I have always pictured my graduation as a perfect day where I would get my diploma and everything would suddenly change. I would suddenly see things through a new light and everything would make sense.
Never, in any scenario that I have thought of in my head, has the perfect day started with Belle screaming "wake up!" in my ear and Danny ripping the covers off of me.
I look up at the two of them through bleary eyes and silently curse both of them.
I look over to my alarm clock which reads 7:00 and then back at the two of them who are grinning at me like cheshire cats. Then I finally speak.
"Why?".
"Brooks, Evans, Woods and Brandon are already in the car, lets go" Belle calls, throwing to me random clothes.
I groan and quickly go to the bathroom to change into my graduation gown, listening to Danny and Belle's conversation as I do.
"Why don't we ever call Brandon by his last name" Danny asks.
I can practically hear Belle shrug. "I haven't called him by it yet and I'm not going to start on our graduation day".
"Alright, lets go wherever you're taking me" I grumble, still half asleep as I watch Belle snatch up my camera that is laying on my bedside before leading me to her car which is parked outside.
As the door opens Luke's arms immediately wrap around my waist and pull me onto his lap. A grin forms on my face from the fact that I could call him mine again.
"You made it valedictorian" he says into my ear. "How does it feel?".
I turn towards him and grin. "Well the view isn't too shabby" I state, earning an honest smile from Luke.
"Alright you two, care to tell us where we are going?" Brandon asks Belle and Danny who are sitting in the front two seats, Danny visibly stealing glances of Belle. Nothing has really changed between the two of them since they had confessed their love. They still bickered and joked. I guess they had already been in love for so long that the only real difference now was that the other one knew how they felt.
"You'll see" Belle says in a sing song voice and I roll my eyes playfully at her vague tone. "Just don't let it take so long that we miss our own graduation" I joke.
She turns towards me. "Relax Claire bear, we'll get you to the school in time for you to give your almighty speech. Besides, we're all already dressed so there is no rush".
"Is your dad coming to the graduation?" Luke asks softly, wondering if there was actually going to be anybody at the ceremony solely to see me get my diploma.
"Well he promised and I think his promise might actually be worth something now" I say back as Luke pulls me even closer to him, my back against his chest.
We talk for ten minutes until a familiar building comes into view. Our school.
We all immediately start booing at the two in the front.
"We don't have to be here for another 5 hours" Nicole groans, speaking what all of us are thinking.
"I'm sorry to disappoint your highness but there is something all of you want to do before you leave and I know it" Belle says.
We all give her curious glances as she opens her car door, signaling for us to get out as well.
She leads us towards the football field. I cast a curious glance at Luke who just shrugs back at me. The chairs have not been set up yet and the field looks the way it does before a game.
"Luke, Brandon, Zack" Belle states, turning towards the three boys. "Do you guys have a last play you want to do?".
Danny tosses a football to a grinning Zack. "How did you know about bleachers blitz?" he asks.
Belle shrugs. "Honestly I didn't but I knew you three would have come up with an idiotic football play that you could never do in a game, so go for it".
Luke smiles widely before taking the ball and turning towards Zack and Brandon. Without even speaking, Zack and Brandon tear off, Zack towards the bleachers on the right and Brandon towards the ones on the left.
As Zack reaches halfway up the bleacher stands, Luke throws the ball cleanly towards him. It lands directly in his arms and like that, Luke is off.
Zack then winds his arm back and throws it at an arc towards Brandon who is running down the stands of the other side.
The ball lands smoothly in Brandon's hands and as he continues to run down the steps, he aims towards Luke and throws the ball.
Luke is running as fast as he can and the sight of the blonde boy sprinting down the football field while wearing a gown is both a weird sight and a memory I never want to forget.
The ball lands securely in Luke's hands as he passes the touchdown line and shouts out in triumph, slamming the ball into the ground victoriously.
Zack and Brandon suddenly tackle him and I feel Belle slip my camera that she took from my bedroom into my hand. I quickly aim the camera and capture the memory of the three gown-clad boys lying in a laughing heap on the ground.
They eventually get up and join the rest of us in the middle of the field.
"Alright, what's next?" Luke asks with grass stains on his gown and a football in his hand.
"The fountain spot" Nicole declares confidently.
We all raise our eyebrows at her boldness and follow her to our old cafeteria table. It looks the same as last week, though for some reason I thought it should look different to me today.
Nicole turns towards us. "Before this year, this table was always reserved for the most popular girls and a few jocks thrown in here and there.
"Is she calling us unpopular?" Luke whispers in my ear, making me smile, seeing as up until 2 years ago I always thought of Luke as the most popular guy in our school. Now I think of him as the best guy in our school.
"And then you freaks came in and snatched the table from right under us popular bitches" Nicole continues. "And at first I thought 'who the fuck do these assholes think they are?' but almost immediately afterwards I thought 'these bold assholes might possibly be my people.
"I'll admit, at first I only hung out with you guys because I was dating Zack and found Luke to be an attractive challenge-"
"Hopefully these two things weren't at the same time though" Zack calls out but Nicole just smirks at him and continues.
"But as I became included in more and more of you guys's stupid stunts, I started to grow fond of you bold assholes. Even you Belle".
Belle forms a heart with her fingers and shoots Nicole a wink as she continues.
"And I now suddenly realize how stupid my conversations had been in my first two years of high school and how the people I was around were incredibly boring. You guys pulled me out of that superficial and egotistical life and, in my opinion have made me a better person. And for that, I want to tell you guys that you are my bold assholes and I wouldn't want to celebrate this day with anybody else".
"Heres to bold assholes!" Danny shouts and we all cheer in agreement.
Nicole smiles at us. "And now" she says, pulling out a sharpie from her purse. "I have one last thing I want to do".
We all watch as she scribbles something on the table before turning towards me. "You wanna get a sentimental picture of this for your scrapbook Adams?" she asks me.
I smile at her before snapping a picture of the loopy words she has written onto the table.
To whatever superficial bitches and jocks that sit here next year, a message: You aren't half as important as you think you are. Find yourselves some bold assholes and stay grounded. You'll thank me later. Sincerely, the former Queen Bee.
"Nice" Belle comments, reading her words.
"Now, is there something you three have wanted to do before you left this place for good?" Brandon asks Belle, Danny and I.
"Yes" the three of us say simultaneously.
"This building is big as shit" Danny says as he looks around the hall. I swiftly move to the side for a tall stranger who continues walking like he never even saw me.
"Stop looking around so much!" Belle snaps at him. "Do you realize how obvious you are making it that we are freshman?".
"I can make it more obvious if you'd like" Danny responds with a wide grin.
Belle whips towards him. "Don't you dare-"
"Watch it people, freshman coming through!" Danny shouts loud enough to make numerous people look up and give us dirty glares.
"Danny!" Belle and I both hiss, shoving him to the side and into one of the janitor's garbage cans. Even the janitor gives Danny a look of disgust.
"My bad" he says to the janitor with a grin. "Nice wheels" Danny says motioning towards the bottom of the can where wheels support the weight of the garbage. "Ever thought about riding in this?" he asks the man.
The janitor rolls his eyes at Danny. "I'm 66 kid. The only thing I'm thinking about is retirement" he states dully.
Danny shoots him yet another smile before we continue walking down the hall.
"I've had an epiphany" Danny exclaims.
"You don't even know what that word means" I point out, rolling my eyes at him.
"Not important" Danny dismisses, throwing an arm around Belle's shoulder and another around mine. "But what is is the fact that before we leave this place, we will be the first people to ever ride a trash can down the ramp".
"I'll jump into a trash can when hell freezes over" Belle states, ending the subject.
"I guess it's a little chilly down in hell right now" Belle mutters as she jumps into the large yellow trash can. We had found it inside pretty easily and luckily for us it was empty.
"This is a stupid idea" Zack comments to the three of us as I grip the edges of the can, sandwiched in between the two people that will most likely be the cause of my death.
"Too late, we're already in. Give us a shove Evans!" Danny declares, throwing a fist heroically into the air.
Luke sighs before shoving the death contraption onto the ramp and like that, Danny, Belle and I are rolling to our death.
Belle and I immediately start screaming as we go faster and faster. The ramp that led outside was very wide so that it wouldn't be steep and went out quite a long distance.
"WE'RE GOING TO DIE" I scream as Belle wraps her arms around me and I do the same to Danny, who is laughing and cheering as we gain speed, going faster and faster.
Suddenly the ramp ends and we are still rolling towards the parking lot curb.
"Shit!" Belle curses as the wheels drop from the end of the curb and the garbage can tips forward, sending Danny, Belle and I sprawling out onto the pavement.
Danny luckily breaks most of my fall and as I crawl out of the can, only a few scratches on my hands leave evidence to the idiotic stunt Danny talked me into.
"If I had died right then my last words would have been 'shit'" Belle says as the others walk over to us, cheering and laughing.
"It seems you have an audience" Nicole states, nodding her head behind us. The three of us turn around to see Mr. Solender walking towards us with his hands out to the sides in a motion that said seriously, this is what you do hours before your graduation?
"It was Danny's idea" Belle and I say simultaneously, pointing towards him.
Mr. Solender rolls his eyes. "They can't say I didn't try to teach you guys".
"Any last words for us?" I ask him.
He shakes his head. "I have a feeling I haven't seen the end of you guys, therefore there is no need for last words but I will leave you with this. I've taught many students before you guys. I've seen how it always goes. The popular girl stays with her popular friends and only dates the jocks, never talking to anybody outside of them. The jocks would stay in their circles and never participate in class. The smart kids never interacted with them and the class clown didn't truly have any real friends.
"But you seven are different" he continues. "Even though it took a long time and you guys have been through many complications, you've ended up here as close friends. I've never seen such a variety of different people come together so perfectly, rubbing off on each other and sharing good traits.
"I just want you guys to know that I am proud of each and every one of you and I know that the next time I see you miss Brooks will probably be on the cover of a magazine and Zack, Brandon, you two will be in the hall of fame. Belle, you will no doubt be some sort of inventor, Danny I am certain you will be in the news eventually for some idea of yours and Claire, I'll be there when you get your award for your inevitable scientific discovery".
Mr. Solender turns towards Luke now. "And you" he says. "Well I just hope you finally allow yourself to do what you truly love".
"You don't think I could become a professional football player?" Luke asks defensively.
Mr. Solender smiles at him. "I don't think that you truly want your mark on the world to be that. I have a feeling your heart is set more strongly on another thing".
"Well we'll see won't we" Luke says back, showing the crack of a smirk.
"We will indeed" Mr. Solender agrees. "Now come on, You have 3 hours before the ceremony and I have monopoly in my classroom".
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"Fellow classmates" I start my speech, palms already sweating but I look over at where Luke and Belle and Danny and all of my closest friends are sitting, together, smiling widely at me, and the fear leaves my body as quick as it came. "Let me first start my speech with three words I'm sure all of us have been waiting to hear since we walked through those doors for the first time. We made it".
A cheer meets my words from all of the people sitting in front of me, all dressed the same and as I look out on their faces, faces I have been around for four years, a certain calmness takes over me.
"And yes" I continue as the crowd quiets down again. " Although this is a day that should be filled with happiness and celebration and I know we are all looking forward to leaving this city and going off to do incredible things, I think I speak for all of us when I say that I'm terrified.
"You see, for the past four years my goal has always been the same and ringing in my head every day. 'Graduate with a high gpa and go to your dream college, graduate with a high gpa and go to your dream college'. But now that the time has come to figure out what my new goal is, I'm terrified.
"And I don't think I'm alone. Because for the past four years, our schedule has been set for us. There were no extreme choices in the matter of what we did Monday through Friday. We would go to the same building and sit in the same classes and see the same people and though the repetition at times got pretty annoying, it was always comforting that we didn't have to figure out each day what we were going to do.
"But now, we don't have a set schedule. We aren't going to see the same faces every day and though that is scary, I think we all take comfort in the fact that we can finally do what we love, what we are passionate about and I am looking around at the faces in front of me and I can't help but get a little anxious about what stories I'm going to hear ten years later when we all come together again.
"And now, since this is a graduation speech, I don't feel like it could be whole without a quote from someone much more famous and wise than us, so here are some words by one of my favorite authors, F. Scott Fitzgerald.
" 'For what it's worth, it's never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you you see things that startle you. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find that you are not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again'.
"And to wrap up this speech I would like to leave you with a few more words. There is a universal truth we have to face whether we want to or not: everything eventually ends. As much as I've looked forward to this day, I've always disliked endings. The last day of summer" I pause, looking over at Nicole with the sudden memory of her and I falling into a pool in a fit of laughter on our last day before school popping up in my head. "The final chapter of a great book" I state, looking over at Brandon's smiling face, remembering the time when him and I stayed up all day and night trying to cram in the latest novel of the Game of Thrones series because the season premiere for that novel was supposed to come on the next day. "Parting ways with a close friend". This time my eyes are on Zack, who is grinning widely back at me. I was wrong. Him and I weren't meant to be together in a romantic way, but we were meant to be together, as close friends. As I remember all of the midnight taco bell runs I had with him, seeing as we are the only two that liked that place, tears start to fill my eyes.
"But endings are inevitable. Leaves fall. You close the book. You say goodbye. Today is one of those days for us. Today we say goodbye to everything that was familiar, everything that was comfortable. We're moving on. But just because we're leaving, and that hurts, there are some people who are so much a part of us they'll be with us no matter what". I turn and smile at Belle who has tears in her eyes as well. "They are our solid ground" my voice cracks slightly as I think about all of the times that I have ran to Belle's open arms and how many times it was only her that I wanted to talk to. I then turn to Danny, who mouths the words 'Love you Claire-bear' and sends me a wink. "They are our north star" I say, laughing as the memory of Danny trying to get the two of us to the beach based solely on the constellations because he swore he had to do it in boy scouts, breaks through the surface of my memories.
And now the hardest part comes. I turn my gaze to the boy who is only looking at me. He isn't smiling, he isn't crying, he isn't mouthing the words 'I love you' but for some reason the way that Luke is looking at me, like I'm the only thing that matters, like my words are more important than any he has ever heard before, makes my next words the hardest. "They are the small clear voices in our hearts that will be with us". Too many memories fly through my head now. Ones of Luke laughing and holding me in his arms and spinning me around and whispers in my ear that make everything feel better and as I look at the boy I have loved for what feels like so much longer than just a year, my last word is the hardest to get out, but somehow I do. And in a voice that is almost as small as a whisper, I wrap up my high school experience.
"Always".
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My graduation party is loud and full of laughing and I wouldn't want it to be any different.
Amanda throws a huge graduation party at her house for Luke, Brandon, Zack, Belle, Nicole, Danny and I. For the first few hours it is only Luke and I, surrounded by his siblings, his mom who has invited Mr. Solender as well, and some family members I have never met. The only person there from my side is my dad.
And for some reason, I'm okay with that.
He shows up a few minutes after us, having stopped to get something from our house after the graduation ceremony. Amanda is the one that opens the door and after only a short tense moment of silence, she warmly embraces him and welcomes him inside, as if he has never once said anything cross about her son.
After a few minutes of talking to Mr. Solender, my father leads me into their living room, which is empty from people. He shoves his hands in his pocket and looks at me for a few moments, not talking.
"What?" I ask him.
He shakes his head. "I'm just so proud of you" he says and even though his words aren't extremely sentimental, they make me feel a rush of pride.
My dad has never been a sentimental man and he never really says things like 'I love you' and 'I'm proud of you' very frequently so this surprises me.
"Thanks dad" I say smiling at him, thinking back to how much our relationship has improved this year. I guess finally getting closure from my mother allowed him and I to grow a somewhat father daughter bond.
"And I totally understand if you don't want it" he starts. "But I do have a graduation present for you".
He holds out a ring to me. It is a gold band with an emerald stone placed in the middle. I know that ring. It's the one that used to sit on a slender hand.
"Mom's engagement ring" I breathe out, staring at it.
My father nods. "I remember I picked it out because-"
"It matched her eyes" I finish for him, knowing the story all too well.
"Well I thought you might want something to remember her from and it still hurts me to look at it so I want you to have it. Unless of course you don't want it".
I shake my head softly. "I'm tired of trying to forget about something just because it reminds me of her. She made her choice but that doesn't mean I have to live in fear over things that used to be hers".
I take the ring from my father's outstretched hand and slide it on my right hand ring finger before looking up at him. "I understand now why you wanted to bury yourself in your work when she left-"
"Don't make excuses for me" he starts, shaking his head. "I should have been there for you. You shouldn't have had to go through all of that alone. I'm glad that we have been able to mend our relationship some but I will never forgive myself for abandoning you when you needed me the most".
I suddenly wrap my arms around him in a tight embrace, resting my head on his shoulder. "You don't have to forgive yourself" I speak. "Because I already did".
My father hugs me back and for a long time we just stand there like that, not speaking. Finally he pulls away. "I hate to do this Claire but I just got a phone call a few minutes ago saying the office-"
"Go" I wave hime off. "I understand".
My dad grins and places a kiss on top of my head. "I love you Claire" he mutters before walking out of the room, I follow behind.
As he reaches the main hall he runs into Luke, who is holding two cups and is making his way towards where I am. He stops when him and my father cross paths. They are both silent for a minute, examining each other.
My father is the one to act first. He reaches his arm up and pats Luke on the shoulder before opening the door and leaving, not saying a word.
Luke makes his way over to me. "Well that was terrifying" he mutters, handing me one of the cups. It is full of Dr. Pepper, my favorite soda.
Belle and Zack arrive first after they, in Belle's words 'finally managed to speak to all the relatives and were able to leave after most of the people were too drunk to remember who the party was even for".
Danny arrives next, followed shortly by Brandon and then Nicole. Most of Luke's relatives have left by now and the seven of us are all sitting outside in a circle, just talking and drinking soda from our cups.
"Remember when" are the words that start most of our sentences and the reminders of old things that we have done together bring smiles and laughs to our faces.
"Remember when Danny chugged a whole 2 liter bottle of Mountain Dew simply because someone told him that it was the worst soda?".
"Remember when Brandon fell down the bleachers during the pep rally because he was running too fast?"
"Remember when Claire pushed the bitch Riley in the pool?"
"Remember when Nicole was a bitch to literally all of us?".
"Remember when Luke convinced Claire to jump off the ferris wheel with him?".
"Remember when Belle straight up told that girl off because she said fat people shouldn't wear dresses?"
"Remember when none of us knew who the hell Zack was?"
We go on like this for multiple hours until we are all shouting and laughing happily and before we know it, it is 3am and everybody has to leave. Our good nights are long and drawn out since we know that in a few weeks we were going to have to say goodbye for a long time, but eventually everybody except Luke and I leave.
"Come on" I say to him. "Lets just go to my house. I don't want to wake up your family".
He follows me into my house. My dad hasn't come back yet, telling me that he is probably spending the night at the office, seeing as they had beds there.
We climb up the stairs to my room and the minute my door closes, my lips are attached to Luke's.
He responds eagerly, cupping my face with his hand. I slowly drop my hands to the bottom of his shirt and tug.
"What are you doing?" he asks between kisses as I raise the shirt.
"I'm ready" I answer. "I love you Luke and I want to be with you in that way".
Luke pulls back and stares down at me. "Are you sure?" he asks, disbelief clear in his eyes.
"You're pretty much the one thing I am sure about right now" I answer, pulling his top completely off.
"I know but we're leaving to go to different colleges soon-"
"All the more reason to do it now" I state.
"Claire I don't think you really-"
I stop him by cupping my hands around his face and looking directly into his eyes. "Luke Evans. I love you. Even with all of the fucked up things between us I still love you and right now I am terrified about what will happen during college but I do know one thing. I want my first time to be with someone who I feel completely in love with and who makes me happy and you are going to be my hardest goodbye but we still have time left and in this time that we do have I want to be with you completely".
Luke's words come out raspy. "I have to here you say it".
I bring my mouth to his ear. "Luke Evans, I want you to make love to me".
That's all it takes for Luke to attach his lips to mine again, walking me backwards towards the bed. He pulls my shirt off as my thighs hit the edge of the bed and I fall back onto the mattress.
He stares at me for a moment. "You are so beautiful" he mumbles before climbing on top of me, kissing my neck.
"Wait" he suddenly sighs. "I don't have a condom".
I reach into my back pocket and hold up the square package, grinning widely.
"Oh, so you knew you were going to get me in bed?" Luke says in a fake angry voice. I laugh as he takes the condom from my hand. "Tricky little devil" he mutters.
As he tugs his jeans down I do the same with mine. He pulls me farther up onto the bed so that our legs aren't hanging off before sitting up and staring at me, with only a bra and underwear left on my body.
He slowly moves his hands behind my back and unlatches the bra, throwing it to the ground before staring at me. "What are you doing to me Sleeping Beauty" he mutters before leaning down and kissing me deeply.
As we kiss, my hands trail down to the band of his boxers. I have seen his lower region once before but I still feel my heart pound at the anticipation.
I slowly pull the boxers down as far as I can. Luke pulls away from me and takes them off of his legs, leaving him completely nude to me.
My eyes soak in every part of his body as he slowly drags my underwear off as well, leaving us both vulnerable to each other's gazes.
"Are you sure about this?" Luke asks me, looking at every part of my face, trying to find even the slightest sign of doubt but there is none. I have wanted him for so long and I'm not going to turn back now.
"I love you" I answer and I guess that is enough for him. I watch him rip open the package before sliding the condom on in one fluid movement.
He brings himself closer to me, resting above me on his elbows and positioning himself at my entrance.
"I love you Claire" he whispers, his breath fanning across my face.
"I couldn't stop loving you even if I tried" I say back.
Luke takes a deep breath before slowly sliding himself into me.
I gasp at the new sensation that is only slightly uncomfortable. As he moves himself deeper in I let out a cry. Luke ducks his head and connects our lips together, swallowing my sounds as he completely fills me.
He stops then, letting me adjust. "I know it hurts" he mutters. "I'm so sorry, Claire".
"It doesn't hurt enough to stop" I say back and though there is a slight pain at his huge size, there is no way I would want what is happening between us to stop.
"Keep going" I say and at my words he slowly moves out again before slowly thrusting into me. The pain quickly subsides to a new pleasure and soon enough I am moaning his name.
"Shit Claire" he mutters, squeezing his eyes shut as his thrusts become faster and harder.
With every thrust I feel my breath escape me yet again and soon enough we are both moaning each other's names.
I lose track of the time that passes but as the pleasure builds up and my moans get louder, Luke starts moving faster and faster.
"Fuck Claire, you feel so good" Luke moans as he raises himself onto his hands and looks down at me as he goes deeper inside of me with every thrust.
My breathing is heavy and I suddenly find the courage to wrap my legs around his waist, pulling him even deeper into me. "Shit" he curses at my movement as I let out a loud gasp with this new feeling of Luke being so deep inside of me.
His pace picks up as he moves even faster, pounding into me deep and hard and making me cry out in pleasure every being time he pulls all the way in.
"I'm not going to last much longer" Luke says through shaky breath, lowering his chest onto mine and bring his face in front of mine.
I arch my back at the sensation happening with my body and I suddenly feel Luke's mouth bite down softly on my neck, earning a cry of ecstasy from me.
"Luke, I'm so close" I mutter into his ear, running my hands through his blonde hair, squeezing my eyes shut from the pleasure happening with my body.
"Hold on baby, not yet" Luke urges as he goes even faster and harder than ever. I can't hold in the shouts of pleasure now as I feel my stomach tighten.
"I can't hold it any longer" I cry out through moans as Luke moves his head to look at me again.
"Let go Claire" he says through an urgent voice and that is what takes me over the edge. As a new wave of pleasure hits me full on I cry out loud as my legs shake.
With a final thrust I feel Luke still, holding himself deep inside of me as he twitches slightly. "Fuck" he states as we both moan loudly through our highs.
Luke gives a couple more thrusts as we come down from our highs before finally pulling out of me, making me feel suddenly empty.
He gets up and throws away the condom before sliding on his boxers and climbing into bed again. I pull his shirt over my head before lying back next to him.
His arms reach out and pull me close to him, wrapping his arms around me as I lay my head on his chest.
"Was that okay?" he asks me.
"That was the best thing I've ever felt" I answer honestly, still breathless from what we just did.
"I don't know what I'm going to do without you right across the street from me" he states.
"It won't be too different" I mutter.
Luke lets out a humorless laugh. "Yeah, New York is totally close to Georgia".
"Well" I trail off.
Luke lifts my head, making me look at him. "What?" he asks, confusion written in his eyes.
I smile back at him. "I'm going to Georgia Tech with you".
I expect Luke to suddenly break out into a smile. I expect him to kiss me. What I don't expect is for him to sit up with furrowed eyebrows. "Wait, what?" he asks.
"I got accepted into Georgia Tech along with NYU" I explain. "And I've decided that I'd rather be with you at Georgia Tech than at NYU without you".
Luke is silent for a moment. "Claire, New York has been your dream since you were a child" he states.
I place my hand on his cheek. "Well, I've found myself a new dream" I whisper, smiling.
Luke shakes his head. "Claire if you think I'm going to let you give up your dream for me you're crazy".
"I'm not giving up my dream, you're my dream and you can't stop me from going" I say back stubbornly.
He pauses, staring intently at me. "So there is nothing I can do to stop you from doing this?" he asks.
"Nothing" I answer firmly.
He sighs before laying back down. "Fine" he states.
I am slightly shocked by how easily Luke lets me win the argument but am happy he did. I grin before laying back down.
His fingers stroke my back as mine move around his chest.
"I'm glad my first time was with you" I state.
"I'm the luckiest person alive to be your first time" Luke says back, making me smile.
And with Luke's fingers softly running across my back, I fall into a deep sleep filled with green rings and a moaning boy.
A/N- I am so so sorry that I was so late getting this chapter out but I hope you guys liked it. We are almost to the end of the story and as you can tell things are getting pretty crazy. I found the last part of Claire's graduation speech online so if you guys know who wrote it I would love to give them credit. If you like this chapter please vote and comment your opinions. I love you guys!