So here we are, entering in the univeristy's gymnasium for our graduation. We finaly made it. My parents weren't able to come, but they're both on Skype held by Brandon. We're wearing our cloaks and caps, a thing I always dreamt to do when I was in France where there's no graduation ceremony but a random secretary who asks " Name ? Surname ? Identity card ? Here. Your diploma. Now go away. Next ! ". We mostly organize a great party to celebrate a graduation by ourselves, sometimes with our professors sometimes without them. The High School Graduation Ceremony was shitty, they didn't make a ceremony. Teachers just gave us our diplomas and... " Fuck off, sandwiches are on the second floor. Leave at 9:00PM, it's Friday and I'm leaving for the week-end. ". Such an experience...
After the graduation, next day, we have our prom. That's going to be funny, especially because Lee's coming, and that I'll sing a song tonight. I was told around a week before our graduation that I would have to sing a song of my choice, with some musicians behind. And I don't know why, I don't want to do like in movies, singing a song about happy love and romance and some other stuff. I'll sing a metal version of Chris Isaac's song, Wicked Game. I wish I wasn't a part of the music association of my university...
The D-Day, I'm wearing the cloak the univeristy gave me. And a thing which is extremely important today : Lee decided to go outside and see how my university looks ! He's going to be seen with me, but magazines know that we're together anyway. They don't know that we're engaged, but they know that we're a couple which's not extremely mediatized. I ask Brandon to take a picture of me, and then head to Lee who sees me wearing the cloak. He places his hand on his mouth and smiles.
-Oh god, if I knew you'd be so beautiful...
-Wait to see me tomorrow. I'll look a way better.
-I'm impatient !
He can be impatient, he didn't see the dress I decided to wear for the prom. Lee heads upstairs, I notice on my watch that we're a bit late. I sigh, walking to the stairs.
-Lee ! We're gonna be late !
-I forgot to take the camera ! Lee shouts, rushing downstairs
-I don't wanna be late at a Graduation ceremony, you know that ?
-Sure, sure...
We walk to the car. When we arrive at the university, I walk a bit before Lee to check if everything is fine. Lee walks like a badass behind me, slowly but has got his eyes fixing me. That's funny to see. The badass man behind his girlfriend, trying to make sure that she's safe but too shy to walk by her side. It's a bit like this. As I'm about to enter in the entry hall, I wait for Lee who smiles to me, still slow.
-Hey, that's fine, everyone's gonna see you once you'll get in.
-Nah. Yeah.
Right at this moment, Lee quickly grabs my hand. And holds it tightly, almost breaking my finger bones. I groan, turning my head to him.
-Hey, not too tight. I sigh
-Sorry, I'm anxious.
-Anxious ?
-Yeah, back in a crowd with people around you like that... nah. I'm not okay with it. So I'm gonna hold your hand.
That's adorable, but a bit... disturbing too. It's been a while since Lee didn't show his overprotective side. As we enter in the hall, people turn their heads to us. This is the perfect moment to ask Lee some autographs, and this is what people don't hesitate to do. Then, in the big hall, on the stage, a few professors and the director are starting to give a speech about the year while the different groups of students are sitting all in lines. We're the third to go on the stage with boys and girls, they're all calling us by our names. My group finaly climbs on the stage, and I see Lee's eyes getting marveled as he sees me. Brandon's holding my phone to make my parents assist to the ceremony by Skype. As the director calls my name, I shyly walk to him, noticing that Lee's starting to take a mass of pictures of me. The director gives me the diploma.
-As one of our foreign students, I'm glad to give you this diploma. You deserved it. Congratulations.
-Thank you very much sir.
We wait on the stage before going downstairs and sit on the chairs reserved to us. After another long... endless and monotonous speech, the dirrector makes all of us climb the stage to throw our caps away. We count " three, two, one " and throw our caps in the air, celebrating the true end of our university years and our arrival in the active life. I see Lee in a verge of tears, clapping his hands as he sees me, smiling before filming another scene. We then go downstairs again to join those who followed us, and I leave Lee with some people to talk a bit to my parents by Skype before being taken away by Roxanne, Patricia and Marion.
-My brother said that Lee cried during your turn. Patricia says with a big smile
-No way ! I say, turning my head to Lee who talks to people around him
-I was soooo cute ! Bring him to the prom tomorrow ! He's your boyfriend anyway !
-I'm gonna do that.
I have to go and get Lee to go back to the villa. Next day, during the evenning, I choose to wear a bustle black dress for the prom, with high heels, a little jacket covering my shoulders. Lee had some work to do, he's not sure to be here. I arrive at the university with Roxanne who immediatly joins her own boyfriend, I'm brought in the changing room by some other students who are going to play the song with me, to make a short briefing. I want to wait for Lee, but... somehow we're a bit busy, and he won't be here. I'll sing at 10:45PM, I'm the last person who will sing to this concert... not a pleasure but I'll try.
We spend some time with girls, talking about some stuff, weddings coming soon... especially mine. Going back to France to celebrate my wedding is going to be... emotional. Our concert starts at 9:45PM. Some people call be to go to the changing room to get prepared, Lee's not here. I'll sing without his presence, he'll maybe see a record on youtube, due to the amount of people starting to film me while some others are clapping their hands.
-Ok so... I say, taking the microphone, I'm going to sing " Wicked Game " with the super band behind me. Their band is named " Black Rubis ", check them up. I hope you guys like it.
People scream a loud " Yeah ! ". I make a sign to the guitarist and to the bassist to start playing, the drummer starts too. The crowd is big, I wonder where my friends are. The lights are all on the scene, I don't see anyone. Our song is a soft metal, a bit like a slow, to correspond to everyone's taste and not be too much... well. Disliked. I start singing with a sweet voice, people clap their hands. I don't pay attention, I try to keep singing until arriving to the main part where my voices turns higher.
-No, I don't want to fall in love... I turn my head up, raising my hand to make people sing the next part
-This girl is only gonna break your heart. people sing with the bassist and the guitarist
-No, I don't want to fall in love...
-This girl is only gonna break your heart.
-With you.
I keep singing with the crowd almost singing with me. This is a super nice experience, even if I can't see anyone in the crowd. I can't see the crowd at all. My heart is pounding a bit more until we arrive at the true end where I have to sing a sing a long " No, I... ". With a high voice. Damn. I turn my head up to listen the crowd singing " This girl is only gonna break your heart. " while I do the long " I ", almost loosing my voice at the end. I can barely sing the last sentence.
-Nobody loves no one...
And there people start screaming, clapping their hands and take other pictures. With the band members, we go to the edge of the scene to thank them, the lights are switched on after we go back to the changing room, which is actually... unisex tonight. Roxanne, Marion and Patty are running to me to thank me for the performance.
-You were lovely ! Your voice ! Patty says
-Thank you girls !
-We have a gift for you ! Marion, go !
Marion nods and runs out from the changing room, making a sign to someone. And there, I see Lee entering in the changing room, a little red ribbon on his left arm, holding a big bouquet of flowers. He places it on a table and opens in arms, I run to give him a hug. He came ! I can't believe he came ! Right in time ! My beautiful gift.
-You came ! I smile
-Your performance was just... wow.
-Did you see it ?
-Of course I saw it ! How would I miss my girlfriend's performance like that ? I was lost in the crowd and filming you !
Well, at least he saw how much ugly my voice his. Anyway. I place the bouquet in a vase, on way to get it when we will head back home. I'm surprised to see Lee dancing with us during the random music times. I go and take a drink at the table, quickly joined by Patricia. We look at people dancing on the dancefloor, sighing.
-He should be a part of us. I sigh, talking about Kevin
-He's with us. Patricia smiles, That's what you told us.
-Feel old yet ? Now the university is over and we're going to find a real job...
-You've already got a job. Even two. What do you want more ?
-I guess I'll stop working for Lee. I mean... there are some companies searching for young workers, I shoud try my chance.
Patricia nods. Yes, stop working for Lee would be a great shock for my him. It would mean that somebody else should be his personal translator. I can be his personal translator anyway ! But I can't consider it like being a job anymore. For the simple reason that I want to earn money by another way than having to be paid by my own fiancé. I want to be independant. And this is what is going to happen next year, for sure. I hope he will understand.
After a while, we go back on the dancefloor. I can't find Lee anymore, but really. I can't find him. I try to keep calm and think that he's in the restroom, I find him in another room, sitting all alone. It's a free office. He's checking his phone. I knock at the door and smile.
-May I come in, Mr.Pace ? I ask
-Yes of course, honey.
He watches over me when I enter in the room. I sit on the desk, trying to avoid to tore the beautiful dress I'm wearing. Lee looks at me and then shyly turns his head down. I spread my legs a little bit, getting my heels off to place my feet on his tights, slowly slidding them to his crotch. Lee's exciting me, not because of the punch, but because of his outfit. He got his jacket and his tie off. His white shirt is opened a bit, it's super sexy. Too sexy.
-Hum. Lee smiles, turning his head to me and sending a bossy look with a little smirk, What's the meaning of such a behaviour, young girl ?
-You, with me, naked. Now.
-Isn't that better to wait when we will be home ?
-Listen, I know that I'm going to cry after the last dance.
-We can't... I wish we could.
I sigh, turning my head away in order not to meet his eyes. Lee slowly catches my chin and smiles again.
-But I wanna kiss you before you cry. he whispers
-Good.
At least I warned him that I'm able to cry at any moment after the last dance. Lee drags me closer, making me sit on his lap. His lips are slidding over my neck, quickly finding a way to my mouth. We start a long kiss, I feel his tongue making figures with mine. I wrap my arms around his shoulders, sighing, sweating a bit. Those kind of days when you're not able to make love with your partner, but you want it so much that even a kiss is enough to make you feel... hot. I can't find any other words. Hot, high, better... After an entire minute of a beautiful kiss, Lee sweetly bits my upper lip with little " rrrrr ".
-You're exciting me again, right in the wrong place. he whispers, his lips close to mine
-You started. I smile, kissing his temple
-Let's go back to the dancefloor, you excited me so much that I wanna dance.
Well... yeah, why not ? We head back to the dancefloor, dancing a bit when Roxanne comes to us, showing me a ring on her hand. And Bill right behind her.
-Bill made me a proposal ! she cries
-Oh my gosh !!
I stop dancing to give her a warm hug. Well... welcome to the " engaged with an American man " club ! I then hug Bill. Two of my friends engaged... that's another good new. But my wedding first, then their wedding. I can't believe that they're engaged... it's like, in three years knowing each other, we turned from kids to fullgrown adults. Emotion.
But the bigger emotion comes with the final slow. Right at this moment, I feel like I'm going to burst out sobbing in Lee's arms... and that's true. At the real final moments, I burst out sobbing, such as Marion in Julien's arms. Most of people cry. Why ? Simply because we all know that this is the end of a chapter, and that now we need to find a job. We're not kids anymore, we're still young, but now... we're adults. And that's the worst thing I have to imagine. In my mind, I'm still 21, I'm still like the day I came for the first time in the U.S.. But no. Three years ago, I was settling in the girls dormitory. Three years ago. Already three years ago. And now, look at me. On my way to get married the following weeks with the man who was supposed to be my boss. While I'm drying my tears, I turn my head to Lee.
-Hey, don't cry sweetheart. he smiles, Everything's got an end.
-Yeah... sure...
-And the end of a chapter means the beginning of a new one.
Yes, that's true. The end of the my student life means that now, it's the beginning of the working girl life. And the future wife. I don't know how I have to feel about this.. I feel like I won't be able to handle that. This feeling of being older, this feeling that something just ended, a big chapter. When we arrive home, I'm looking at my reflection in the mirror. Dear god, now I consider that, even in three years, my body changed. I sigh when Lee gets my dress off. He slowly slides his hands on my waist, I make my head fall on his shoulder.
-We must get ready for the wedding. I smile, Did you book the places ?
-Yeah, everyone booked the same flight from New York to Paris.
-How many persons did you invite ?
-Around... fifty. My family, my friends, a few colleagues. Fifty.
-Oh my god...
Fifty ?! His family has to be pretty big if he invites fifty persons. Or maybe he's got a lot of friends, I don't know. But I'm not taking too many persons with me. The group of my friends and their parents. And Brandon with Sarah. But well, with my family and friends in the country... we will almost reach the hundreth of guests at our wedding ceremony. And that's not going to be easy to manage everyone at the same time. Lee gently gets my bras off, I push him on the bed, nearly jumping on him. I had to avoid this kind of hot situation when we were at the University, now...we're free. Lee quickly starts kissing me, and we have sex. We both deserved it, for the long time spent suffering because of our hot desires at the wrong place.
Last days before we move to New York and then to Paris, I have the time to buy a wedding dress. Charlotte and Sally are helping me quite a lot with that with girls. It will be a victorian bustle dress, large, by some thin lace covering my shoulders tied with a white rose over my breasts. A bit like Cinderella's. While I'm stading on the stage, Mia notices a little detail.
-Dear gosh you lost weight !
-Of course I lost weight. I sigh while the tailorist is trying to adjust the corsage, Or else I wouldn't be able to fit in this dress !
-Many young brides choose to loose weight to fit in their dream dresses. Charlotte smiles, Don't worry. You'll gain weight as soon as the wedding will be done.
Well... I hope I won't gain weight too fast, but yeah. I think that, as soon as the ceremony and administration things will be done, I'll feel a bit free... yet not enough because, simply, I must find a new job. I'm already planning to do this since a while already, and I must do it. But for now, I need to check for the details of the wedding. I'm really living for this, and only for this. So does Lee. We both need to check for everything, to be sure that everyone will have a place in a bus or something to get in the town where we will celebrate the wedding, and we need to be aware of the detail of each person's trip. Sally and her family wanted to visit Bordeaux, William wanted to visit Nice with Mia, most of my friends want to stay in Paris to show the city to those who didn't come from here.
~
I'm gonna take a bit more time to update, University restarts soon and I need to take time to prepare myself and rush to the administration because French universities are a f*cking mess.
Thank you for reading this chapter, kisses. <3