Strawberries and Cigarettes (Book Two)

🚬🍓Chapter One🍓🚬

-Two years later-
"Catherine Randle." The voice rang out. My legs were shaking violently and I felt like I was going to collapse. I stepped up the wooden steps and took a deep breath. I could barely hear anything over the beating of my own heart. "Graduating early as an AP with honors diploma." I walked across the stage smiling as the crowd clapped. I took the diploma with one hand and shook the principal's hand with the other. "Thank you sir." I said with a smile as I walked across the stage and down the other steps. I took a deep breath the first I'd taken in a while and sat next to my fellow classmates. We waited and sat there for at least a half an hour before everybody had walked across the stage. I stood up looking into the swarm of caps and gowns and other family members. "God I hate crowds." I said weaving my way through until I found someone familiar. "Cat!" I quickly and faced Steve. It was obvious he had been crying his eyes were puffy and red, it was obvious they'd all been crying. I was saddened at the fact Two couldn't be here but he'd been working extra hours and weekends for extra money but he promised to be at dinner tonight. "I'm so proud of you kid." He said, pulling me close and hugging me tight and rockin me back and forth. "Always knew you had it in you kid." Darry said, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Thanks Dar." I said as Steve pulled away from the hug. "Did something I can never say I've done." Soda chimed in with a laugh, I smiled. "C'mon let's go get some lunch before your big dinner with Two." Steve said wrapping an arm around my shoulder and pulling me close. We all walked to the dingo since it wasn't far from the school. It was a hot summer day so I pulled the gown off and just wore my black swing dress for lunch, it was a little fancy for the dingo but it was all I had. We sat down at a large table ordering milkshakes and burgers. It was nice to enjoy a lunch together, it had been a while I'd devoted my past few months to studying and only studying eating only happened if it was necessary and human contact was little to none. Two took advantage of this time and worked more hours, I really truly have missed him and had so many days when I just wanted him to hold me and rock me in his arms and tell me it's ok. I'd felt we were drifting apart but I put too much work into our relationship to let it fail. I enjoyed a nice plate of fries and a strawberry milkshake. "So kid have you thought about what's next." Darry said, taking a bite of his burger. "They'll be mailing me a list of colleges and programs by the end of next week and I'll be able to choose." I said smiling. "What are you thinking of going into?" He responded. "Well getting a degree to teach college level classes would be a dream come true but a nurse would be my second option." I said eating a fry dipped in milkshake. "Good choices." He said with a smile. "Ya." I said quietly going back to eating. After a while we paid and headed back to the Curtis house. I didn't choose to spend much time there because I wanted to get back and change so I was ready for my dinner tonight. I changed into a pretty floral red and black teacup dress and black kitten heels. I curled my hair and put on some red lipstick and eyeliner, I really wanted to impress Two after how long we'd been apart. I waited on the front porch as it got darker and became worried he wouldn't show up and that he'd forgotten. The sun was almost down and there was still no sign of him and our reservation was due in 30 minutes. "Damn it Keith." I said rolling my eyes and standing up. "All this work for nothing." I said looking down at my dress. I turned and opened the door getting ready to close it. "Catherine, Kitten wait!" I turned around and two was fumbling up the walkway with flowers in one hand and a box of chocolates in the other. "Two!" I said walking out of the doorway and back onto the porch. "I'm so sorry baby." He said almost tripping on the last step. "I'm so proud of you." He said wrapping his arms around me and pulling me close to him. "I thought you forgot." I said, pulling away. "How could I forget, this is the biggest day of your life." He said smiling and kissing me. I smiled and he led me back down the stairs walking in front to open the gate. "God I'm so proud of you." He said, handing me the bouquet of roses. I took it in my hand and grabbed his open hand with my open hand resting my head on his shoulder. "I couldn't have done it without my biggest supporter." I said kissing his cheek and resting my head on his shoulder again. He smiled and we continued walking. The rest of the night went by like a blur, we shared a cigarette outside the restaurant and ate almost the entire box of chocolates between each other. I fumbled with the locket and rubbed my finger over the engraving. Inside it I had placed a cutout picture of two, there was still an empty space but I planned to fill it one day. Two handed me the cigarette and I took a drag, I don't smoke much. It doesn't fancy me and I'm not a big fan of the smell but it felt like a night to celebrate and relieve stress. "I'm sorry I missed it." He said looking down I turned to face him, "Baby, I could care less if you were there, this is what matters to me moments like this." I wrapped my arms around his neck kissing his cheek over and over again. "It's something nobody else can say they've done let alone my girlfriend and I couldn't even make it." He said looking over at me and back down. "Keith...look at me...I love you and all that matters is you love me back." He was looking into my eyes now. "You do love me back right?" I said his eyes widened as he answered quickly. "Yes, god of course I do!" He said, pulling me close to him. "See this is all that matters." I said with a little laugh. "Ya I guess you're right." He said wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me onto his lap. We watched the bush sidewalks as other people walked by and the stars. "God I love the stars." I said leaving back against him and looking up. "Y'know I never took the time to look at them...your right." He said looking up with me. "That's Ursa Minor...and that over there is Hercules." I said pointing up at the constellations. "I never knew they made shapes...are there any others?" He said looking down at me and back up at the stars. "Of course! That over there is Perseus and that big guy is Ursa Major." I said tracing the shapes of the constellations with my finger. "Interesting...you'll have to teach me more about these." He said kissing my neck as I watched the stars. "C'mon let's get you home." Two said helping me up and grabbing the flowers. We'd long since finished the chocolates and threw the trash in the can next to us. We walked all the way home cuddling close and watching the stars. "Well Mrs. Graduate, I think this is where we part ways." He said as I opened the door. I kissed his cheek and turned to walk inside. "I love you." I said peeking through the cracked door. "I love you too." He responded as I slowly pushed the door closed leaning against it. God I didn't know how much I missed being in his arms and being his girl. I peeked out the curtain and saw him standing out near the road looking up at the stars lifting his finger and barely tracing shapes. I giggled as he looked down smiling, and walked off into the moonlight.