If Opposites Attract, Then We Were Meant to Be

Graduation

*** Sam’s P.O.V. ***
Well I’ll tell you something I would have much rather broken my wrist than fractured it in two places. Reason one: I think it would have hurt less. Reason two: I would have gotten a cool cast. Yeah okay maybe medically its better this way but I have my beliefs and they have theirs. It really wasn’t so bad, though kissing my best friend was a numbing act. When our lips met under the porch light I could almost hear the fireworks exploding. Maybe he does like me.
*** Billie’s P.O.V. ***
I kissed her and she didn’t utter one word of protest. I think she’ll accept when I ask her to be my girlfriend on tour!
*** Sam’s P.O.V. ***
I walked over and answered the door. Billie was picking at the skin on his thumb, but looked up and smiled as I pulled open the door. “Hey Sam,” he breathed.
“Hi,” I managed to say.
“Listen uh we’ll be going on tour after the graduation ceremony,” he seemed uncomfortable.
“Oh, well that’s great for the band,” I choked, sad that my friends were going to leave me.
“I wanted to ask you to come with us. You know everyone love’s you up on stage and we don’t want to leave you all by your lonesome you know? So what do you say?” he gushed, a smile replacing the look of pessimism.
“You didn’t have to ask-“I started.
“Oh but I want you to come.” He practically screamed.
“What I mean is even if you didn’t ask I would be sneaking into the Bookmobile and stowing away, whether you wanted me there or not.” I giggled giving him a big hug. He processed what I said and laughed hugging me back.
“Oh God I am so happy you said yes!” he exclaimed as we embrace.
“Me too,” I sighed loving the scent he had just like at prom, cigarettes and mint leaves.
Graduation was only a day away and everyone’s excitement was infecting. I had been accepted into all the schools I applied to so now I only had to choose. I’m a bit giddy over the fact that Barbie did not graduate as well as Ken, who I am assuming will go back to Barbie as soon as school starts next year and they will be cutest couple or something like that. Derek was no longer a blip on my radar; he just sort of dropped off the charts. Our big prom blow out was barely whispered about now, though the yearbook editor had promised to put pictures of it in the yearbooks; which we would collect after our diplomas.
I was glad to be leaving high school and the trials I had faced there but I knew my friends weren’t going to take the same path as me. My high hopes became harder and harder to reach as my road became longer each passing second I spent with them. It made me attached; I did not want to leave them behind. I wasn’t the only one who felt it, the beginning strains on our heart strings, the pull of our friendships life-fire dwindling as the summer tried to douse it.
Graduation then tour. Billie and planned that nicely. When ever I saw him now my lips tingled, the electricity from our porch kiss, as I am now calling it, still made me dizzy. Sometimes in my dreams I would re-live it but it was always the same, we would part and he never came back, well until the next dream that is. I knew I loved him but was embarrassed to ask if he was just being a gentleman or really did like me too.
The big day arrived and as we, we being Mike and I, made our way to the field Billie was nowhere in site. He had been sick the past week so I worried if he was coming. “Where is he,” I half-asked myself, half-asked Mike.
“He’ll be here, don’t worry,” Mike answered soothingly, trying to get me to sit still. You know for a guy who drinks about ten cups of coffee every morning he is never you know, bouncing off the walls.
The principal began to call out names and hand out diplomas. At first I thought I had missed Billie’s name being called. Or maybe they are waiting for him to get here, I thought. No Billie and no name being called it was weird his messy dreadlocks were no where to be seen. He didn’t show I looked out towards the crowd and saw his mom, Ollie sitting with my dad and Mike’s adopted mom. I must say I felt let down and betrayed, after all that tutoring and studying extra, late nights and he chose to drop out. He had earned the right to graduate; now I was mad.
“Michael Ryan Pritchard!” the principal called. Mike walked up the stairs with confidence and a smile. He shook hands, received his diploma and walked off to his designated seat in the crowd. Our parents yelled and clapped for him as he came onto the grass. Principal Brown made short work of the list and soon it was my name being called. “Samantha Marie Kratzer!” I smiled, shook hands, and was given the rolled up paper that was a ticket out of high school. Just as they had done for Mike our parents once again screamed and clapped, as I turned to look at them to smile and wave I noticed my dad was filming the ceremony, great.
The list was finished with Ezekiel Zepper. He took his seat and our Valedictorian spoke her speech. She concluded and the class of ’89 threw their caps in the air as cries of joy escaped their lips. As I hugged Mike a flash of movement caught my eye. Billie was watching from behind the tree right by the stage, like some weird pervert. “Billie,” I angrily whispered.
“Sorry what did you say?” Mike asked releasing me.
“He’s here,” I spat.
“Where? You do mean Billie right, not you know Derek?”
“Of course I mean Billie Joe Armstrong!” I fumed, his name making me quite explosive. I watched Billie slowly begin to walk towards us, his hands were plunged deep into his pockets and he kept his head low, a hood pulled over his hair now that he was visible.
“Hey,” he said his voice low and cracking slightly.
“That’s it? You skip graduation and all you can say is ‘Hey’,” I yelled. Billie winced I guess he knew I would flip my lid over this ordeal.
“I’m sorry?” he glanced at Mike giving him a look that said: save me!
“You’re not sorry, your just trying to save your skin by telling me what you think I want to hear!” I screeched adamantly.
“Uh Sam you don’t really need to blow this outta proportion.” Mike commented as I paused glaring at Billie who looked everywhere but my eyes, which were a cold gray at the moment.
“SHUT UP MIKE! No one was talking to you!” I was now freaking out. I couldn’t control anything anymore, I felt again the out-of-body thing happening. I began to panic, my breaths shallow and my ranting completely unnecessary. “You skipped graduation- after all that work, and I helped you with- for your- stupid…music!” I panted my vision strained and I wobbled on my feet as the tree slowly darted in and out of focus. I was freezing but sweating as a fever took hold of me.
“Saaamm?” Billie caught me in his arms as I collapsed. Time had slowed down and the bright day grew suddenly black. “We need some help over here!” he called. I could hear him as he spoke softly to me but was unable to answer. “C’mon Sam breathe in, out, in, out…please don’t do this.” I don’t know if this was part of my dream or not but I could have sworn he said: “I need you.”