all laughed blinking our eyes. We all gave each other hugs and then mom let me talk for a long time to each of them before we parted ways.

"Now Jack, we need to hang out buddy. Just cause we don't live together anymore doesn't mean you can ignore me the rest of your life."

"Well yeah!" I said to Port. He gave me a good bro-hug.

Eve wrapped her arms around me, and gave me a tight squeeze from behind. I turned around and she was grinning.

"Hey." I said.

"Hey... So, your mom said I could come over tonight.... for the dinner party." Her strawberry blond hair fell neatly on her shoulders.

"Of course, your dad is gonna be there and honestly things are better with you." I added scratching my head.

"Well cool. I'll grab a few things at home beforehand."

"You don't need to-"

"Don't worry about it... it's fine." She said getting close to my face on her tiptoes. Her face was very slender like a fox and it was so cute to me, in a very strange way.

"Okay see you later then?" She nodded and I kissed her.

Mom and I drove home and got to the house that was just outside the city in a suburb. We lived just outside of Los Angles, ever sense my dad had been reported missing sense I was eight, Mom thought it was a good idea we lived closer to the company HQ.

Dad was the main CEO of a big tech company. Yeah, I guess you could say we're rich but lately it didn't feel like it. Our company was on the edge of bankruptcy, and my Uncle Buck who now owns the company is looking for other Business partners.
     I've stayed with my mom this whole time to A) Keep her a float, and B) make sure she wasn't alone. So after I graduated High School I just went to a near by college so I could visit her on the weekends.

It was a nice life. My dad had a friend, Dace Windshaw, and my Uncle Buck who kept the company running after his disappearance almost twenty years ago. Windshaw is Eve, my long time girlfriend's dad.
     Sure I guess it would make sense for me to marry her but I didn't really have that in mind from the get go. She's great yeah, but a little over bearing at times, and I don't know if I want to marry her just because her dad helped keep our business a float. That way her family would still have money sure, but is our love worth a dying company? I don't think so.

Mom and I pull up to our house, a modest one I'd say. Cars lined the street, a few really nice ones others were really beat up.

"Well, looks like a bunch of business owners want to give you a pitch today." Mom said grinning. I sighed I really didn't want to talk to any business owners, it was my graduation night, I wanted to spend time with my pals, my girlfriend; and see the people who helped me along the way. Not people wanting me because I was a "Good Kid" and could "Work well in the company".   
      I mean sure, later this week I could talk, just not my grad party.

"I know, I know." Mom said rubbing my shoulder.  "But this could really help you." She said.

"I know, and the company." I added.

We all sat at a long table in the dinning room. Mom sat on my right side, and across the table were a few business owners to three different companies. My uncle sat at the top of the table with his son, Jeff, and Eve sat on my left near her father  Mr. Windshaw.