Man Overboard

30. Can We Learn To Get By If We Learn To Have Scars

A/N: Maylaship fixed the internet, so I was able to post tonight afterall. This one's for all you Pappy lovers ;)

The last day of classes for seniors was a waste of time. We had already finished exams so there was really no point in showing up for classes, illustrated by the fact that half of the seniors had ditched. Teachers let the students that had actually showed up just do whatever they wanted, resulting in a lot of chatter about future plans for the summer and college. I couldn't wait to leave.

When the final bell rang, I felt relief wash through me. Now I just had to get through graduation and then I would finally be done with this place. Unfortunately I didn't have time to celebrate just then since I had to get to work. But as soon as I got home after my shift ended, I collapsed on Tom's and my bed out of exhaustion.

Tom chuckled at me from the desk chair. "Long day?" he teased.

"Now that school's over, I'm going to sleep in until noon tomorrow," I mumbled into a pillow.

"Sounds like a good plan," Tom laughed. "But you have work at ten." I groaned. "Aw, it's not that bad. At least you're done with school." The bed started to sink by my feet and I rolled over to look at Tom who was now sitting by me.

"Until classes start in the fall," I corrected, making a face at the thought of it. Even though I was just going to community college, the idea of a new, unfamiliar setting was nerve-racking to me.

"College will be so much better than high school though," Tom assured.

"And you know this from all the time you spent at college?" I smirked, pointing out the fact that Tom hadn't gone to college.

Tom rolled his eyes at me. "That doesn't matter. Everyone says college is better, and high school sucks ass so it must be."

I laughed at his argument, but it wasn't far from the truth. Anything had to be better than the shit I put up with at Rancho Bernardo. "I just need to make it to graduation," I sighed, speaking to myself more so than to Tom.

"I've been meaning to ask you about that..." Tom stated timidly.

"What about it?" I propped myself up on my elbows to make it easier to look at him.

"Well, I know I'm going to the ceremony," he started off slowly. I nodded my head and waited for him to continue. "And Mark's already going to be going because Anne's graduating with you. So I was just wondering if you wanted more people to come out and support you, because my mom's been asking if she could come and I told her I would talk to you about it."

I looked at Tom with surprise, my heart warming at the offer. I had been thinking about graduation a lot over the past few weeks, about how I wouldn't have any family there. Of course, Tom and Mark were my family now and I loved them for taking me in, but I still missed having parents at times like these. That's what good parents are supposed to do: love you and raise you for eighteen years and then see you walk across a stage to get your diploma. But I had missed out on all that. So to hear that Ms. DeLonge wanted to come and support me for no reason other than she knew I didn't have anyone else besides her son in my life, made me want to cry from her kindness.

"But if it makes you feel weird, it's okay," Tom rushed out when I didn't respond right away. "I can tell her not to come. I know you probably wish your own parents were able to go, I just thought it might make it easier if-"

"Tom!" I interrupted. "I would love for her to come." Tom's worried expression immediately morphed into a joyous one as he grinned from ear to ear.