Just Another Love Story

Chappie 30

Chapter 30: I'm Not Jay Gatsby

*Justin*

I swear I'm having a twilight moment.
I am currently kissing the girl of my dreams on the balcony of the school during the last 20 minutes of prom.
At first I wasn't gonna do it. I wasn't going to ask her because I thought I wasn't good enough. Listening to Damien and Kyle tell me that Belle is too special for me to have made me think maybe she is. Maybe she deserves better than me. But I love her okay? I fucking love her and I don't care if I'm not good enough. I want to be with her. How will we know if I'm worthy enough if we don't try? Listen if push comes to shove and we don't work out I'll stay out of her life forever but right here, right now, is where I want to be.
"I fucking love you Belle." I say when our lips separate.
"I fucking love you more." She laughs.
Kyle, Tabby, Damien, and the 2017 Prom King walk out.
"Oh, sorry are we interrupting?" Damien asks us.
"What's up man?" I ask him.
"Well, we were gonna start heading out and we were wondering if you were gonna come with. We were gonna head back to Luke's place, change our clothes and then get Chinese." He smiles.
Belle looks at me, "I'm down." She says.
"Can you give us a minute please?" I ask them.
"Of course." They start to leave and then Tabby comes back to hug Belle.
"I love you, and yes I signed you up for prom queen. Congrats." She says to Belle. She then winks at me and I know she isn't talking about the prom win.
She leaves us the alone outside under the stars.
"Look." I point to an extra bright star in the sky. "I'm gonna name that one Belle Pepper." She giggles.
"How did you find out my entire name Mr Davis?" She asks me.
"I told you, I stock you." I kissed her cheek.
She turns around and points to a star that is not too far from the Belle Pepper star.
"I'm gonna name that one Justin," she points to another, "and that one Johnathan." She doesn't look at me.
I feel tears brimming at the lines of my eyes.
Did you hear that? And you're trying to tell me not to be with her? That I can't love her? Be gone from me.
She turns around and kisses my lips and then rests her body on mine.
I stare up at the Johnathan star.
I swear on everything, I just saw it twinkle.
***
Chinese and a movie was probably the best idea Damien has ever had.
We got invited to a few parties but none of us wanted to go.
Instead we spent the night at Luke's mansion.
We played Twister, and Monopoly. Watching all The Hunger Games movies. And ate $30 worth of Chinese food.
Hanging out with my closets friends, including my girlfriend, is exactly how I want my life to go forever.
I know that eventually, everyone will go to collage and/or move away. Have kids and actually start lives.
I'm not Jay Gatsby.
But a guy can live in the moment.
The house is warm as it is filled with love and laughter.
This night can't get anymore perfect.
"Can you two stop?" I ask Kyle and Tabby as they make out in the living room.
"But why?" Kyle asks.
We all laugh and carry on.
"Hey guys guess what I brought?" Belle says.
We watch in silence as she pulls out a plastic bowl of cake slices from her birthday cake.
"Oh yes cake!" Damien cheers.
Belle shares out the slices and we all indulge on the sweet treat.
***
There is something wrong.
There is something on top me.
On top of me?
I open my eyes and I am met with a bright, smiling face, and gorgeous sea green eyes.
Long brown hair tickles my face.
Small, soft hands, trace down my body.
I blink to adjust my eyes to the sunlight.
I turn to the side and check the time on my phone.
8:30 am.
"Good morning baby." I say to Belle who is perched on top of me.
"Good morning." She lays on me.
I rub her shirtless back.
Yeah, about last night.. ;)
"Shouldn't you be getting ready?" I ask her.
Its graduation morning and we have to be there at 9 because the ceremony starts at 10.
I'm telling you, since I started dating Belle, I've been way more punctual.
"Yes, but I thought you would want to get ready together." She looks at the other side of my room.
All her stuff is on my floor. Spread out and organized.
I laugh, "alright then, lets get ready."
We don't dress too formal, as our clothes are getting covered by our gowns anyways.
I wear black khaki pants with a casual red button up.
Belle wears a white, sleeveless, cocktail dress.
Also, since I've been with her, I can say things like cocktail dress and I actually know what it means.
We grab breakfast on our way to the school because we don't have time to eat at home.
When we get to the school we see Luke, Tabby, Damien, and Kyle waiting for us.
We take tons and tons of pictures and we do a final walk through of Lincoln High.
"I can not believe we're done being kids." Tabby breathes.
"I know. Its like a dream I thought would never end. And graduating is me just waking up." Belle says.
As we walk through the building we stop at different spots and recall different memories.
*cue Pomp And Circumstance*
The typical graduation music plays as we walk up the blue and white walkway.
We listen to 8 different speeches from important people, and then the annual listing of the names begin.
They in go alphabetical order by last name, calling my name 33rd.
"Justin Timothy Davis." Everyone claps and just as expected my parents don't show. I stand up and walk to accept my diploma. I shake hands with Principal Jones, the Superintendent of Schools, the Dean of Students, and our Student Body president.
I start to feel nervous as I walk off stage.
I start to think about my future.
"Kyle Ben Fairmont."
We're all going away. All of us. And we aren't going to be anywhere each other.
Belle is going to Law school in Connecticut and I'm going to Pennsylvania to be an engineer. Kyle is going to Arizona for acting and Tabby is staying here for Art School.
"Tabitha Ashley Greene."
Luke is going up north for science and Damien is going to Texas to major in English.
"Damien Raymond Jills."
I'm never gonna see these guys again.
Aw man. Let me stop. Today is supposed to be a happy day.
But I'm not happy.
"Uh oh." Kyle says pulling me from my thoughts. "What's wrong." He looks concerned and so do the rest of them.
I scratch my head, "I'll tell you when everyone gets here."
"Belle Rose Latoya Ramirez."
"Lucas James Willson."
After we take more pictures I express my problem to my friends.
"Guys we're gonna be so far from each other what's gonna happen?" I ask.
They look at each other.
"Dude, I didn't know this was a concern of yours." Luke pats my back.
"Don't worry bro. Trust me when I tell you we've all, individually, thought about this." He says.
"So that's it, we just say goodbye?"
"Baby, we don't have to say goodbye yet. None of us are leaving yet. We still have two months together before changes have to be made but until then we are together." Belle hugs me.
"And when we do separate, because that is just life, we will still stay in touch always." She says.
"That is the future, this is the now. And we'll solve those problems and more problems to come head on, one at a time, like we always do." Tabby says.
They're right. I knew that this time was going to come and because of it I have to make time right now.
"Let's go to the beach." I say looking at them.
They all smile and shake their heads.
"Now you're speaking my language." Kyle puts an arm around me.
We all head to out cars to spend the rest of our two months in the sun, on the sand, together.
**
This maybe the end of my childhood, and Luke's and Kyle's, and Damien's and Tabby's and Belle's.
But one thing is for certain. Its not the end for our stories.
We take our adventures head on and defeat our new obstacles with love and excitement. If you think anything can stop us, you've met the wrong people.
Now please don't cry and carry on, this book is not that big of a deal.
Its just another love story.

***