Linda's Story

Post Graduation Plans

"Hey!" Danny frowned, "why so sad? It's graduation! We're finally free of this dump!"

"You are, but I'm not. I've got one more year," Linda sighed. "Danny, what's going to happen to us?"

"Whaddaya mean?"

"I mean, after I start school again. Yeah, sure, maybe we'll date my last year of high school, but then what? You'll be in college- or doing something else- and I'll be in college, studying nursing. What's going to happen to us?"

"Nothing's going to happen to us, Linda. I don't plan on breaking up with you-"

"You don't plan it, Danny. It just naturally happens!"

He brought her into a hug, "we'll be fine, I promise."

**********

Linda and Danny sat on her couch, staring at the tv, not knowing what to do now that school was over. It was July, a week after Linda's birthday; they had done everything since graduation, and now they were out of ideas. They had been to the beach, the pool, the mall, Coney Island... and after all that excitement, they were strapped for ideas.

Linda leaned against Danny, playing with the end of her hair. They had just had lunch together, "what do you wanna do today?"

"I dunno. Whadda you wanna do?"

"Dunno."

"When do you go to the retirement home?"

"Not till next week. Wednesday through Friday."

"Oh." He didn't know what else to ask her. "What are your plans for after graduation?"

"I don't know. I'm definitely going to college, and getting a job."

"Where will you work?"

"I don't know. It depends. Maybe at the retirement home I volunteer at.... what are you going to do?"

Danny shrugged, "I don't know."

"Do you want to go to college?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because the career I'm thinking about going into doesn't really require a college education."

"The police force?"

"Yeah."

"You have a few years until that can happen, though, right? What are you going to do till then?"

"Odd jobs, I guess. I don't know."

"Well what do you like doing?"

"When? And where?"

Linda smirked, "I mean what are your interests? Like I like helping people, so I'm going to get a job at the retirement home. And then, in college, I'll be working my way to a nursing degree. So what do you like doing?"

Danny thought for a minute, before smiling wickedly. "I like kissing you. That's what I'd like to do."

She shifted towards him, while he scooted towards her. "That's not what I meant, and you know it."

"You gonna stop me?"

"No," she pressed her lips to his, her arms winding around his neck.

He shifts them, guiding her to his lap, and putting his hands on her hair. She always tasted like chocolate and oranges, sometimes much too sweet coffee. When she moaned, he took the opportunity to slide his tongue in her mouth.

Linda hummed her approval, shifting ever so slightly in his lap. She didn't know where life would lead her boyfriend- or herself, really, for that matter, but at least she had a plan- but wherever life led him, she hoped it would be with her. She hadn't known Danny for very long- despite knowing him for an entire school year- but she definitely knew she was never going to find another love like Daniel Reagan.