Chapter 25

Conclusion

Nikki's turn:

I can't believe it! Graduated! I know it's only high school, and heaven knows, that's not a good place to stop if you aspire to something other than second assistant panty-stacker at Wal-Mart, but when the band played the recessional and we left the building, I angled towards Dan and our gang and we dutifully trooped to Dana's house for a social. I knew that many of the my classmates were under no such restraints and I really didn't want to jump in the middle of the post-graduation mess.

Navigating through the parking lot after the ceremony, you KNOW we bumped into people that were of varying importance to me, and that usually meant squeal-fests.

Kellen and Maddy. My friends this year. I saw them and we hugged. Then Kellen looked up. Behind me was Tina. My SISTER Tina.

"I know you," Kellen said. "Don't I?"

Tina nodded. One of the reasons that Tina and I were friends was that during her brief stay in high school with me, and that was last year. Kellen was NOT one of my friends, nor was she one of Tina's.

"I remember you, too," Tina said softly.

I pretty much know what she remembers. This could be...

"I'm ... I was Christina Johnson last year. I'm Christina Addison now. This is my husband, Alan. Alan, this is..."

Kellen stepped forward, extending her hand to Alan. "Kellen Denger. Reformed asshole. I wasn't a nice person in Tina's life last year. Or Nikki either." She wrapped Tina up in a hug. "Tina, I'm sorry..." When the hug broke, there were tears. "Nikki told me about you. And Alan. Congratulations on your marriage and graduation."

Tina smiled. "Thank you, Kellen. 'S okay. And congratulations to you."

Naturally, Slade found Kellen. After all, they WERE an item. "Slade, hon, d'ya remember Tina? Beginning of last year?" Kellen asked.

Slade's brow knit. I'm thinking that last year Slade wasn't looking at Tina. Tina's cute enough, but she's not in the tier that held Slade's interest. "I think I remember," he said. "You and Nikki used to sit in the corner at lunch..."

Kellen gathered HER guy against her. "And this is Mister Alan, Tina's husband."

Slade did a double-take. The boy's fast though, and not just as an athlete. I watched his eyes dart back and forth between My Dan and Alan and me and Tina. "Whoa," he said. "Did y'all, like, PLAN this?"

It got worse, because Cindy and showed up, tugging her Dan by the hand. When she slung her arm around HIS waist, I thought Slade was gonna flip out. "My sister Cindy," I said, "and HER husband, Dan Richards. Guys, this is Slade and Kellen. My friends."

"Our friends," Tina corrected.

"Noooo," Kellen said. "Cindy, you're..."

Cindy does this GOOD in front of the right audience. "Fourteen. Married. High school graduate. Full scholarship to Auburn University. Like Nikki." And she underscored the statement with that little nose-wrinkle smile. I know it makes HER Dan's knees weak. It's a good think Kellen had Slade around the waist, because it got HIM.

Then Susan and Jason waltz up. "Hi, Guys," Susan said.

Squeals. Multiple "No way". And finally, Dan said, "Hey, look, how about all you guys coming over tomorrow for a post-graduation recovery party?"

"Deal!" Slade said.

And we escaped. I was still giggling about the look on Slade's face when Cindy nailed 'im when I slid into the truck beside Dan. I didn't buckle in immediately. Instead, I knelt in the seat sideways, threw both arms around his neck and laid a blistering kiss on him.

"Wow!" he said. "You sure do kiss good for a high school grad."

"That, baby guy, is the WAY to end high school!

(Author's note: I had to end this story somewhere. This is the end of 'Nikki' as a separate story. If you've enjoyed her life so far, then I point you to the first chapter of the new story, "Community", published here under my pen name. There you will find Nikki and her sisters.

Thank you for reading,

Oyster)