Part 1
"Up a little, and to the right," Daisy's voice boomed as she called out to Auggie and Ezra as they were hanging a huge white and blue banner across the lodge. Peter had decided to have a small speech in the lodge along with refreshments and then take the rest of the graduation outside because the weather was calling for sunshine. Ezra and Auggie jumped down from the chairs they were standing on and joined Daisy as she entently staired at the beautifully made banner.
"It's good to me." Auggie said breaking the silence.
"Yea at least this time we didn't misspell any words." Daisy laughed.
"Yea and the reason is… Scott and Shelby re not here to mess it up again. You know they did that last year because they were so wrapped up in there dram of the week that they…" Ezra's words trailed off as he noticed Scott and Shelby appear before them.
"What were you saying Ezra?" Scott asked with a harsh tone in his voice.
"Well your back. I should go tell Peter.'' Ezra darted away running as fast as he could in fear that Scott would hurt him or that Shelby might.
"Shelby are you okay?" Daisy asked running over to embrace her friend.
"No, I'm not but it will just take time." Daisy released Shelby smiling at Scott.
"Thanks for bringing her back safetly." Daisy said giving Scott a small hug.
"You knew I would." Scott smirked.
"Yea I guess I did." Auggie stepped up to Scott.
"Yo, meat good to have you back." Auggie patted Scott on the shoulder.
"Yea, its good to be back." Scott laughed seeing Peter, Sophie, Juliet, Ezra and David rush towards them.
"Scott, Shelby your all right." Peter hugged them both at the same time.
"Peter were sorry…" Shelby started.
"It's okay as long as you're fine." Sophie added.
"Hey Scott, Shelby glad to have you back and well." Juliet beamed.
"Thanks queenie." Shelby laughed.
"Yea well it was a lot nicer around here with out you to making the air and place sicking sweet with all your I love you I love you not crap." David laughed walking away.
"So this means no shuns?" Scott asked with hope in his tired voice.
"Well, your not getting off that eaisly, you'll have to help with all of the setting up for the graduation no ifs ands or buts.
"Got it." Scott said walking with Shelby towards the cabins.
"Shelby." Peter called after her as she spun around to look at Peter her blonde hair wirling around her happy face.
"Can we talk?" Peter asked as Shelby and Scott walked back over to him.
"Sure, but I was going to go take a shower man I feel bad." Shelby said looking up at Scott then at Peter.
"It will only take a minute, may we talk a lone?" Peter asked looking at Scott. Scott got the message and headed off to the boys cabin right after he gave Shelby a quick good bye kiss on the cheek. Shelby followed Peter into his quite office closing the door behind her. "Shelby are you okay?"
"No, but I'll be fine don't worry about it, because worrying about it is not going to help me or Chris." Shelby said sitting down in a chair across from Peter's large wooden desk.
"Would you like someone to talk to about this besides me?" Peter asked.
"No, I talked about it the whole way home with Scott and he's all I need." Shelby said sadly knowing that she also needed Chris's friendship. "It was hard you know to go there, but I thought I should be there for his family and all. I hated seeing his body lying there, it should have been someone else not Chris. He never got to live his life for Gods sake Peter he was only 17 years old. It hurts so much to wake up in the mornings, because I know he's never going to wake up again and it makes me want to be the one who had cancer and who died so he could be happy. Peter I would have given anything and everything for him to have lived. Anything." Shelby said tears rolling down her cheeks. "I don't want to cry anymore, and I don't want to talk about this with you or anyone but Scott. May I please leave?" Shelby was getting angry with herself as she did every morning when she woke up knowing Chris was dead and that it was not a horrible nightmare.
"Yes, Shelby you may go but if you'd ever like to talk I'm here. Try and look at the good things in life, like having a boyfriend who loves you, having people that love you, and your graduating in a few days your getting to go back into the real world and to college in less than a year. Shelby, Chris would hate to see you like this. He'd want you to be happy and smiling like the girl he first met I know he would." Peter said watching Shelby slowly turn back around to him. "He'll always be your friend even if he's not here with you." Peter said as Shelby burst into tears and ran to hug him. She cried into his shoulder then released him thanking him and walking out of the office and to her room.
Juliet walked with Auggie to the mess hall. They were both happy that Shelby and Scott were back, safe, and well. Auggie pulled Juliet aside taking her into a deep kiss. Juliet's eyes bugged out in surprize as she pulled gently away. "Auggie? What was that all about?" Juliet asked looking him in his soft brown eyes.
"What can't I kiss my girlfriend?" Auggie asked leaning in to kiss Juliet again.
"Auggie, wait do you want to get caught?" Juliet giggled leaning in to kiss Auggie.
"Were only going to be here for a few more days. Jules were graduating in a less than a week and that makes me excited because I can go out into the world with you and back to school with you." Auggie said starting to kiss Juliet again.
"Wait a sec." Jules said pressing her fingers to his lips. "Going to school together like my school or your school?"
"Well, my momma and papa said that you could come live me with if you'd like. I mean there will be some kinks to work out and all but Jules the important thing is that we'll be together. And what I mean by going to school together is we'll be starting college after summer break and I thought that we should go to the same college. And durning the summer you can live at home with me and then well get a apartment when school starts, how does that sound Jules?" Auggie had really thought about all this and talked to his parents and everything he was so excited Juliet could feel the happiness coming off of him.
"Well, Auggie I was planning on going to an east coast school maybe. I got except to a lot of great colleges and well I want to be a lawer and I thought east coast or even Chapel Hill you know something like that. And well I didn't think that we got into the same…" Auggie interupted Juliet's sentence.
"You thought what? That I could never get excepted into the same college as you. Oh yea I had almost forgotten that I was different and that I had a learning disabilty. Thanks for reminding me." Auggie yelled pushing Juliet away. "Leave me alone twig I hate you." Auggie screamed in her face walking into the mess hall.
"Auggie, no I wasn't going to say that. I was only…" Juliet stopped herself, that was exactly what she was going to say. And now she had Auggie made at her. "Great, real smart twig." She said to herself. "You just lost your boyfriend."
Scott came out of the shower whipping a towel over the front part of his chest. He had on a pair of sleep pants and was holding a tee shirt in his left hand. "Ha, feels so good to be clean." He said to himself as he flopped down on his bed. No one was in the room, a faint tapping came from a window across the room. "What the…" Scott said sitting the book he had picked up and the towel and shirt down on his bed. "Who's there?" Scott called walking closer to the window. He picked up a baseball bat that was placed next to Auggie's bed and proceded towards the window. He pealed the red curtain away from the window quickly raising the bat above his head getting ready to smash the figure that had appeared before him.
"Scott no." a voice screamed falling back onto the ground outside.
"Shelby?" Scott asked throwing the bat down, and sticking his head out the open window looking down at a scared Shelby.
"Crazy much?" Shelby laughed getting up.
"Shelby I'm so sorry I thought you were, well I didn't think that was you. Let me help you." Scott carefully pulled Shelby into the window noticing the cut on her neck. "Shelby did I do that?" Scott asked starting to feel really bad.
"Well, when I fell I hit a stick and it cut me its not your fault I'm fine." Shelby smiled brushing Scott's blonde curls with her finger.
"I know just the thing." Scott said quitly leaning in towards Shelby.
"What are you doing Scott?" Shelby asked laughing a bit.
"This." He said sweetly kissing the wound on her soft skin.
"That tickles." Shelby giggled letting Scott kiss her. "This is much better than any first aid kit fix" Shelby said.
"Yea I know, now Shelby don't speak." Scott said kissing her lips.
"What why?" Shelby asked confused.
"Because I want you to lessen to me, I love you Shelby and I don't want to lose you, please show me you love me to." Scott said kissing Shelby's neck.
"Scott what are you talking about I don't understand." Shelby said taking his face in her hands.
"Will you be my first, my first true love." Scott asked looking Shelby in the eyes. Shelby's face was in complete shock. "Will you?" he asked again. The room went silent as the power flickered off and on then went pitch black.
"Scott can we go over to your bed?" Shelby asked, leading him in the dark towards there destanation. The lights flickered on one more time then Shelby pulled off her over shirt throwing it on the near by lamp and then the room went dark.
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Part 2
Auggie woke up walking over to Scott's bed. He was gone, Auggie guessed he had woken up eailer and gone off with Shelby. "Meat's got a girlfriend, and I've got nothing." Auggie sulked to himself as he walked into the bathroom.
"Man could you sulk a little less?" David asked walking out of the bathroom almost running over the small angry Auggie. "What's your damage?" David asked looking back at Auggie as he slammed the bathroom down shut.
"Girls," Ezra said slipping on a blue and white over shirt and heading out of the cabin. "You coming? Oh yea I guess you'd like to stay here and well be alone? With your make believe girlfriend?" Ezra laughed walking out.
"Funny, Freakin, real funny." David called jogging behind him.
"Man do any of you know were my tooth brush went?" Auggie called to a now empty room. "Guys?" He called again walking out into the cabin. "Great." Auggie said throwing on some shoes and jogging to the mess hall - to watch Juliet and her uptight attitude.
Shelby walked into the mess hall followed by Daisy and Juliet. They all took a seat at their regular table chatting to one another. Shelby had a huge grin on her face as she watched Scott come in, grab a tray and cut in the line as he did every day. Scott noticed Shelby and smiled a huge smile at her as she returned the grin. "Is it me or does Scott look totally hot today?" Shelby said to no one in particular.
"Shelby are you okay?" Daisy asked waving her hand in front of Shelby's dazed face. "Shelby?"
"What? Can't I make a comment about my totally hot boyfriend?" Shelby asked still looking at Scott.
"Whatever Shel." Daisy said turning to talk to another student. Peter stopped Scott and started to talk to him. Shelby wondered about what, hoping it was nothing bad. This time last year was the day Scott had left Horizon's and also the day he had told her he loved her. Peter walked with Scott over to Shelby's side of the table.
"Hi Scott." Shelby beamed seeming abnormaly happy.
"Good to see you smiling." Peter said patting Shelby on the back. "I was just telling Scott that you guys have five minutes to eat and then its time to set up for graduation out side. It's a pretty day and I'm hoping it will stay that way. So at 8:10 be out in the back grounds k?" Peter asked.
"Sure, sounds great to us." Scott said kissing Shelby.
"Okay see you in five." Peter called walking towards Sophie who was standing at the door. "Is it me or are they way to happy considering Shelby was in tears yesterday." Peter asked. "I mean there moods changed so quickly over night."
"What are you thinking Peter?" Sophie asked turning him to face her. "They would never." Sophie said. "I mean after what's happened in their life's you'd think sex would be the last thing on their mind."
"Yea, you'd think." Peter said sitting down with Sophie at a near by lunch table.
Juliet sat in art class, she looked at her painting of a girl and a guy both with dark hair. Their assigment was to draw the person that made them happy. Juliet had decided to draw herself with Auggie because that's what made her most happy. Well it had while they were together now she wasn't sure what they were to each other surly not boyfriend and girlfriend not even friends. She held up the drawing looking at it from different angles. Is she turned it this way and that it still looked deformed and ugly she was never good at drawing or painting. Her eyes fluttered over to Auggie, he was looking down at the canvas he was drawing on. He walked this way and that looking at it from all angles just as Juliet had done. He smiled at his process, as he continued to sling paint on the canvas. Juliet wished she knew what he was drawing, was it what she was drawing? Juliet walked over to Auggie, she approached him slowly as though he was an angry dog garding his food. "Auggie, how's your drawing going?" Juliet asked appearing before him. Auggie flinched hiding the painting from her. "Can I see?"
"No, Jules get away. I don't want any thing to do with you, were to different people now, your smart and beautiful and I'm just a stupid guy from the wrong side of the tracks, you'll never look at me once were out of Horizon's, never." Auggie whispered back to her then looked at her strently telling her with his eyes to go away.
"Auggie, I never meant to hurt you, I just was trying to say that…" Juliet said stepping closer to him.
"Juliet please go back to your seat and finish your drawing no talking." Snapped the art teacher as she walked towards Auggie and Juliet.
"Sorry Mrs. Lee." Juliet said shyly walking back to her horrid drawing.
Scott picked up a huge fake oval cut out that was about 12 feet tall and arched over like a rainbow. It was what they'd all walk threw later tonight. Shelby was busy sitting out plastic white chairs in rows of 10 across the grass area. She whipped her hand across her brow looking up into the sun with squinted eyes. "Thanks Peter for ruining the best day of my life." Shelby said to herself as she waddled over to the new row holding one hair under each arm. Scott and Shelby both did their work with smiles on their faces and not a care in the world for once in their life. Peter wanted to know what made Shelby so happy, so happy to forget the previous events that just happened, and act like ever thing was okay. A few hours later almost every thing was set up except for the balloons and streamers. Peter said he'd put those up so they could get ready for graduation. The girl were all in their rooms getting ready, Sophie walked in carrying three green graduation gowns. She placed them on each of the girl's bed and walked out leaving them to get ready. Peter did the same for the boy's cabin sitting four gowns on each of the boy's bed. David tromped out of the bathroom running over to his bed, he picked up the large green gown slipping it over his messy mop of dark black hair. "Guys, come and get you're little gowns." David laughed slipping the hat on.
"Man you almost look like you're really graduating." Auggie laughed walking over to his bed to pick up his gown and cap. Ezra was still in the bathroom getting ready and so was Scott. Auggie had a red T-shirt and blue jeans under his forest green gown. Scott walked out of the bathroom dressed in a white button up shirt and kahikis.
"Well, don't we look picture perfect for mommy and daddy." David sat snuffing his nose at Scott.
"And don't we look just as sloppy as usual." Scott picking up his gown and cap in there plastic bag and walking out of the cabin. Juliet looked in the mirror and surpirzing she wasn't look at her side view she was looking at her hair. She had decided to curl her hair into big ringlets and place them onto of her hair in a messy bun. It looked beautiful how the rings fell around her pretty face framing it just right. Daisy was next to her pulling her hair back into a poney tail, and clipping a pretty green and gold clip in it that her mother and father had given to her for her sixteenth birthday. Shelby was at the very end of the mirrors, her had not fixed she was still working on her make up.
"Shelby? What are you going to do with your hair? Would you like me to help?" Juliet asked looking past Daisy at Shelby.
"Thanks, Jules but I know just what I'm going to do." Shelby smiled into the mirror appleing some pale silver eye shadow to her eyes.
As all the Cliffhangers except Scott and Shelby filled into the lodge to wait for their parents they talked with one another nibbling on some of the trays of food. Scott walked in just as his dad and real mom appeared at the front door way. "Mom, Dad." Scott yelled running over to them. "You came, you both came." Scott hugged them both kissing his mom on the cheek.
"It's good to see you Scott, I'm so happy this day has finally come." Scott's father said shaking his son by his strong shoulders.
"Were's that girlfriend of yours?" Scott's mother asked looking around the lodge. "Juliet?"
"Oh no mom she's just my friend. Remember I told you Shelby was gone wile you were here. I'll find her, you'll love her I promise." Scott said walking out into the mess of people in search of Shelby. Auggie walked into the loby his head down looking at the top of his shoes as he worked, Juliet ran into the lodge a huge smile on her face. She bumped into Auggie they both looked into each other's eyes.
"Auggie, I'm so happy I found you, I have great news." Juliet beamed walking him over to a corner.
"Jules, I have to find my parents." Auggie said trying to get away. Juliet's smile faded away as she let go of his arm.
"I love you Auggie, and even if we don't go to the same college you'll still be my first real boyfriend. And I've decided to go to the same college as you." Juliet said taking his hands in hers.
"Jules, no you can't." Auggie said letting go of her left hand.
"Why not? It's what makes me happy, and I hope it's the same thing for you." Juliet said looking into Auggie's eyes. "What was your painting of?"
"Of the only girl I ever loved."
"Your mom?" Juliet giggled.
"Of you." Auggie said kissing Juliet on the lips.
"Augusto I love you." Juliet said hugging him.
"Same here twig, once sec I wanna show you something." Auggie walked over to a room comming back only secounds later holding a large picture. It was his painting. He flipped it over reveling the most beautiful picture of Juliet she had ever seen. Juliet gasped in happyniess as she looked at herself in the painting. Her shining face was beaming up towards the sky, her long brown hair was flowing down her shoulders. A pink sweater and blue jeans topped off her outfit and the smile that was painted on her face was enough to fall in love with the drawing.
"Auggie, I don't know what to say." Juliet said covering her mouth with her hands. "Thank you." She said smiling at him. "Thank you."
Shelby walked into the lodge with her gown draped across her arm. She walked around looking here and there for Scott. She noticed a red haired girl in the corner looking at the tray of food. "Jess?" Shelby said to herself noticing a short girl that had the frame of her sister. "Jess." Shelby shouted running towards her.
"Shelby?" Jess spun around hugging her sister.
"When did you get here? Where's mom?"
"I've been her for about two days. I'm sorry I didn't see you, we wanted it to be a surprize." Jess said smiling.
"It is Jessy it is." Shelby said hugging her sister again. "So is mom coming?"
"Yea, she said she'd be here. I called her this morning."
Scott saw Shelby walked over to her. "Shelby I want you to meet someone." Scott took her by the hand waving at Jess and leading Shelby in the direction of his parents.
"Mom, Dad this is Shelby my girlfriend." Scott said holding Shelby by the shoulders as they walked towards his parents.
"Hi Shelby, Scott has told us all about you. You're a very pretty girl." His mother said smiling at Shelby.
"Thank you Mrs. Um Scott's mom." Shelby said not knowing what to call her considering Scott's parents were no longer together.
"Shelby, I'm happy you're the girl that's making my son smile. It's good to see him smile again." His father said shaking Shelby's little hand. Juliet's mother walked into the lodge wearing a white suit and holding a cell phone up to her ear. Juliet noticed her right away and grabbed Auggie by the hand running over to her mother.
"Mother, you came." She called running to her mom.
"Juliet, I'm so happy to see you. Your watching your weight very good of you." Her mother said giving her a quick hug.
"No mother, I'm not. If you haven't noticed I no longer have to watch my weight for you. Who cares in a gain a few pounds I'm a growing girl and I don't need to impress you anymore I'm stronger now." Juliet said wrapping her arm around Auggie's shoulders. Also I've decided I want to go to the same school as Augusto my boyfriend." Juliet smiled. Her mother tried holding back her frown and then turned walking off towards the bathroom.
"Wow Jules, you really stood up to you mom great job." Auggie said hugging her. After Ezra's parents, Auggie's family, Daivd's mom and dad, and Daisy's dad had gotten there they all took a seat to lessen to Peter's speech. All the kids filled in the front forest green flashing over six of the twelve rows.
"Everyone, may I have your attention." Peter said looking out into the sea of happy students and proud adults. "I've worked at Horizon's for many years now, and I've enjoyed it so much. Each year as kids graduate and move on I feel like a piece of me is moving on with them. It's had because I watch these kids change completely over the time there here and then there gone and they become like my children and its hard to say good-bye. All these kids have changed you may not think so but they have in more ways than one. They have become the adults' as they will need to be when they go out into the world. They have found love, and friendship and have become ready for there lives ahead. I'm very proud of each and every one of them…" Peter's speech faded out as Scott grabbed Shelby's hand as they walked to the entry to were they would walk down to graduate. They looked at each other smiles beaming across their faces as Peter continued to talk. "I give you the class of 2001" Peter said into the mircophone as Ezra walked out first with Daisy at his right. Juliet smiled at her mom as she walked hand and hand with Auggie down the long red carpet. A few more various students walked in two's down the line. Scott and Shelby had made their way to the back of the line as their names were called. "Scott Barringer and Shelby Merrick.
"Here we go." Shelby said looking at Scott.
"Let's Graduate." Scott said walking with Shelby down the row. "Shelby I have a question for you?" Scott whispered as he waved at some friends and his parents.
"Yea, what is it?" Shelby asked smiling at her mom and sister.
"Will you marry me?" Scott asked stopping Shelby in mid step as they turned to face one another. Peter smiled at them as they stood in front of the class. "I give you Mount Horizon's Graduating Class of 2001." Cheers and applause went up as caps flew off every ones heads.
"Scott. My answer is…" Shelby said looking into Scott's eyes. "Yes." Shelby smiled joy over comming her shaking body. "I love you." Shelby yelled over the noise.
"I love you to Mrs. Shelby Barrigner." Scott said taking Shelby into a deep passionate kiss.
"Scott, one other thing." Shelby said.
"Yea, what is it?" Scott said not wanting to break the kiss.
"I think I'm pregnant."
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