I pulled out of the driveway and started the drive home struggling to stay awake. I pulled up to the house and walked past 2 of my roommates who were asleep and grabbed a water. I headed up to my room and fell asleep quickly in front of an old children’s movie. In fact I slept all Sunday, and it was hard to wake up on Monday. Especially at five thirty in the morning, but I had to finish typing my final essay for my literature class. I was excused from that final gratefully (although it sounded like fun for a lover of Shakespeare), but was still thankful of a couple less hours in a classroom. I walked out the door at quarter after six and arrived at the school at quarter of seven. I checked in with the office and went to get my laptop from the computer guy. I dropped my present for Mr. Rees on his desk, and grabbed the coffee he always left for me in the morning. 

I wandered to the computer lab, and grabbed the flash drive I forgot on the teachers. I headed to my literature teacher’s classroom and finished writing the paper just in time for the first morning bell to ring. I passed the paper into my teacher and realized I wasn’t going to be in school for a few days which after 12 years felt weird. I walked into the cafeteria to meet my friends and smacked myself into a smile. We stood around reminiscing about the good old days knowing that this could be the last day that we see the others again or for a while. I laughed loudly as my Sam’s boyfriend told me their rollerblading story that had occurred over the weekend trying to keep my composure.          

 “Wow, maybe you shouldn’t be trying anything but walking. Remember when you tried to play basketball our freshman year.”  I squeezed out between laughs to Sam.

“Yes. How could I forget?”  She laughed.  “I probably fell three times during practice. Never mind the games we had. You tried cheer though. Remember that?” 

“How could I not remember that? I had to get plastic surgery on my nose, I was dropped so hard.” 

“Are you sure you guys aren’t sisters?” Her boyfriend, Travis laughed. “You two are too much alike.” 

“If we were sisters I’m pretty sure it would be worse than it already is.” Sam laughed. “I gotta meet up with Kenny for our final project, but I’ll try to catch up with you guys later. Would you like to walk me Travis?”

“Of course, why wouldn’t I want to?” He took her hand and they headed off.

“Jackie. I need to speak with you about our final project in Economics. You were supposed to have the essay and math done. Do you have it?” Jared came over to me.

“Of course, here ya go. Five pages of essay and three pages of math just like she asked. Did you do the presentation?”.

“Of course, why wouldn’t I have?” He walked off.

“Hello beautiful!” Marie hugged me. “That will be our last hug until I get married this summer. I’m heading off to Cali to see my dad before he goes back to Italy.”  

“That sucks. I’m guessing you’re exempt from every final too.” I frowned.

“Yep, I’m leaving right before second period starts. I just have to do a presentation this period” 

“Sounds like fun. How long you are you going to be over there before the wedding starts?” 

“Three months. We need to spend some time together before I get married.” 

“I can understand that. Good luck with everything.”

“Thank you honey.” 

“See ya. The bell’s going to ring any minute. I hate being late for J- Rees’s class.” 

I headed to the science room to be the first person in the class, so I could get the back lab table before anyone else took it. It didn’t hit me until I approached the room that I would be in the room with Mr. Rees for ten minutes alone before the bell rang; ten excruciating minutes. I stood outside the door for minute wondering if there was a chance to run. I took a deep breath and walked into the room where Jesse sat at his desk, the present still wrapped, correcting a test. I attempted to walk into the room unseen to hopefully save myself some energy, but Jesse perked up and called me over to his desk.

“Thank you for the present. I will open it when I get home, even though I know it’s my shirt.” He laughed quietly. “You’ll find a package at your seat. I think you’ll like it.” 

“Please stop getting me stuff. I feel guilty, because I haven’t gotten you anything.” I blushed lightly, but laughed a little kid on Christmas instead.

“It’s my job to get you things. You just get me a birthday and Christmas present. You may sit now” 

“Thank you, Mr. Rees.” 

I headed to my seat and sat down in front of a plain looking cardboard box that Jesse had left sitting there. I smiled at the package and placed it in my bag, but I was still exhausted and knew I’d need to stay elsewhere then the apartment with the girls. Hopefully my dad wouldn’t mind if I overtook my room again for a while so I could catch up on some sleep. The bell for official class start rang and when the second bell rang a few minutes later the entire class meandered in. Mr. Rees began the class happily and everyone was having a good time, but it was just another day in first period chemistry. The bell rang for dismissal a while later and the class rushed out the door to go home or go to their next. I just lumbered over to the door and looked over just in time to see Mr. Rees tuck my black lace bra into his bag that had fallen out.

“Come on, Jackie.” Jared came in. “We have a project to present.” 

“Thanks for meeting me here. Now let’s get going.” 

“Kay.” 

We headed to building C where many of the social studies classes sat, but waited out in the hall. We were going to be the only presentation that day coming last, so I waited through the next bell in the hall to be properly introduced. Jared walked in into the room before me to introduce me as the special guest as I put my crown on. I entered the room and began the presentation as the queen of economics (I guess we really needed a good grade in this class to do something as foolish as that). I sat in a chair off to the side of the teacher and Jared who had cards and were asking me questions. The class found it amusing and the teacher herself giggled as I sat there with my crown on acting like the queen of England.

“Thank you guys, you finished just in time for the bell. I’m so glad we started these three weeks ago or we never would’ve finished these in time. See you next year if you’re aren’t a senior! Congratulations to you if you are senior!” The teacher waved us good-bye as the bell rang.

“Nice job Jared.” I hugged him good-bye before I went into my building. “I’m glad I got stuck with you.” 

“I’m glad I got stuck with you too. You’re the best friend a guy could ever have. “He blushed. 

I walked back into the science building and headed to my computer class. I couldn’t help, but laugh as everyone ran around the halls in there aprons and goggles for biology. The best class ever if you had the right teacher, but any other teacher you would bore you to death. I walked into my computer class just in the nick of time for the bell to ring. The teacher told me Mr. Rees had just called, and wanted to see me in his room. I talked to the teacher for a moment to see what he needed from, but I was excused as I long as I passed in the final project. I handed him the USB that held and wished him good luck in the following weeks. I headed to Mr. Rees’s room to find the room empty besides him. He walked up to me with my bra, and shoved it into my purse. 

“I think you might need that.” He smiled.

“Actually I would need that as it’s the only one that hasn’t ripped. Why did you call me down here besides that?” I giggled lightly. 

“So the good news is that you are getting a ninety-two in this class. Do you know what that means?” 

“How did I get that from an eighty-eight?” 

“You did well on the last test we had plus got 2 points in a bonus question.” 

“Does this mean I’m exempt from your final?”

“Yep, you needed a ninety to be exempt. Congratulations.” 

“Yay! I accepted admission into Plymouth State University, so you know what that means.” 

“Yes I do. Where are you going to be for a while?”

“Dad’s for a week, maybe less.”

“Cool. How are you doing in the rest of your classes?” 

“I’m on fire, I have managed to be exempt from every final this year.” 

“Alright, Well, I have a meeting so I have to get going. You have a minute or so ‘til the bell rings if you want to hang out, but you’ll be by yourself.” 

“Yeah, I guess this is my last minute in high school.” 

“You’ll live.” He giggled. “Alright, I’ll see you at some point after your graduation.”

“I guess I’ll see you then, but please stay out of trouble until I get there.” 

“I will. See you soon. You, me, dinner, and a movie, but I’m late for the meeting already.” He kissed my forehead.