Some Kind Of Temptation

By Her Side

Principal Leary held up a hand to still the applause before speaking into the microphone again, her voice echoing around the sports field.

"We will now hear from our class valedictorian, Elizabeth Montgomery."

Another round of applause as Elizabeth took the podium. She smiled as she heard her parents cheering. Her sapphire glinted in the early summer sun as she began to speak.

"My fellow graduates, Principal Leary, members of the faculty, and invited guests; it is my honor to be standing in front of you as valedictorian today. An honor indeed as any one of the girls sitting behind me could easily have been standing here in my place. It has been a privilege to -"

As she glanced up from her speech, she faltered. There was a figure sitting in the bleachers. She panicked and looked down again at her speech.

"Uh, to, uh...to spend high school with such a talented, intelligent, ambitious group of young women. You have all made me a better person and I hope you are able to say the same for me..."

She went on to talk about the importance of faith and friendship, and the values they would take through the rest of their lives, hoping none of them would realize it was all cobbled together from speeches on YouTube, and she couldn't wait to be out of St Mary's and Los Altos.

As her speech finished and she took her seat to the polite applause, she scanned the bleachers. There was no one there. Her heart sank - she'd dared to dream...but then something moving caught her eye. Between two of the blocks, someone was walking away from the field. Before the figure disappeared from view, Elizabeth was certain she saw waist-length honey blonde hair.

The rest of the event was a blur. Elizabeth was going completely insane listening to various people droning on. When at long last it was over, she dashed to hug her parents before sprinting away, her gown billowing behind her, in the direction of the bleachers.

Her heels stuck in grass as she ran so she kicked them off. She could hear people shouting after her, confused, but she was utterly single minded. She had seen her. She had. She could feel it in her very being that she was nearby.

As she emerged from the gap between the bleachers and out into the parking lot, she saw her. Leaning against her car, wearing aviator shades, and smiling. Elizabeth sobbed loudly and flew to her, oblivious to the loose stones sticking into her bare feet as she ran.

"I knew you'd come back! I knew you'd come back -" she threw herself into Stephanie's waiting arms.

"I told you I would try." She took off her glasses, tears streaming down her cheeks as she held Elizabeth's face. "I couldn't miss seeing you up there. I'm so proud of you, Elizabeth. I'm so proud."

"I knew you'd come back. I'm so sorry, Steph, I know everything. Egan told me what he did -"

"None of that matters right now. Are you ok?"

Elizabeth nodded vigorously.

"Are you? Where did you go?"

"Phoenix. I never stopped thinking about you. Not for a second, I wrote letters every day that I never sent... I knew if I'd stayed he would have ruined your life, too. It was the only way to keep you safe. I'm so sorry, sweet girl."

"It's ok. I knew." She sobbed again. "I knew that would be why."

"Is he here?"

"Yes."

"Ok, I better go before I'm spotted. I'll be at my place, ok?"

"Yes. Listen, I'm going to Brown."

"I knew it. Congratulations, baby."

They kissed, both crying as they savored every second of being in each other's arms again.

"So, will you come with me?"

"To the end of the Earth."

~🖤~