Chapter 52: 52 Graduation

Annie and Katheryn led a completely stunned Kelly down the stairs and to the living room. They sat her down on the couch next to her father and she had a slightly opened mouth and wide eyes. She didn't speak and Annie grabbed a broom and dust pan to clean up the scattered sandwiches and plate pieces.

“I'll help with that.” Katheryn said and to Annie's surprise, she picked up the sandwich remains.

“Thank you.” Annie said and swept up the ceramic shards into the dustpan. “I'll do a better clean up later when no one is around. You know there are pieces of it under the furniture.”

Katheryn nodded and they carried the mess into the kitchen and disposed of it properly. The two of them made more sandwiches and then went back into the living room to hand them out. Kenneth had his arm over Kelly's shoulders and she still had a far away look on her face.

“What did you do to her?” Kenneth asked and accepted a sandwich.

“Apparently, I gave her a bigger shock than I thought I was going to.” Annie said with a smile and took a sandwich and gave one to Arnold. “Despite the way she normally dresses, she appreciates fashion when she sees it.”

Katheryn chuckled and handed her daughter a sandwich. Kelly took it and ate it mechanically and didn't react to the taste at all, just like Arnold.

“Don't worry, she'll be fine.” Katheryn said and sat down on the other side of her daughter and took a sandwich as well. “She's going to look perfect at prom.”

The five of them ate lunch, with Arnold and Kenneth eating two sandwiches each.

“I think we should wait until tomorrow to move over more things.” Annie said. “Let's give Kelly a few hours to adjust.”

“I agree.” Katheryn said and stood. “My husband and I will stop imposing for today and we will see you both tomorrow.”

“I didn't mean you had to leave right now.” Annie chuckled.

Katheryn smiled and waved for her husband to stand. “We don't want to push our luck.”

“I understand.” Annie said. “Thank you for coming over.” She led Kelly's parents out of the room and to the front door. “I'm really glad that you made up with Kelly.”

“We are, too.” Katheryn said. “Things just spiralled out of control and no matter what we did, it just seemed to make it worse.”

Annie laughed. “Oh, I've been there. I remember one time when Gerald...” She caught her breath and tears came to her eyes before she could stop them.

Katheryn produced a tissue and dabbed at her eyes before the tears fell, then gave her a hug. “I'm sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you.” Annie said and briefly hugged her back. “See you tomorrow.”

Kelly's parents left and Annie went back to the living room.

“Arnold, give me a hand looking under the furniture for any other pieces of the broken plate.” Annie said.

Arnold tipped up the chairs and Annie swept under them to get a few shards, then they moved Kelly to one of the chairs and Arnold tilted up the couch for Annie.

“I knew there was a big piece missing.” Annie said and picked up a v-shaped chunk of ceramic. “Imagine stepping on this in the middle of the night.” She shook her head and swept the floor. “I'll have to wash the floor again later.”

“I'll help.” Kelly said and Annie and Arnold turned to look at her. “I'm sorry I dropped the plate.”

Annie put the dust pan and broom aside and gave her a brief hug. “Don't worry about it. It was only worth a few dollars.”

Kelly sighed. “I was just so shocked I had completely forgotten about prom.”

“To be fair, you have been a little preoccupied with a few things lately.” Annie joked and Kelly smiled.

“Now I've got prom as well.” Kelly said and looked around. “Wait, where are my parents?”

“They just left.” Annie said. “We'll see them tomorrow when we go and get more of your things.”

Kelly nodded. “Okay, let's get the floor cleaned and then I'll...”

“...get back on the couch and relax.” Annie finished for her.

“But...”

“Arnold, Kelly needs some good cuddling for a while after we clean the floor.” Annie said and her son nodded, then the three of them quickly washed the floor. “I'm going back upstairs to read.” She said and left them alone.

Arnold sat down on the couch and held his arms out to Kelly. She sat down beside him and he put his arms around her to cuddle her and pulled her in close. She let out a sigh and turned her head to look at him. She didn't see any expectation on his face and his hands didn't roam or take liberties.

Kelly's mind warred between her need for control and her desire for him to touch her unbidden. She knew that if she told him to touch her, he would, and if she told him to stop, he would. That was a potent power to have over someone and she didn't want to abuse that power. She didn't realize that was why Annie liked her so much, because she knew the responsibility Arnold came with and that she still wanted the best for him and not for herself.

Kelly gave him a quick kiss and picked up the remote for the television. They watched it without actually watching it and Arnold gave her all the cuddles she could ever want.

The next day, Annie and Kelly went to pick up more of her things. Her parents helped and she told them that she wasn't taking everything, since she would be back on the weekends. They packed up what she wanted, including her computer and VR setup, and brought it back to Annie's house. Arnold helped her unload everything and they stored it in the living room.

“I guess that's it.” Kelly said and her face became sad. “I really moved away from home.”

Arnold put his arms around her and gave her a kiss. “Welcome home.”

Kelly caught her breath and looked into his eyes, and he stared right back at her. “Th-thank you.”

“Come on, lovebirds.” Annie laughed. “I've had supper slow cooking all day and it should be so tender that it melts in your mouth.”

The three of them went into the kitchen and Annie took a large roast pan out of the oven. She took off the cover and a delicious chicken smell filled the kitchen.

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“If it tastes half as good as it smells, it's going to taste great.” Kelly said.

Annie grabbed a couple of large forks and started to lift the chicken out of the roast pan... and then most of the meat, the wings, and the legs slid right off of the bird and back into the pan. She looked at the skeleton she held and then looked into the pan, then she laughed.

“I think I let it cook just a little too long.” Annie said. “It's so tender it can't even hold onto the bones!”

Kelly reached in to pick up a leg and the bone slipped right out of it, and she laughed, too. “I think we need a strainer.”

“At least the gravy is going to be extra tasty.” Annie said and they picked out the largest pieces of meat carefully, so it didn't break apart any more, then she strained the rest into a large pot. It took a while to pick all of the bones and cartilage out of the strained meat, then Annie decided to skip making the gravy and potatoes and made rice instead. Rather than have it as a side dish, she just used a bigger pot and tossed the chicken meat right into the rice and stirred it up.

The three of them ate and Kelly was surprised that it still tasted good after cooking the chicken had gone so wrong. Afterwards, she watched as Annie skimmed the fat and grease from the pot of drippings, then she poured the drippings into plastic containers and labelled them before she put them into the refrigerator's freezer for later use to make gravy.

Kelly and Arnold spent the evening cuddled on the couch and Annie left them alone. Nothing happened between them, except the occasional random kiss, and then Kelly went upstairs to go to sleep and Arnold made up his bed on the couch and went to bed, too.

The next day passed and Kelly helped Arnold practice gaming, then that night she started to feel nervous. They only had one more day and then it was graduation, then that night it was the prom. Her mother had called and they had a beauty appointment after graduation for her to get ready, then she would come back to Annie's house to get dressed. She knew she shouldn't be nervous, because she knew Arnold wouldn't do anything to pressure her for sex. They had cuddled on the couch every night and he still hadn't groped her, not even by 'accident'.

Kelly lay in bed and was both happy and frustrated by that, because it would be so much easier if he did touch her by accident. She wouldn't have to think about it and it could just happen; but, she knew he didn't think like that. He wasn't manipulative like that and would only touch her if she asked him to, and she loved him for that.

Kelly stiffened up. I really do love him. She thought, then she felt a deep warmth in her heart. It moved to her chest and then down lower to her abdomen. She hugged herself and rolled over onto her side. I love him.

The next day passed in a blur and then it was graduation day. Too many things were going on for Kelly to keep track of everything, so she left it all to her mother and Annie. It was a bit of a relief to not have to think about things for a while and she just went where they told her and did what they said. She got dressed when told to and ate when given food, then they were all in their cars and had driven to the school.

I wonder if this is what Arnold feels like all the time? Kelly asked herself and she turned her head to look at him to ask. Arnold was beside her and turned to look at her, then without being asked, he leaned close and gave her a kiss.

“Gather around now.” The vice-principal said and waved the graduating class forward. “You're going to be put in alphabetical order by last name, then you're going to promenade around the outside of the gym and sit in the front rows. A's to Z's, with the Z's in the last empty row. Stay in order, please. You will be called to the stage to accept your diploma and you will NOT show off.” She said and glared briefly at Brad and his group of friends. “Yes, you.”

Brad chuckled and his friends laughed.

“All right. Let's go.” The vice-principal said and read a list as she started calling names and pointed towards the gym doors. She paused briefly when she reached the S's and read Arnold Strickland's name, then continued. The students were sorted just in time as the music inside started playing. The doors opened and the students filed in, almost in a military march, and did the promenade around the gymnasium.

Parents and friends shouted and clapped from their seats on the bleachers. Some took pictures and other recorded video, then all the students sat in their assigned seats. The vice-principal went up on the stage and spoke to a man that Arnold had never met. The principal approached the podium and said a fairly long-winded speech about the importance of education and the future of the country was in their hands.

Two more people, the school board administrator and the secretary for the minister of education, stood and made speeches as well. After that, the principal took the podium again and started calling names and giving out diplomas. It took a while, because Arnold was a part of the largest graduating class the school had seen in a long time.

When Kelly's name was called, her father and mother stood up and shouted and clapped, so Arnold did that too, which surprised everyone. Kelly's face was bright red as she stepped onto the stage and accepted her diploma. She gave a quick wave to her parents and walked off the stage to return to her seat. Soon it was Arnold's turn and when he took the stage, a lone voice rang out across the gym.

“YOU DID IT!” Annie yelled as she jumped to her feet, and several people laughed. She knew that no one else realized what an accomplishment it was for Arnold to have survived high school. She had been so careful with him and guided him as much as she could, then her eyes roamed over the other students and met Kelly's smiling face. Maybe one other person knows. She thought with a nod and sat back down.

The vice-principal took the podium when all of the students had received their diplomas. “You all did very well to make it this far.” She said and looked over the students. “I'd like to congratulate all of you personally; but, I don't have a few spare days to do that.” She said and a few people laughed. It really was the biggest class of graduates they ever had. “What I can do, is personally thank the top students. When I call your name, please come up to the stage.” She said and took out a note card. “Billy Gardel, Kelly Kendall, Joanne Robichette, and Arnold Strickland.”

There were several yells and shouts of surprise, especially from Kelly's parents. The four students came up on the stage and the vice-principal shook their hands and whispered words of encouragement and some platitudes, until she took Arnold's hand. She leaned in and whispered something in his ear that only he could hear over the ambient noise of the crowd.

The vice-principal let his hand go and saw his slight nod, then she smiled at him and went back to the podium. “Normally, the valedictorian is the student that has the best academic record in the school, which usually means they have the highest grade point average. In this case, we have four students with more than a 4.0 average.”

The crowd's murmurs and whispers were quite loud after that.

“After conferring with the teachers and taking a lot of other factors into consideration, including attendance...”

A lone shout of 'No!' responded.

“...this year's valedictorian is Joanne Robichette.” The vice-principal said and started a round of applause for her. “If you would, please say a few words to the graduating class.”

“Thank you.” Joanne said as she took the podium. “Teachers, alumni, fellow graduates, friends and family, and a bunch of other people that I don't know...”

Several laughs responded.

“...it's a great honor for me to represent this school in...” Joanne gave a well prepared speech, which meant that she must have known beforehand and it wasn't just thrown on her at the last minute. No one really caught onto that, except for the teachers and alumni. When she finished speaking, a lot of the students stood and tossed their hats into the air. Cameras flashed to take a picture and people cheered.

“Didn't I say to not cause trouble?” The vice-principal said and most of the students laughed as they scrambled and tried to get their hats back. “I now hand the podium back to our illustrious principal.”

“You're still not getting a raise.” The principal said and a faint 'dammit' was heard, which made most of the crowd laugh. “This was a fantastic year and I am so very proud that you have all graduated. You will be embarking on your lives from here on out, so I wish you good luck, good health, and happiness.” He paused for a moment. “Now that you are no longer students under my care, I have no problems saying this.” He gave them all a huge smile. “Get out of my school! You are all trespassing!”

The crowd and most of the students laughed, and only a few people saw Arnold walk over to the stairs. He made his way through the bustling students and the crowd of people around them, then found his mother. She hugged him and started to say that she was very proud of him and he held her and started to walk back through the crowd. By the time Annie finished gushing, he had her out the side door of the gym and outside.

“Arnold, what's wrong?” Annie asked.

“We were trespassing.” Arnold said, then the door behind them opened.

Kelly and her parents came out and Kelly gave him a hug. “The principal was making a joke, even though it's true.” She explained to him. “We are trespassing, since only students are permitted inside the school most times.”

“Is that why you left so quickly?” Kelly's mother asked.

“We have an exception for tonight at the prom, so don't worry about that.” Kelly said and he nodded.

“We need to go and get ready.” Kelly's mother said.

“Okay.” Kelly said and gave Arnold another hug and then a kiss. “I'll be back at the house by seven.”

They left just as the rest of the students and their families came out several of the side doors, so Annie and Arnold left, too.

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