Running Wild in the Night

Nikki's POV

"Nikki," I heard Brian whisper in my ear as he shook my arm.

My response was to groan and roll over, pulling the covers over my head. I didn't want to wake up because I knew it was early. How did I know? Simply, I saw the sun rising through his window.

"Go away, Brian, and let me sleep," I mumbled, swatting his arm away.

"C'mon Nikki, you need to get up."

"Give me one good reason," I snarled, getting annoyed with him.

"Because its Graduation day."

That got me up. As he as he said that, I immediately sat up and looked at a laughing Brian. "I can't believe that all I had to say was that and you just shoot out of bed."

"I would throw something at you but I love you," I growled, rubbing my eyes.

"I know, I love you too," Brian replied, wrapping his arms around me.

"So what does one to her boyfriend's graduation," I asked as I sat down at the Haner table.

It's become a typical thing for the Haners to want me over for breakfast. I don't know why but they always want me over for breakfast and I just go with it. Besides, according to Brian, his family loves me......especially McKenna. She adores me.

"Something a bit formal but also casual," Suzy answered as she handed me a plate of French toast.

I guess Brian told her about the waffle thing at my grandparents'. Usually, Suzy always gave me waffles because that was what I usually liked but after a week with my grandmother who was obsessed with me gaining some weight and making me a huge stack of around eight fat waffles, I got sick of them.

"Thanks, Mrs. Haner."

"No, Nikki, we should be thanking you," Papa replied, putting down the sports section of the newspaper.

"For what?"

"For being Brian's tutor, helping him, and for being the pefect girl for him."

I cocked my head, "How am I the perfect girl for him. I have so much shit to handle. And as for being his tutor, I would have helped no matter what."

"See, there's part of the reason: you're caring. Before you, Brian dated girls that were just nagging on him and really don't care about him. Then, you come along and you're a type of girl Brian's never dealt with before. You're smart, athletic, artistic, and yet, you were just coming out the worst time of your life. You were a former heroin addict and you were in therapy. You needed help even though you didn't want it. With all that, Brian became interested in you. He worried about you and you were always on his mind, Nikki. You were the one thing that he always thought about. Now, I look at you two and I see how much he loves you."

I blushed as I stared at the ground, surprised.

"Don't tell me that she's blushing and I don't know why," Brian said as he walked in.

"I'm just thanking her for being the one that I can you spending your entire life with," Papa replied.

Brian's POV

"So, how are things with Nikki," Jimmy asked as we listened to the droning of the speeches.

"Good, why?"

"You guys aren't breaking up?"

"No, why would we," I asked, confused.

"That letter from UCLA....."

"Oh, she got accepted and since we're both going to be in the same city, we won't have to break up or anything," I answered.

"Oh."

I looked at the crowds and saw that our families were all sitting near one another. Nikki was sitting with my parents, holding McKenna on her lap. I smiled, realizing that she was wearing a skirt. Nikki refused to wear skirts, Hell, she'd always say, "The only time I'll wear a skirt is when its something important and I kind of need to."

I guess Graduation was important enough for her to wear a skirt.

"James Owen Sullivan," Mr. Kilroy, my psychology teacher and announcer called.

I saw Jimmy wince as he heard his full name. He's not very fond of it.

"Brian Elwin Haner Jr."

I shook hands with the dean and grabbed my diploma, stopping to have my picture taken. After shaking hands with the principal, I returned to the seat, with my diploma in hand. Oh, who's a graduate now, bitches? I am!

"Students, will please move your tassels to the left....."

We all did that, knowing what was going to happen. The crowds started going wild as I looked behind me, looking at Zacky, Matt, Val, and Johnny.

"I now present the class of 2000."

We all threw our caps into the air, cheering. Damn, I'm so fucking glad that I'm done with high school.

"Dude, we're fucking graduates," Zacky yelled as we all met up in a little group.

I laughed, knowing that we were now unleashed into the real world.

"Hey, graduate," I heard a voice call behind me.

I turned around to see Nikki, standing behind me, a big smile on her face. I could see in her eyes how proud she was of me. All I wanted to do was just grab her and kiss her but I'm calm....I'm chill.

"Hey, Nikki," I said as she walked towards me.

Instead of her usual stopping in front of me and poking my arm, she instantly threw her arms around my neck and hugged me. "I'm so fucking proud of you, you dumbass."

"Aw, I'm loved."

"Yes you are, now I'm not the only graduate."

"Yup, you're not the only graduate," I said, kissing her nose.

"You know this is only the beginning."

"Of what?"

"The real world, silly. Something that I finally get to be thrown into," Nikki replied, resting her head against my shoulder.

I sighed, running my hand through her hair, thinking about everything that she's gone through. No more Hell for Nicole Storm McCade. "Hey, at least you're not getting thrown out alone. I'll be there."

She looked up at me and smiled. "This is only the beginning, isn't it."

"Yup."