Sequel: An Old Beginning ›
Status: Complete
Guilty Pleasures
Chapter 39
Naomi sat through the graduation ceremony, feeling extremely insecure. She felt as if everyone had their eyes on her instead of Mayor Wilkins. Judgingher life, her choices, her protruding stomach.
She now wished she’d talked her mother out of the silly tradition of walking across a stage to collect a piece of paper. A piece of paper that Naomi wouldnever even use. Sure, she had to have it for a lot of things in her life, but all that was necessary was the record of her earning a diploma, not going through the actual ceremony of receiving it.
Naomi took a deep breath as she stood with her row, moving forward toward the stage. She impatiently waited her turn, letting her eyes scan the crowd. She saw her mother with a bright smile, snapping pictures every two seconds.
Naomi offered her a halfhearted smile, before her eyes traveled to the back of the crowd. She saw the teachers standing behind the rows of parents. Her eyes briefly met with Gerard andshe could feel her breath catch in her throat before turning away with tears in her eyes.
* * * * *
Gerard watched as Naomi walked across the stage, smiling politely and shaking hands with the Mayor when he handed her the diploma. He kept a close eye on her as she carefully descended the stairs, feeling his heart calling to her. In spite of everything that had happened over the last few months, he felt proud of her.
Gerard stood quietly as the ceremony came to a conclusion. He made pleasant small talk with a few of the parents, watching Naomi out of the corner of his eyes, always keeping a close eye on her. His attention was drawn to her as she began hugging her mother and friends, tears in her eyes as she clutched at Jo.
* * * * *
“Mom, I’m going to go.”
“Naomi…already? It’s so early,” Donna said in a disappointed tone.
“I know, but it will be dark soon, and I just want to get out of here. It’s all too hard.”
Jo and Pete walked up to Naomi. They had both been so supportive of her decisions, even though Pete didn’t know who the father was. Jo had promised not to tell him until they were graduated and she knew that Pete would be able to take the news without searching out Mr. Way.
“Naenae, you’re going?” Jo asked sadly.
Naomi nodded, hugging Pete before turning to her best friend. Both girls had tears streaming down their faces as they embraced each other.
“You were supposed to room with me,” Jo said sadly, never letting go of her friend. “The whole first year of college and the adjustments and now…”
“I know,” Naomi said in a choked whisper before slowly pulling away. “I wish it could have worked out that way, but I’ll call you later, okay?”
Jo nodded as Naomi turned to hug her mother.
“You have your cell phone?”
“Yeah,” Naomi said quietly. She pulled away, taking off the cap and gown.
“And I’ll see you in a few weeks, right?” she asked, her voice filled with insecurity as she handed the items to her mom.
“You won’t be able to keep me away,” Donna said with a watery smile, clutching the items to her chest.
Naomi smoothed out the wrinkles in her black dress, trying to keep her mind occupied. “I’m going to go,” she whispered.
Everyone nodded, offering one last hug before Naomi turned and began walking away. She felt a tingling rush over her skin and looked up to see Gerard watching her from several yards away. She stopped for a moment, staring into his eyes, memorizing the planes of his face before giving him a slight nod and walking away.
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It's nearly the end!! ;o;o;o
She now wished she’d talked her mother out of the silly tradition of walking across a stage to collect a piece of paper. A piece of paper that Naomi wouldnever even use. Sure, she had to have it for a lot of things in her life, but all that was necessary was the record of her earning a diploma, not going through the actual ceremony of receiving it.
Naomi took a deep breath as she stood with her row, moving forward toward the stage. She impatiently waited her turn, letting her eyes scan the crowd. She saw her mother with a bright smile, snapping pictures every two seconds.
Naomi offered her a halfhearted smile, before her eyes traveled to the back of the crowd. She saw the teachers standing behind the rows of parents. Her eyes briefly met with Gerard andshe could feel her breath catch in her throat before turning away with tears in her eyes.
* * * * *
Gerard watched as Naomi walked across the stage, smiling politely and shaking hands with the Mayor when he handed her the diploma. He kept a close eye on her as she carefully descended the stairs, feeling his heart calling to her. In spite of everything that had happened over the last few months, he felt proud of her.
Gerard stood quietly as the ceremony came to a conclusion. He made pleasant small talk with a few of the parents, watching Naomi out of the corner of his eyes, always keeping a close eye on her. His attention was drawn to her as she began hugging her mother and friends, tears in her eyes as she clutched at Jo.
* * * * *
“Mom, I’m going to go.”
“Naomi…already? It’s so early,” Donna said in a disappointed tone.
“I know, but it will be dark soon, and I just want to get out of here. It’s all too hard.”
Jo and Pete walked up to Naomi. They had both been so supportive of her decisions, even though Pete didn’t know who the father was. Jo had promised not to tell him until they were graduated and she knew that Pete would be able to take the news without searching out Mr. Way.
“Naenae, you’re going?” Jo asked sadly.
Naomi nodded, hugging Pete before turning to her best friend. Both girls had tears streaming down their faces as they embraced each other.
“You were supposed to room with me,” Jo said sadly, never letting go of her friend. “The whole first year of college and the adjustments and now…”
“I know,” Naomi said in a choked whisper before slowly pulling away. “I wish it could have worked out that way, but I’ll call you later, okay?”
Jo nodded as Naomi turned to hug her mother.
“You have your cell phone?”
“Yeah,” Naomi said quietly. She pulled away, taking off the cap and gown.
“And I’ll see you in a few weeks, right?” she asked, her voice filled with insecurity as she handed the items to her mom.
“You won’t be able to keep me away,” Donna said with a watery smile, clutching the items to her chest.
Naomi smoothed out the wrinkles in her black dress, trying to keep her mind occupied. “I’m going to go,” she whispered.
Everyone nodded, offering one last hug before Naomi turned and began walking away. She felt a tingling rush over her skin and looked up to see Gerard watching her from several yards away. She stopped for a moment, staring into his eyes, memorizing the planes of his face before giving him a slight nod and walking away.
----------
It's nearly the end!! ;o;o;o